Fast Take Picture Catch Up

We've been pretty busy at the Shaw-Chase home and in all our busy-ness we managed to lose our camera, yet again. For those not familiar, Wim and I have been unable to keep a functioning camera for much more than a year. Actually, I was getting attached to our last camera as I think we did manage to hold onto for about a year!  We have been married a little over 5-years and are now on our 4th camera.

In anticipation that we will be traveling to bring home Clara Rose shortly after Christmas, we are going light on the decorations this year. The day after Thanksgiving, we got our tree and put it up with the usual fan-fare and grumblings over the lights.

True to the Holiday Sprit was a very happy Gabrielle who is almost bigger than the tree we got, which is much smaller than we usually get.

Josie was very excited to dump out the decorations-- am I glad I didn't unpack the "Good Ones" this year!

Wim and Xavier topped off the tree later in the evening.

Of course, Josie wanted to imitate her Guh Guh.

Time for some holiday tunes courtesy of our in-house rockers.

The next day we went to visit an Alpaca Farm and all the kids had fun hanging out with these crazy looking animals that like to "blow kisses" at people from not quite far enough away.

There was a small obstacle course and the kids were able to take turns walking an alpaca through the course. Gabrielle helped Josie's friend Angeline walk and alpaca.

Josie was a little apprehensive, but after watching Angeline, she asked her Guh Guh to help her. Xavier acted like he wasn't that interested, but we all know he had a good time.

In case you can't quite see it, She is one happy little Dong Dong walking the alpaca around

What's not to smile at? Did I mention they like to "blow kisses" at the crowd?

The following weekend one of Josie's friends invited to have breakfast with her and Santa.

"MMmmmm. This good food!"

"Josie, look hind you!"

"Wat dat? Who dat?"

"HO HO Ho!"

"I'm a perfect little angle"

Josie still prefers to admire Santa from afar, although she did give him a couple of high fives.

In addition to Santa, the fire dog was also making rounds. Josie enjoyed watching her very brave friend Grace play with the fire dog.

Moving along with our Holiday Spirit and Christmas cheer-- Josie kept asking me if we could make a gingerbread house. Everytime she would see a kit in a store she would ask to make it. So, I broke down and got one of the kits. After a bit of frustration, my advice to others embarking upon such a project-- look it over and figure out how YOU would put it together and don't pay attention to the directions.

"Look at me! I make a candy-pop house!"

"Mmmm, I want to eat dis. Mommy, I eat dis?"

"This is very serious work."

"Quick! Mommy's not looking! Oooops! Did she take a picture?"

"Look at my candy-pop house!"

Even the cat was interested in the candy-pop house-- and she isn't too interested in most things.

Lastly, Josie and I are talking more and more about Clara Rose. Josie is helping me re-organize their room so Clara Rose has space for her things as well.

"Dis is Wose's cwib."

Josie still says, "No Wose." sometimes. She also tells me that "Wose" will not be sleeping in the new cwib because she is going to, "sweep next to Josie in Josie's cwib."

Super Close

This is just a quick update-- all of our adoption paperwork is now signed by nearly all the governing powers and is at the CCAA-- chinese agency in charge of adoptions. The CCAA can now issue us approval to travel to China and our appointment at the US Consulate office in China can be made.

For those not familiar-- this is the final step in the paperwork that will allow us to actually board a plane to China. Well, I guess we could still board the plane, but the getting off of it part might not happen.
:-D

Our agency believes we will be able to fly out on January 1st or 2nd.

I'll try to get some pictures of our tree trimming up in the next few days. We are swamped with holiday planning and my sewing machine is giving me a hard time. So close and yet so far away with this quilt!

Happy Holidays!

The Big Finale!

Josie's birthday week ended with a big Kid's Gym Party at the YMCA. There were lots of fun activities including a rope swing onto squichy matts, a maze of tunnels and slides, a floor to celing rope wall and more squish matts, scooter things, a bounce house and of cours yummy cake, lots of presents and many of Josie's families not to mention ALL her cousins!

First order of busines, was checking out all the fun things to do and welcoming her guests as they arrived.

"I feel Happy!"

Having a hopping good time in the bounce house with cousins Nate and Emily.

Big cousin Abbie swinging around showing off for her little brother and her Dad.

Cousin Emily tooling through the maze.

Josie's friend Angeline chatting it up with Gabrielle.

Josie's friend Kai checking out all the activities.

Big Sis Gabrielle being silly.

After everyone enjoyed some playtime, it was time for Birthday cake!

By the end of the week, this was Josie's third (yes THIRD!) birthday party and she had the routine down, but still welcomed some help from her big Cousin Abbie to blow out the candles.

Everybody was all smiles when the cake was served.

Josie's friend Grace chowing down.

Little Cousin Emily was overcome with all the fun.

Next on the agenda-- PRESENTS! Oh boy! Did Josie get a lot of presents! I don't know that there is much left for Santa to bring her for Christmas!

After eating the cake and ripping through the presents, it was time for one more last blast through all the Kid Gym activities and this crowd was wasting a second! They meant business!

Josie's friend Miles holding on for dear life in the bounce house.

Look at those pigtails fly!

Josie's friend Callie crawling through the maze.

Cousin Nate in the bounce house.

I think he only came out long enough to eat a piece of birthday cake.

Josie helping her friend Angeline's Dad roll her (Angeline) in the cushy barrel.

Josie was quick to dive into her presents as soon as we got home. The top of the list, a remote controlled My Little Pony Scooter.

Josie and Gabrielle making 'pizza' with a toy from Me-ma-- another big fave!

Josie got too many toys to get through in one night. So she was hot on them first thing the next morning. Here she is playing a fishing game with Gabrielle and Wim.

Don't let Wim tell you any big tales about his fishing-- this is as big as He got!

Time for some cool down playing with the todller laptop from Grace and her Mommy Michelle.

Thanks everybody for making Josie's Birthday Party so much fun!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JOSIE!!!!

We've been pretty busy around our house lately and there is a lot of catching-up to do! I'll start with Josie's Birthday!

We are celebrating Josie's 3rd birthday this week and what a week it is!!! For starters, Josie has transitioned into the preschool room at her daycare. We had all anticipated the transition taking her longer based on our past experiences, but she actually transitioned fairly quickly into her new room. I think it helps that she now knows most of the kids in the preschool room because several of them were in her old room and transitioned earlier in the year. Josie actually completed her transition into the preschool room last week.

Yesterday, Josie's new room crowned her princess for the day complete with her very own crown-- her first crown I might add as Mommy isn't too fond of the princess themes. I have to admit Josie wore it well and had a splendid day.  I arrived in the afternoon and we had a cupcake party in Josie's former classroom so she could formally say good bye to her friends and especially her teachers in that room. This was something Josie and I talked about and she said she wanted to do the cupcakes in her old room.

Shortly after we arrived in her old room and sat down, Josie whipped-off the princess tossed it to the floor, stating, "I no wanna were this!" I was quite proud!

Last night we had the family birthday party for Josie-- nothing too fancy: Mac-n-cheese with dogs and french fries. Josie loved opening her presents and even wanted to open them before eating her cupcakes.

"Yeah! Presents! I LOOOOVE Presents!"

Things got a little crazy after about the third present.

After presents, we all enjoyed some yummy cupcakes that Josie picked out at the bakery. So far, she always picks the same kind-- chocolate cake, cream topped, dipped in chocolate, topped with little plastic balloons.

After the cupcake feast, Josie invited her Jie Jie to a tea party with her new Kai Lan Tea Set from Auntie Andrada. Josie served tea to Jie Jie and her new Kai Lan Doll that we gave to her.  Josie's Guh Guh (Xavier) made the crown that Josie is wearing in this picture.

Here is Josie being silly in her new Hello Kitty jammies.

Working backwards in time, the next few pictures are from the day before. Josie helped me make cupcakes for her party at school.

"I LOOOOVE Cakes!"

Of course we had to give them a test run before presenting them to the public.

Last and far from least, pictures from Halloween! This year is really a lot more action packed with the holidays. Josie really gets what is going on and is having a blast with everything.

We were using M&Ms as potty training tools and thought it was fitting for Josie to be and M&M for Halloween. Isn't she a cute little "M?"

Me and Josie heading out into the night to gather a few treats or pull a few tricks. I am wearing my trusty mouse ears and Josie made sure I had the tail on as well.

It didn't take Josie to figure out what the deal was and that folks were handing her candy!

"Trick or Treat"

Wim almost gave this poor woman a heart attack when he snapped the picture. He was staning to the side of the door and she hadn't noticed him. She jumped and screamed when he snapped the picture.

After about seven houses, Josie was ready to head home and eat some of her snacks.

"I LOOOOVE Candy-POP!"

Josie is having her big birthday party this weekend with her extended family and several friends. I'll try to get them posted sooner rather than later.

I am really close to finishing the quilt!

I-800 Approval!!!!!

First, I am sorry for the lack of pictures. We need to get an external hard drive or our computer is going to crash from all my pictures. Maybe this weekend-- especially since Josie's Birthday is this week!!!   Big News! After receiving two, yes, TWO, receipt notices from US Immigration that they have received our I-800 (last month!) I called them today and was able to leave a message with the officer processing our case that inquired about our status.   Just before I left work I got an email from them stating that we have been approved and the approval is being mailed to China today!   Yippee!!!   We are now OFFICIALLY waiting for travel approval (TA) from China to travel and bring Clara Rose Home. TA typically takes between 2-4 weeks with travel occurring about 2-weeks after you receive TA.    With a little bit of luck we will still be able to travel by early December, but boy oh boy are we gonna be cutting it close to travel and be home for Christmas!!!!!!!!!!!!!   EVERYBODY CROSS YOUR FINGERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!   Reena