almost 7 months as a family!

I really did want to post a 6 months report but life got in the way! All I can say is we truly all belong to our little family now. I feel more confident as her mother and my sweet N is doing a great job as the baba. Chicklepea is so much more settled. She loves to give hugs and kisses. She is trying to talk more and more all of the time. I cannot believe she is the same person we met almost 7 months ago! She is so happy and funny. She has such a sweet and tender side too. It is starting to come out more and more as her grief and anger subside.

I love her more than words. I love her more because she was so hard. It took work on both chicklepea and my part to love each other. I would do anything for her. She is mine and I am her mother!

Honestly she makes me so happy. There are still times when I have a hard time but we are all adjusting well.

We have speech appointments and early intervention coming soon to help get her speech on track.

All I can say is I am so glad that N supported me in Hohhot and did not let me give up in fear. I am not sorry that chicklepea is hard or the attachment work we have had to do. It has solidified my attachment to her. We are not a family born from blood but we are a family born from fire. I now understand the phrase "the refiners fire" Without the trial and struggle we have all been trough i am not sure our bonds now would be as strong as they are. I am so grateful to my baby every single day. She helps me see the world in a new light. She makes me laugh and cry and I really would have it no other way


Now if we could just get this family bed thing straightened out!

I am sooo cute!

I am sooo cute!
Originally uploaded by ntpruett

I love this little girl. In Inner Mongolia, Hohhot in the winter she would not wear a hat. Virginia in the summer and she loves her hat!!!

First day at daycare

Ok N and I have really debated what to do on Tuesday when I have class. Because N would need to be home at 3:30 every Tuesday it has me concerned that we will have issues with his work. We decided to put chicklepea in a very nice daycare next to the school I will be at just on Tuesday for about 5 hours. This way N and I will have less to worry about with our schedules.

Well it was so hard to leave my baby but she did great. She didn't cry and was happy to see me when I picked her up. I honestly am very conflicted about having her in daycare but since I was trying to put her into preschool anyway it seemed like a good choice. I do worry about her because we have only been home with her for a little less than 7 months.

She is just doing so well. Many of her tantrums and raging have decreased. We are even able to take her out to eat sometimes!!

Picture to go on adoption cert

Picture to go on adoption cert
Originally uploaded by ntpruett

This is the chicklepea that we mostly saw for the first 2 months after we met her.

I will post more about the last 6 months as a family when I have more time.

First picture with chicklepea

First picture with chicklepea
Originally uploaded by ntpruett

6 months as a family! The last 6 months have been some of the best and hardest of my life. We finally after 10 years of marriage welcomed our daughter into our lives! Nothing could have prepared me for the emotions that day would bring.

Zoo in August

100_0766
Originally uploaded by ntpruett

This is my baby at the zoo 5 months later!! She looks so much happier! She is getting to be so big. She also is more confident with her ability to walk, run, jump and do all of those toddler things that drive me crazy!

Zoo in March

Zoo in March
Originally uploaded by ntpruett

This was the first time we took chicklepea to the zoo. We had such a good time but the metro ride was very hard for her. I cannot believe my baby was this small! Where did this little thing go? She is so much taller, more confident and strong! She is a little girl now!