Saturday, January 24, 2015

{11 Months of Forever}

Today marks 11 whole months since Andie-Grace was placed in our arms!  In the midst of a busy day full of basketball, home improvement projects and finishing a HUGE load of Annabelle Baskets, we fit in a brief photo session.  Miss Priss just wasn't having much of it so I enticed her a bit with a cookie.  ;)  She is her mother's child!

In only one month shy of an entire year, our sweet girl has gotten this family thing figured out and she LOVES it!  She's so funny...laughing all the time and constantly wanting to play a game that always involves her loud belly giggle.  And talk about attachment...oh my goodness!  She's refusing to go to strangers and clings tightly to mommy and daddy!  Such a gift for a child that was just so recently unafraid of anyone and had no idea that God created her for nuture and love.

She's talking more and more but also still has a lot of her Mandarin vocabulary and will pull a two year old stunt by only answering us in Mandarin sometimes.  I think she likes to control the conversation that way...or just make us look like idiots.  She's started spending time with her Chinese ayi {ayi means "aunt" but is the general word used to refer to an older female} each week where we play and continue to expose her to her Chinese culture and language.  She really enjoys her time with her ayi...and, oddly enough, it really seems to have helped her attachment to me.  The first time we went she just sat quietly in my lap for the first few minutes and then turned and gave me the biggest smile!  It was like she was thanking me in the deepest parts of her little soul for including her heritage in her life again.  :)

Some of y'all have asked about her new "syndrome" diagnosis...and I'm working on a post to share more.  As much as it's a little scary to learn that there could be much more going on in our baby girl, this specific diagnosis is a straight sign from God that she was always meant to be ours and that He truly, miraculously placed her perfectly in the family that would see this "syndrome" as a total God wink.  {That'll make perfect sense soon!}

Our Pan-Pan is a cleaning machine...putting just about everything in the trashcan {eeek!}.  She loves playing with her baby dolls and pushing them in her stroller.  She's started playing with the toy iron but only is ironing her babies???  I'm just thinking she doesn't have a clue what an iron is since her daddy is the only one in this house that even uses it!  He's a keeper! 

Panda-monium is busy, busy, busy.  She's extremely curious and determined to get whatever it is she wants.  I thought I knew what a strong willed child was before her, but I do believe she's set the new standard! Her spirit is strong and, for that, I'm so thankful!  It's truly gotten her through so much and, directed well, will be a huge asset for her future!

And...the very best update on our Grace Face is that she snuggled her mommy and her daddy for two hours this morning and fell asleep in our arms...nestled right between us!  It's taken her so long to let those walls down and we've tried not to push her, but early this morning she cried out and wanted me.  Normally, I try to cuddle her and she refuses...asking to go back to her crib.  But, today...she chose love. 





 
11 Months of Forever, Sweet Girl!  Love Wins Again!

2 comments:

Michelle B said...

I just came across your blog and have read about little AG all day. She is just so adorable!! Seriously so dang cute. And you are such an inspiration to many. I've loved reading about her growth and her becoming attached to you as her mother. It is so sweet. Thanks for putting it out there for us to read. :)

Auntie Mip said...

I was right! Panda-Monium made me laugh. She truly is something special.