Sunday, December 30, 2007

Happy Birthday Jia Jia!!!






Rylee has now learned the Happy Birthday song and has been singing it to her sister all day! Happy Birthday Hanna, we love you so much!!!


Tuesday, December 25, 2007

Merry Christmas!

Christmas morning started with the most beautiful sunrise. I peeked in at the girls and they were still sleeping, so I headed to the kitchen to start the coffee and Cinnamon rolls. Before I could even get the rolls started I heard soft footsteps on the stairs. Hanna came first with Rylee trailing behind her. They spotted the presents and Rylee said "OOOOOOOOHHH Bopen bopen??? (open) They quick woke up Daddy so they could get started!
The girls had so much fun with Rylee copying everything that Hanna said at first. It wasn't long before Rylee would open a present with "WOOOOW dis awesome!!!" (socks) or "OOOOH COOL!!! (books) It was so very adorable and we all enjoyed every minute of it.

Rylee's favorite gifts were her baby doll stuff and everything that Hanna got! Hanna's favorites were her horse barn, tack and karaoke machine! The day was spent playing with their new toys, singing and dancing. When I tucked the girls in for the night Hanna said "Mom, do you know what the best thing about Christmas was?" I asked her what it was. She said "It was having a sister to share it with!". I am so proud of her for opening her heart to her new sister and trying so hard to be a good sister for Rylee! I am so very grateful to spend this Christmas with my beautiful girls and my fabulous husband...


Thursday, December 13, 2007

Early Intervention Screening

We had the early intervention screening this week and Rylee blew them away! I was not sure if she would just grunt at them or if she would cooperate. Usually she is very quiet around people that she doesn't know and most times she will just grunt at them instead of communicate. She did great! She passed the vision and hearing, in fact she had the nurse laughing with the faces she made during the hearing test. She wouldn't say if she was hearing the sound, but there was no doubt when she was hearing it because of the faces she would make - you would have thought they were blasting her with a fog horn!

She repeated everything they said and laughed out loud at them several times. She built a tower with the blocks, sorted them by color and counted them in English. She remembered some body parts (she mixed up hair and hand and mouth and foot) and tried really hard to understand them. When it was time to leave she went around and hugged each of them and said "Bye Bye". So, there will be no early intervention services for her :)



English words and sentences she has learned and uses at 6 weeks home:

NOOOOOOOOO!
Yeshee!
Dis one!
Mama go bye bye, Baba, Gigi, Xiao Bao?
Scruffy NOOOOOOOO!
Scrumpy (Scrappy)
Yummy
Yucky
Stinky
Potty
Mama do
UP pup pup pup! (wants to be carried)
Priddy
Whata (water)
Scuse you Xiao Bao
Bless you
Love you (sometimes she mixes these up and says "love you" when someone sneezes)
Shower
Bata (bath)
Rylee
Hanna
Hip Perry (for Hip Hop Harry - her favorite show)
Jingle Bells
Yay!
Baby
Precious
Pleasa (please)
Tank You
Welcome
Washy washy hands
Eyesa
Tummy
Brush teetha
Xiao Bao do it!
Mama be careful Xiao Bao
Mama utt ooh!
hot-a
coldy
Mama good job (when I give her something to eat that she likes)
Mama Xiao Bao good job!
Mamamamamamamamammamamamamamamamamamamamamamaaaaaa! (pretty much all the time)
Xiao Bao good girl
Xiao Bao girl, not boy NOOOOOOOO!
One, two, three, four.. sixa, sweven, eighta!
Oh my gootness (as in "look how much dirt came from the Kitchen floor!)
Baba home!
trow way (throw away)
Hello
Bub buy, Hello, Bub buy (for goodby on the phone)
How You?






Things we have learned about her in the first 8 weeks:

Loves to laugh, dance and scream!
Thinks we should think it is funny when she hits herself - we don't, but she just keeps trying.
Enjoys brushing her teeth
Only drinks water
Does a perfect imitation of a crying baby - WHAAAAAAA WHAAAAAA WHAAAAAAAAAAA!
Mushes her food with her tongue instead of chewing
Has a tremendous set of lungs
Has great rhythm
Does a perfect somersault
Gives great hugs
Stores stuff under her pillow and in the pillow cases
Loves to play in the water (tub)
Likes to take a shower
She is very stubborn!
Likes to pretend she is a puppy
Learns quickly
Has a great sense of humor
Adores her sister
Likes horses
Thinks everything should be tasted, but has learned to ask first.
Likes to climb - especially on Mama or Baba!
Reverts to a penguin walk when she is out of her comfort zone
Has a happy personality
Likes to do art and craft projects
Loves babies
Loves to snuggle
Like to be entertaining
Is loved beyond words!