I'm Baaaaack!

OK, pics first... just in case you have better things to do than read my dribble! BUT there's a video at the bottom... I insist you see my clever girl in action!!!

Family in the baby pool (and my niece in red behind us!)I was crappin' myself in this photo!

Yippee! Hat Victory! She kept it on for five whole minutes!

On the slide with big cousin, Jake! She LOVED it!

Yay!!! I love my big sister!

I love my big brother... even though he let me slip under the water... (accidentally)!!!

Pick the monkey?!

Bali Baby!

3 little joeys jumping on the bed!

Ahhh... I'm exhausted! I think I need a holiday?!!!!

Bali was fantastic, as always. Tiny is just the best baby in the WHOLE WORLD. Really. I mean it. I'm not just saying that, coz she's my little chick... she really really IS!!! This girl, seriously, rocks our world!!! Bali was great, for all three kids to hang out together, 24/7. They all loved every minute of it! Miss M, is quite the Mother Hen! She even babysat (while Tiny was asleep, for a whole 20,000 rupia - AUS$3!!!) which in turn, gave me a good hour to two hours of shopping time!! WooHoo!!! It was just a really nice, chilled out holiday. The kids spent at least half of every day in the pool. We only did two "tourist" things, the Water Park across the road from the Hotel, and a Safari Park - both were fantastic!

I haven't had time to do many pics etc - I'll do a slideshow. But here's a couple for your delight, and I'll try and download a movie of Tiny walking on her own, which just happens to show the very first time she stands up on her own! For about a week now, she's been walking on her own, and walks more than she crawls now! She points to her nose and ear when asked "Where's your nose?" (or ear!). She knows her name. She knows Miss M & H-man. She cries for me (*insert proud Mummy smile here*) She sings "la-da-la-da-la" and wiggles her fingers... which is her cue for you to sing Twinkle Twinkle Star! She claps her hands when you sing "If you're happy and you know it".

Ahhh.... She's just so clever.... must get it from her Mother?!!

Here's the vid (please excuse my constant "proud Mummy encouragment!" - Lordie, I sound like a moron, when I hear myself!!!)

Selamut Pugi

I forgot to tell, all four of my readers, that we are in Bali! We arrived on my birthday, 16th March (its not too late to send gifts!) - and due to a very heavy schedule of relaxation, cocktails, swimming pool, satelite tv, eating, sightseeing... I've not been able to post!

We have loads of great photos, but I don't have the facility to compress the photos, here, so you'll just have to wait til we get home!

Just thought I'd let you know, we're all great, well and gradually getting a little more relaxed! Oh, look at the time, I'm late for my massage and facial!!!

One Month

One Month ago, our lives changed. We met for the first time, an amazing little girl ~ who has brought us so much joy and fulfillment.

From the hands of another...


To the waiting arms of her Mama...

And lots of love from her Daddy...




And today...

So much has happened in one short month. I can't wait for her to wake up each morning, so I can see what she will learn/seek/play/do.

Each day is a gift. The surprise is inside!! Like some gifts... you're not to impressed with its contents, but you smile, be polite and pretend you never opened it!!! Odds are, the next gift you get - will be awesome!

A spot of scrapbooking?

Long Weekend

Tiny Today. (look at the look of desperation in her eyes.... FOOD.... GIVE ME THE FOOD.)

Its been a long weekend here, and we have been FLAT CHAT! We've caught up with 2 families everyday of the weekend... and quite frankly, we're exhausted!

Tiny seems to go with the flow, so well. We were out late last night, having a BBQ with our neighbours, and Miss T was quite happy to sit in her pram (stroller), whilst we ate, drank, and talked for hours! She eventually nodded off to sleep, around 830pm. I was amazed. I really didn't think she would, or that we'd be able to stay out, past 9ish.

While we've been socialising, all weekend, some WONDERFUL friends in Queensland, have finally received their allocations for their beautiful children! One couple are now proud parents to a angelic 20 month old girl, and another couple are proud parents to a gorgeous 6 month old BOY!!! So I offer my heartiest CONGRATULATIONS, to all those families who have now finally seen the face of their long awaited children. So so wonderful. (I'll ask if I can pop a picture, on my blog, so you can all have a squiz!)

I've been spending my nights, organising photos. I've been downloading photos to a jumpdrive, so I can take it into the photo processor, and get hard copies. I normally, just print a few, on my printer... but I think it'll kill my printer - so I'm get them professionally done!!

OK... I've taken a few snapshots over the last couple of days... but it seems like such an effort to download them!!! hehehe... funny how time just doesn't seem to stretch like it used to?!!

I managed to get a few off for you...

Bow Victory!!!

Not happy... the bow victory was short lived (like 10 seconds?!!)

Tiny has earned her nickname "Seagull"... I have no idea why?!!! (she'll take food from absolutely anyone... just incase you couldn't work that one out!)

Tiny ready for Church, on Sunday 8th March



I call this one "Kookie Face"
Who needs an alarm clock, when you have a little sister (and a very vindictive mother?!)

Success! She woke up!!

I think this is hilarious... Miss M braces herself for Tiny's "whack" to the face!!!

I just LOVE this little face.

One Week

since we came home.

So how's life in a family of 5, I hear you ask?!

Here's some things I've noticed:
*you need to get up alot earlier when you have a baby in the house!
*Thank God for Grandma... who does all our washing EVERYDAY!
*I've had to come to terms with the fact, there are some super cute clothes, that will just never fit Tiny's weeny waist. (they'll be donated to a "fuller figured" beauty in our batch... love ya Z!)
*Tiny's volume has increased ten fold, since we came home (both her chatter, and her screamy/cry!)
*Having a business, that relies on me for certain things, having 2 kids at school, running uniform shop at school, all while juggling a wiggly baby ~ has proven difficult (and I'm not even "totally" running our household yet - my Mum has been a legend and helped me so much!)
*Tiny loves food. Especially Roast (thats the whole meal - meat, roast potatoes, and veg with gravy) - all mashed up... I reckon she ate as much as I did!
*I've lost 5kgs. Partly due to my gastro bout, but mainly because I feed Tiny, change her, put her to bed... and forget that I didn't eat lunch. Most days, I get to 4pm, and wonder why I'm so hungry - it's because I haven't eaten since the 1/2 a piece of toast at 730am!!!
*Tiny is sleeping a minimum of 10 hours a night - all the way through. She's not waking up at all anymore. Ocassionally she wakes at 430am, I go in to her. Hold her for about 2 minutes. Then put her back down, she has a whinge, and goes back to sleep. We're having trouble with the naps during the day though. Its all my fault! Tiny has always had a sleep right after breakfast, around 9am. But I'm still at school at 9am. Sometimes, she's fallen asleep in the car, going home. But most times, she's just skipping that sleep. I've also discovered, she won't go to sleep in the stroller, if I'm out. Well, she will.... but under protest, and after a long time of whinging, and wiggling. I think I'll just stay home for 2 years!!!

In a summary ~ Life is Good. Tiny is such a great baby. The kids adore her, and have been so helpful. They love to play with her - and especially love to walk her around the school yard, bragging to all their friends! Its busy. There is no doubt. Its different. That's for sure. But its wonderful.

I ordered a "Photo Book" of our China Trip, online, last night. I can't wait to get it.

I've just collated all our photos... all 600+ of them!!! (that's not including video - I still need to do that!)

I think I've finally come to the point, where I can say whole-heartedly
"She is definitely WORTH THE WAIT"!
To be honest, even after we received her allocation, there was quite a bitter taste in my mouth, because of the way our allocation was handled by our Agency. I was then worried, because I was so upset/angry, that I wouldn't be up for the challenge of raising our little girl? I prepared myself for the utter worse. Screaming for weeks. Rejection. Exhaustion. Sleeplessness.

But to my complete surprise, she is more beautiful and easy going, beyond my wildest dreams. I had a dream, very early on, in our process (I think it was in 2004). It was about the day, I met our daughter. In my dream, I felt a total "belonging" and sense of "this is MY child". Once again, not something I thought would really happen. But it has. From the second, I saw Tiny. My heart was overwhelmed, with MY daughter. She doesn't look Chinese to me. She looks like my daughter. She doesn't look like she wasn't born from me. She looks like my daughter. Her personality, IS US! Its uncanny.

All I can say is, I prayed ~ and God answered every prayer. God DID create this little girl ~ just for us.

Its all in the tongue

Some pics from today:

Where's the food?!


Got a cracker
Not terribly impressed at me taking photos while she's trying to eat her cracker

We are ThreeTakin my sister for a walk... yikes she has a tight grip!

I'm not a shopaholic...

Call me "Imelda"! 12 pairs. (sadly, I didn't think this was excessive?!!!) Size One:

Size Two:

Size Three: (I didn't even ask to buy the red dress in this pic... yet it ended up in my bag... I'm sure I paid for it!!!)

Size Four:

OK. I AM a shopaholic. But its worth it.

For those about to go to China, (or are THERE) here's what I paid... you can probably get them cheaper? But I was happy with my purchases! (AUS$1 = 4.5 Yuan)

Traditional dresses - ranged from 35-15 Yuan, depending on quality (the sz 3 red one and sz 4 pale blue one, are definitely not as nice quality - they were only 15 Yuan - AUS$3.50)

Tu-tu with traditional top - 40 Yuan (but I reckon I paid too much!!!)

Boys "dragon" kung fu outfit - 60 Yuan (once again, probably paid too much?!!)

Shoes - ranged from 35-25 Yuan. Only a few are leather. Most leather ones were going for about 60 Yuan.

Chop (personalized marble carved stamp) - Medium size, in gift box with ceramic ink pad - 50 Yuan

Paintings - varied depending on artist, but I got my bright colourful ones for 50 Yuan each

Tee shirts - 15-20 Yuan

Tea set - 30 Yuan

Favourite Shops on Shamain Island - Jordons Place, Jennifers Place and Michaels Place. We got all our laundry down at Michael's Place - we got 50% off, a large bag of washing would cost about 60 Yuan, and you'd get it the next afternoon.

Favourite Shopping Jaunt in Shanghai - YU Gardens. Amazing. Wish it wasn't raining the two times we went!!!

Shopping regrets: Wish I'd bought a big painting for the house... but couldn't find the right one - I wanted something like cherry blossom. Wish I'd bought more small "traditional" souvenirs. They were all around AUS$3, I kick myself now. I still think - I didn't travel to China, to bring something back for everyone I know!!! Although- I guess, in a way I did... our daughter!!! (this is the only one I got yesterday! sorry... its the back of her head!!! I did think it was cute though, how she is consulting with her new teddy toy!!)

Lastly, I must send my hearty CONGRATULATIONS, to a wonderful lady, and friend (whom I've never had the pleasure of meeting!) PIPO. She finally got to hold her beautiful daughter in her arms, yesterday. "CONGRATULATIONS C - You will be an amazing Mummy -coz you're pretty darn fantastic, at just being you!!!" Isn't this the most gorgeous photo... I love how little C is staring up into her Mama's eyes!!!

Pram Pusher...

I'll give it another crack...