Six Months Home and a Happy Mother's Day!

In six months my little girl has gone from sweet, quiet, withdrawn, shy, "just like a little adult" as her referral said to expressive, outgoing, LOUD, whiny, joyous, attention demanding, affectionate, confident and happy. While I'm loving the new changes a small part of me does miss the quiet. Did I mention she is LOUD? She talks loud, she asks for things loud, she eats loud, she laughs loud, she cries loud.... But, of course, I do have to remember that she has four boys to compete with and sometimes to just keep away from her at all costs. I totally get that. However, I completely underestimated what a little girl's ear piercing screech could do to a mother's sanity. And it's not like I wasn't told. I was. And so I practice patience. Breathe mama, breathe...And then I practice some more... I have come to the realization that while we became comfortable with Ava immediately upon meeting her it is only now, 6 months later, that she has just become comfortable with us. Without a doubt. But with the hair-curling screeches and whiny demands also come the unexpected hugs, kisses, small pats on my arm and sweet caresses on my face. And most recently an obvious declaration and determined point of her finger that I indeed was "mama". What I mistook for her personality before I now realize was only a little part, the part she was comfortable showing us. Her developing trust of us has given her the freedom to be something even richer and more complex. On this Mother's Day I am grateful for unexpected surprises and the gift of change.

Also fitting for Mother's Day- to share an overheard conversation. On the way to town today to run some errands Ava and Aidan chattered in the back seat.
Aidan: We have the best mama in the world!
Ava: (something unintelligible but no doubt very important)
Aidan: Well, she's the best mama because she brought home such a nice sister.
Me: Awwww.....[Smile]

Happy Mother's Day to all you "best mamas in the world"!

And some 6 month pics...

Helping Daddy with a chalk line- learning the ins and outs of kitchen remodeling!

Did I mention how terrifying bubbles used to be?!

An Inspirational Adoption Announcement!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tKoV1HGGe28&feature=plcp

You have to see this video- I was crying and laughing all at the same time!  An amazing family with a huge heart and not to mention great dancing and singing skills ;-) !!

A funny and oh so true adoption video...

http://www.xtranormal.com/watch/13341272/adoption-conversation

This one had me cracking up. And yes, I have heard all of these statements.

Catching Up...

I haven't posted in quite some time- a couple of months in fact- although I think about it almost daily- like oooh, I should post that or I should blog about this, there just isn't enough time in the day to do everything I want to do. Spring has brought baseball and yet another remodeling project and this keeps us hopping. So here is some quick catching up on what's been going on around here...

Ava continues to amaze and charm us.

She is quite the diva, with a bit of an acting flair I think! Hollywood here we come!

My handsome baby boy turned 6 on March 19th. He is so smart and caring. He is already reading and writing! He just designed a boat that he built with his dad and they are going to try it out on the pond tomorrow! He makes every day an adventure and I am truly lucky to be his mom.

One of the first nice days of spring and we felt like RUNNING! Sun in our face, wind in our hair! This is a girl that could barely walk without falling when we first met her, and then wouldn't walk on gravel- and look- now she's running! Go girl go!

What a love- just makes you want to hug her doesn't it?

Can't believe my Adam is almost 12 years old! Another handsome sweetheart with a heart of gold! He's been working hard practicing the clarinet so he can travel to New York City with the school band. He's my artistic one who writes songs- even to his.. ahem.. girl friend (Yeah, not crazy about that)

Ava started out liking Aidan the least. She screeched and pushed him away initially. I thought it was because they were the most similar in age and she probably had to fight kids his size for attention, toys etc. in the orphanage. Who knows? But now I'm happy to say that these two will play for hours on end together. I find such joy in watching them get along so well.

Biggest brother Adrian loves giving in to her and taking Ava around the property on his four wheeler. Adrian has become a typical teenager, with lots of energy, planning something every minute of every day because god forbid he have some down time. And he just got his learner's permit- yikes! It won't be long and he will always be on the road and I'll never get to see him :-(

Celebrating Aidan's 6th Birthday! We had a heat wave mid-March and it was 80 degrees out! Unheard of in Vermont and we soaked it up.

My loving, handsome, intelligent and tow headed Asa. He's so easy going and popular with all of his friends at school. He has a wonderful sense of humor that the teachers don't always appreciate like we do;-) He is such a nice boy! He is especially kind with Ava and she usually chooses him to help her get ready or to lay down with her to put her to sleep.

Ava's first time swinging- she squealed and laughed the whole time. Now she practically drags one of us to it every time we go out.

OK so this girl wouldn't eat a grape the other day because she didn't know what it was yet her oldest brother hangs an earthworm over her and she's ready to eat! Then she had no issues with holding it!

Sitting on the grate in our jammies, eating real movie popcorn left over from Mom and brother's trip to see Hunger Games, and hanging with Aidan. Life is Good!

Aidan sharing his MP3 player. So cute! We're coming up on our 6th month home with Ava. Which I truly can't believe the time has gone by so fast! 6 month pics to come! Well, because frankly I just can't get enough of this girl! :-)

A Fort = Pure Boy Happiness!

Four Months Home!

I missed the actual four months home picture by a few days but here she is, recovering well from surgery, and being just as sweet as always.

This horse was mine when I was a baby so it is especially nice to see her riding it, and knowing each of my boys enjoyed it too. And because there was a sale on orange hats at Tractor Supply....

Home Sweet Home!

We are home! I have never been so happy to be back. Ava and I made the big break out thanks to my Aunt Angie, who happened to be in Boston at the time and drove us out of the city, and my Dad who met us outside the city and brought us the rest of the way home. And Aunt Lynn who coordinated! We made it back around 10:30 pm last night. It felt so good to be back home! When I put Ava in her crib she rolled around laughing and giggling and was obviously just as happy as I was. We both got a full night's sleep and she is feeling great!

A shout out to home!

Here is a video of a little cuteness from a sweet pea today and a shout out to the fam back home. Don't mistake that grimace at the end as pain. That was her, "OK I'm annoyed- turn the TV back on" look. We have been moved to the floor today and she is doing fabulous. One step closer to home.
She is doing everything they want her to do. When we got here the recovery room doctor accused the ICU of keeping her so long because she was so cute. That would explain why every time I left I would return to find three nurses doting on her and playing with her... hmm... ;-) Not to mention she is extremely compliant with all of the stuff they have to do with her. She's a rock star! They say we could be going home on Saturday. Fingers crossed! We miss you!

We are making progress

While we are still in the ICU it looks like we will be first, making a move to a real room in the ICU. NICE! And second, Ava's heart has started to beat regularly without the pacemaker! It was disconnected around 11 am. So that means that if she continues to do well without it we can finally move to the floor 24 hours after that disconnection. I'll just be happy to have a real room with a real door, not just curtains. And a bathroom in it too! Luxury I tell ya! Ava started to smile at me today and interact rather than giving me the "eye".... Oops! She just woke up and is asking for food. More later!

Still in ICU...

Well we haven't been moved to a room yet unfortunately. Ava is currently on a pacemaker because the two sides of the heart aren't working cooperatively yet. This is common when you interrupt the function and it has to relearn how to create that electrical connection.  So we can't leave the ICU until she is off the pacemaker. Her spirits are better than they were. She has eaten and peed in the potty a couple of times now so everyone is really happy with her progress. She looks great!

This morning chowing down on some breakfast.

This afternoon coloring and watching TV.