Happy Birthday Clara Rose Rao Rao!

Sunday was Clara Rose's 2nd birthday. We are so happy that we were able to have her home for this birthday. We had hoped it would happen when we first started the adoption process, but we felt it was a bit of a longshot that the adoption would happen so quickly.

While we were very happy, I also feel sad as I know that her foster family is missing her and also wanted to have one more birthday with her. The Foster Mom did tell me they celebrated her 2nd birthday on December 26th because they knew they would not be with her on her actual birthday.

Since we are recently home and still settling-in, we kept the birthday celebration very low key. Just Wim, myself, all the kids and Grandma and Aunt Becky. Another tribute to the foster parents-- Clara Rose recognizes Wim's mom as Nai Nai and called her Nai Nai. This is because the foster parents showed her the pictures we sent in the care package. They really worked hard so that Clara Rose would have an easier adjustment.

Here  we are, Josie and I, helping Clara Rose blow out her birthday candles.

Prior to cake, Clara Rose met and played with her new Nai Nai who was thrilled to finally meet her newest grand daughter.

Aunt Becky, or Goo goo (in Mandarin) was also thrilled to meet and play with Clara Rose.

Josie Dong Dong was very chatty and excitedly told her Aunt Becky about all the exciting things that have been going on her life.

Josie also mentioned how she was feeling sad these days with Clara Rose around, so Aunt Becky clipped both smiley face balloons to Josie.

It was a fun morning with lots of play time.

Clara Rose reaching for Gabrielle's hand.

More Birthday Cake pictures.

Opening a few presents in the evening. Clara Rose does't quite get the present opening so she got some help form her ever beloved BaBa.

Josie also received some welcome home presents (THANKS MICHELLE!) and she was more than happy to have something special to open.

The girls have a ways to go with adjusting to the time change (they aren't the only ones!). Here are a few pictures of the 4:00 AM play dough party on Monday morning.

Clara Rose really likes playing with this red push cart. The cart is Josie's.

Josie is having some *behaviors* with regard to sharing-- more so than we have ever seen with her. For example, the red cart above---

Yesterday while I was washing a few dishes Josie brought me a screw and said, "here Mommy. You need to put this away." Ok. Then she brought me two more saying the same thing. I asked her where she was getting all these screws. The first one, I figured she just found somewhere-- we left so quickly after Christmas-- who knows??? 

Guess where the screws were from-- the handle to the red cart! Josie took them out so Clara Rose could no longer push it!

Later in the afternoon I put up Josie's tent and tunnel and the girls had a great time playing with it. Clara Rose was a bit timid about it at first-- but it didn't take long for her to jump in and start playing and did she have a good time!

Clara Rose definitely prefers her BaBa.

The foster mom had told us she was more a daddy's girl. I also don't think it helps that the orphanage staff really push for the Mom to engage the new child right away. I think she was angry with me and saw me as the one who caused her foster family-- her family that she knew and loved, to go away. Now I think she may be scared that I will take her away from her Baba.

Yesterday (monday) she cried for a good half hour inconsolably when Wim left for work.  We are doing it again today, but as I sit her typing and wiping her nose, when she'll let me, she is calming down.

Oh wait, here she comes. She has stopped crying. She wants me to wipe her nose. She is offering me one of her scented poop bags (it is empty -- never been used in case you are wondering). I am putting it on my head. She is laughing.  Now she is playing with Josie.

Yeah!!!!!

A qucik note about Josie. Last night Josie at dinner while we were at the table Josie announced to all of us (Me, Wim, Gabrielle, Xavier and Clara Rose) that her (Josie's) heart hurt, her teeth itched, and her eye brows feel hot.

So I guess that is part of the effects of getting a new baby sister who isn't so much a baby as a direct comeptitor.

Lastly, here he is, Mr. Mommy are curled up last night with the fleece blanket I made for Clara Rose. Wim is already back to work and very tired.

Words cannot begin to express how I feel to watch him with Clara Rose. It is a whole new person. I already thought Wim was an amazing wonderful man and a great father. Watching him with Clara Rose who so clearly adores him beyond words adds a whole new dimension to how I see my husband.

As much as I loved this wonderful man when I married him, I love him even more now.