Bethany...

We visited our "wonderful" agency, Bethany today. We enjoyed meeting you, and we thank you for your hospitality. You ladies are outstanding, and we could not be more pleased to had you for our agency!! We're going to miss talking to you!

Naming Ellie's Elf...

The Elf on the Shelf

A Christmas Tradition

I was having a hard time coming up with a idea or name for Ellie's elf. I was wanting it to be Taiwan related, and then oneday she will past our family tradition to her own family. So, I came up with the idea to name her elf after one of the families CHOSEN child from Taiwan that I've been following since the beginning of time. The children names that Ellie got to choose from is the following: Cooper, Tessa, Hayden, Ella, Elli, Paige, Claire, Allie, Myah, Po-Chin, Harrison, Sammy, Janie, Sydney, Lauren, Sadie, C.J. & Brooke. We have either cross each other's path during our journeys, or exchange support to each other, or Taiwan babies mommy's chat buddies for a while.

And Ellie has chosen her Elf to be named "Sammy"!! Our Elf Sammy is in training this year, but were going to have some wonderful memories in the years to come with Sammy our Elf....

Ellie's 1st Christmas Tree...

Ellie's 1st Christimas tree turned out to be beautiful, and I had so much fun decorating her tree! And it matched her room perfectly!

I love her so...

Ellie's 1st Dr visit...

Check out our chubby monkey on the scale! Wow!!

And she seems very comfortable at the Dr.'s office!

9 Months Old Today...

Ellie was placed in our arms 4 weeks ago. Where does time go? A month ago we we're laying on the floor for tummy time in the hotel with Ellie. Ellie was cooing, da da everything & swimming on her stomach, which it was very cute to see her swim like a fish! And she was also doing an upside down "V" stand, and I knew at that moment we would be approaching several milestones sooner than later. Ellie has no teeth yet! She is teething off & on, which teething could take several weeks or months. Woohoo..Fun times!!! After home a week, Ellie started to do a reverse crawl for a week or so, then she started to crawl forward, then she started to pull herself up on furniture, toys & people. On Halloween, she was standing with both of her legs straight on the back of her bumbu seat, then a couple days later, she was standing with both of her legs straight again on her walking & musical toy in a shock look "Deer in head lights look"... it was like "what do I do now??" ....oh I thought... I think my little monkey has arrived, look out Beatrice & Fergie, Ellie is about to rock your world!

Ellie's first week home was rough for all three of us. Trying to flip the 12 hour time change was difficult at times, but I kept thinking "this is not going to last forever"... THANK GOD! We did get her flip around in about week, and it wasn't an easy task trying to kept her awake for few of those first few days. But we did it!! Then the next task was getting her on a schedule! She adjusted to a schedule quickly, and the first few nights I did not think I would be able to achieve a TRUE bedtime time in a short period, but guess what?? I did it! Between 6 to 7:30, she starts rubbing her eyes with a little of cranky, then 7:30 its time for dinner, then by 8pm, she is in bed! A child that comes from orphanage environment likes a schedule, and she will let you know it when you're off her schedule and that includes playtime!

Ellie and I are starting to bond which I know takes time, but these past weeks I've felt like Ellie's babysitter not her mom. And this is very normal to have these feelings. I thank God I have a wonderful support system that has been through international adoption that has experience these feelings, and understands attachment issues. Ellie is an awesome baby, and I'm not saying that because she is mine:)) Ellie is still waking up crying few times a night. I know this not normal, she is grieving. So, I will continue my quest to identify these attachment issues, and by having a schedule for Ellie, she will build a trust with us. Bonding does not happen overnight, it takes time.

Here's a few pictures of Ellie's milestones... Ellie standing for the first time and her favorite time..."Bath time" yay! And of course, Beatrice on guard!!!

Beatrice stole someone's sock...
Beatrice sneaking her kisses in...
I will kept a eye on Ellie for you...

I put Ellie on the rug to watch her crawl to her bath...it's too cute! I hope this pays off in a couple of years! And look at my baby standing for the 1st time...just too sweet!

Ellie is a beach babe...

Ellie had a blast at the beach! She loves water & sand as a meal:)

Happy Halloween...

We had blast on Ellie's first Halloween!!! We have waited for this day for SO long, and as we were out getting treats, we were also receiving congratulations from all of our neighbors of Ellie's arrival. It was very warming on a chilly & rainy Halloween!

Ellie's 1st Fall...

I still can't believe Ellie is here, and I'm enjoying every minute that I spend with her before I go back to work! She is such blessing...

Ellie's First Swing...

These pictures of Ellie are the cutest... and yeah.. she is still licking everything.

***yes, I did wipe down everything that her tongue or fingers could touch..LOL!

Ellie the Explorer...

What a week can make!!! Ellie has discovered & changed so much these past days. We're starting to get back to normal...ooohh does it feel good to be normal again!!

Hey Barbara,, she found your cow you gave her!! And she also found Dora, computer, diapers and how to stand up in her crib!! Whew....What will next week bring us?