Reflections- SIX Months since Love's First Embrace

Hi Everyone,

Six months is it a long time or a short time? I know-- everything is relative. I'll just leave it at that because I don't really know how to answer the question.

All I really know is that after waiting for 2+ years, it certainly has been a whirlwind-- both a lifetime of changes in the past 6-months, yet it seems like yesterday. I guess that is why they call it a whirlwind.

Please click on the media player to hear some nice music while traveling with us down memory lane.

These pictures aren't in a particular order. I've sort of grouped them by a category (like eating etc) so that the first picture of the category is from the earlier days that we gladly became Josie's family to more recent pictures (earlier days-- it's only been 6-months. Wow! It's already been SIX MONTHS??!!)

The day we first met Josie was followed by many days of Mommy holding this new bundle of joy.

Josie first introduction to Gabrielle and Xavier, learning how much fun it is to have siblings to play with or just hang out with.

When we first met Josie she was always wide mouthed, ready to eat. As she became more assured that there was plenty of food to go around, she began displaying this behavior less and less. She now rarely opens her mouth like this for food.

Josie had a huge aversion to sand at the beginning of the summer. After a few trips to the beach she learned how much fun it is to play in the sand and now LOVES the beach and playing in the sand.

Josie has always loved to play, from her days in the Orphanage to her days now at home.

Josie new how to crawl when we met her and she was VERY reluctant to walk. She wanted to be held and carried all the time. She still likes to be carried-- Mostly, I think she likes to know that she has access to being carried.

With some coaxing Josie soon began tottering around on unsteady feet, then walking with sure steps, and before we knew it, she became a master of stair climbing.

Josie has also learned how to not only walk up her slide but also recently started climbing up the ladder to her slide as well. She is really becoming a big girl at walking and climbing.

Josie was very demanding about me picking her up and carrying her. To be honest, she still is a lot of the time. But (a good but), now I sometimes get a happy face asking to be picked up instead of the once typical (only method of request) whining and crying.

The information we received about Josie indicated that she didn't like baths and was afraid of the water. Hmmmm . . . what do you think?

Josie was extremely shy when we first met her. The first picture was taken in China while shopping at WalMart. The 2nd picture was taken at a party a couple months after we returned home. She is certainly blossoming into a little social butterfly.

Josie was scared of Wim when she first met him-- there were no men at her orphanage-- and he is one big guy. We often joked that he is the ugliest Ayee that she ever met-- Ayee is Cantonese for auntie and is what the babies call their nannies in the orphanage.

The road can still be a little rocky with the two of them sometimes, but Josie has come realize how much fun her "Dathy" is.

So here we are, her referral pictures and pictures taken recently. What a difference.

Very fitting for her 6-month Milestone-- March 23rd, Josie Dong Dong threw a fit about sitting in a high chair. This picture is of her first dinner (after the fit) sitting at the table-- still in her high chair but with it scooted up the the table-- without the high chair tray.

That's it, in a nutshell. There is so much more- I simply don't have time to sit down and write out all the wonderful attributes about my wonderful daughter and all the precious changes we've shared these past few months. It's taken me a week to compile this much.

Josie Dong Dong is truly the Sunshine of My Life!

The past 6-months have been the happiest of my life till now-- I suspect the next 6-months will be even more so-- and so on --and so on.

I can hardly wait experience with Josie all of the new and exciting things coming her way, while at the same time I want to freeze time, if only for a moment-- maybe a long moment.

Reena

Cutie-Pie Weekly ReCap

OK, here is my attempt to try and post a little something every week-- with every other week being basically just a few picts and a few words and the other week being a bit more detailed.

We'll see how it works out-- No promises though.

The past week-- in a nutshell . . .

Forget Ellen DeGeneres and Cover Girl------

Introducing, the new Spokes Model for Silk Live Soy Based Yogurt

Always willing to lend a hand---

Helping Daddy with the Laundry

A fun-filled Friday evening at our favorite park-- ImPossible Dreams. I think I mentioned before, this park is run by a non-profit organization that works with kids with all kinds of disabilities. The park has several playthings made handi-accessible for kids who use a wheel chair. They even have a teeter-totter for kids who are paraplegic.

The park held a fundraiser this past Friday evening and was open at night for kids to run and play. Once it became too dark, there were several activities inside. Josie Dong Dong had a GREAT time playing in the night time and then dancing while eating cookies insider later on.

"Slides are even better in the dark!"

"How about a smooch under the stars?"

"It may be my bedtime, but I'm not tired. Where's that dance floor?"
The night's festivities were followed by a lazy Saturday morning hanging out with the sibs.

Aren't We the CUTEST!!!

Autumn Moon and Random Sillies

Hi Everyone,

I know-- it's been awhile. I've heard from a few folks about when some new picts would be posted. I'm sorry-- it is hard to find time between Josie, work and Josie.

This weekend is the Autumn Moon Festival-- a big Chinese Holiday. Next to Chinese New Year, I think this is the next biggest holiday in China.

A little about the Holiday. . . (this is from the web)

The Mid-Autumn Festival is a traditional festivity for both the Han and minority nationalities. The custom of worshipping the moon (called xi yue in Chinese) can be traced back as far as the ancient Xia and Shang Dynasties (2000 B.C.-1066 B.C.). In the Zhou Dynasty(1066 B.C.-221 B.C.), people hold ceremonies to greet winter and worship the moon whenever the Mid-Autumn Festival sets in. It becomes very prevalent in the Tang Dynasty(618-907 A.D.) that people enjoy and worship the full moon. In the Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1279 A.D.), however, people send round moon cakes to their relatives as gifts in expression of their best wishes of family reunion. When it becomes dark, they look up at the full silver moon or go sightseeing on lakes to celebrate the festival. Since the Ming (1368-1644 A.D. ) and Qing Dynasties (1644-1911A.D.), the custom of Mid-Autumn Festival celebration becomes unprecedented popular.

There are also some popular legends about the Moon Festival . . . (again from the web)

I. The Lady - Chang Er
The time of this story is around 2170 B.C. The earth once had ten suns circling over it, each took its turn to illuminate to the earth. But one day all ten suns appeared together, scorching the earth with their heat. The earth was saved by a strong and tyrannical archer Hou Yi. He succeeded in shooting down nine of the suns. One day, Hou Yi stole the elixir of life from a goddess. However his beautiful wife Chang Er drank the elixir of life in order to save the people from her husband's tyrannical rule. After drinking it, she found herself floating and flew to the moon. Hou Yi loved his divinely beautiful wife so much, he didn't shoot down the moon.
Note: Chang'e 1 Lunar orbiter was launched to the moon on October 24, 2007. The Chang'e moon satellite, named after Chang Er, will take 3-D images of the moon surface for yearlong. This is the groundwork for the next Lunar Lander (Chang'e 2) project in 2012 , Lunar Sample Return (Chang'e 3) in 2017 and Chinese astronaut on the moon project.

II. The Man - Wu Kang
Wu Kang was a shiftless fellow who changed apprenticeships all the time. One day he decided that he wanted to be an immortal. Wu Kang then went to live in the mountains where he importuned an immortal to teach him. First the immortal taught him about the herbs used to cure sickness, but after three days his characteristic restlessness returned and he asked the immortal to teach him something else. So the immortal to teach him chess, but after a short while Wu Kang's enthusiasm again waned. Then Wu Kang was given the books of immortality to study. Of course, Wu Kang became bored within a few days, and asked if they could travel to some new and exciting place. Angered with Wu Kang's impatience, the master banished Wu Kang to the Moon Palace telling him that he must cut down a huge cassia tree before he could return to earth. Though Wu Kang chopped day and night, the magical tree restored itself with each blow, and thus he is up there chopping still.

III. The Hare - Jade Rabbit
In this legend, three fairy sages transformed themselves into pitiful old men and begged for something to eat from a fox, a monkey and a rabbit. The fox and the monkey both had food to give to the old men, but the rabbit, empty-handed, offered his own flesh instead, jumping into a blazing fire to cook himself. The sages were so touched by the rabbit's sacrifice that they let him live in the Moon Palace where he became the "Jade Rabbit."

Most of what I post here is pretty light-hearted and fun-natured, but folks should realize, that there will always be thoughts of Josie's first family-- where they are, what they are doing. Especially during a holiday such as this-- we all see the same moon . . .

Many China adoptive families also pay special recognition to the birth family of their children during this holiday. Friday-night as I was making the potstickers, it occurred to me that Josie's birthmother might very well be making potstickers somewhere as well. This thought made me feel both happy and sad-- I wonder how Josie might feel some day.

On to the details of the Autumn Moon party we had at our house.

It wasn't huge, but a good base to build on each year. We invited a few other China adoptive families to come over and celebrate with us. I made the start of a few Chinese lanterns from construction paper so parents could help the kids make their own lanterns.

We had homemade potstickers, fried rice, a green bean dish, and crispy ducky. In keeping with the tradition, we also had some moon cakes from a local Asian market. These traditional treats have not been the biggest hit in our home-- so I also made some peach dumplings to appease the crowds looking for dessert.

It was a fun time and everyone enjoyed celebrating the holiday and hanging out watching the girls play.

We're Having a Party!
"Party! Party! Party!"

"When is everybody gonna get here?"

Josie's friends Carly and Claire came with their Mommy and her friend. They had lots of fun making paper lanterns. The really big hit were all the stickers to decorate the lanterns.


It didn't take long for the girls to get the party going full swing. Josie's friend Angeline was having a blast running around with the toys and was especially interested in the play purse.

The parents did a good job of kicking back and enjoy the enthusiasm of the girls running around and dancing to the Wiggle Giggly tunes playing on the CD.

"C'mon Mommy! Bust a Move and get Wiggly Giggly Groove Going!"

Earlier in the Week Josie Dong Dong worked on setting a super cool fashion trend for Fall. Her new line seems to working its way up the popularity charts and has wide target base.

"Get Ready. . . I'm gonna show you."

"It's Josie Cool. I'm all the Rage!"

It wasn't long before Josie 'Cool' Dong Dong found herself with a loyal following . . .

Xavier-- sporting the Ultra GQ look as a fashionable thinker for the 10 to 12 year old young men's base.

Miss Gabrielle, sporting the "WadUP?" cool ensemble for the teen girl interests.

And, OH Yes-- there is MORE!

This fashion even works to "spif-up' the Daddy line of coolnes.

Wait!

That's not all folks!

This market seems to be going to the dogs as well! What a fashion line!

"Thhhhhankkks! Josie Dong Dong--for making me a star!"

Even the cat had to get in on this action.

"Finally! Something as cool as me."

Lastly, some random silly shots from the past few weeks.

Josie Dong Dong licking the spoon from mixing cupcakes.

Whoaaa!! Where'd ya get those socks!!! We had some serious strutting going on in the house.

Oh boy! What set her off?

Josie Dong Dong has gone Mad!














"I don't know what came over me!"

Cookie snack time is always serious business in our house.

Josie was in an especially silly mood this evening and was pulling all kinds of silly poses on the futon in the den.

She was being so silly she even grabbed a pacifier and stuck it in her mouth (she doesn't use a pacifier-- don't forget-- she's got a really good thumb!)

I could go on and on with the silly shots-- there are so many of them~ I hope you'all enjoy them as much as we do.