Happy 3rd Birthday!

Happy Birthday Lauren!  We celebrated with something all three year-olds love.  Ice cream!

She even insisted that doggie have some ice-cream!  Lately doggie has been going with us everywhere.  Even to daycare. 

She was mesmerized by the candles as we had only been practicing with one candle!  When we ask her how old she is, she says, "Three!" (but holds up five fingers!)

Happy Birthday Lauren!  We love you to the China Moon and back!  We are so proud of what you have accomplished and how you have grown in your short time here.  We could not imagine life without you. We look forward to more laughter, love, and adventures with our three year old!

Dancing Girls! (and Oom Aldi visits)

Sunday we went to the Grove to meet up with oom Aldi who came to visit at the end of his business trip.  After lunch the girls had a surprise as there was an outdoor concert.  As soon as Lauren heard the music, she started her jumping dance.   Ava soon followed suit. 

Although it was short, we had a nice visit with oom Aldi.  Come back soon oom Aldi!

And after all the dancing, here she is 5 minutes into the car ride home.

One hot saturday

The weather has been extremely hot, even in Long Beach.  Since we don't have an air conditioner at home, Lauren and I decided to escape a few hours of the heat and hang out at Barnes and Noble. 

She's cracking up because when you push on the wheel the book makes a laughing ghost sound.

 

Of course a treat from Starbucks which included a "cuppy cake" didn't hurt either.

And I think she must've said "yummy" after every other bite!

10 months home!

We have reached double digits in the number of months that Lauren has been home.  10 months home marked the end of our summer.  Not the summer heat though! So we celebrated by spending time in the pool to keep cool. 

After swimming we went with the cousins to eat dinner.  Lauren insisted on wearing her sunglasses like all the adults were wearing. 

And who can resist frozen yogurt on a hot day?  Lauren now says, "I do, I do!" when we ask, "Who wants ice cream?"  Or sometimes to remind us she asks the question and answers herself. 

Happy 10 months home baby girl!  We love you to the moon and back!

Sunday in Seal Beach

Who says I don't talk?

Her speech is coming along, but sometimes a girl just has to revert to her gibberish to get her point across.  LOL!

Nine months home!

A little late, but can you believe that she's been home for nine months?!!  Sometimes it feels like it was just yesterday that we were busy packing for China and other times it feels as if she has been here forever.  Sometime in July Lauren made a breakthrough with her speech.  She still has a long way to go, but she is now mimicking and repeating almost everything we say.  She is also using her words more to get what she wants vs. pointing or pulling us to what she wants. 

She can now count to ten, although sometimes she misses the number nine.  She loves to get stickers at the grocery store and although she does not always want to sit in the grocery cart, when we stand in the check-out line she is quick to sit in the cart to get her stickers.  She continues to love music and as she picks up more language is able to sing along to many more songs. 

She still loves, loves to swim and can stay in the pool for hours or at least until she gets hungry enough.  Hunger seems the only way to get her out of the pool without a crying fit.  When we leave she says, "Bye fun!"  

 With all the swimming she has done, she has learned to take showers.  So now at home she will ask for a shower instead of her bath.  She loves her baths, but hates getting her hair brushed and tolerates us brushing her teeth!  She continues to keep us on our toes with her sense of adventure and her playful spirit.

 

Happy Nine Months home baby girl!