Sneak Peek

Miah was so excited to try on her costume...I wasn't sure how she would react to wearing it, but she didn't want to take it off!

Pumpkin Carving

I know this fits in here somehow!!!


Tonight we carved pumpkins...I should note that it started as a family affair, but in the end Drew and I were left with the task. With the occasional "Are they done yet?" coming from the family room, we were pretty much deserted after the initial cut. Miah did however hang around and was very intrigued with the whole process.

Rub a Dub Dub

One of Miah's favorite things to do is have a bath. We have learned that it is a great alternative to a grouchy morning or just when she needs an energy boost! She insists that one of us sit down on the floor beside the tub and will get upset immediately if we stand up...not sure if she is scared we will leave her in there alone or if she thinks we will take her out of the tub before she is ready to get out...

3 months

Miah has been a part of our family for three months now. She has made huge progress over the last couple of months. Today she had a developmental assessment done, and in every area other than speech & language, she was right at par with her peers. When I look back at the photos from July she looks so much younger and smaller. She has put on a few pounds and is a definitely a girl who loves what life has to offer!


July

October

Pumpkin Patch

Today we did a family outing to the pumpkin patch. It was a beautiful, but very cool fall morning. The girls enjoyed the hay ride and corn maze. They each picked a pumpkin to take home and enjoyed cookies and hot chocolate too.

Surgery Date Set!

Today we met with the plastic surgeon who will be correcting Miah's cleft palate. He took a look at her and said it looks like it should be fairly straight forward. He will be performing a VY pushback procedure, and from the reading we have done, it seems to have good outcomes. She will be in surgery for 2 hours and we have an OR booked for December 2nd. She will spend 2-3 days in the hospital and then come home for Mommy and Daddy to look after her.


Yesterday we had some family photos taken as we will have a post placement report to send to China soon and we are required to send some family photos. Here is one I snapped before the real photographer came...Miah wanted in on the action too, but her cute dress is hidden in this photo as we were trying to save the lovely dress from getting too much drool on it before the real shoot. But she looks cute anyway!

Harvest Moon Festival

The Moon Festival is a holiday in China. It's an occasion for a family reunion. Chinese families like to get together to eat the moon cakes and watch the moon at the Moon Festival night.

Tonight we started a new tradition in our family. Once the sun set we put on our jackets and headed outside, just in the nick of time to catch a glimpse of the moon before it disappeared into the cloudy night sky. The girls played with glow sticks and Drew read to the them the book "The Moon Shines Down."



After that we talked about Miah's birth family and the nannies at the orphanage who loved her very much. The girls each released a balloon, sending them as good wishes to China.



Once inside we "enjoyed" some moon cakes together. I say "enjoyed" lightly...we each had a taste, but no one ate very much of the interesting pastry.

During the Yuan dynasty (A.D.1280-1368) China was ruled by the Mongolian people. Leaders from the preceding Sung dynasty (A.D.960-1280) were unhappy at submitting to foreign rule, and set how to coordinate the rebellion without it being discovered. The leaders of the rebellion, knowing that the Moon Festival was drawing near, ordered the making of special cakes. Backed into each moon cake was a message with the outline of the attack. On the night of the Moon Festival, the rebels successfully attacked and overthrew the government. What followed was the establishment of the Ming dynasty (A.D. 1368-1644). Today, moon cakes are eaten to commemorate this legend.



Not too bad!!!