Our Daughter...

Ellie Pei Hua was place in our arms on October 5, 2009 in Taiwan.  It was the most amazing day of our lives that we will always treasure as Ellie's parents.   As we reflect on that special day, all those wonderful, precious and amazing memories FLOODS back like it was yesterday.  At times its hard to comprehend where a year has gone, and knowing a year ago I was holding my daughter for the very first time and crying with this unbelievable emotion in my heart.    What an amazing gift to be given to LOVE...

Taiwan is a beautiful country with the most loving, kind and respectful people.  Our hearts ached for Ellie on that day as we departed from Taiwan to come home.   We had the most wonderful experience and time while in Taiwan that we did not want to leave on Day 7... we could've of easily stayed another week in Taiwan!!  We can not wait to return with Ellie one day to share with her this amazing culture and Country.

Ellie is the most amazing, beautiful, silly, funny, smart, curious little girl.   There are still days where I'm still in this "awh" over my daughter.  We were given this amazing gift  from God.  We are very humble with our blessings and we're thankful that God has chosen Ellie to be our daughter. 

                 God knew all a long that Ellie was "Our Chosen Child"...

As we celebrate with Ellie of this special day, we decided to scratch the "gotcha day" day thing.  On that day it was a very emotional day for Ellie, mommy and daddy.  My heart still aches to think of the pain she went through on that day, weeks and months later.  She was taken from the only thing (s) (attached) that she ever knew.  Care givers, friends, food, clothing and culture..so on.  We decided not to focus on those losses for Ellie as "gotcha day".  As we walked out of the orphanage on that day with Ellie sleep in daddy's arms, at that moment, Ellie's life changed forever, she was seeing things for the first time, tasting and smelling.   Seeing something for the first through our daughter's eyes is the most "heart flutterly" gift to be given as her parents.  We decided to make October 5th our family adventure day for Ellie...seeing something for the very first time.  On October 5, 2009, Ellie was seeing the world for first time as we stood on those orphanage steps as a family.  It's been this UNBELIEVABLE journey for us, and it continues to warm our hearts daily.

p.s. Ellie will be seeing the "Alamo" with a carriage ride for the first time this weekend. (pics will follow soon)

 

p.s.s.  I left out a very special "aha moment" that happened last night.  After I went to bed last night 8:30ish, Ellie came into our room on my bed side at 10pm and said "mama"... At 10 PM was exactly 12 hours behind in Taiwan to the date at 10 AM when we held Ellie for the first time.

Ellie is a girly girl...

Ellie mastering the "puddle jumper"... such a water bug!!!!!!
Being Ellie.. creative and adventurous..
Ellie looking beautiful in her MJC "Cher" dress... And below.. "the sweetest soul"
We're (daddy loves it too) so bless to have a girly girl, but she also loves being a "tom-boy".. she can wear out a slide, the higher the better!! She loves her tricycle...faster the better!! She is a confident little girl with this amazing spirit and so much fun!! She is always making our hearts flutter daily...

I will be writing more in a few weeks as we celebrate our 1 year Gotcha Day...

Ellie the Elephant..

There's so much I want to share about our amazing summer. The little girl and elephant picture above is apart of a sweet memory that was shared by her grandpa a few months ago to us. Ellie has a book that daddy got for her when we shortly moved to Houston, it's called "Big and Little". It's about a elephant named "Ellie" and a mouse that does a circus trick with Ellie. Ellie LOVES this book, and when we get to the part when the little mouse announces "the Amazing Ellie".. my Ellie squeaks and screams! It's very precious. A few months ago, her grandpa told us that when he was little, he had a stuffed elephant named Ellie. I thought, how sweet. Then I thought, it's really amazing how something that was so dear to you comes back into your life, a complete circle. A very sweet story to share with Ellie one day...

It's time to blog...

We're having a wonderful summer. I'm enjoying being home with Ellie. She is such a silly, funny, and a wonderful little girl. I just love watching her explore or seeing something for the first time. We haven't held back too much on Ellie being engaged with activities this summer. We want Ellie to become a very confident child. Early on she has shown qualities of be a leader not a follower. She doesn't get afraid too much, just the normal things ~~ doesn't care for horses, but what little person wouldn't be afraid of HUGE horse. She doesn't care for you to put her up high in the air, but she likes heights on her terms~~~ like climbing tables, chairs, and gym class. She likes having control of her heights! She is NOT afraid of water ~~~ It's a workout at the pool with Miss Ellie Pei Hua!~! She walks off the pool's edge like Jesus walked on water! It's her way of jumping into the water or she will get on a step to jump onto her purple noodle. She is still shy with new faces which doesn't concerned us at all because that's continueous stimulation with attachment, and it's not overbearing with her shyish. It takes a little time with her to warm up to anyone and she will become your bestie! And we have also discovered that NEVER, I mean never let them EVER out of their restaurant high chair because they will NEVER want to sit in one again ~~ she wants to play instead of sitting in her chair, and the melting downs that comes with our dining experiences! Wow!! Someone needs to write this in a book somewhere!!!!!! I thought my child was sick the first time this happen, and poor Brian was freaking out! Thank God mommy's know how to calm situations!

Ellie has graduated to a big girl bed, and she loves it! We decided it was time when her legs where hanging out through the posts of her crib, and waking up stuck/crying in the middle of the night. It was sad taking down her crib ~~ watching your baby go from a baby to toddler stinks! She has become a good sleeper since we moved to Houston, but that 7am waking has changed one bit!! She fights us ( not too bad) about going to bed every night, but she peeks through door at us, and yells "mommy" ~~~ and I go to door to put her back in bed, then she will do this quick escape to her daddy ~~ giggling, laughing and running to her daddy ~~ it's so precious to see that you want her to escape! She has also graduated from baby bottles ~~ I've put thoses away the other day. She has been on straw sippy cups since 9mos old, and I've noticed that she wasn't finishing her bottles, and started stucking them like a straw. So, I knew it was time. However, I'm very thankful the removal of bottles was painless! She has never been attached to blankies, pacifiers or bottles. Now, she loves her babies, and she attached to several of thoses! She love thems and give them kisses.. it's really sweet.

We know as parents that we don't follow a strict schedule or all the rules. Life is too short not to live in the moment with our daughter. We do keep Ellie on a nap schedule, because if we don't, her evening will be ruined! We do keep Ellie on a healthy diet ~~ She does get treats every once in awhile, but it's a treat. Ellie has become a good eater because I've stuck to healthy food. She will eat any meat, vegs & fruits! I can't wait until she has full mouth of teeth ...Oh she going to really love food! Ellie is normal on the charts, she is 23lbs and 32 inches tall!! yikes! Her height is making her tiny in the waist though .. she is staying in 12 mos clothes, so I predict she will be wearing 18mos clothes for the winter/spring, and she has a size 5 foot! Doing good for a 16 month Asian baby!

This July 4th is going to be so special for Ellie, and I just can't wait to celebrate Ellie's first July 4th as a family! On these holidays to come, I will always reflect back to when we went through customs to be process through and Ellie becoming a US Citizen on that day 1o.9.2009. I just remember having so much joy and tears running down my face as we walked through those double doors. What a day that I will always treasure with Ellie.

I hope you enjoy the photos of our summer so far.. more to come!!

Ellie loves watermelon!! Mommy found out quickly watermelon stains!
Ellie playing in a splash pad...
Brian's 1st Father's Day... we had a blast on Kemah boardwalk!
Just funny... Ellie will fall asleep to anything moving!
Ellie's first train ride...


Ellie running in the breezy night at the drive-in movie...
Ellie in the Texas sky...

I just love that BIG smile and giggles...
Ellie enjoying the wind blowing under the big screen... "deer in headlights look"
And whose says you can't go to the movies with a 1 yr... YOU CAN..we took Ellie to see Toy Story 3 at a drive-in. Ellie watched 1/2 the movie, then she fell asleep. I wish I could've gotten a picture of the expression on her face when the movie started... it was priceless! :0
Ellie posing in her 1st Matilda Jane Clothing...

Long Story...

My 1st Mother's Day...
Ellie's chair from her grandpa and Ya Ya and she took procession immediately...
Ellie looks like "Boo" from Monster Inc.,..
Ellie loving her swim time...

I love being her mommy...

It's unbelievable how much Ellie has changed so quickly in a short period of time! It's scary!! Before we know it, she will be going to college!!! It seems everyday there's something new with Ellie.. new words or making gestures to communicate with me or attaching to her doll/pillow or walking the dog -- And so smart! I will show her something one time, and she gets it! She has not became a cartoon fan (only a couple of shows) but a HUGE fan of baby signing time, and which she is starting to sign to me... it's really cool:) Here's a couple of pictures of my baby growing into a toddler!!!!

Yesterday she was playing in her cabinet of bowls, cups & spoons, and she decided to climb up into a chair to pretend to be eating to the point she was making smacking noises.. Growing up too FAST! But so cute!




Here's Ellie at Matilda Jane trunk/shoot for the MJ cover girl next month! We had a blast!
One word: H.O.L.L.Y.W.O.O.D.

Ellie's first bike ride.. not scare at all!

Here's Ellie walking Beatrice like a big girl! We had to switch out dogs, Beatrice is a little fast pace for her, but lazy Fergie is just her speed... s.l.o.w....

Ellie's P. Mother's Day card...

I've been wanting to share this since Mother's Day, but my camera was broken.. now repaired. You can't have a broken camera with a 1 yr running around!! My husband "got it right".. I have to share my Mother's Day card from my Ellie P. It was a wonderful day for me. I've waited for so many years to celebrate that special day! And Ellie calling me mommy is like music to my ears.. I thank everyone for my Happy Mother's day wishes, and my beautiful cards. It really meant a lot to me on my 1st Mother's Day. I hope one day I will have the opportunity to return the gesture to someone that has been through a difficult journey wanting to be mom, and touch their lives...

Ellie's new chair...

Ellie got a new chair for the patio at Grandpa & Ya Ya's house .. She went straight to her chair when she hit the patio area. It was too funny, she knew.. that's my chair! It has an umbrella, but my camera was giving me problems, but it's green with white polka a dots... sooo cute!