Micalee's Christmas Photo Shoot....

I can't believe I can finally take pictures of my little girl for Christmas! I've waited for this for over four years! And yes, she was just as beautiful as I imagined she would be! I think I've had this dress for a few years, just waiting for her to wear it & it fit perfectly! We thought taking pictures ourselves would be less traumatic than doing professional photos. She's still a little unsure around strangers at times, and she is getting closer to Santa each time she sees him, but is not ready to have her picture made with him. Anyway, I love the way these came out! These are just a few of the many I took. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do!

Some more fall pictures....

Here are a few more pictures of Micalee enjoying the fall weather. This is her on Halloween Night! The picture is a little blurry, but it's my favorite one of her in her Ladybug costume. She had so much fun Trick-or-Treating, then at Aunt Jeanie's house for a bonfire!!!

This is Micalee at the State Fair! She got to "hold" this little chick (with a little help)!She got to pet the little chick & then gave it a kiss (this was after she grabbed the little thing by the neck; kinda reminds me of me when I as little!). She loved the animals most of all! I think we have a little farm girl on our hands! She even loved this cute little pig, but she wasn't so sure about feeding him! Look how excited she is to see the Zebra! She is getting so much more expressive these days! She was a little scared of first (mostly of the "carnies"), but she did eventually pick up her duckies & "won" two little hand puppets (Mommy helped pick them out!)! She had so much fun just walking (and running!) around. No, she didn't drink that big drink all by herself (we all shared), but she wanted to be in control (see, she is fitting in just perfectly!).

Here is little Micalee at her favorite place in the whole world - The Boardwalk. She loves to just walk around & play in the shrubs. She is truly nature's child!

This is the petting zoo at the Carnival in Blanchard. She was fascinated by the donkey!

Maybe too much! I was so scared he was going to back-kick her when she grabbed his tail!
This is Micalee dancing with her very favorite cousin, Jacob! There was no music! Just the music in her head!

Another Micalee Dance Video

This one was at the Boardwalk. She LOVES that place, because she can just run around, and she loves the fountain! Most of the dancing was before we got the video going (of course), but check out her moves after she stops the stroller!

Some Fall Photos....

Here are some recent pictures of Micalee enjoying the fall weather (except the one of her wanting outside, even though it was pouring down rain....for days....)!  We took her to the pumpkin patch this past weekend & she had fun picking out pumpkins; she just didn't' want to pose for pictures!  We built a scarecrow in the front yard (like always, but this time had our little helper we have been waiting for years for!).  I thought she might be scared of him, but as you can see, she even tried to give him a kiss (or eat his carrot nose!)!  She wants to sit on the hay next to him every time she goes in the front yard, and she wants his arm around her shoulder!  She even waves hi & bye to him when we're coming or leaving home.  I will post another video of her after I get it uploaded.  Some more of her fancy dance moves! We're just having fun at home (except for when I work an occasional shift!) and enjoying this beautiful fall weather!  I hope it lasts!

Micalee gettin' down at the Revel...

Two months ago today.....

I can't believe it has been two months since Micalee was placed in my arms! In a way, it seems like she's been here forever, although she has certainly not been here long enough! I'm still sad sometimes about missing her first two years of life, but whatever she went through has made her what she is right now, and if we had gotten our referral sooner, or she had been place sooner, we wouldn't be together. We missed so many first, but we are creating alot of our own. When I look back over the pictures from the night we got her and our time we spent in China, I realize how much she has blossomed! Our little two-year-old could hardly walk (not much at all without support), and now look at her running to her Mommy! She would have run away from her Mommy if she could have a couple of months ago! I can't even think about the night we got her or those days in China without tearing up. It was the most heart-wrenching time of my life! Now, this little girl, who wanted nothing to do with me, wants me to hold her as much as possible. And she is so full of smiles and laughter, although, she does still have those far away serious looks that makes me wonder what she's thinking. I'm sure she's still processing everything that has happened to her in her short life. I hope she knows how much she was wanted and how much she is loved. She has filled a void that I never even realized existed. Happy two-months-a-family, Micalee!!! Mommy & Daddy love you so very much!!!

A Day in the Life of Micalee....

Well, I guess I've been too busy having fun with Micalee to post lately, but here are some pictures from the last few weeks!  Micalee is getting more & more comfortable around the house.  She is truly fitting in around here!  She is getting funnier & goofier as she gets more settled in.  Sometimes she walks around the house just laughing to herself (maybe a psych consult is in order!)!  She loves to play outside & she really liked her tent/house we set up for her.  She was scared at first, but once Mommy got in with her, she didn't want to come out.  She is still loving her kitty cat & he is being SO tolerant with her that I'm still amazed (he has a history of biting when he's bothered)!  And now, she even loves Millie!  Millie loves her, too (Micalee is always dropping her snacks!).  The one picture I posted was a "stare down" sparked by a piece of cheese.  You don't mess with Micalee's food!  She is still loving bath time & still goes to sleep so easily (at night & for naps).  It's the complete opposite as it was while in China!  She got to enjoy her first birthday party last weekend when my nephew, Jacob, had his 7th birthday party.  He had been asking since his 4th if Micalee was going to be there & FINALLY she was!  It was SO good to see her there playing with her cousins!  She is so easy-going (most of the time!).  I'm having the time of my life staying home with her!  She is finally starting to speak a little more.  She tries to copy most everything we say now (David is trying not to use his usual language!)!  She now tells Millie to sit, she is finally saying juice, she says night-night, bath, pee-you (stinky diaper), shoes, Mama, Daddy, and today, starting saying "rock on", when David said it to her when she was singing & dancing in her car seat.  The girl was got some moves!  I may try to put some video on if I can figure it out!  Her arms start flailing in the air as soon as she hears music!!! It's too cute!  She's just busy being a 2-year old & still learning the language!  I think her vocabulary is about to burst!  She's trying harder & harder.  She had her first set of vaccinations a couple of weeks ago, and I was traumatized!  She screamed like the day we got her & it broke my heart!  She had to have FOUR injections!  Poor baby!  I can't stand to see her crying!  I did, however, cause the biggest near-fatal incident!  A couple of nights ago, I fell down the stairs when I was carrying her!  I think I missed the step above the landing & just stumbled right on down.  I clutched her & screamed for David before we hit.  Amazingly, she only had a scratch on the back of her neck (we hit a meta candle holder), but she was shaking when David took her from me.  I would have never forgiven myself if something worse had happened to her.  I'm still shook up from the ordeal.  I also have a few scratches & bruises & very sore muscles (like a truck hit me!) to remind me of it.  We are both very lucky not to have broken something! Someone was definitely looking out for us!  I'll try to post more often.  I know the pictures are what you want to see anyway!

More pictures....

While Micalee is napping, I thought I'd post a few more pictures from this week.  There are a couple more of the pool (2nd time in!).  She wouldn't let me stay out for long, so I got to enjoy the water, too!  As you can see, she is letting Millie get closer to her without a problem.  In the one picture, Micalee is trying to drink water from the pool, just like Millie had done.  Then she poured a stacking cup full of water on Millie's head!  We went to the park one day this week & had a picnic.  Of course she liked it; there was food (she now likes french fries!)!  She played on some of the equipment, but I think I'll need to go back when David can go with us, so she can have one of us on each end of the slide to feel more comfortable!  She did get to feed the ducks some crackers, but wanted to get dangerously close to the water.  The girl is fearless!  She chased the geese, but we were out of crackers & didn't get to feed them.  She ran from them when they started heading in our direction. We also planted some flowers in pots, but she was mostly interested in shoveling the dirt in & out.  She could care less if the flowers ever got in the pots!  But, she did want to water them this morning!  She is still letting us know what she wants & needs (mostly food!) by leading us around & pointing,  I'm sure it's just a matter of time before some good English comes from her lips.  She understands what words are for things, but chooses not to try to say too much for now.  She imitates some things, but nothing to help us know what she wants or needs.  She certainly has her ways of letting us know for now!  She is still sleeping very well through the night & goes to sleep without much trouble.  Nap time is pretty good, too!  She likes to go outside & sit on the front steps (& eat her snacks)!  She loves riding in her stroller every night after dinner.  She LOVES her bath & quiet playtime in her room before bed.  She loves riding in her car seat & going shopping (she loves the carts now!).  She loves waking up in the morning & waving at her tree above her crib & the butterfly & bird in the tree.  I think she even loves her Mommy & Daddy!  I know we love her!

Pool Time!!!

Well, last weekend we tried to get Micalee in the kiddie pool, but it was nothing but tears.  We thought she would love it, because she loves her bath SO much.  This time we got in with her and she LOVED it!  Here are some of the pictures of her playing in her pool.  The one with her mouth wide open isn't crying; it's her getting squirted in the face with one of her toys!  She loves it & squeals in delight!  She did want out once I got out, but I think that will change quickly (it did with the bath!).  Right now, she is taking her "right on time" nap.  I'm starting to love nap time, and not because I get a break from her, but because I love the quiet time before she goes to sleep, when I'm rocking her & head is on my shoulder & her arm around mine.  Then I miss her & can't wait 'til she wakes up!  Tomorrow David goes to back to work & then it's just the two of us.  I hope she doesn't miss her Daddy too much & does okay with only me at home.  We'll keep you posted!

More Pictures of Micalee at home!

Well, we've been home 2 weeks today & things are really getting tons better! At first, Micalee was getting up in the middle of the night, but now, she sleeps almost 12 hours every night (with maybe one cry in the middle of the night that just requires a little pat on the belly for reassurance, then it's back to sleep!). She is getting used to having Millie around, although they are not yet best of friends. Millie is just so big compared to Micalee & she's still getting used to her size! She does share some of her snacks with her & now doesn't mind so much if Millie camps out underneath the high chair to catch a crumb (or entire sandwich!) or two! She tries to give the cat kisses, and the cat is being extremely tolerant considering his history of biting when too stimulated! He actually likes the attention Micalee gives him & sometimes follows her around for more! She is smiling & laughing so much more! She is now loving her Mommy & wants me to carry her or hold her hand & walk around the house. She is still exploring her surroundings, but is definitely starting to feel at home! Her personality is blossoming more & more. She is funny & makes the cutest faces! She is so animated! She copies everything we do & is starting to speak some English. She says: hi (& waves, for hi & good-bye), uh-oh, ouch, mama & dada (although she still doesn't always associate those with me & David!). I think her language will blossom over the next few months! She is very smart & inquisitive! I think we are all finally adjusting to being a family & finding a new schedule to fall into! I am enjoying her more & more each day! She is even allowing me to put her down for naps & sleep at night (which was once
a Daddy-only job!). What started out pretty rocky is becoming such a wonderful, beautiful thing! I love her to pieces & can't image life without her now! Enjoy the pictures of live with Micalee! And check out her 1st fishing hat! She loved the Bass Pro Shops & looking at all the fish in the big tank! And of course, eating out is one of her favorite things! She is so patient & good in the restaurants! And such a good eater! The girl can put it away for sure! I'll leave you with the pictures & will try to post some more soon!