4/07/04   Five month anniversary (17 months old)

Sorry we didn't post a four month update.  Our computer crashed last month (lost everything)  and it took several weeks for Sony to fix it.  Thankfully, we are up and in business once again.  It's hard to believe we once functioned without computers.

Miyah is doing so amazingly well.  I believe when I wrote last she was having some attachment issues.  I am so happy to say that besides a bit of somewhat normal clingy behavior and separation anxiety, she is much, much improved.  A lot of prayer, holding and eye contact made all the difference. 

She is becoming such a busy little girl, too.  After a few weeks of physical therapy she was crawling, pulling up, cruising and finally WALKING!!  She began walking just shy of 16 mos.  We thought she'd never do it, but the physical therapy was extremely helpful and she progressed so quickly it was like watching her motor development in fast forward.  Every day was something new.  Gaining all that independence has made her so happy.  Watch out world, here she comes!  

She is talking a lot more now too and everyday she adds to her repertoire.  One day this week she woke up from her nap and parroted everything we said.  She was saying apple, pear, all done, and dog.  Today she began saying hi and potty.  The potty was a shocker.  I thought she may be telling me she had to use the potty, but it's really just a fascination she has with the water and all the flushing noises the thing makes.  We can't seem to teach her to say Grandma though.  Both sets of grandparents came to visit last month and she has been able to say all their "names" for some time except for grandma.  

We've taken Miyah to a couple of story times at the library and she loves them.  I was surprised when she sat through the entire 30 minutes, but there were puppets and songs and she just danced and clapped along.  Today we saw a marionette show at the library and that didn't hold her interest quite as long.

I've posted some new pictures in a photo album instead of this page.  You can view them here, if you haven't found the link already. 

5/07/05   Six months from adoption - 18 months old

Miyah is doing incredibly well.  She is talking like crazy these days.  We are participating in the Harvard study for language development in internationally adopted children.  So when we filled out the language form this month, we were surprised to find that she is saying about 50 words.  She still communicates with signs, but her language is definitely coming along. 

We took a little vacation to Destin, FL last month and she loved the sand at the beach.  She got her first cold (since she's been with us) and wasn't feeling well that whole week, so it was a little less fun for her than it could have been. 

We've started a little playgroup of mother's and their Chinese daughters and we are enjoying getting together at the park once a week.  Miyah has several little adopted friends that are very close to her age.  The girls are so sweet together and we moms just love to get together and chat.

June 12, 2005  19.5 months old

Miyah went to the doctor for her 18 mo checkup a few weeks ago and she was 19 lbs. (not on the Am. chart) and 29.5 in tall (on the chart at 5%!), with a head circ. of 45 cm (20%). She is still a little peanut. She still wears 6-12 mo clothing and a size 3 shoe. The doctor says that is just going to be her. She'll probably always be petite.

She's developed a little bit of eczema, but we are hoping that lots of lotion will help.  She is otherwise very healthy.  The poor thing got five injections...not a pretty sight.

She is beginning to talk a lot.  She says over 70 words (I have to count them for the language study we're participating in through Harvard) and comes up with a new one almost everyday. My favorite is airplane (pronounced without the "l"). She is happily working on her jump, and thinks she's a superstar at it though both feet rarely leave the floor.  She shows everyone she meets her jump.  She is quite the entertainer.   

She is just getting over a throwing phase. For a while she would throw things when she was mad and spent many minutes on the naughty chair for it. That is completely over already.

Her favorite things are her blankie and "Dee Dee" the stuffed Panda that Pat's parents gave her for Christmas.

One of my favorite new things....she's sleeping in in the morning!! I knew a morning person couldn't last at our house! For a while she was getting up at 5:30 or sometimes a little earlier and I'd have to try get up and get ready before her. Well, now she is down to one nap, staying up a little later, and sleeping in until...you won't believe it...as late as 9:30 am, but usually between 8 and 8:15! What a great summer break this will be!

Our subdivision has a great pool and Miyah is quickly becoming a little amphibian.  She still doesn't like to put her face in the water or get dunked, but she loves to splash around in the water.  We've had a lot of rain and our cul-de-sac has perfect splashing puddles so tonight she went out in only her diaper and shoes and ran around in the muddy puddles with Megan.  She had a ball!

7/10/05

Miyah is 20 months old and has been home for 8 months already.  She seems to be thoroughly enjoying the long summer days and loves to spend as much time outside as possible.  She loves water!  She loves the pool, the watering can, the hose, the dog's water dish (ick), and the bath tub.  We now have a routine of watering the flowers after breakfast.   Pat and Megan planted some veges in the garden and Miyah and I have been giving them some much needed water due to a long drought here.  Miyah also loves to find and eat ripe strawberries in our small strawberry patch.  We are quite a sight in our "jammies" each morning.... Miyah soaking wet, dirty, and smelling of strawberries and me wet and sporting bed head.   

Miyah has just begun giving us real hugs...the kind with little arms wrapped around the neck!  It melts my heart when she reaches those little arms up and wraps them around my neck. 

Miyah has changed some of her words to a form of pig latin lately!  While she once clearly said words like "DaDa" (Daddy) she now says "aDah".  And water is "Awah".  She puts an "ah" sound before some words.  She still very clearly says many words like "owie" (while simultaneously signing) and has figured out to use it when she wants attention or someone to pick her up.  Pretty smart, but I'm onto her and just pat her or kiss her head when I know she's faking.

Miyah celebrated her first 4th of July as an American citizen.  She loved the fireworks and said "more" anytime there was a delay between them.

Yesterday the neighbors let us borrow their baby carrier/bike trailer thing for the back of Pat's bike.  Miyah loves it and wanted to "ride" to church this morning!  Now her favorite word is "ride!".

**November 7, 2005      It’s Family Day!  Read more  on the “What’s New” page.

Miyah celebrated her second birthday last weekend (Oct. 29).  It’s hard to believe she’s two already.  We had a little party with her playgroup.   Three other little Chinese girls had their birthdays this month so we combined their birthdays with a little Halloween party.  The girls dressed in their costumes and had birthday cake and some playtime.  They were all  so adorable in their costumes.  We also had a small family party with Grandma and Papa.  Grandma made her an adorable lady bug cake.  She really enjoys birthday cake.  Anytime we mention the word “birthday”, she says “cake!”. 

Besides playgroup, Miyah is also in Chinese School once a month.  She has a wonderful teacher who teaches them Chinese language and culture through songs, stories, games, and crafts.  It’s fun for Mom, too. 

Miyah still LOVES books and would read all day if I had the time to sit and read to her.  I have to keep buying new books so I don’t get bored.  Right now her favorites are Green Eggs and Ham, Go Dog Go, One Fish Two Fish.., I Spy books, Mrs. Wishy Washy, and Jesse Bear, What Will You Wear.  She has learned all her colors, most shapes, counts to ten, and even names some of her letters!  She's a little sponge.  She is quite the little monkey, too!  She’s always finding something to climb or crawl around on these days.  About a month ago she began doing forward rolls all over the floor.  She also LOVES football.  Imagine that!  With a brother playing and a game on the t.v. more often than not, she gets her fair share.  Anytime she sees football anything she yells, “football!” and then cheers and says “Packers”.  She’s officially brainwashed!