It all went by so fast!

I cannot believe how fast our time in China went!  It was such an emotional trip!  What we expected Jilliana to be like was nothing like what we got.  These expectations were not from what the Orphanage told us.  They never thought there was a problem with Jilliana's hearing.

We  were expecting a child that could not hear.  A child that might be shut down and not receptive.  A child that might not interact.  A child that might be delayed.  Most of these things are things that you could expect from any child being adopted from an orphanage.

But, what we got is an unbelievable miracle.  Jilliana was obviously well cared for.  She can sing about 15 songs.  She talks a lot.  She can already say banana, Mommy, Baba, Meilynn, Emma, (working on Lily), I love you Mommy, and she will try to say most words, but really doesn't know what they represent yet.  She can point to her nose, ears, teeth, mouth and eyes.  She can brush her own teeth, and she clears and sets the table.  (This part I cannot believe)

She is the happiest little thing and has just walked into our lives like she has always been here.  I think that she thinks she is the older sister.  She tries to do everything herself.

She plays well by herself and for long stretches of time.  She loves dolls and loves to play in the play kitchen.  She loves to play outside.

We will go for our visit with the International Adoption Dr. this week and we will see what she thinks.

I have been slow in posting due to jet lag.  It has hit me harder this time than ever before.  I know some of it was that it took so long for the girls to get back to sleeping all night, so that I was up with someone most of the night.  Jilliana has been sleeping great.  We do have one problem and that is we started her sleeping in our bed and she expects that is where she will sleep now.

She sleeps most of the night, but she moves all over the place and wants no covers, so Mike and I have not been sleeping well.  I rocked her to sleep tonight and put her in her bed when she fell asleep, but she has just started crying and Mike has gone up to hold her.  I am not sure if he will put her in our bed or try her back in her bed.  We were told that she slept in her own bed in China.

Here are a few pictures from our first week home.  I will try to update on the other site about once a week since it is her baby book, but I will be posting here again about our family.  It is good to be home!

My friend Kym decorated our front porch for us!  It was a very welcome site.  Kami holding Jilliana with Meilynn in the background.

Jilliana enjoying the playroom

Playing with Daddy

Only part of the laundry!

First car ride in a car seat!  The Acadia fits us perfectly!

We had to see if she likes burritos!

Church on the second day home!  Jilliana was awesome.  We took her into the service.  She loved the singing and drew on paper the whole time.

Welcoming us home

Meeting my friend Julie

After Church at my sister Julie's birthday

My sister Julie and Emma

Meilynn and Jilliana

Jilliana likes to be clean

Playing in the kitchen

Helping Mommy make cookies

"I can do it myself"

Helping Daddy make biscuits

Before Daddy's Motorcycle Race

Lily and Emma

Yummy!

It was hot at Daddy's Race

Snack Time

Daddy in his race

Emma in her grass skirt

Meilynn helping Jilliana on the Quad

Learning to swing