Pics from yesterdays post... and a fun Friday, and a few recent pics!

Today I took the girls (I still love saying that in plural - GIRLS!) swimming. Regan did not get home from work until 6AM so it was an added bonus that he had some quiet. He had to be back at work at 330 today and will likely work a 16 hour day. One day off, and then back at it for 5 more days of working outside. You see what I mean? It's tough. Anyway, had SO MUCH fun at the pool! We stayed for about 2 hours and as usual Ellie was just amazing with Ayana, and Ayana just loved the pool. She would kick her legs like a little frog and splash and laugh at her sister being silly. Ellie kept begging to carry her around in the water when she was up to her neck, I kept saying, "Ellie, I couldn't even carry her around when I am up to my neck." It is so fun and unreal that I am doing exactly what I thought I would never do.. have to temper Ellie's enthusiasm over her love for her sister due to safety! I know this may sound strange, but those who know us will understand, I just did not imagine that Ellie would be so ga-ga for Ayana. Love her, sure, pay her some attention, no doubt, but seriously... ga...ga. Love it! I even took Ayana down the water slide at Ellies persistance. I held her very tight over my shoulder and was mildly paniced at how fast I was going. I only did it once. She didn't seem phased by things at all. She did not go down for a morning nap, for some reason she just couldn't settle, so instead of waiting for her nap to be over we picker her up, packed her in her carseat and away we went. She had a 10 minute power nap at aroun 1030 in the car, but you would never know it! Just a happy baby! Ellie was cracking me up as usual, she is such a hambone. I have NO idea where she gets that. (wink) We then had lunch at the rec centre and I fed Ayana some rice cereal. This is where Ellie just can't deal. She does not like watching Ayana eat. She thinks it's gross the way the food kind of gets smooshed around her mouth and stuff. I can't say as I blame her, if I were 8 I might think it's ucky too. I had Ayana in the sling all through lunch. She just loves it, and just stays super content. We then got in the car and Ayana managed to by some miracle stay awake all the way to the Calgary library (30 minutes). Ellie phoned her bestfriend, and we chatted also about this and that. I love this age. We have the best conversations, and young ones just have such a unique way of looking at the world! Anyway, we went to the library and Ayana was just singing her new sound... da-da-da-da-da-da- and bending backward in the sling like a member of Cirque. I kissed her little chin really lightly and she giggled. Ellie did too and she smiled and laughed. She is SO CUTE!!! Did I mention she is CUTE????!! Anyway, but the time we left there she had had enough of slinging and running around, and Ellie helped me keep her awake in the car playing with this or that. She was still happy. When we got home she drank a couple of ounces, and then I layed her in her crib with her eyes open and she just rollled on her side without a peep. I quietly left the room and I haven't heard a sound since. The sleeping thing is coming around. I realized yesterday that I have being working against what she has been used to all these many months. I have been holding her waaay too long after her bottle, and if she fell asleep I was startling her awake by laying her down and she would cry and scream and this was getting worse and worse and worse. So yesterday, right after cuddling her with her bottle, she was tired but still awake, I laid her in her crib and she just rolled on her side and I covered her up and left the room and she didn't make a sound! As opposed to giving her her bottle in the rocking chair and after her bottle rocking her till she fell asleep and then laying her down and having her scream like bloody murder. She went down for her nap and at night beautifully last night. But the night waking is another story. She woke up at 4, which is still an excellent stretch of time from 730 till 4, and I came in every few minutes and patted her back and talked softly to her. But she would just not have any of it. It was not working. So I gave her a bottle and after a bit she finally settled down and went back to sleep until 745. I am not forcing the issue, but trying to work with what she has been used to. And it is far from unloving as some people might think, but that's just my opinion. I cuddle her and love her with her bottle, and then kiss her and lay her down and she falls asleep on her own. How is this a bad thing? Some people think it is. Anyway, I think for her trying to make her fall asleep another way was causing her more stress. Just another thing we are working on. It is going great, and not unusual for a baby her age for sure!

Tonight after Ayana goes to bed Ellie and I have movie night. I hope I can stay awake that long!!!

I posted pics to go with yesterdays post but for some reason they are not there, so I will put them with todays. There is one of Ellie, me, Mom and Ayana at the museum with Lucy, and one of the behind the museum village I told you about. Ellie took the one of Ayana holding the little plastic lid.

I just wanted to personally thank everyone who is following our story and especially to those of you that take the time to send me little e-mails or write such wonderful comments! You have NO IDEA how much it means to me!! I am so glad I decided to blog our life this way, and I sincerely hope that our story can help other families, adoptive families or not.

Have a terrifac day everyone!