One year home. It is so strange to type those words. In the first few weeks of having Little Miss home, I couldn’t even think about the one year mark. I was just hoping and praying she would bond with Yankee. She had not really been around men that much during her foster care, and living with a strange man was another whole new experience for her. Well, after about six weeks, she started to bond with him, and they are now as thick as thieves. She often says she is Daddy’s girl. I can’t imagine our family without her smiling face and teasing personality. It has been quite a year, and our daughter is one tough cookie who had a year filled with many emotions.
(The first day we met Little Miss.)
This will be my last monthly update, but I will be sure to write about her some here and there. I’ll let you know when our adoption is final. We are making great strides. The courts in North Carolina have all of the paperwork, and we just got our last big form from Thailand. We can now make an appointment to register her adoption at the Thai embassy in DC!!!!! Just this month we were able to switch from the Thai consulate to the Thailand embassy which will be an easier trip to register her adoption. All countries are different in how they execute the adoption process. Even though she has been in our custody for one year now, she still doesn’t legally have our last name. That’s how Thailand rolls when it comes to adoption, but we are nearing the end, and we knew all of this going into the process. We can see the light at the end of the tunnel, and since she has been in our arms, this part is A LOT easier.
(Strawberry picking at a local farm.)
Our little lady continues to amaze me everyday. She is talking up a storm and and is very, very expressive when she talks. It is really the cutest thing to watch. Her words get confused some here and there, but I think it is due to the age. Some of the phrases she has picked up are from me, and some are from Yankee. Certain things I didn’t realized I said, but once she started saying them, it caught me off guard. I guess I do say “Oh my goodness” a lot.
(Enjoying the honeybees.)
I am still shocked that we have such a good eater. I really do believe you should continue putting something on the child’s plate even if they didn’t like it in the past because they change their minds. One day she told me she did not like black beans and didn’t want them. The next day she loved black beans, and they are her favorite. Same for tomatoes, peanut butter, and a variety of foods. She does not like them one day and loves them the next. Her absolute favorite is mango and if she could, she would have it at every meal. We have upped the amount of mangoes in our house and all parties are okay with that.
(Painting a box with water. Or as she says painting like mommy.)
She LOVES gardening – Pulling weeds, planting flowers, raking anything. She is a huge fan of being outside and using her garden tools. We now have planted vegetables, and she is learning about patience as it takes time for the veggies to grow. She runs out every day to water and look at them. I think she will be back to tomatoes being her favorite once they are ready to pick!
When we met her foster mother, we were told she loved music and that statement couldn’t be more true. The moment any tune comes on, she stops, does a big inhale, and then boom! She starts shaking and grooving. She likes it all and moves non stop when any music is on.
Even though Little Miss has been home with us a year, we continue to do attachment activities and work on attachment. I can confidently say she is attached, but we always want to reinforce that we are her family and won’t be leaving her. We are her mommy and daddy. We are open and have started the conversations about adoption. She knows she was born in Thailand and goes to the map to show us (even though she points to Australia.) Then she drags her finger over to the United States and knows this is where we all live as a family now. I look in those big brown eyes, and my heart just melts. It is amazing how we have all molded together into the perfect family of three.
I can not express how thankful we are for all the comments and kind words everyone has made during this adoption process. I have received some emails that have really touched me during this journey, and I want to thank you for the words.
Cheers!
To read all about our adoption journey see below.
Eight Months Home
Seven Months Home
Six Months Home
Five Months Home
Four Months Home
Three Months Home
Two months home
One Month Home
Home from Our Trip to Thailand
Update from Thailand
Waiting update #5
Waiting update #4
Waiting Update #3 We have a girl!
Waiting Update #2
Waiting Update #1
The life in lifestyle- adoption
We are adopting a baby!
Cheers!
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God knew what he was doing when He placed her in your care. She couldn’t be more loved or cared for than with the two of you. God bless you all as you continue on your amazing journey.
What a blessing for all of you! Look so forward to seeing her sweet face but am really going to miss the monthly updates! I agree with Nancy God bless you abundantly as you continue on this wonderful journey!!
I hope you give her Thai lessons. One day she is going to want to return to her roots and grasping the basic language will give her an inner strength to grasp just who she is. It’s such a shame when adoptees return to their origination country and can’t communicate. Ethnic identity is important.