Future belly dancer or trick rider?

Eliza has been doing these contortionist things with her shirts these days. I've yet to see how she gets her shirts this way, but today's was an especially interesting look. Last I knew, she was watching a Barney show while I was posting on the Blog. Then I looked up and saw her dancing away to the Barney music and noticed her shirt. Well, I immediately thought: Belly Dancer!! Then she started rocking on her horse and trying to stand up on him. So, then I thought: Trick Rider!!! Of course, mommy tried doing something similar when she was about 4 and ended up breaking a wrist. Hmmm...better turn the camera off and set her straight on the rules of proper riding.

Santa is our hero!

We had a wonderful, busy Christmas. Up early, Eliza came downstairs and the first thing she saw was a new pony (the indoor kind). I said, "Look what Santa brought for you Eliza!" She smiled big and went over to touch it and check it out. She immediately got on and started rocking. When we got everyone else up, Allie went right to the Barney present and gave it to Eliza. Eliza didn't pay much attention to it until Dad squeezed Barney's hand through the wrapping paper. The rest, you'll see on the video I uploaded. It was so funny. And, no, she has not let go of Barney's hand since. Except for our post Christmas shopping day when she dropped Barney in the department store and I was clueless. She screamed and cried and I just thought she was fighting off a nap. Wouldn't you know it, we were in the dressing room when a woman called in asking if someone had lost Barney. My heart stopped. I had gotten used to not having Barney around for 3 weeks that I forgot he was "supposed" to be with us. Oh my! The woman said that she remembered seeing a cute little girl in a stroller with him, so she had been walking around the store looking for us! Can you imagine! ...She's my hero...

Eliza is feeling much better and has been so happy. She's been doing this funny, loud laughing thing. (I think she's imitating my laughter.) It's very funny and you can't help but laugh along with her, which encourages her to do more. She's been dancing like crazy and it's hilarious to watch. She also loves to pat her legs to the songs on Barney shows. She's been jibber-jabbering constantly, and playing and socializing really well. It's been so wonderful to see. She had a really, really good Christmas! Her presents were a hit; Barney, of course, being her favorite; a Barney and a Berenstein Bears DVD; the plush rocking horse; a marble tower that we can construct in many different ways and watch the marbles go flying down..a few books; and The Mixed Up Chamelion (you move colored balls that are under plexi-glass through the maze and into their appropriate colored-place with a magnet pen. She really likes playing with it.)

My heart has been full watching her get into her toys and videos, dancing and laughing at appropriate things...though she's 3.5 and in many ways is doing things that a young toddler would be doing, just seeing her "make the connections" is huge. I couldn't help think that the timing of bringing home Nina Meiying is going to be perfect with Eliza getting more social. Happy New Year friends and family!

Christmas Preparations

Finally got everyone together for our Christmas card photo-shoot...typical craziness and "tossing" out 99% of the pictures because someone wasn't "perfect". It was fun, as usual, though.

We've been constantly asking Eliza where Barney is and if Santa is going to bring Barney back. She's been looking for him and smiles bright when she hears that Santa might bring him.

So, here's a sneak-peak of a shot from our Christmas card adventure and also a video of Eliza sharing a before-bed snack with Hogan and Sadie tonight! (P.S. The golden-puppy is "Carmen" from the kids' mom's house...she comes over for sleepovers and play dates w/ Hogan.)

Merry Christmas everyone and may 2009 bring us peace and joy!

Sick days...

Poor Eliza has been down w/ double ear infections again and a fever that finally broke this morning, after two days of consistently being 100 - 102. She's been pitiful; wanting to be carried all day and snuggled into me day and night; not sleeping and waking if she hears me leave her side. (Dad says he can't blame her...awww!) She refused food and drink for two days, even her favorite drinks. Finally, last night, I thought we should take her to the ER for fear of dehydration. I'm telling you, I tried everything to get some fluids into her. Anyway, finally last night, thank God, she started sipping a little. This morning, the fever broke and she was more agreeable to some light snacking and drinking.

I feel so bad that Eliza missed this week of school because they were planning so many fun projects and festivities for Christmas. Today is the Christmas party in their class that parents were invited to, but I just don't think she'll be up for even a visit. They sent home some cute gingerbread men and I was looking forward to seeing what else they were going to work on. They also made a calendar for 2009 and it has all these great classroom shots of Eliza on it. I loved it. Her teachers are amazing!

I've got so much to do in these final days before Christmas. The few cookies that I did get baked, have already been eaten up! I'm also still trying to get my family all home at the same time for a Christmas photo; so those won't be going out until after Christmas at this rate. Well, here's a few pictures I did snap this week. Some of Eliza wearing a cute hat as we got ready to go to the dr's (I wanted to cover her ears before we went out into the wind); another of her wearing mommy's chic-velvet hat and playing w/ her new favorite toy from Auntie Megan and Emma; another of her playing her little keyboard. I'm trying to upload some vidoes too that I took on my camera of her playing the keyboard (you can hear her coughing pitifully). I have another video I took of Eliza and Allie playing too (before she was sick though). Well, enjoy...Derek's back home now and I'm hoping to get some respite!

Wordless Wednesday

Barney Update and Christmas Tree Decorating

Barney Update: I bought another Barney, but decided to wrap him up as a Christmas present. I think it will be the first time that a present makes an impression on Eliza...and will, no doubt, make Santa her hero!

Since we came home from China in October 2006, this will be our 3rd Christmas with Eliza. And what a difference a year has made...this is the first year that she participated in decorating the tree and has NOT taken off every ornament within her reach. Now, that's not to say that she's still not fascinated by the shiny or jingly ornaments, but at least she puts them back on the tree this year. Looking at the pictures from this year and comparing them to last year, I'm reminded of how baby-like she still was last year. Enjoy the pictures!

Barney's untimely death

Okay, admittedly this was the dumbest thing I've ever done. I killed Barney. Yes, you read that right. (That's not the dumb thing I did; it's how I killed Barney that was dumb). Each morning, I have to distract Eliza w/ either her toothbrush or a drink so that she'll put Barney down...long enough for me to snatch him w/out her noticing and hide him...just so we can go to school w/out any Barney separation anxiety. So, on this particular morning, as I snatched Barney, Eliza started to follow me. The closest hiding place I could find quick enough was the upper oven. Alright, I know you're already starting to laugh... In that moment, mental note to self, "Take Barney out of the oven immediately after coming home from dropping Eliza off at school so that I don't bake Barney at dinnertime." ..........Well, I was distracted by a stop at my neighbor's house for coffee this a.m. and completely forgot about Barney. .......You guessed it, tonight, I turned on the oven to bake some rolls. As the temp increased to 170 degrees, I saw a flash of light inside the oven. @*^#(#!!!!!! Yikes, Barney was on fire. It didn't help that Allie kept yelling, "You burned Barney; Barney's on fire; I can't believe you burned Barney!" I threw Barney into the sink into a pot of water...sizzle...sizzle. Peeeyewww! Stunk! Poor Eliza kept looking around the kitchen everytime she'd hear "Barney's name" come out of Allie's mouth. I don't think she understood, but she clearly knew that something wasn't right. So, Barney is officially buried in the outside garbage can and tomorrow morning I will be hunting down a singing Barney to replace him. Oh my... I'm a bad mommy!

We received PA from the CCAA!!

On December 1, we got the word that we were okayed by the CCAA to move ahead in becoming this little girl's family! (Check out my other blog for updates going forward...see the link in my sidebar.)



Introducing Meiying, named for the hope that she would be beautiful and generous.

Born in the year of (imagine my surprise) the Horse.
June 8, 2002
Province of Guangxi, Guilin SWI
Residing with a loving and devoted foster family
In 2004 entered the Infants and Toddlers program cooperated with Half the Sky Foundation
Currently in 1st Grade at Half the Sky Foundation's "Little Sister Primary School"
She loves to learn, talk about the story she read, play with others, is polite
She loves to dance, sing and help other children who are "less capable"
She loves animals (drawing them, touching them, studying them)


We are so excited and feel like Meiying is going to fit right in. So now I have to get moving on the rest of the dossier process!