our life lately...

Chiao-Chiao taking a rest while playing outside

Elizabeth catching a lift from her brother Kelli while at the mall.

Those two are ALWAYS willing to kiss each other....even when they WON'T kiss anyone else!

Who us??

This is CC's ticked-off face. It's probably wrong, but I think it's so darn cute! haha

Well, I keep thinking, "when things return to normal and calm down." Could one of you mothers out there tell me what "normal" is? I don't think we'll ever get there again (I'm not sure we were ever there to begin with! haha). But I'm not complaining. I'm loving my life!

Everything is going pretty well. Chiao-Chiao (Lily) has continued to adapt well. She went from going to everybody, fairly indiscriminately, to preferring me or her daddy, or the older kids if they're home (since Kelli lives in his own apartment with his own life and the twins have now started their Senior year of High School...guess how much they're home!). Everybody else seems to think it's because I've kept her with me constantly, not leaving her with anyone. However, I've always done that with Elizabeth also so... I, however, think it's because she's finally settling into the family. She now KNOWS and FEELS I'm Momma, Joby is Daddy and the big kids are HERS! Everybody else is great and I'm sure she loves them. She's always happy to see them, etc. However, she now KNOWS she can always count on us and we're who she falls back on. At least, she knows that and is continuing to learn it more and more. I think this is healthy and shows great attachment and proper "grouping" type emotion. When others attempt to take her she will turn into my shoulder, preferring to stay with me in groups. But she does play with them and will leave my side to play...she just prefers to do it by her own initiative and when she knows she can come back to me if she wants.

So.. soon enough she will be more than willing to "go" without me. I'm treasuring this stage! LOL. Elizabeth and CC are also inseparable. They play wonderfully together! They can also play apart (CC in one corner of the playroom, Elizabeth in the other playing something totally different) but they KNOW the other is close by and they check frequently. It's not that very different from when my older twins were babies. So, once again, healthy!

I do have to share though. CC was quite sick one day last week. Vomiting and such. She would only move a foot or so and then go right back to sleep wherever that put her. She did this all day. Elizabeth kept checking on her... patting her on the back softly and kissing her cheek. Then Elizabeth came over when CC started to vomit. I really thought it would scare her or she would cry. However, she just reached out and patted CC on the back thru the entire episode and looked so sad. She just wanted her bud to feel better.

Then the other day Elizabeth fell down and lay on the carpet crying. CC went running over and clapped her hands together twice and held them out to Elizabeth (she does this when SHE wants picked up by us). She was trying to tell E she would hold her. It was SO sweet. She then patted HER on the back softly!

Elizabeth has apraxia and doesn't speak. She signs, but has absolutely no words. CC babbles CONSTANTLY and has several words (and maybe more...but we don't speak Chinese LOL). So, last night, E wanted Joby to pick her up. She kept raising her arms for "up" and making an attention getting noise, but Joby was busy and didn't pay attention. CC went up to him, patted him (quite firmly) on the thigh, and said very clearly "JOE!". She then looked at E and said "up" very adamantly! Tell me the two of them aren't close!!! :-)

So, I only had a moment, but wanted to share it with you. For all of those who have followed our journey, I hope this touches your heart as it does mine. They are the most precious children! And I am such a blessed mother to have raised (almost) 3 bright, beautiful, caring kids and now I get to do it all over again!

I've posted a couple of pics that have absolutely nothing to do with this post...just thought they were so darn cute! haha

Will catch up more soon,

Sheryl