We're home: post 2 (days 7-13)

{Gotcha Day video and post coming.

I was having trouble getting the video onto Youtube.}

Some of this will be redundant for those of you on fb...but not everyone is so here goes.

Home: Day 7

We've been home 7 days by now...it's check up day! Her weight was 22.1 lb. and length 31.5 inches (if I remember correctly, can't find the paper they wrote it on. lol) She is so healthy and we are looking forward to getting to Shriner's Hospital in Sac to see what we can see about her hands and feet. I found myself and find myself already bragging on our girl...such a mom right? It's a funny thing because the five of us don't even notice her hands and feet being any different than our own anymore. She is so determined that we just carry on. She seems to be right on target with the exception of walking of course.

A friend said to me yesterday, after watching her eat," It's amazing how special needs kids adapt." My immediate thought to myself was,"Yea, they sure do. I wonder why she just said that? Oh yeah, she's talking about my kid. LOL!" I guess that's what mamas do, we see what our kids can do,

not what they cannot. :)

It was fun that all five of us got to go to the appointment. They love her so much!

Home: Day 8

It has been a great transition over all but harder on some of us than others. With Jumping Joy being the youngest for so long  (7.5 years) it has been a little rough sharing mom. This morning just the two of us went on a bike ride to 7-11 and picked up some Corn Nuts, cranapple juice and a Red Box to share with everyone when we got home. It was a great break for us both! Love this girl. She has so much to offer and loves her family so deeply! She is trying to make sense of this whole adoption thing too. What a great big sister!

Later this day I caught a sweet pic of our youngest two. It makes my heart sing that Jumping Joy gets to experience begin an older sister and that Lightning Hope gets so much love...every.single.minute.of.every.single.day ;)

Home: Day 9

I am trying to get sleep when baby sleeps but also spend time with my big kids...just the thought of it is exhausting. C-dub and I got in a game of the Star Trek version of Catan in today. He won by one point. I will blame my fuzzy-sleep deprived mind ;)

Keeping baby busy. This light up toy was given to her by a shop owner in China that we purchased quite a few souvenirs from. They loved her. Very sweet!

We made it to church for the first time today. I was surprised that we were all doing so well. The big kids missed everyone at church so much. I am glad that we made it!
Baby girl slept through the entire thing.

Home: Day 10

We officially started back to school today. Although it is MUCH EARLIER than I thought the big kids are going stir crazy...and so am I! Let's see how it goes...

Lightening Hope is a new station for our homeschooling adventures. I did 10 minute intervals with 5-10 minutes between each session in the morning before our "put her to sleep" walk around the block.(This was after our opening Bible time.) We do many things in age-order. For this I started in reverse age-order so that Jumping Joy would have a chance to pick first. Trying all sorts of things to make her feel special. :) I chose three activities and JJ got to choose first, then FF, then CD.

JJ chose books

FF chose shapes and little pom-pom balls

That left CD with mega blocks

After this short/long first day back at school we chilled and watched I Love Lucy.

LH woke up in a bad mood. She was grumpy and clingy. I am sure that her little mind is still trying to figure out just what has happened to her. I held her most of the rest of the day. That evening we walked to our friend's house and picked up their crib. They are going to missionary school for 6 months and lent us their crib. It worked out perfectly. I think baby girl will be much more comfy and have much more room. She moves around A TON when she sleeps. Thanks Jones family!

Home: Day 11

FF also known as Kiki picked out baby girl's outfit today. They (both older sistas) love to dress "their baby", as they say.

On this day, like most, I was in absolute need of a nap. My dad had picked the big kids up for gym so it was just baby and me for the "walk a baby to sleep". I promptly laid myself down too with the stroller in arms reach so if she peeped, which she does, I could rock her back to sleep and catch some more zzzzs. It worked and we got a 2.5 hour nap! Yay us!

 An afternoon of getting school finished and staying sane. CD and FF not loving their writing homework for a class they are taking, baby being introduced to Lego Duplo blocks while being hot and grumpy and JJ trying to remake a Lego sculpture that CD broke by accident and in this pic she was complaining about not finding the piece she needs. (Keepin it real.)

 

 After all of that we are off to the pool. Baby LOVES the pool and it is a way to keep her awake in the afternoon and gives us all something else to do as we get tired of each other inside all day. ;)

After swim baby wants to get back out. Thanks to big brother locking the door she stays in.

When daddy got home from work he was on a phone call. This is what baby did when she saw him. Funny girl.

Home: Day 12

Trying to get a big girl's hair straightened before class while baby girl just wants to be held.

Tricky-tricky!

(JJ picked her outfit this day;)

We braved Target for the first time with LH.

She did great but I did need to keep saying "Let's go guys before she melts." She didn't fuss at all.

Home: Day 13

Our second day of "baby is a station" was fun. It has been fun to keep some toys just for this "school time" for LH. I love getting out toys that will challenge her and stretch her as well as keep her attention. Everyday is an adventure. It is so helpful for me to be able to help the big kids with math and LA and gives them one on one time with "their baby" ;) Today was tea pot with FF,

stacking rings (such a classic toy) with CD,

and counting bears & stacking cups with JJ.