Chinese New Year 2012

We had a pretty low key Chinese New Year this year. Mostly because Mia is so young. Next year I'll put more effort into it.

We met my sister's family at a restaurant for dinner on the first day of CNY. The girls wore the dresses we bought them in China. The bigger boys were there, too, but avoid the camera these days.

This picture cracks me up. Teagan's fake smile looks quite creepy.

And another outtake ...this time it was Tess.

This was a dress Mia wore in China that was actually too big for her at the time. That was June. But now it doesn't cover her bottom. So it became a shirt.

Look at the difference 7 months makes!

Here's another. This was taken with my phone so not a great photo. But can you believe this is the same girl? 

Yesterday we went to our local FCC celebration. Mia has a bad cold so it wasn't a great day. She had refused to nap so we got there an hour late. I was disappointed because we missed a lot. But we still got to see some friends and have dinner.

In spite of her earlier cranky mood, she perked up and had a good time. But momma got only a few photos.

Next year, we'll do better. 

Happy Chinese New Year!

Piggie Tails

It snowed last night. Not much. But it iced over making the roads not so great.

So Mia and I decided to stay in today. Just hanging out.

I decided to experiment with her hair. Since it's getting longer and more unruly by the day.

It took bribery with Cheez-its to get her to hold halfway still.

But in the end...we got her first piggie tails.

And this is what I got when I cut off the Cheeze-its.

We spent the rest of the afternoon playing.

Or pulling out every toy

until my living room looked like a tornado had blown through.

Which I think is Mia's definition of playing.

I know that face looks so sweet and innocent... she's not.

I look at these photos and compare them to the video below.

And I'm still shocked at the changes in her.

Her hair is so much longer.

She's grown up so much.

She's tall enough now to reach the top of the dining room table.

She's hard to photograph.

Because she's always on the go.

Constantly moving, moving, moving.

It's rare that she's sitting still.

Which is why most of my photos turn out like this.

 

A fuzzy blur of arms and legs.

An Oldie...

Mia and I have been busy living life. Which means I've neglected the blog.

So for all my family and friends who are jonesing for a baby fix, I dug up an old video.

This was taken about 10 days or so after we came home from China. Mia was just learning to sit up unassisted.

It's only 7 mths later... but I can't believe how little she was then.

229 Days

After Mia was born, she spent 228 days in China without me. Tomorrow will mark 229 days since the moment she was placed in my arms.

This is a big milestone within the adoption community.

We're officially on the other side of our life together.
As mother and daughter

Communication

There's been a big language explosion here just within the last week or so. Not just verbally but with her signs. Mia surprises me all the time by whipping out a sign I wasn't even aware she knew.

Her comprehension and the ability I have to communicate with her is amazing. I can't believe how much she understands.

Recently, she said "nigh-nigh" and signed "milk" (we still do a bottle at bedtime) about a half hour before bedtime. I just stood there with my mouth hanging open. My 14 mth old was telling me she was tired and ready to go to sleep!

It was the first time that she initiated a conversation with me completely unprovoked. She had a thought, a need she wanted to express and she had the tools to do it. It still fascinates me that we're to that point.

There was a box of Wheat Thins on the counter the other day and suddenly she signed "cracker". I'd been doing it for about a week not thinking she was really getting it. But there it was.

And don't even get me started on "banana". She actually signs it and says "nana". It's her very favorite food in the whole world right now. She thinks she should eat one at every meal and snack. I can't tell you how many times a day she asks for a "nana". I have to hide them. If she sees one, it's on.

Her sitter makes sure to keep them in stock so she can have one at breakfast every day. So now she associates the two together. I tell her we're going to see Miss Anita and she starts saying "nana". We pull into her driveway, she looks around, realizes where we are and starts saying "nana" as I'm getting her out of the car seat. It's too funny.

One Saturday I stuck her in her high chair and asked what she wanted for breakfast. I was simply just talking to her like I always do. I certainly didn't expect a response.

But she signed "cereal". I was shocked. Because we do eat cereal for breakfast quite a bit. I mean, she could have signed anything. Cheese, cracker... anything.

But she knew it was morning. She knew it was breakfast time. And she knew to associate breakfast with cereal. She truly amazes me like that all the time... and of course, she also wanted a "nana". LOL!

Our dog barks when he wants to be let in. So we have this game where I ask her what a doggie says and she nods her head forward as she says "arf arf". Except it comes out more like "ah ah".

During a meal time last week, the dog was outside as I was feeding her. Apparently, I had tuned out his barking. But Mia heard him and suddenly did the "arf arf" thing. I thanked her for reminding me to let the dog in. Adorable...

She's also learned to shake her head "no". And is pretty consistently using it properly. Usually when I ask her if she wants another bite of whatever, or if she wants a drink, or something else she doesn't want to do.

When she's being sassy and mommy means business... like when she's eating the dog food, or touching Christmas ornaments, or playing in the toilet, or any number of testing her limits kind of things she's been doing lately... I'll point my index finger at her and wag it as I sternly say "No No No" or "Mommy said No No No".

Guess who repeats me, wagging pointy finger and all? I have to try to get that on tape. It's hard not to laugh.

She'll be 15 months old in 4 days. And just so I can keep track and look back on this some day...

She knows and is consistently using the signs for:
banana
milk
more
all done
cheese
cracker
cereal
eat
drink
bath
hat
baby

We've been learning shoes, socks, wash hands, please, thank you, sorry, car and several others in the Baby Signing Times Vol 2 DVD. I've seen glimpses of those. But she's not actually using them yet.

As far as verbal language, she can say:
momma
moh-moh-moh (while she signs more)
mi-mi-mi (while she signs milk)
nana (while signing banana)
nigh nigh (she leaves off the "t" sound but means sleep/ time for bed)
ah-ah (translated to arf arf)
hi
bye bye

She also sings the "la la la la la" part of this song when we're in the car and it comes on the radio. It's the cutest funniest thing ever. Gawd I just love her!

And She's Walking...

She's still wobbly and unsteady but she's getting there.