It's been almost a month since I last blogged. Where is the time going??? We believed that our move west would simplify our lives (closer to family, work, smaller house, smaller community) - but I just feel like we've been even busier! Of course, the first few weeks post-move are always a mess, and even moreso with a toddler. Then there is job of getting all Lia's medical records transferred and set up with new doctors, which in itself could be a full-time job. Dealing with insurance companies, state agencies, and billing depts. to obtain the right referrals in the right sequence, and to the right new doc's and therapists. I'm still wading my way through it all. We are getting closer on having her back in speech therapy (she's now gone seven weeks without), and we have initial meetings set up with all the various cleft "team" doctors she needs to see, since in October she will be six months post-surgery from her last palate repair.
We have also made a little bit of time for fun. I have been lucky to become part of the larger group of "Starfish Families" on Facebook. All of us have children adopted from the
Starfish Foster Home in Xi'an. Through this group I learned that one of Lia's foster brothers was recently placed with a family in Vancouver B.C. It so happened that his family was coming down to Seattle for the annual Dragonboat Races, so we were able to meet up with them for awhile one recent afternoon:
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| Proud mamas and their "Starfish" |
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| Lia scooping up sand with River's sandal! |
Then I had the awesome opportunity to finally meet a friend of mine from the "adoption blog" world. Kim and I started the China adoption process around the same time back in 2006. Kim lives in Tennessee, and went on to adopt her daughter from Kazakhstan in 2009, and of course we brought Lia home in 2010. How fun that Kim and her daughter were out in Seattle for a family wedding, and we were able to meet up with our girls for dinner one night! It is almost surreal, when you see these children in person. The hopes and dreams of a family-fulfilled. It was also very cute to see Lia interact with Kim's daughter, (who is 7). Lia is generally shy around kids her own age, but she really warmed up and had fun that night with a friend who was a little bit older.
Lia continues to come out of her shell more and more. She is using more words (especially the word "NO"). She is starting to learn how to spit when brushing her teeth, and she helped me in the kitchen for the first time making brownies the other night! We've been going to the local library storytimes, and while it's much smaller than the group we had in Spokane, this seems to work better for Lia. She is more engaged in the books, and also more willing to participate in the silly songs and dancing. We are back at square one on potty-training. She really is just not that interested - at all - right now. She is not motivated by stickers or M&M's or "big girl" panties...so I figure I'll let that slide for a bit and try again in a few weeks. I'm definitely ready to be done with diapers, but as the doctors and others have told me, there's no point in pushing her if she's not ready. Here are some more pics of her many "firsts"...
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| First shoulder ride with Daddy |
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| First Princess Nightgown |
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| First pony ride at the grocery store |
