Finger Paint Fun!!!

Last week Ella and I went to Target (Yay!!! She likes the shopping cart now....she can be a Target Girl like Mama) to find some hand strengthening and "fun" activities for her to work on increasing her finger and hand dexterity.

We found lots of fun things at Target: Play-Doh (love the way a fresh container smells), finger paint, and shaving cream. The Play-Doh has been a HUGE success, she loves playing with it (primarily pulling apart pieces and making a pile, but still lots of fun). The finger painting has gone over really well also...we now are the proud owners of 3original works of art by the world renowned artist Ella that will be hanging in our gallery soon.

Ella also really likes the shaving cream (and it works great for getting the hands all soapy after fingerpainting fun) and smearing it around on her placemat or the table...she is an equal opportunity spread arounder. Oh...the life and times of a 2 year old!!!

~Owners of Ella Original Works of Art dee and David, World Renowned Finger Painter Artist Extraordinaire Ella

Happy 1 Month Family-versary!!!

WOW!!! We have been a family for 1 month already!!!



We cannot even begin to describe how in love we are with our girl. Everyday she surprises us, everyday she smiles and giggles more, and everyday we think...we cannot possibly love her more than we do today...then we wake up the next morning and realize we do love her more than we did the day before!!!

We wish you a happy day/night!!!


~happy and in love with her girl dee, happy and in love his girl David, and smiling and giggly girl Ella

Mmmm...Grape Popsicle

What a tasty treat on a hot summer night!!!

We can't figure out if Ella likes popscicles or if she is just going along with it for us. She will barely put the popsicle in her mouth, so David was trying to show her how to lick it...each time she would share with David she would also show him how to lick the popsicle.



After sharing her popsicle and the drips Ella decided to use the popsicle like a crayon on Dahdahdah's pants.

Now you want a popsicle too...right!?!?!?
~photo taker dee, Popsicle connoisseur David, and hmmm....grape was by far the best popsicle so far Ella

Oh the fun that can be had...

Toys, stuffed animals, crayons....who needs them when a bag of fabric can keep an 2 year old entertained!!!   We also think that Ella is trying out various facial expressions to find the perfect swashbuckling pirate face!!!   Happy Tuesday everyone!!! ~tired "Mamama" dee, missing Ella while he is at work David, and Sweet Pirate Faced Ella   (Oh...and in other exciting news just before the "Pirate Face Game" began as clear as a bell both David and I heard Ella say "Mama, Dada, Ella" (which was a game we played when walking back to our hotel room at The White Swan in China, and a game we haven't played in several weeks!!!! Amazing!!!)

Spaghetti Princess Monday!!!

What better way to start the week than with the one and only Spaghetti Princess!!!    It was a little different today..."Dahdahdahdah" went back to work...and boy did we miss him. Ella was looking all over the house for him. We went upstairs, downstairs, upstairs, and downstairs...there were tears and "Dahdahdahdahdah" shouts. After many hugs, kisses, discussion, and redirection she seemed alright with hanging with the "Mamamama" all day.   I am not sure who smiled more when David got home from work this afternoon Ella or him, there were miles and miles of smiles and giggles.   Oh, and I am sure you can figure out what we had for dinner this evening. ~lovin' summer dee, back to work David, and Spaghetti Princess Ella

Happy Father's Day!!!

David celebrated his first Father's Day this year!!!   There are no words needed for this photo....you know....the old saying: "A picture is worth a thousand words!!!"   Happy Father's Day David a.k.a. "Dahdahdahdahdah!!!" ~gushing dee, Dahdahdahdah David, and Smiley Girl Ella

Mmmmm....Popsicle!!!

Today was a scorcher (not Guangzhou hot, but still hot)!!!   We decided to dip our feet into the pool and splash around a bit. Then we had an icy cold grape popsicle (Ella's first popsicle).   Stay cool out there!!! ~sunburned dee, daddy David, and Popsicles are better than vegetables Ella! (Today we discovered that Ella will eat vegetables on the go...as in walking around the kitchen while waiting for a meal to be prepared...today she tried and ate tomatos and cucumbers.)

Photo Catch-Up!!!

Yay!!! New Photos!!!!   The first photo is what we saw when we pulled into the driveway last Friday!!! What a lovely surprise....some very special friends (shout out to Anne, Chi Chi, Cristy, and Heather) planted flowers for us before we returned home. They planted the window baskets, as well as, the flowers around the new mailbox!!! There were also several planter baskets on our porch from my Mom!!!   My cousin (Staci and her husband Michael), as well as, my Auntie Jo and Uncle "RAY" put up the "Welcom Home" banner and the balloons.   It was a beautiful sight.   We cannot Thank You enough for making our Welcome Home so memorable!!!!   The next few photos are some random shots of Ella looking all cute. In one photo I think it is a battle of wills between her and Peala and the other photo is her debut pouty model shot.   Thanks for still keeping up with us!!!! ~exhausted dee, jet-lagged but getting better David, and vegetables are yucky Ella

WOW!!! What a difference a few days makes!!!

(We have found the cord thing for the camera to the laptop, but just haven't had time to transfer photos...there coming, there coming....I promise.)   Well, we have had some really good days and some....well...not so good days, but each day it is getting better.   The stroller, wagon, and bathtime are now fun again!!! Yay and Whew!!!!   The shopping cart at Target or the grocery store....not so fun and must look like some kind of toture device....I need my girl to be a Target Girl like myself....we will get there, we will get there.   Ella slept in her room last night in her toddler bed!!!! She had been taking naps in there all week and last night she slept at nighttime in her own room. Now, I didn't sleep well, as every sound I heard on the monitor made me leap from the bed, but she seemed to sleep well.   Most important of all Ella is really starting to come out of her shell a little bit more each day. We all knew and have witnessed that personality, however, she is becoming quite a character...you should hear her scold Peala. It is too funny, we cannot figure out if she is saying any Chinese words or if she is talking toddler speak...at any rate it is pretty funny. We have tried to get it on video, but as soon as we take out the camera either Peala skulks away or Ella resigns herself to the fact that Peala is here to stay too.   Hopefully, new photos of Ella will be up today!!! ~rested dee, jet-lagged David (yes, still), and silly Ella

We are home!!!

We are home (after a 5 hour delay at the Beijing airport, a non-sleeping toddler on a 12 hour flight across half the world, missing connecting flights due to 5 hour delay, loss of Ella's "E-Ticket" paper work from Air China due to too few Air China employees trying to help too many people at one time, and spending the night at a hotel for about 5 hours in order to get on another flight home...but we made it!!!).   We are tired (jet lag seems to be hitting us in waves, we are making our way through it, but it isn't fun).   We have regressed at bit (apparently strollers and wagons are not funs mode of transportation anymore, and bathtime wasn't fun, but has become fun again).   We can't find the cord to transfer the photos from the camera to the laptop...but we think we know where it is at (you know that master packing plan of I am going to put it somewhere safe....if only we know where that safe spot was at). ~wide awake dee (at 4:30a.m. this morning), jet-lagged David, and sweetly sleeping Ella

Gaobie Xianzai, Xie Xie, and Hen kuai jian dao ni (Farewell for now, Thank You, and See You Soon!!!)

Today is our last day in Guangzhou, China. We are excited and anxious again as we begin a new chapter in our journey. These last three weeks have been amazing. David and I have learned so much from Ella and also have gained some insight on her background and culture. David and I have also learned things about each other and have grown closer as a couple, as well as, growing into a family.   We have kept to our daily China routine so far today...we went for breakfast, had play time, went on our walkabout, stopped at Starbucks (with Jan, Scott, and Mia), had lunch, and now naptime...Ella can sleep through anything...currently there is a Dragon Boat (for The Dragon Boat Festival) full of people and drums paddling it's way up and down the Pearl River outside our window...yes, even 15 stories up you can hear them.   We plan to go outside after naptime to see what the Festival is all about, then we will pack, pick up our laundry for the last time from Linnea's, eat dinner at Lucy's, bath time, then bedtime!!!   Therefore, this will be our final blog post from China (or at least I think so...we will lose our internet capability in a few hours)...so until we are back home. "Farewell for now, Thank you for following us on this amazing journey, and we hope to See You Soon!!!" ~Mama dee, Dada David, and Sweet Little Ella   (The photos are kind of wonky...one is our attempt of a Red Couch photo with Ella and the other is of our friends Jan, Scott, and Mia at Starbucks.).

Photos from our daily Walkabout!!!

Each day we usually walk around the perimeter of the island (well...the parts that are not under construction right now),and it usually takes up a good hour of the day before we end up at Starbucks and meet up with some wonderful friends (Jan, Scott, and Mia) we have made (their photo will be added later today...once we meet up with them for the last time).    The White Swan is located on Shamian Island the island is really beautiful. It is going to be even more so after all of the construction is completed for the Asian Games in Guangzhou in the fall...we may have to come back in a few years to see how everything turned out...no expenses was spared (marble curbs and gutters, cedar shutters, the works).   There are all of these bronze statues scattered throughout the island, shops and resturants decorate the outside of there locales, flowers blooming everywhere...it really is just beautiful.   Thank you for following us...we are coming home after one more sleep here in China!!!! ~dee, David, and little Ella Bean

This pretty sums up how we feel at this point.

Tired, and ready to come home. 2 1/2 weeks and the shop keepers know us by name and the beggar's just nod and let us pass by without raising their cups.

Tomorrow we finally have our US Consulate appointment. Tuesday we will go in to take our Oath's, and Wednesday we will get Ella's Visa to come home. By Friday mid morning we should finally be showing Ella around the house she will be calling home and settling in to nest.

~Dee, Dave and Ella the homesick.

Ella Song's

In Ella's referral it stated that she hummed and sang while playing.

That was an understatement.

She sings, or has a song for everything. Sometimes she will change her tune if you start humming with her, but its much more fun just letting her go with whatever song she is making up.

Of course, she is on to us recording everything since we have let her watch a few of the video's we have made. Now when she see's us videoing... well... I'll let you see for yourselves what she does.

~Dave, Dee and the Songbird Ella.

Ella gets Juiced.

We go to Lucy's Restaurant which is right down the street from the White Swan where we are staying pretty often. Great food for kiddo's, grown ups and you just cannot beat the price.

We started getting Ella some fresh Pear Juice each time we went, and I tell you, to her its like some sort of Heavenly Ambrosia that she just can't get enough of. We literally have to pull the sippy cup out of her hands or she would drink the entire 20 or so ounces they give you. Not sure if you can hear it in the video, but she inhales it from the cup.

Thanks again for every ones ongoing support and comments! Kathy, your post really showed us some light at the end of the tunnel. I plan on pouring over your own blog at nap time to get all the wisdom I can from your trip :)

Grandma Ballheim and Grandma Ross, we cannot wait for you to meet Ella. I know you both are going to have so much fun with her, almost as much fun as we are :)

Thanks again for following along everyone! One more week and we will be home!!!

~Dave, Dee and the Pear Juice Fiend Ella.

Attempted Jade Market Trip = Fail

This morning we decided that we would take a taxi to The Jade Market Streets and well...you know...shop for some jade.   We waited for a taxi in front of our hotel; we told the hotel car door opener person where we wanted to go and showed him on the map, he then in turn translated that to the taxi driver...all good right.....well.....   We were trying to follow the route the taxi driver was driving because The Jade Market is really only about 2.5 miles from Shamain Island and we thought we might be able to walk back after shopping. After about the 32 turns down some crazy streets, we decided that we would just take a taxi back to The White Swan after we were finished shopping.   Then after driving for about 15 minutes the taxi driver pulls over on a street and motions that The Jade Market is here...David, Ella, and I looked at each other and said "O.K." Well, for a street that is supposed to be lined with shops that sell jade...there wasn't anything there?!?!?   Either we were there entirely too early 9:45a.m. or the taxi driver just dropped us off and thought we could figure it out. It looked like there were some shops, but all doors were closed (think like a metal garage door) with the iron grates and locks covering them.   So we decided well, we have come this far, we might as well make the most of it. We walked up and down several streets and saw many outdoor markets which are really kind of cool.   There isn't a Home Depot or Bulk Food Store here, but there so many little shops that just sell on particular thing. You might find faucets and plumbing materials at one shop, and then the next shop will have Spices, and then the next shop will sell towels, this just goes on and on and on for blocks and blocks. It may seem a bit strange to those not familiar with it, but it seems to work for the people that live here.   We are going to try and hit the Pearl and Jade Market again this Saturday with Ann from Red Thread.  Another family had already made arrangements for her to help them and after hearing our Jade Market Fail invited us along with them...I will get my jade yet!!!   Thanks for continuing to follow our journey!!! ~dee, David, and soon to be Jade Princess Ella

How far we have come in 1 week.

I'd first like to say welcome to the world to Ella's newest Cousin Owen!

***

A lot of parents that have "been there done that" in regard to foreign adoption know that our baby's come to us in some cases very delayed from where they would be if they were not brought up in an institutional setting.

Ella has been no different, yet it was clear from the beginning that she was well Loved and Cared for. She will have a lot of challenges ahead of her, not only in regard to her Special Needs, but for the preconceptions and stereotypes that many will and some already have labeled her with back home in America.

We will address those as they arise and face them just as upfront as Ella has shown us she is willing to face her own limitations. Or should I say lack of limitations; as she surprises us every day by stepping beyond the preconceptions her own parents have had of her.

Today as I was feeding her, she grasped the heavy spoon out of my hand and figured out, as I watched, how to hold the spoon to feed herself with the 4 fingers she has. I never would have thought to put the spoon in her hand that way. It was quite the surprise for Mommy when she came back to see that.

She has started to try to comb her own hair, brush her own teeth, and now looks forward to bath time.

She came to us barely able to stand with assistance, yet now stumble/runs from Mommy to Daddy and back again while holding a ball.

Ella has already taught Deanna and I so much. I will never, ever again sell her short on what she is able or willing to accomplish.

Ella's Hooptie.

Adapted from Sir Mix A Lot
My Hooptie

Ella's hooptie rollin' Stuffy Giraffe draggin'
Heat don't work an' my Daddy keeps naggin'
Six nine Baby Stroller keeps rollin'
One hubcap 'cause three got stolen
Bumper shook loose chrome keeps scrapin'
Mis matched tires and my white walls flakin'
Hit mickey d's Mah Mah starts to bug
She ate a quarter pounder threw the pickles on my rug
Runnin' movin' tabs expired
Peeps tryin' to dis 'n say my Stroller looks tired
Hit my brakes, out slid skittles
Tinted flower shades with a bubble in the middle
Who's Stroller is it? My stuffies won't say
We all play it off when you look our way
Rollin' four deep, tires smoke up the block
Gotta roll this bucket, 'cause my Benz is in the shop
Ella's hooptie - Ella's hooptie