A Girl and Her Boots

Pretty face and the new haircut

Eating pudding with her boots on



The full effect

Gracie received these black boots as a gift on Thursday and has worn them ever since. They are the first thing she puts on in the morning when she wakes up and she puts them on again after her bath. They are very cute, but make a seriously wonderful little-girl-dressing-herself fashion statement when worn with pajama shorts while eating chocolate pudding.

I am sure you all agree...

Love, Mel

Quick Update

Just wanted to thank everyone for their input about Miss Gracie's language and communication. We are very fortunate to have so many great friends and family members.
Gracie had a great day yesterday-slept and played great.

We are going for our first haircut today. I prepared her as best I could last night with telling her in Spanish that we would go in the car (big smile) to a place to get her haircut (flat expression).
Heehee, well it has to be done no matter the expression. Her bangs are hanging in her eyes and I am too chicken to cut them myself.

New Gracie tricks: almost doing I'm A Little Teapot from start to finish,
dancing, dancing, dancing and telling Don that I am her "Mama" (!Mi Mama!!!) when he says that I am his "esposa" (wife). Heeehee.

Have a good day, Love, Mel

Language

First, before I forget we are running way behind on returning phone calls and emails, but are reading/listening to them. It is just hard to find time when you can actually talk to someone without crying in the background or other baby/toddler excitement.

We are hanging in there, some moments better than others. Don and I said last night that we feel our biggest challenge is the language barrier. We always knew this would be hard, but it is really hard at times. The longer Gracie is with us, the more you can tell how developed her receptive language is in Spanish. Her expressive language in Spanish is also more developed than I initially realized, but carries with it a three year old quality. Also, sadly I don't think anyone had any time to work with language with her so she frequently does not finish a word, for example says "adio" and won't say the "s" or similar things. Much like an English speaking 3 year old, you don't always know what she is trying to say even if you do know the Spanish.

The language barrier is particularly difficult when you are trying to set limits. She is trying to find them and pushes them and us, so we are full boar into 3 year old behavior with a child who is adjusting to her new life and language.

She is starting to want to try and say the English for body parts etc. and is singing a few songs from playhouse Disney when I start them. (Those of you familiar with Soul Cho Cho train and equally "catchy" jingles :)
I have a fairly decent vocabulary in Spanish but have difficulty thinking on the spot to form a good sentence.
We have found a good internet quick reference that is on our "favorites" and have several friends available for help, but still in that moment when you need to effectively communicate to your 3 yr. old, it is tough on everyone.

We are looking into bilingual preschools and feel fortunate that there are actually at least 2 to choose from. Don and I feel we want her to get started ASAP to help her adjust, but also don't want her to get confused about home vs. school vs. orphanage. So, we are still trying to decide the best timeframe for beginning preschool for her and us and bonding etc. Also, we very much want to preserve her Spanish as much as we can, but again neither Don or I are fluent. However, both of us continue to learn and practice more every day so surely that will help with carryover.

She had a Dr. appt. yesterday and did very well. We ended the afternoon by going to the aquarium and she had a great time. She was really into the bigger things (otters, beavers, sharks) and the colorful fish. It was fun for us to just watch her take it all in. I watched her as she watched other kids with their families. I just can only imagine what she is thinking. I loved that she jumped right in there (after a bit of quiet observation) to touch the glass the fish/otters were behind.

Well, I had better go. I am hearing babies and still trying to get Gracie to go back to sleep after she woke up from a 10 minute nap. We need more than that, all of us!
Love, Mel

Don't worry

We are trying to change around the blog to reflect our new family, so don't worry-it will be more balanced with all the girls. just FYI...

Pictures

Our Guatemalan fairy princess

Too busy to pose any more

After we painted toenails and put on Mom's sandals



Happy face

Gracie and Lola

Gracie and Lily

Just a few pictures to prove we are all still alive during this time of transition. Just kidding... sort of :)

Love, Mel

Another Update

Just a quick update to keep you posted, will try pictures later if I have time.
Time is a very precious commodity these days and I seem to have less and less of it.

First of all, thanks so much to our wonderful family for all of your help this past week.
We literally could NOT have done this adjustment period without you. Or at least without me beginning to use illegal substances:)

Yesterday was quite possibly the hardest day Gracie has had yet. She woke up testing me for every little thing. I know this is appropriate for all 3 year olds, but I do feel she hit her wall and had had just about enough of hearing so much English and all the foreign things floating thru her brain. It was very hard on us all.

I had wanted to get her out yesterday, but wasn't sure after all the acting out if it was good or not. Finally after doing fairly well, she got to a point where I felt we could try an outing.

Don had to work and my mom had the babies, so Gracie and I went to Krispy Kreme for a "dulce" (I didn't know the Spanish for doughnut, so I went with "sweets/candy". It was just what we all needed. She watched the doughnuts being made and after a bit of coaxing did eat a chocolate sprinkle doughnut (after her dad's tastes) and drank chocolate milk. She even wore the goofy hat. Although I have laughed for years at the poor sap parents who wear those hats with their kiddos, I wore one too. She had a great time and just watched all the people. It was great because at that one time there were families of many different cultures and I thought what a sampling of America Gracie, take it all in! She was very, very careful not to get herself dirty which I wanted her to just be a kid and get dirty, but I appreciate so much her effort.

I pushed it a bit and went to Target because I have 3 kids and if I make it into a car I must go get groceries. Gracie did great there as well. We picked out some new clothes which she just loved doing (a girl after my own heart).

I had my first "Is she yours?" , but the person was just very interested and thought Gracie was super cute. Which I agree of course. (maybe not earlier that day however:0
When we got home she had a bit of a meltdown because she wanted to put her new clothes in her closet NOW!!! and not wash them. Because of all the testing earlier in the day, I felt I had to set the limit at that time( which maybe was wrong, but it was what I did). I continued to wash the clothes and she was not happy. We worked thru it by explaining clothes in washer, then dryer then Gracie's closet for tomorrow. My mom helped by looking up on our Spanish/English translator "put on tomorrow". You better believe that dryer was the first place she looked this AM and of course we followed thru with putting on her new clothes.
Clothes are a very big deal to Gracie. You can imagine why. She loves, loves, loves pretty clothes that are new.

This will seem pretty rambling, but I am hurrying to type it.
This AM much better so far, she did some Swifering and watched Shrek in Spanish (part of it anyway). She has eaten every meal today, where as yesterday even foods she liked she would have nothing to do with.
She has now petted both Matilda and Archie.

She loves to dance to disco (okay, I picked the music) and loves it when the babies go to sleep ( I am sure you know why, more individual attention!!).

All and all we are working thru the issues that are arising and I think she is the bravest person I have ever met. She does call me "Mama" and asks for me first thing in the morning and after nap if I am not in her room.

Another fun story from the other day was painting toenails. I set her up just like a pedicure and she thought that was fabulous. We finished with some glittery low heeled sandals of mine which she loved, loved, loved.

At night, she points to her head and says "mi pelo" meaning she wants me to rub her hair. She also moves my pillow close to hers and makes sure I am covered up.

Anyway, there it is and thanks again for all the thoughts and prayers.
Love, Mel

Update

Everybody gets some lap time with Mom

Cutie Pie who loves to have her hair fixed

Organized chaos

Dress up with her baby

Finishing the broth from chicken soup

Just a quick update because I know you all are wondering how it is going. Short version is we are all doing very well considering. Gracie Sofia did great yesterday at the doctor, only needed one shot to be current on vaccinations. Doctor thought she looked/sounded great and seemed very healthy. She is doing great in her car seat and seems more and more comfortable in the house.

Naps and bedtime are much less sad, although I am sure that will come and go. Currently, I am sleeping with her in a twin bed pushed next to her twin bed in her room. That seems to be the best configuration at this time. That was the way the orphanage was set up as well.

She is eating pretty well. Can't find a good breakfast food yet however.

She has been a bit wary of the babies, but yesterday held Lily for the first time for a few seconds and seemed to like it a little bit. Not sure how many babies she has really interacted with in her short, eventful life.

Like a lot of 3 yr. olds, likes to help with laundry and household chores. She can give herself a bath from start to finish better than I could, but I am helping as a bonding thing and she likes that. It is absolutely hysterical to watch her give herself a bath because she is very task oriented and timely. It is speed bathing from a 3 yr. old.

She is loving picking her clothes out in the morning and shoes are a big, big deal.

She is in awe of Archie, but still won't pet him. Gracie does not care for Matilda and we think now know why. She called Matilda a "gato" (cat in Spanish) yesterday, so we are trying to clear that up that Matilda is indeed a dog.

We had a very great dinner last night at the table as a family. Lasagna night has been a Monday night tradition with Don and I for a long time, so it was great to have Gracie Sofia as a part of that. She ate every bite of that lasagna, skipped the broccoli (but so does Don:)

We are calling her Gracie Sofia, but at times where we just call her Gracie she does respond, so we think that is great.

She has said "banana" and meant it. She had also said "Google" and "sushi" although this was as a game:) She loves to play with the phone and yesterday pretended to talk for a long time and all of a sudden I heard an adult's voice on the other end. Hope she didn't call Hong Kong:)

Anyway, thanks for all the prayers and thoughts. We have a road to go still, but are so pleased there seems to be so much good stuff to build on right now.

Love, Mel

We're Home!!!!!!

Gracie Sofia and Mom, Tuesday AM, Embassy appt.

Gracie Sofia after bath

Gracie Sofia's first look at America

Today at home

Well we are finally home and I cannot tell you how good it is to be home. We had hoped to email/send pictures while we were in Guatemala, but we just never got it all to work and we had so little time. We are so glad Gracie Sofia is home and we are all safe.

Frankly, as far as the actual adoption business went, the trip was a disaster, but it is done and she is fine. It may take me another 3 years to get over some of what happened. Long story...

I am sure you are all wondering how Gracie Sofia is doing. And the short answer is absolutely fantastic for what all she has been through.

She calls me "Mama", ran to me in the airport, hugs us, loves my dad (who went on the trip with us), and loves Don (rode in his lap). She has kissed Lily and thinks she is a very messy eater (so true). She has given a toy to Lola. Lola and Lily are absolutely mesmerized with her.

Gracie Sofia is making huge strides even since we arrived last night with being around dogs for the first time.

She sings sweet songs frequently (in Spanish), loves to be held, loves to play jumping games with my dad, and has a great belly laugh that we have heard many times. She is eating some, but mostly goldfish crackers and chicken.

Sleep has been hard and she does have some sad moments, but is truly a very sweet child that has clearly been shown love, given rules and knows that we are to be her family.

She has already learned a few English words. Will say "Hello" when the phone rings. She says again, thank you, up, stand up.

Gracie Sofia is pottytrained (hooray!!!) and does very well with that. Loves to wash her hands.

I want to thank everyone for the absolutely incredible airport reception we had. I am so incredibly thankful for all of our friends and family and to live in this country and to have our daughter home where she can learn the true meaning of a family that loves her.

Love, Mel

GUATEMALA BOUND!!!!

Well, this is it.

We leave tomorrow morning early and should have Gracie Sofia with us by dinnertime tomorrow night. As you can probably imagine, after 3 years of an adoption process, this is all very surreal.

I am a bundle of emotions. It is just almost too hard to put into words.

Over the past few days, I have started to see her pretty little face everywhere in our house.

As I know you will, please keep her in your thoughts and prayers. I am certain she will be scared and overwhelmed and with many, many other crazy feelings inside her too. Please also keep the rest of us in your thoughts, prayers, good vibes etc.

My dad will be going with me and Don will stay here with the twins with the help of all of our family. It is a very hard thing to do with the family separated, but it is what has to be done.

Very, very soon we will all be together as a family, the way it was meant to be.

With deepest gratitude for all of your good thoughts and prayers,

Mel

WE GOT PINK!!!!!!!!

WE GOT PINK!!!!!!!

I wasn't sure I would ever get the chance to say that, but here it is. My dad and I will leave Monday, Feb.9th to go to Guatemala to get Gracie Sofia and hopefully return Thursday, Feb. 12th.

Please, please pray, send good thoughts/vibes (whatever you do) for Gracie Sofia, for us and for the babies. This is a huge blessing, miracle and gift, but one we do not think will be without it's difficulties on all of us. A million thanks for all of the support over the past 3 years in this adoption journey.

Obviously, I will need to begin a new blog, but for convenience sake will probably keep this one until we are home.
Love, Mel