Well Friends,

Big praise!  Miss K did NOT have a night terror last night!  She had 1 last Thursday during the day, 1 on Monday night, 2 on Tuesday night, and 1 on Wednesday night, but NONE last night!  Please continue to pray with me that these stop.  I read Psalm 91 to her 5 times as she fell asleep.

I found out she LOVES the library!  I've been taking her regularly, and Mimi took her yesterday while I taught.  Only problem is that she did NOT want to leave!  Fortunately the wonderful Hardesty Regional Library is within walking distance, so we are able to frequent it and also get in some good exercise.

Mommy LOVES this pic that Mimi took!

So far my little Princess has shown little interest in books or being read to.  Hoping that changes soon.  Our friend Christi gave her a book that's a puzzle which does hold her interest longer than any other.  Maybe the trips to the library, seeing other children read and being read to will spark some interest.  Of course she's only 2, right!  But she's one smart little 2!

Also, Kaylee Mei will become a gymnast beginning Wednesday!  She has been enrolled in the Mommy and Me class at Tulsa School of Gymnastics.  I took her to tour the place, not ever knowing how shell react to new situations.  She tried to pull away from me and run and play the entire time!  YEPPIE!  She's small, extremely strong, and extraordinarily limber.  She may take to this like a fish to water!  At least I believe she'll have lots of fun and be able to play along side peers her age!  I'm sure I'll have some fun pics from that first day!  

Last but not least, she's doing amazing with potty training.  I'll spare you the details of this topic, but Mommy's very proud...and happy!  

I could use all of you prayer warriors out there.  Kaylee has begun having night terrors.  If you don't know what they are, pray you never have to whiteness your child having one.  She is fully asleep but with eyes wide open.  But it's like she's staring through me.  She screams bloody murder for anywhere from 15-45 minutes and there's nothing I can do.  She kicks and claws, then reaches for me.  Again, asleep the entire time.  I, however, of course am not sleeping through any of this.  And it's emotionally draining as well.  She fights going to sleep with a passion, and I can't blame her if she knows those night terrors are coming.  She and I both need for these to stop immediately.  I'd appreciate your prayers.

In the meantime, the little genius got a new little toddler potty last night and has already gone in it THREE times successfully.  Even came over to tell me she needed to use it once.  WOW!  How can one thing be so easy and another area be so difficult1

She has also begun doing "prayer hands" before meals, which is the cutest thing ever!  Then she says, "Amen!" very loud!

She has also successfully parted from my house to go with Mimi and Pop Pop twice now.  She asks about me, where I am, but is okay with hearing, "We'll see Mama in an hour".  This has allowed me to do some minimal teaching again.  Thanks Mimi and Pop Pop!  This Mama needed a little normalcy in her life right now.  Amazingly Mimi and Pop reported that as they drove down my street, Kaylee recognized our house without prompting and screamed with excitement to see "Mama"!  I've had so many people park in the house next door because the 2 look so much alike.  Amazing my brand new 2 year old can tell already!

Interestingly she is still extremely clingy around the house.  Wants to hold my hand or be held 90% of the time.  However, get her out in a public place and she'll run off.  Not so far that she can't see me.  She wants to know I'm there.  But why she is so independent in public crowded places, but so clingy, sometimes literally walking with both arms wrapped around me on my feet, in my house, I will NEVER be able to understands.  It seems backwards to me.

There are so many sweet and hilarious times with her.  I treasure them all!  But there are also great challenges and difficulties and this mama is running on empty.  All of the required education hours and degrees in the world can't really prepare you for what lies ahead in the process of attachment for an internationally adopted child.   the rewards make it worth it, but it is quite grueling.

As always, thanks for your sweet comments, emails, prayers, and support.

Co-Captain Kaylee with Captain Pop Pop!  She dug driving that boat!

Driving that boat is tiring!

My little ham!

Unbelievable that my little one who screamed and screamed over anything resembling a bath for 3 weeks is this same little "fishy"!



She LOVED the pool in Branson!



Born to shop!



We did slide, swings, and sat on this giant turtle!




All girl! Mimi's giving the Mani/pedi!









And enjoying Mommy's mani too!


My baby girl is doing remarkably well. She had her first pediatrician appt. here and he said she had been well cared for and was very healthy...even her teeth. Such a blessing! She had a few tears but nothing close to the trauma at the medical office in China. Thanks for your prayers! She has appts. with a pediatric vision specialist and ear specialist in June. I'll be eager to get more details on her Corneal Leukoma and the Microtia condition of her ear.

She is amazingly attached to me. This of course is a blessing, however it is manifesting in her wanting to be in physical contact with me 90% of the time and within 2 feet of me 100% of the time. This is also being manifested in the form of some major sleep issues still too. Because I do need to return to work, prayers in this area are much appreciated. I believe when she truly feels safe in the fact that I am her forever Mommy...permanent caregiver, this will improve. It's only been 6 weeks since "Gotcha Day" though.

I have been blessed with an extremely smart, sweet, strong willed, affectionate, tender-hearted, stubborn, hilariously entertaining, brave, strong little Sweetie!


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Location:Fun with Kaylee Mei!

Wow, it's been a long time since I've been able to write! 2 weeks of jet lag and life with a toddler hasn't left much time!

First off, my little Kaylee Mei as we're calling her now, is extremely smart. For this I'm most grateful! However, that means its virtually impossible to pull one over on her. And it also means she doesn't miss a THING!

She has such a sweet spirit and loves to cuddle. She'll place my hands on her little face and just smile. And she's almost always up for a hug from Mommy. But she's also a fighter (a characteristic that served her well during her first 2 years of life.) However, because of this, she'll fight hard for what she wants and vehemently object to what she doesn't want!

Accomplishments Kaylee Mei has made in just 17 days home:

1. LOVES baths now (have to drain the tub to get her to realize it has come to an end!)

2. Does high chair with no problems now!

3. Does car seat happily 90% of the time

4. Rides in shopping carts happily

5. LOVES the stroller

6. Tolerates her "doggie sister" Taffy

7. Gets Taffy's food and water each day with no prompting! (at least she doesn't want to starve her although she told her off in Chinese big time the other day through the day gate! LOL!)

8. Throws things in the trash and the laundry for mommy

9. Let's Mimi and Pop Pop hold her

10. No longer afraid of her pink riding pony and loves riding it now!

11. Will go down slides

English words Kaylee says:

1. More - "moooooaaaah"

2. Mimi and Pop Pop (she yelled out "Pop Pop" in the middle of church last Sunday)!

3. Shoes "soooooz"

4. Taffy "Tassie"

5. Diaper "diter"

6. Water "watah"

7. "WOW"

8. Bow

9. Lotion "lossun"

10. Powder "powdah"

11. Bye bye

12. Hi

13. Thank you - "Tay ju"

14. Glasses "gasses"

15. Eyes, ears, mouth

16. Phone (and has some kind of iPhone radar to find anyone's iPhone and snatch it in seconds!)

Her receptive language skills are amazing. So many things I ask her to do and she understands and does them!

Things Kaylee Mei doesn't like:

Teddy bears
Dolls
Books
Veggies
Cheese
Going to sleep (but hey, she's 2!)
Taffy

Things Kaylee Mei loves:

Chick Fil A
Cuddling
Walks
Her stroller
Oatmeal
Congee
V8 Fusion
Toys she has to figure out, especially nesting
Clothes and shoes (Go Kaylee!)
Mimi and Pop Pop
Baths
Bubbles
"folding" things like towels
Being generally helpful
Looking at pictures of herself (doubt she'd seen a lot before)
Oreos
"Playing" piano (wonder how that happened???)

our primary issue right now is that of going to sleep. Because of attachment issues, leaving the room and letting her cry it out isn't an option. It has to be handled very carefully. Please pray for wisdom on my part and a secure attachment on her part that will help her to trust that her current circumstances are permanent.

She also still feels the need to be holding my hand 90% of the time. I'd love if she could see me with her and feel secure a little more of the time rather than needing to be held or in physical contact. However, she was wanting to be held 90% of the time, so we're progressing!

Please keep us in mind Wednesday morning as she has her first doctor's appt. here. The physical exams in China were very rough and traumatic for her. That could cause this visit to bring back those memories.

Have to post a few Mother's Day pics here too! Couldn't have imagined a better Mother's day with my grandma, my mom, me, and my sweet daughter of only a couple weeks all together!





Kaylee lovin' her Mimi!




Kaylee loves her great grandma!





I taught Kaylee this face! Yes, charming and ladylike, I know! :)


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Location:Life back home

Mei Mei's precious great Grandma (called "Boom Boom") has been in the hospital but is due to be released today! She has been consistently saying, "Girl Power" to the doctors and nurses, and sure enough that Girl Power prevailed as she gets to go back home today! So "Mei Mei" just had to wear this today in honor of "Boom Boom"!





See ya soon Boom Boom!

We leave for Guangzhou this evening. Praying for no sandstorms there. Now that we've seen the sandstorms, we wonder maybe if that's what delayed our landing here last week. We thought it was snowflakes streaming by as we approached Hohhot, but when we landed it was 65 degrees! They say that when they wash clothes here, the water is filled with sand when they finish. Does wonders for the allergies and sinuses! :/.

Hope to post videos from Guangzhou if we have better Wifi!

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Location:Dedicated to "Boom Boom"

See Travel Page

Beginning now I'll be posting on the Travel Journal Page in the link above!
Almost time to say "Ni Hao!"

Fun Birthday Pics!

I received a WONDERFUL surprise late last night from my new Chinese friend,Ann, who lives in Guangzhou! Ann has a great business of helping adoptive parents get care packages and birthday gifts to their waiting kiddos. We ordered a birthday cake, Dum Dum lolly pops for Kaylee and all her friends, and a little jacket (yes I would've chosen pink but The jacket that Ann sent looks very authentically Chinese which I think is great!). Ann also requested pictures to be electronically sent of Kaylee's party. And oh how blessed I am that the sweet Ayis (Nannies) sent so many.

I just had to share these latest pics with all my friends here! I happen to think my girl is an absolute doll!


- 3 candles because Chinese culture says that the day you are born is your first birthday. (This is contrary to my custom of subtracting a year for every year after 30!).








Bet all her friends are glad she had a birthday! Party at the Hohhot CWI!




(I think that little one next to her is ready to dive in!)








My favorite pic




I found out today we will get to visit this orphanage while we're they're! This is a rare privilege! God opened that door for us!

8 days til "Gotcha Day", my sweet Kaylee!

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