Reminiscing

The other day I pulled out a few boxes of Helaina's fall clothes from last year to see if anything would fit her this year (eh, not much - pants are way too short and shirts are way too tight across her chest and in the arms). In one of the boxes, packed away very carefully in a large ziploc bag, I found a treasure - the clothes Helaina was wearing when she was placed in my arms kicking, screaming and crying on March 9, 2008. Seeing them made me relive that amazing moment all over again and I just had to glance through some photos from China. Helaina's been with us 2-1/2 years already - it's just unbelievable to me.

Our first night together. We had dinner at our hotel then back to the room to get to know our daughter. She was a complete sweatball from her ordeal so a bath was necessary, and Helaina loved it. We did a lot of exploring around the hotel that night, which she seemed to enjoy. I remember the exact moment in this picture. Helaina liked to have something in each hand - didn't matter what it was - in this case a small lotion bottle and a sippy cup. We left our room and headed down the hallway when she stopped, put both things in one arm and reached up for my hand. Melted my heart, that sweet baby girl of ours.

The next morning in our room (2 things in each hand!), still unsure of the situation but accepting even so.

At the Civil Affairs office the next day, making things official with Helaina's blue footprint and our red thumbprint.

Helaina enjoyed the new food experiences but one sure thing was the congee. She loved it and probably found it comforting because it was a daily staple at the orphanage. She liked to feed herself and man-oh-man, DON'T touch that bowl when she's eating or the groaning began immediately!!! That's one of the things we found so funny in Helaina's initial paperwork that we received. It clearly stated that she didn't like anyone touching her food bowl and that held true for quite a while even after we were home with her.

Day 3 as a family at the Terra Cotta Soldier exhibit. Helaina finally smiled at us for the first time the night before and woke up the next day with her personality shining through.

Lunch that day was a hoot. When the food came Helaina immediately picked up the chopsticks and started spoking at the food with them.

One afternoon right after a nap, refreshed and ready to go. Love this picture with her little tongue sticking curled out of her mouth.

Wrapped in a satiny sheet in Guangzhou.

Helaina's first Pizza Hut pizza was a big hit.

Having some "good luck" tea with Edward, one of our guides.

Stopping at a store for the Chinese version of Pampers, the worst diapers on the planet.

Squeaky shoe shopping.

Finally, our first of 3 flights to get home - Guangzhou to Hong Kong - piece of cake compared to what we were up for next.

One of the few merciful moments when Helaina actually slept during our 13 hour & 52 minute flight from Hong Kong to Chicago. One of my (many) concerns on that flight was thinking that the plane would run out of fuel before landing in Chicago.

Helaina's first "American" meal - McDonald's at O'Hare. She had some nuggets & fries (see how she's clutching fries in her pudgy little fingers!) and then was interested in my burger. The only thing I was interested in was a COLD soda with ICE - oh my gosh how I missed ice in China!!!!

On the last leg of an amazing journey half-way around the world. While waiting for departure from Chicago I remember chatting with a man who was also flying on our final plane home. We landed in Chicago at 1:00pm on a Wednesday afternoon and he couldn't believe that we had already been on 2 planes totaling 15 hours in flight time and that we departed Hong Kong at noon on Wednesday. He was totally confused and couldn't grasp the extreme time change, the fact that China was 12 hours ahead of us, and the fact that we lost 12 hours when we landed in Chicago. "How could that be? Today is Wednesday and it's 1:00 in the afternoon - one hour later than when you left?" I agreed, yah, it's mind-numbing.

Oh what fun to see family and friends for the first time in 13 days!! I'll never forget that first hug from my sister.

And now, 2-1/2 years later and our little dynamo is going strong - and Jim & I are just plain pooped.

Daddy's birthday dinner, a day early

Helaina and I took Jim out to dinner tonight for his birthday (even though it is one day early). Here was my conversation with Helaina this afternoon about it:

Me: Why don't we take Daddy out to dinner tonight for his birthday?
Helaina: Great idea. Where we go?
Me: We should let Daddy pick the restaurant because it's his birthday.
Helaina: We take him to Tulley's.
Me: No, we're not going to Tulley's so you can get a free helium balloon.
Helaina: Darn it all. We go to Red Lobster?
Me: That's a good idea. Why don't you ask him.
Helaina: Daaaaad! (screamed really loud because Jim was in another room) You want to go to Red Lobster tonight for your birfday?
And so it was decided...

Helaina loves Red Lobster and scarfed down a bisquit, salad, mashed potatos, popcorn shrimp, rice pilaf and washed it all down with a Shirley Temple. On our way back from the potty we stopped at the hostess station and arranged for a Chocolate Wave to be delivered to the table as a surprise, complete with a candle and the Happy Birthday song. This is how it went.

When they both realized something was up (Helaina didn't know about it either because she can't keep a secret).

Delighted to sing Happy Birthday and have a candle on the dessert.

Oops, a candle in front of Helaina and waiting for the birthday person to blow it out? Unheard of - she jumped the gun and blew it out in a hurry. "Sorry, Daddy."

Even with a full belly Helaina kept up with Jim. It was a race between the 2 of them to see who could devour more of the chocoholic dream in front of them - five layers of dark chocolate cake with a fudgy frosting filled with mini chocolate chips, and a scoop vanilla ice cream. In true Helaina form, she attacked the frosting first, scraping it off and shoving it into her mouth. We couldn't believe how much she was enjoying this dessert.

I inched my spoon over to the plate to get a taste and managed to get 3 small spoonfuls of the sinful dessert, but in fear of losing my arm I quit after 3 tastes. It was a race to the very end to see who got the last messy bites. I swear Helaina was about to pick up the plate and start licking it - something she's done at home many times (believe it or not) with foods she really likes.

So much for the $6.25 Chocolate Wave. It was worth every penny.

More celebrating tomorrow with a family birthday party for Jim.

Helaina's first week of school went very well. No tears on Thursday when I left (guess she's finally secure with the fact that I always return to get her). She ran into her room so fast that the teacher had her come back to give me a kiss goodbye. Our big girl.

Racing to her room as I tell her "There's no running in the school hallway!"

Funny Helaina:

I have a shadow box on the wall in one of our bathrooms. It has in it a starfish, some sand and some seashells. This morning when Helaina was washing her hands she looks up to the shadow box and says "Oh, poor Mr. Starfish. Are you dead?"

This afternoon Helaina and I were sitting at the kitchen table doing something when all of a suddens he gets up and says "Where's my husband?" I cracked up because I never heard her use that word before. I said to her "You don't have a husband, you need to be married first. Daddy's my husband." Her response: "No he not. He's MY husband." and off she ran to find her husband.

Find your room & meet your teacher day

"What we do today, Mommy?" was Helaina's question as soon as I went into her room this morning, even before she got out of bed. She had a smirk on her face as she asked because she knew the answer. "Remember, we go to school today and meet your teacher." The legs started kicking and the squealing began. Excited, oh yah.

Sitting on the front porch before we left for school. I asked Helaina to smile nicely instead of squinting. Her reply: "I can't, the sun's too shiney."

Jim and I groaned as we saw the balloons at the doorway of the school. "These just decorations?" she asked. Yup, they aren't for you even though that's hard to believe. "They still be here tomorrow?" was her next question. Gadz, I hope not.

Sitting on the bench outside her classroom.

Helaina met her very nice teacher, explored the classroom, played with lots of toys & some of the kids, and asked her teacher lots of questions: "What's your name? How do we get outside to the playground? Where's the potty? What's that toy? What's that pipe on the wall?" When we were ready to leave she went up to her teacher, hugged her around the legs and said "Bye. I going now. See you tomorrow." and took off running out the classroom door. Too funny. Tomorrow while Helaina is in class Jim and I attend parent orientation in a room down the hall, so Thursday will be Helaina's first day when I drop her off and actually leave until later. She says she won't cry but that remains to be seen when reality sinks in for her.

Helaina enjoying her scooter one day last week when it was sunny but cool outside. "Look, I balancing!" That purse with the white pony in it hanging off the handlebar is one of Helaina's favorite toys. She named the horse Buckle.

Funny Helaina:

Last Friday Helaina woke up when Jim was dressing for work. She went into our bedroom and found Jim in his work clothes putting on his belt. She ran up to him, started tugging at the belt and said "Take that belt off and put on your play clothes right now!" Then when he came home from work and headed upstairs to change his clothes she followed him and said "I going upstairs with you to torture you." She gets that from him - he'll occasionally ask her if she's going to torture him about something. It was hysterical to hear that little voice use the word torture, correctly too.

Final few days of vacation

With Jim's last few days of vacation we hit the apple farm for the first time this year and the state fair for the last time this year. Helaina couldn't wait to ride the tractor into the field, pick an apple off the tree and take a bite. She talked about it all morning. Up the ladder she goes.

We could only pick one variety of apple on Sunday - Jonamac's - and I wasn't too impressed. They were small and didn't have much flavor so we only picked one bag. When the Jonamac's are picked out we'll head out to apple country again to try a different variety.

The fritter shack was open (yippee!) so we had cider and hot cinnamony-sugary apple fritters, yum.

The cutest little goat ever.

Then there were the squeals of delight when the Apple Ponies arrived in time for a ride. Helaina impatiently waited in line, grabbing the money from Jim's hand and practically throwing it at the horsie lady and running to Butterscotch, apparently Helaina's favorite apple pony.

Riding Butterscotch in apple country. Doesn't get much better for this 4-year old cowgal.

"Can we take this one home?" The apple ponies are available for birthday parties. Good thing Helaina's birthday is in February or I'd probably have pony doo-doo in my backyard every year on her birthday.

Sunshine, apples, tractor rides and ponies all put a smile on our daughter's beautiful face.

Bye bye state fair - see you next year. Saturday morning we did the buildings and the animals. Helaina was happy to see the face painting booth there again this year. Jim and I were happy to see that the line wasn't too long.

A few holes of miniature golf.

Helaina likes the cow building. So do I, except for the fact that you need to watch where you step.

Labor Day was sort of a take-it-easy day. Jim tried to recover from 11 days in a row of adventures with Helaina and prepare himself to set an alarm clock once again. Helaina whined when she found out Daddy had to go back to work on Tuesday but it's time to get back into the routine. Speech therapy starts up again this week and Helaina starts her 2nd year of pre-school next week. Monday is find your room/meet your teacher day and Tuesday is her official first day of school. I asked Helaina if she was going to cry when we leave her at school this year or if she was going to be ok with it (because she screamed last September for the first 3 days of school). This was her answer: "No. I won't cry. I know you come back for me now in 2 hours." We'll see about that next Tuesday.

The Land of Oz and Ends, fishing and so on...

We went to a nursery in Chittenango to pick out a tree for our back yard, and you can't go to Chittenango without stopping at the Land of Oz & Ends, an amazing little shop that has EVERYTHING Wizard of Oz, and then some. We made it out of there with only spending $60 this time, a small miracle with Helaina and myself being Oz fanatics, but there was so much more I wanted to get.

Helaina licking her lollipop that looks like Glinda's magic wand. When the store owner told her she could have one it made her morning.

Is that the Wicked Witch of the East's legs sticking out from under Dorothy's house?

I should have bought one of these signs for our back yard.

We went fishing the other day, or I should say boating because we caught no fish.

Helaina got her Dora pole snagged on some weeds and grass and she yelled "I got a whopper, I got a whopper, I got a whopper!" After she reeled it in and saw nothing on her hook she said "I guess I don't have a whopper."

Helaina's favorite wishing well at Onondaga Lake Park.

Peering through a butterfly cutout on a park bench.

We've been busy this week. We also celebrated Nic's 2nd birthday.

Swimming in Uncle David's "big pool".

Funny Helaina:

The other day we were headed out somewhere and Helaina got in Jim's car by herself - opening the door, getting in the car and pulling the heavy door shut on her own. She's not allowed to do that because I'm paranoid that one day she'll smash her fingers in the door. While sitting in the back of the car I asked her why she did that when she knows she's not supposed to, adding that she could get hurt. She looked at me and said "I don't know. Am I pushing my limit?" I nearly choked. I say that to her once in a while when she's being naughty - "you're pushing your limit". At least I know she's listening to me - occasionally.

Sweet Helaina:

We went to a local mall this week that has recently opened a new treehouse play area. It was very nice, free and Helaina had fun. It's located in the middle of the food court - smart people, those mall people - so of course Helaina begged us to have lunch there. While waiting in line to order food Helaina suddenly drops to her hands and knees right in front of me. As I'm about to tell her to get off the dirty floor I see that she's picking up some change. After Helaina gets it all she runs over to a woman near us who was holding her wallet. Helaina handed her the money and the woman thanked her for returning the change she had dropped. My sweet little girl gets back in line with me and says "She dropped her money so I gave it back to her." Hopefully she'll still do that when she's a teenager and finds a $20 bill on the ground!

Helaina's First Log Flume

Helaina went on her first log flume yesterday at Seabreeze and, oh yah, she loved it. She was anxious to ride and was jumping out of her crocs while waiting in line. Jim volunteered to stay behind and take some pictures while Josh, Helaina and I took the plunge. After our boat traveled through the fun river part it started up the incline to the top and I got nervous. I had a death grip around Helaina's waist with one of my arms. Just as we got to the top before we dropped I said to her "It's a big drop so Mommy's going to squeeze you around your middle really tight. Hold on, don't be afraid, it will be over in a few seconds, and Mommy's probably going to scream!" - then down we went. I did scream, it was over in a few seconds and Helaina LOVED it.

"We go again! We go again, we can go again Mommy?" Yah, we went again. I offered to let Jim ride the 2nd time to experience it with Helaina but he declined. Wonder why?!

Helaina loves the rides with some swerves and speed. The faster they go, the more she squeals. She rode this roller coaster 3 times with Josh, running to get in the front seat whenever she could.

She just loves the coasters ...

... hmmm, wonder who she gets that from? Joshua rode this coaster 3 times. I envision Helaina sitting right next to Josh on the big coasters some time in the future.

She also loves the kiddie rides - this turtle coaster is a favorite of hers.

She couldn't get enough of these cars. She liked that they whip around the curvy track.

Boats are always fun.

And the carousel is a must.

This crazy flying boat thing went fast and Helaina liked steering it, which made it turn sideways as they flew through the air. I screamed to Joshua "Don't let her turn that thing so much, you're going sideways too fast!" As they whizzed by me (sideways!) he screamed back "But she likes it!"

It was extremely hot yesterday and we spent lots of time in the water part on the lazy river, in the wave pool, on the water slides and in the sprayground area. I didn't bother with the camera even though I would have had some great shots of Helaina. There was a small pink water slide in the sprayground area that she went down at least 15 times. It was enclosed, very fast and she always came out in a rush of water laughing like crazy. It was so darn hot though that I wanted to splash, stay wet, and get squirted myself without worrying about the camera getting wet. We didn't do much today - had to recouperate from 7 hours at Seabreeze!