Updates

Sorry its been so long since I updated. But we have a full schedule with 3 kids (so to speak). Savannah is just our little whiz kid who amazes us with everything she says and does. She is excelling in gymnastics, swimming and now we are signing her up for dance. She loves her puzzles, from 24 piece - 5 piece alone with no help, she says words even I have a hard time saying, like unbelievable, absolutely, definitely. In gymnastics she does tumbles on the beams, tumbles over on the bars small and large, jumps on the trampoline so high and can stop at the clap of hands. She does the splits, brings her leg up one side straight she is for sure double jointed. Recognizes her letter (most of them), her name, knows her home address. Sleeps through (don't speak too soon) but goes to bed at 7:30pm and sleeps until 6:30am or later. Dresses herself, I need to get in there sometimes, brushes her hair, washes her face and clean her teeth with no help. (yes she says no help mommy). Speaks some Chinese, will soon learn french. She will be enrolled into pre-school in the New Year at a Montessori Private School. She will learn french, math, English, history she also goes to gymnastics once a month with her school.. she loves her daycare providers right now. As you can see we have photos from our trip to the pumpkin farm, Halloween costume and some photos we had taken of her for our family room. She loves the outdoors we are out every chance we can get, at the farms, waterfront, bike riding. Daddy takes her skating every Sunday, now she gets up on her own if she falls, and can walk towards daddy with again no help. Her best friend is Liam, she is so excited when we talk about seeing Liam and his sister. Savannah, is petite, as you all know, but smart as a whip, energetic, and has a memory like a genius its scary. I myself joined the gym 3 times a week to keep up the energy needed to cope with her hee hee. the cruise is getting closer, all she talks about is Mickey Mouse, we have booked breakfast with Cinderella, (she's such a girly girl). Next year daddy and I are taking her camping this should be fun. She's a big sister to her big brothers, and puts them in their place for sure. Hope to keep up the blog as much as I can, we are having so much fun its like we are kids again all over. (sorry about one of the photos sideways, did not know how to change over on the blog)

Updates-How Quickly Time Goes By

Well only one more week and our son heads back to Ottawa University, how time goes by so quickly. We also attended for our fourth year in a row the Red Thread Group picnic at Loweville park what a wonderful day, no rain and lots to do. Savannah enjoyed playing with the bubbles, chasing daddy around the park, decorating her own pail and shovel. Its so nice to see all the girls change over the months-years. Savannah is no longer wearing her pull ups in bed (she said I am so big mommy like you now). I can finally say goodbye to all these yipeee.. Savannah loves to do her jigsaw puzzles she can spend anywhere from 10 mins to half hour with Dave and I doing one after the other. Her next favourite thing is to have a tea party with Lucy, Paige and Teddy (Lucy and Paige are her dolls), plus she must set the table for dinner every night, what a great helper.

We only have one more week for swimming lessons then she will be back there in the fall, its back into gymnastics starting September and skating on a Sunday with daddy. Her energy level to gets bigger and bigger, she is such an entertainer every night for Dave and I she puts on a show. The latest phrase she said was the other night out of the bath I asked her to sit still while I blow dry her hair her comment was : I can't do anything anymore, I just about fell on the floor laughing. Savannah is still in her home daycare where she gets all the love and attention she needs during the day, she is for sure getting ready for the big days (school) it scares us she just wants to be a big girl too quickly.

We can see Savannah either excelling in gymnastics or music for sure, she plays her little piano (can't enroll her until she is 4 for piano lessons), dances up a storm for us most nights and has us all doing gymnastics. Now here's the latest.

She has started handing out books to Dave and I and her brother and guess who is the teacher (yes Savannah) we have to put our hand out and say "Teacher can I read please, Teacher can I say the ABC with you" she comes over to you with her hand on her hips and says "yes go ahead" it is priceless, I look at myself and say what am I doing, our daughter has taken over hee hee. She brings so much joy to us and does everything we do, loves her friends and is just a delight to be around all the time. yes she is 3 and yes she has her moments, but she is loved by all and her brothers just adore her.

We have done it again and booked another cruise, this time the Disney Cruise in January just the 3 of us, as the boys will be busy in school/working. I am sooo looking forward to this not sure who is the child here.

No photos on this post, maybe next time

My parents visit from England

Savannah Turns (3)

Well the time is just going by way too fast. Savannah turned 3 last month (June) and she is a non stop chatter box. As you can see we went to McDonald's with 8 of her friends and they just had fun in the playroom before and after. Her birthday went on for 4 days, we had friends over Sunday, had a family dinner out on Thursday, Savannah thought it was her birthday everyday. Now she is talking about Christmas and she wants a flute and a trumpet, we shall see. Last night we started swimming lessons and we were so proud of her she went in the pool without Dave and I, there are 2 others in her class, she had a blast.

Next week is another big week for Savannah and the boys, their grandparents arrive from England. We plan on going to Marineland, African Lion Safari also across the border to shop (can't wait). The long weekend we went to the cottage with friends and she went on the double tube tried to go in the water but far too cold. Savannah has turned into a (as we say in England proper little madam), she loves to shop, we have one hour every Friday where both Savannah and I go shopping and she gets to pick out something, trust me sometimes its a balloon, or a pair of coloured socks.

Gymnastics

Savannah loves to help daddy in the backyard so as you can see she wants to catch him in her fishing net.

Well gymnastics is over and Savannah received her certificate, in the bottom right hand corner where the stamp shows in red, it says "Quite the monkey and excellent on the trampoline". As you can see from photos I had to hold her back from the trampoline by her legs and as for the monkey part take a look at the rope. So we are back at gymnastics in September this time we are not in the room with her (won't that be fun). Swimming starts July, again she goes in alone. Savannah has no fear, she is so strong and will try anything anytime.

Savannah and her table top act, also come get me mom! on the rope

The chair was given to us by our neighbour, she just adores this, I want to take to the cottage but I think she will get much more use out of it in our backyard.

Reunion 2008

Well what a busy weekend we had. This was our 2nd reunion held in Kingston for 2.5 days filled with joy and laughter. I was amazed to see how the girls have changed, grown and developed a little personality (so cute). Some were quite, some were shy but there were the ones who just wanted to run, play and let all their steam off (yes this was Savannah). She is so outgoing, and wants to try and do everything in 5 mins. We met at an indoor playground Friday afternoon, most of the families showed up some were running late so they met us later on at Chuckee Cheese. This was a weekend packed with pizza, fries, juice, and the list goes on. It's once a year so I wanted Savannah to just be a kid, and all she talked about all the way home was her friends from China. Infact the kids were better behaved than the adults, from what I heard there was a little bit of an uproar in the hallway (can't take them anywhere). As you can see from the shots we tried yet again to get a good group photo, we were about 80% there a few were missing, having naps or just did not want to join in. That's OK, we will try again next year (maybe an outside photo).I was a little shocked when one of the moms came over and presented me with a beautiful gift from all for organizing the event, that was very much appreciated. (a shadow box that holds 3 photos and a card with a note inside from each family). Thank you all. I think next year I will ask for help organizing, maybe one look after rooms/hotel and other food and both of us events. Thanks Craig for the sing song, Savannah as you can probably see from your video loves to dance, and every day since then she is singing Old McDonald, and ABC's. It was nice to see the older kids there I am sure they had lots of fun in the water park. Next is the Red Thread Group BBQ in August, which I am helping out with. Savannah goes once a month to the Red thread Group Playgroup held in Burlington this is posted on the CB Website, she has been going since we came back from China.

Next week we meet up with our friends in Cambridge for a seminar run by CB, How to talk to your child about adoption. Well, this is the month Savannah turns 3, her birthday party is booked and we plan on having family over the day after. That's all for now not sure when I will get back to my blog, Savannah is in swimming lessons July and gymnastics again in September so when I get 5 mins I will update.

Updates

Sorry I am behind on the blog but its very busy these days with a nearly 3 year old. I hope to download photos after our reunion at the end of this month. Savannah is quite the lady these days and can talk full sentences, her favourite right now is (mommy I am not happy right now and crosses her arms) especially if I ask her to do something she does not want to do. Savannah loves to read to me, she asks me to sit down and she gets me to choose the book then she reads in her own words, she can count to 17, go down the scale on the keyboard, draw the letter S for her name, she knows the street she lives on and can put her shoes on, shirt on and jacket by herself. Savannah every day tells me I am her best friend and she loves me lots and lots, It just makes my day. She loves to shop with me, and ask me "Mommy lets shop"and again I think she is on a growth spurt eating up a storm at the babysitters, meatloaf, turkey, veggies, mashed potatoes. At night she goes down at 7:30pm, hugs me several times and says "See you in the morning". Savannah goes to gymnastics every Saturday and is the leader in her group, she amazes us on what she can do. We hope to start our swimming lessons in July, and waiting to start Cantonese classes. Savannah has an amazing sense of direction, she knows which way to turn to go home and where the mall is, and where Aunt Cindy lives she shocks the heck out of us. Anyways, lots happening with our little princess and I hope to update in these couple of weeks with photos etc.

Easter-Ottawa

Well not sure where to start now I have downloaded all the photos. Savannah has turned out to be a (Chatty Cathy) non stop talking, yes I know its normal for this age but boy does she go on. If Dave and I are talking she says "Daddy don't talk to my mommy" (Savannah owns me) it is hilarious to hear her. The photos in black are before she heads off to gymnastics's, then I threw a few Easter photos in there and some of the lovely snow we have been getting. Savannah loves to get outside so we make sure she gets out lots on the weekend. She now counts to 14, sings the alphabet and counts to 3 in Chinese. We just came back from Ottawa on Easter Sunday and she was amazing considering we drove for 5 hours each way. As long as she has books, and her DVD player she is good to go. Now she is waiting for her grandparents to come over in July for three weeks. When I talk to Savannah now its a wonderful conversation, she tells me about her day at daycare, what she ate, if she was busy etc. As you can see from the photo of us both she loves crafts, we do this a lot at home. I don't think Savannah is a winter girl, snow does not go over well with her. She loves the rain (like her mom) and the sunshine. When we came back on Sunday from Ottawa because she went swimming with her daddy, she only wanted to wear her swimsuit around the house, she even wanted a bath with it on. Savannah was so fascinated in the moon on our trip to Ottawa, she said its following me mommy, it was the cutest ever.

One thing you can't stop is time....

When I look back at the last 17 years and where I am today I feel blessed and lucky to have just about everything I want and need. Our family is complete, we have 3 wonderful children, and when I talk to my relatives in England and give them updates on the boys and their lives here in Canada I almost break down, because I am proud of what I have accomplished. I have a wonderful husband who I would not swap for anyone or anything, we do just about everything together. Savannah just brings so much joy to the family, even her 22 year old brother can't wait to see her at night when I arrive home from daycare. This just cuts me up, when I take her to bed at night and its getting soooo much better, she grabs my neck while lying down and says "Mommy I lus you" and says it over and over again and then says "one more time mommy" she won't let go, I feel so loved by her and we know for sure she feels the same from us. I never thgouth I would say this, but some night I don't want to put her to bed I want to spend all the time with her and I can't wait for weekends she is so much fun to be around. She tells me she is busy now, but she does help around the house cleaning, feeding fish, her favourite is watering the plants. Well Feb 28th at 10:40am it will be 2 years that I received the call from CB. See time never stands still for anyone. So as one son arrives home next week for reading week the other goes off to sunny Cancun with his friends. Savannah will then be confused for sure, one shows up and one leaves. Well we should see what Saturday brings its Gymnastics time again in Mississauga, I know how much she loves to jump and climb. So as far as learning she is doing just fine exactly what a 2.5 year old should be doing, ABC's all the way, all colours 1-12 in counting, her street address and then last but not least I ask her where she is from and she say's China. Savannah is truly a daddy's girl when Dave tells me what she gets away with in the morning when I have left for work, its not good. But he's having fun with it, and I can handle it Savannah knows when I say "No" its meant. When I think we went 1.5 years every single night sitting on her bed for 20mins-1.5 hours and for the last 2 months we have stopped that, no nap and now I can take baths at night, read, watch my favourite Coronation Street and basically get caught up with my husband. Having two sons that are totally independent, good at what they do, value money, and understand life as it is today makes it much more easier. You only get out of life what you put in..... that's my motto to our kids.

Chinese New Year and Skating

A day to remember

I had to put this on the blog we have waited so long for a day like this. Last night at 7:20pm, Savannah took daddy's hand and said "Daddy come upstairs" I said where are you guys going, so I followed them upstairs. Savannah walked calmly to her bedroom and said "I tired now" climbed on the bed got into bed and drank her milk. I said "Oh my lord" she can do it. So Dave went downstairs, I performed my trick of staying in the bathroom next door and pretend to have my shower wash hair, Savannah was asleep within 15 mins after 2 cups of milk. Now, not sure why but Savannah has started yelling in the house, yes at the top of her lungs " Mommy come here" Mommy what are you doing" Mommy where are you" I think she just loves to be heard. So if I have it correct, 26 months out of diapers, 13 months started walking, 2.5 years started sleeping through the night. Not bad, every child is different. But for sure I can compare girls versus boys and girls have much more energy.

Legacy of an Adopted child

Once there were two women
who never knew each other
One you do not remember,
the other you call Mother

Two different lives intertwined
helped to shape your one
The first is your guiding star,
the second is your sun

One gave you life,
and the other taught you to live it
One prepared you for love,
the other was there to give it

One gave you a nationality
the other gave you a name
One gave you talent
the other gave you aim

One gave you emotions,
the other calmed your fears
One saw your first sweet smile,
the other dried your tears

One sought for you a home
that she could not provide
The other prayed for a child
and her drams were not denied

Nature or nurture -
which are you the product of?
Both, my darling, both,
just two different kids of love.

The Cruise

The cruise and Xmas was the best. We all had a wonderful time. Savannah met a friend from Manhattan NY and had a blast. She was excellent the whole trip. The Bahamas, St. Thomas and St. Marten were wonderful places to see. Karl and Ross surely had their hands full with their bossy sister, she just adores them. We had dinner every night in the dining room and she was so good, using her manners. We are now looking at the Mediterranean for August on the same cruise line, Royal Caribbean. I must admit it was out first time and all we want to do now is cruise. We were looking at the Disney cruise for 2009, this would be a great trip. The cruise line goes out of their way to help you, food, food and more food. Xmas Day was a blast, I took only a few gifts down for all since we already have 6 suitcases 2 strollers and 5 people. Then back home Dec 31st we opened our gifts, it was a Dora Xmas, she is everywhere in the house. Ross goes back to Ottawa Monday, everyone is back to normal now (I think). But I do want to say again, cruise is the only way to go for sure.