Exit "No" and enter "Why"....one year later.

We have hit our one year mark of meeting Lia. Somehow time has dulled all the crazyier moments of our trip and first difficult months home. I have been rather neglectful of my blog, too busy having fun. Brian went back to work after his 37 week parental leave and I am into my unpaid parental leave until Lia starts school in Sept. Its hard to believe our house was once quiet! We have all changed a lot in the last year, the pendulum of life not swinging quite so much.

I have to give a lot of credit to Ami. So kind and patient with her little sister. Growing up much to fast. Our little fashionista who is overjoyed at being over 48 inches and can go on the big rides at Canada's Wonderland. I miss having her home during the weekdays but she is far too smart to stay home with me.

And Lia, what can I say......makes us laugh hard every day. Asking where is her big bum to hold up her pants (they always fall down as she has the teeniest bum) and why she cant get the clouds down to lick them. She is out of the "no" phase and heavy into "why". Or shall I say "why", ""why", "why". Usually around 4-5pm I have to tell her she is out of questions for the day or I will soon be crazy !!!!

The girls still share a bed, everyone is happy, mostly Ami. It is so much fun to hear them giggle when they are supposed to be sleeping.  They share really well although I draw the line at them trying to share using the toilet at the same time!!

The world is pink, in case you forgot!!

Before we adopted for the second time, I repeated over and over that we would never compare our 2 girls. Looking back, maybe I was trying to convince myself. We have black and white, oil and water, football and pretty pink bows. Sure you can mix them together for a great salad dressing or wonderful shades of grey or a football player who looks really interesting, but really the 2 are very very different. As are our 2 girls, ain't that the truth.

Lia has been at the eye doctor about 5 times since we have been home. At the visit last week, I asked Brian to have Dr. K (who I love!!) check to see if she is colour blind. This after 7 months of hearing everything and I mean everything is pink. Pink hair, pink grass, pink trees, pink sky, pink, pink, pink. Lia's world is not pink, or black and white, she just refuses to learn her colours!!!

This is Lia's personality. Before the questions are even out of my mouth, she has already said "no" (make that 3 or 4 times) even when it is something she wants, the first word is "no", sigh.  It has become very difficult not to laugh when the drama begins and the whole world is about to end because she must eat at least some of her breakfast (that she just picked out!!).

So, I have developed a plan, ohh ahhh (that is supposed to be an evil laugh). I am tired of the "no". So I have decided I am no longer an adult and can say "no" too. Yes, its probably juvenile, but it makes me feel better.  She now asks for something and in response gets "Lias says no, so Mama say no. No, no, no, no no".  She does think its really funny, and we laugh as I am saying no, no, no and she starts saying yes, yes, yes, and maybe just maybe shes getting my point. We shall see!!!!

Christmas eve

The girls are now asleep, the cookies and milk are waiting for Santa and the house is quiet.....for now.  It has been really exciting getting ready for Lia's first Christmas. This time last year we had just met with our Social Worker to change our file, oh how life has changed in a year!!

Ami has had lots of fun teaching her about Santa, hanging stockings and of course about all the presents that will be under the tree tomorrow morning.

Merry Christmas!!!!!

quick update and a picture

Wow, how time flies. 6 months ago today we were just getting home from the airport. 6 months has gone by too fast!! The girls are just way too cute.

Lia loves Handy Manny, Mickey Mouse, any and all candy, baths, Santa, trying to be the boss and of course still her Mama but getting a bit better with her Baba. Lia does not like fruits, vegetables, laying down the law, doing anything even remotely quicker than a snails pace (including walking in the cold, not good).

Ami loves Hello Kitty, grade 1, that a boy has a crush on her and that her spelling test words include things like parliament, responsibility, motorcycles, well ok thats really me but what a great speller she is!! Ami does not like going to sleep in her own bed by herself and pretty much thats all, she is really easy going.

I spy with my little eye....

someone with new glasses!!!!

Lia got her first pair of glasses last week and I am already sounding like the teacher from Charlie Brown. Wah wah wah waaaah, Lia put your glasses on, Lia pick up your glasses up off the floor or they will get broken, Lia's glasses are lost anyone know where they are???.

So far they are a pain in the you know where. Unfortunately, she needs to wear them all the time for strabismus (wandering eye) in both her eyes and to correct her far sighted vision. If there is not enough improvement in 6 weeks the dreaded patch will come out. Brian thinks she is more suited to a patch with her personality, we shall see.

Things heard....

Here are a couple of the interesting things that  have been heard  around the house lately...

Brian: Girls don't put the needle (from our play doctor set) up the cats bum, he won't like it!!

Ami: Lia, eat the bubbles they taste really good, eat lots (while the girls were in a bubble bath)

Ami: Lia, I am not a whack-a-mole (after being repeatedly being hit with a sponge hammer)

Myself: Lia, don't spit toothpaste on the wall
Myself again 1 minute later: Lia, don't spit toothpaste in Jie Jie's hair

Lia: Baba, hold up baby purple hair (by the) legs (as she puts medicine in the poor dolls bum, notice a trend??)

Ami: Its hard work being a big sister
Myself: Then why have you been asking for another brother or sister? (the answer is NO, unless we win the Lotto Max )
Ami: I just wanted to see what you would say!!!

and of course
Lia: Mama, Mama, Mama, no Baba no, Mama, Mama, Mama, Mama, no Baba no, Mama, Mama, Mama, Mama, Mama, Mama, no Baba, no, Mama, Mama, Mama, no Baba no, Mama, Mama, Mama, Mama, no Baba no, Mama, Mama, Mama, Mama, Mama, Mama, no Baba, no, Mama, Mama, Mama, no Baba no, Mama, Mama, Mama, Mama, no Baba no, Mama, Mama, Mama, Mama, Mama, Mama, no Baba, no, General Go Go!!

Tea and turtle anyone???

Within a couple days of meeting Lia, we discovered at the tea ceremony that she loves to drink tea. She has had a cup of longjing tea almost everyday since we have been home. We have been home almost 3 months and we still are discovering new things about Lia everyday. This mornings discovery....

We were sitting quietly colouring in the Kung Fu Panda book. It was a picture of Oogway the turtle master.

Lia pointing to the picture of Oogway- "Lia eat turtle"
Me a puzzled look on my face
Lia-"Mama eat turtle?"
Me-"no, Mama no eat turtle"
Lia-"Baba eat turtle?"
Me-"no, Baba no eat turtle"
Lia-"Jie Jie (Amy) eat turtle?"
Me-"no, Jie Jie no eat turtle"

Lia, with a disappointed look shrugged her shoulders and went back to colouring. Sorry to have disappointed my dear daughter but no we will not be serving turtle.