Sweet Girls

I TOOK THESE PICTURES!! And I think they turned out great! I wanted some pics to have printed that were framable for Father's Day...so I dressed the girls up and took them into town, threw them in the flowers in front of the First National Bank of Berryville...and this is all I got. As you can see....Mia was NOT in the mood! :)

New Experiences for Mia

My lips brushing against her soft baby cheeks at least 1000 times a day.

Daddy saying her name in a high pitched voice and tickling her until she giggles.

Macy's face lighting up when returning from preschool -and running to kiss baby sister. Mia in return throwing her little arm up and down in excitement and smiling at big sister's voice.

Laying in bed with her new family - her on Mommy's tummy - watching Daddy and Big sister giggle and tell bedtime stories.

Being a part of bedtime prayers - we laid in this same bed for over a year praying nightly for baby Mia. Now she lays here with us and we thank God that she is here with us.
---------------
Brad was holding Mia on his chest this week making an elephant sound. After about the 20th time - she started trying to mimick him. She started with a simlar elephant sound and went on to repeat it over and over...her lips and tongue sounding more and more like a motorcycle and spit bubbles joining the party! Macy and I were both laughing so hard -we were about to cry. Macy has been telling people since then, "My baby sister is sooo funny!..."
---------------
Mia had her first visit to see the pediatrician last week. She is in the 60th percentile for height, (27.5 in) and the 5th percentile for weight. Dr. Ball was very interested in her and our trip. He told us that nutritionally formula is going to pack the most punch for her gaining weight - and that other foods are just for her to learn with....so lay on the formula! We are hoping she will gain at least 3 lbs by her first birthday in August. She weighed 14.5 lbs. and is 9 months old now.

She did receive her first round of immunizations too (they have to be re-given after coming home to the states b/c there is no way to measure the quality of amount they received in the orphanage) - and she did GREAT during the shot giving. She only cried a second and I think it was more from me keeping her arms still for a moment than the shot itself. However, starting that evening through the next afternoon she had an extremely high fever....104.2 - and started throwing up everytime I would give her a bottle. I was afraid she was getting dehydrated and we were getting ready to take her back over to the clinic - we laid her down, prayed over her, and started getting ready - but when she woke up an hour later - her fever was down. Miraculously! She was BURNING up when we laid her down - and then it had come down by 4 degrees! Macy has never had a fever like this. She kept down some pedialyte...we cancelled the appt., and she was herself again by evening! Woo hoo!

Transformation of my beautiful Mia!

These pics start with Mia now and go through Mia one month ago - the day we got her. What a beautiful transformation that is taking place!

Oh - what this smile does to my heart! This pic was taken Saturday, June 2 - 2 weeks after arriving home.











I managed to keep the hat on for just a few pictures!








Mia can somehow army crawl faster than any baby I've seen. She is thrilled to be put in the floor and have so much open space to explore.












She is of course getting lots of cuddling! My little photographer Macy snapped this picture during our jet lag recovery week. None of us managed to make it out of pajamas that week b/c we weren't sure when we would be sleeping or when we would be awake!



This was the amazing airport traveling baby! We traveled for 30+ hours the day we came home and both girls were AMAZING! Mia only cried for maybe 15 seconds the entire trip - but when we got in the car to drive home from the airport she screamed her head off....car seats were NOT OK for a couple of weeks!





For someone who had never had a real bath - Mia is a little fish! She loves the water! So did Macy - I've been blessed! This was Mia's first bath in China.



This is Mia on the 4th day in our family. She is starting to smile more and more.







This is Mia the first day in our family. Clean and adorned with a big hairbow - but still checking out all these new things and new people.









Mia is still wearing her orphanage clothes. This is the day we got her - and Macy is excited to show her all of the toys we brought. Mia is not so excited. A little overwhelmed I think.



Mia during the first few minutes after we received her. We are still at the Civil Affairs office where our group received our babies. May 9th 2007.


What a transformation is taking place in our sweet girl! It is beautiful to watch her blossoming before our very eyes. Every day is a new adventure!