17 months old, 2 months home, 2 months into summer break.....sigh....

(the cute shirt was a gift from her)

*My girl is 17 months old and she is cruising through babyhood and lining herself up pretty fast to be a toddler. She says hi, Kita, doggy, up, thank you, Dada, up, and she mimics sounds, such as her brothers names. She knows who Mommy is by pointing to me, she knows who Daddy is by pointing to him, she knows who Eme is by pointing to herself, but yet she only really says Dada for us all. She is standing on her own and has taken her first step towards me. She gets from point A to point B in a flash. She is Ms. Grabby hands and everything in her reach is fair game. She squawk's like a parrot, still. We ignore the behavior and she will then sign what she wants. She is a snack queen and we always travel with her crackers in her snack cup at all times. She is gaining weight, strength and the ability to be separated from me for a short amount of time. Emotionally, my girl is opening her heart for Daddy all the way and completely adores her brothers. We've stuck with the "Nancy Thomas" way and though it was hard, we are proud that we stuck with it and followed the advice of an expert, especially in the first weeks home when things were very rough on her emotionally.

In other news:

*I enrolled little boy W in kindergarten today. 3 down....1 to go. I can't believe that he is going into kindergarten already. Where does the time go?

*The ladies in the office were kind enough to spill the beans on who C's teacher would be and low and behold.....I'm satisfied. Every year I have to fight for that child and this year, the clouds parted and they managed to take care of my boy all on their own without me having to fight it out for him. Of course, she threw in the disclaimer that 'it could always change'....it better not.

*C's fabulous teacher that he had last year left the elementary school and moved to the middle school that he will be at NEXT year. Could we get lucky enough to get her twice for the same child that really needs a teacher like that???? God I hope so.

*There are 2 teacher options that I'm hoping W gets next year, though the other ones might be marvelous, I've just been told by EVERYONE who I should want for W.

*G has informed me that I don't need to worry about him. It's a good thing. =0)

*The W*i Act*ve is the bomb, though it's causing some serious damage to my bad knees. It's a nice reminder as to why I quit running on pavement and why I just can't do ljump lunges....though I am pushing through and dealing with swollen painful knees for now.

*Did you all go sign that petition? If not, read below and sign.

*I FINALLY opened the email up from my agency that they sent the week we returned from China. I wish I hadn't opened it. It's full of MORE paperwork, lots and lots of paperwork. Good lordy, I'm so sick of paperwork. BC*BS has been completely incompetent in getting our daughter added to our insurance, I just don't want to deal with more paperwork.

*I called and left a message with US Citizenship to find out where her green card is....? I don't understand everything I need, but I don't want to trade her Chinese passport in for an American one. It's just one link from her past to present that I don't want to turn in.

*Speaking of agency's. My small China only agency has been nothing short of A+. They were exactly what I had been promised and lived up to the reputation that they have earned. I'm so glad that we switched to them, even after paying the fees with another LARGE agency. They came highly recommended and I would highly recommend them to anyone. ANYONE.