Counting down the days until she's 2

We are loving life over here at the Robinson casa.  We've gotten a little bit more adjusted and kind of have a rhythm down as a little family of three.

This is actually a face filled with joy and love for her stuffed puppy.  We randomly took it out of the closet to her great delight.  She gets so taken with it she wants to kiss/bite it's nose.  Sometimes her very happy face looks mad!! 

She has attempted to drink the end of her soup once before (as I'm sure she's seen people do that before), so I let her this time with some help.

Clean baby!  She lets us wrap her up in a towel now...not scared anymore!

Willow Mei turns 2 this weekend!!  We can't wait to celebrate!  We have had 48 glorious days with her as a cute, feisty  little one year old.  We've soaked in every single day of it.  Two will be even more fun!  Kyle mentioned that since we met her, other than sleep, I've only been away from Willow less than two hours.  (Once when he took her to Lowe's and another time when Kyle stayed with her in the toddler room while I went to church.)  I'm glad we've been able to be together that much to bond while she is still one!

Willow, you are sweet, hilarious, and smart.  Kind and yet feisty, you always know what you want!  You have beauty and grace, and your courage and strength at only almost 2 exceed that of most adults I can think of.  Sometimes I can't even fathom your strength or how you've survived all of these many months.

In those moments that I don't understand it, I've forgotten something.  You've never been alone, even though you were without us, your parents who absolutely adore you and prayed desperately for you.  Never did you take one breath without the mighty hand of God holding you.  God gave you each of those breaths and heartbeats.  And God placed you in circumstances every step along the way in which you experienced care, love, and healing.  Our faith was shaken when we didn't have you in our arms, but looking back, there was no need for fear.  No matter what we did, God designed this family.  We didn't earn it or luck into it.  You are our precious, sought after daughter because God destined us for each other.  

This song is meaningful to us.  It's incredible to think about...

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=JKPeoPiK9XE

A few visits from family...

The other day when Willow was saying good night to her daddy, we gave each other a big family hug.  Kyle said 'Family!'  Willow happily repeated his words, and it was a memorable moment.  We are family forever!

Little toddler, we praise the Creator for the gift of you as you turn two this weekend.  What a treasured miracle you are.

Willow's World

Sometimes we sing Willow's World instead of Elmo's World.  :)  She enjoys the little red guy!

Tonight as I put Willow to sleep (third night in a row out of our bed!), she and I were pressing our hands onto the screen of the playpen and patting as a reminder that I was still there.  We kept getting tired and putting our hands down, but she would say 'ah' and put her hand up again when she wanted that reassurance.  She eventually fell asleep with her hand still on the screen, and it slid down a bit.  I was struck with the grace of God who placed this little one in our lives.  I hate that she went through pain when she was so sick as a baby without us.  The more I know her, the more it hurts my heart.  Thank God I can hold her hand through any and every pain she has now!  (That could mean we baby her a little, but I think she's earned it.)

I should mention her sleep evasion tactics.  She will: scream yay, suddenly clap or sing (Twinkle Twinkle or Jesus Loves Me), kick (people or blankets), slap then immediately 'be sweet' by patting softly wherever she slapped, fake feed us and say 'more', slap her tummy, put on and take off her socks, rub her eyes, and baby talk.

Her words often start with a g sound...

Fower - flower

Keeker- squeakers (shoes)

Goo - shoes

Gak - socks

Mo - Elmo

Guck - duck

Gaki - paci

Gog - dog

Gicker - sticker

Nana - banana

Cue - cute (oddly enough, only about her raccoon bib)

She sounds like a pro when she says: more, Daddy (the second syllable is sometimes a whisper), Mama, no no, yea, okay, bye bye, Doc, car, book, yum, go (which she said a ton when we were having her testing done at Children's), etc.

Lately she's been blowing us kisses.  That's her newest thing, but she will also give us a kiss only when she wants to!  We also do a family hug all three of us together, and she loves that.  (Kyle reminded me she also honks our noses!)

Love my Glenhope people.  Willow enjoyed herself, too!

I didn't get everyone in the picture.  Thanks to all who came by to say hi!

We saw our family on Kenda's birthday...

Willow has been feeding her baby and giving it her water.  She pats her back after giving the water, which we haven't done much of.  I love seeing her do something nurturing that she saw her nannies do for other little ones!

Meeting little friends...

Willow had so many tests at Children's this week!  She was a trooper, but it was hard!  During this echo, they discovered that even Elmo couldn't prevent the need for another sedated test in the future.

Poor baby minutes after getting in the car post morning of tests...

Fairy wings and stickers after a great first cardiologist visit in the US!  We are so thankful for their expertise, and we are ecstatic that Willow is doing so well physically.

That's a big bite!  Here's the 'cue' raccoon...

Met family for dinner...

We had such fun finishing up her birthday party invites for our family party!  She's almost 2!!  

She's been mimicking me singing songs from Wicked, and it's so cute.  We especially had fun singing "For Good", because it reminded me of how I've changed for good from knowing Willow.  With socks on her hands of course...

One month

We have now known you for one month. 

Our hearts are full, and we love being a family of three!  Willow, your fun personality, your joyful spirit, and your openness to our love have made this journey.  God knew all three of us needed each other, and finally we can be together every day!  What a miracle this adoption has been!  Thank You, Lord, for entrusting us with this precious little child.  We give her health and growth daily to You, our loving Father.  We thank You that You direct our paths.

Story time at the library with Matthew and Cason...

First time sleeping in her crib during nap today!  It didn't last long...

A one month celebratory dinner at Empress of China...

Lots of Firsts

This blog has just turned into "Awww, my child is so cute," and, "Look at the latest food my daughter ate."  Sorry.  I understand if I lose some readers!

This was us the night before Kyle went back to work.  Not happy campers!  We didn't want our joyful bliss of every moment together as a family of three to end.  It couldn't last forever, though!

Daddy's first day back at work.  I may have cried like a baby.  However, I enjoyed time with my girl.

We facetimed of course!

She loves talking into things like they are phones.  "Hello, hi, okay, yea, bye bye."

Don't worry; he came back...

First reach for the phone pic...

First smushy faces on the playpen while Kyle was at his first day of work.  She was cracking up and still laughs at this particular photo when I pull it up.

We have had maybe three or four family dance parties with the three of us.  She loves Brown Eyed Girl!

First brave steps into the green grass without a hand to hold for security...

First times petting the dogs.  She wants their heads far away while petting them!

First time sleeping in the playpen.  It lasted only about 45 minutes.  Now we can transfer her after she falls into a deep sleep (but not before).  She has slept almost two full nights in there and not in our bed.

First times to reject food!  She has decided baby food is for babies, and she'd rather have the sweets than good old fruits and veggies.  Come on, Willow! You were such an awesome eater in China!  Don't throw food off your tray, girl!

First time playing stacking cups with Gigi!

First time to over-accessorize and not care a bit!

First snow cone after her first swim in the states.  I couldn't feed her fast enough!

First car trip just us!  I was nervous, but she bobbed her head to Louis Armstrong like it was no big deal.  Then there are her first peekaboos with Uncle Austin during her first car trip in the U.S. without Daddy.  (Her actual first car trip in the U.S. WITH her daddy was to see the Robinsons!)

First time to meet extended family members: Great Grand Uncle Lee (100 years old) and Jameson, Naomi, and Addie James...

4 generations...

First time to experience ice.  Confused and a little scared...

First pictures taken by a professional, Oliver Martinez Photography...

SECOND pigtails...

First flower from Daddy... (There were also some for me since Kyle proposed to me 8 years ago on 7/11.  He's so good to us.)

Oh, maybe they were her second flowers actually!  Gigi and Grandpa got us these gorgeous peonies upon arrival in the USA!

First time rocking in a Willow-sized chair (that happens to be the one I had in my room as a kid)...

With some help from Grandpa of course!

And first time in an old red antique car that I also used as a kid.  My dad is great at restoring things!

First piano exploration and dinner at the James residence...

She did not care to get into that thing, but she was happy to put the doll in for a ride!

That evening she also enjoyed her first hot fudge sundae... Yum!

First time to go to church!

After introducing her to people, I stayed with her the whole time in the toddler room while Kyle listened to a good word from the Lord.  She will love it there!!

First time to Bible study with our life group.  There was a welcome Willow sign!  She did so well even without a nap that day and just hung out playing with the toys.

First time visiting Daddy at work...

...and first Chinese-ish food while not in China!  Pei Wei!

Blowing food as we have taught her...

First time Mom outsmarted me.  She refused to eat baby food anymore, so I decided if I brought it out as a snack when she was watching Elmo, she wouldn't be able to resist!  Who could?!  Way to eat apples and spinach again, girl!  Elmo makes things better.

First Lego creations... With some assistance.

First neighborhood stroll...

First spaghetti face...

First time to play with model magic or play doh...

First time she has let us hold her like a baby after bath time.  Aww!!  The towel wrapped around her usually makes her nervous.  Thank you for trusting us a little bit more every day!

We love our little lady so much.  It's so much fun discovering her!  I remember before meeting her, all I wanted to do was just behold her.  That was an amazing moment of course, but I believe love is action.  Every day, just watching her grow and blossom, watching her gradually open up and trust us, and learning her quirks and sense of humor is a dream.  There are very hard and sad moments, like when she wakes up from a nightmare and is inconsolable.  However, anything hard she has been through is a part of her and makes her who she is.  She wouldn't be as wonderful without the hard stuff.  

Our daughter is treasured.  Thank You, God.

(Oh no!  She's waking up right now.  Good timing!)