Eighteen Months Old

Today we have officially been home for 6 months with Myah! One minute I am amazed that it has only been 6 months, it seems like she has been with us forever, in the next minute, it feels like just yesterday that we held her for the first time. We are gearing up for the holidays just like everyone else, we are much busier this year! It has been so much fun finally being able to shop for two children, it seems that Dayton's presents cost much more than Myah's and they are much smaller than hers too! We put our tree up the day after Thanksgiving, Myah was just amazed at all of the lights. We have many ornaments that Dayton has made through the years, some with his pictures on them. Myah wakes up every day and looks at the tree, she sees Dayton's pictures and says "Date" and waves her hands up in the air in excitement! I went to Frankenmuth for my Grandma's birthday and bought some special ornaments for the tree that are for Myah. I love the glass vintage looking ornaments and found a Chinese flag, a ladybug and a princess crown and had her name put on it. We are so excited to take her to see Santa this week, it will be really interesting! She is just blossoming on a daily basis. I took her to my family Christmas and she "worked the room", she wandered away from me on her own and was walking up to people and was hugging them. I am amazed at how she has come out of her shell this past month. She is letting other people hold her, even when I am in the room. Everyone just loves her wherever we go. I have said that she reminds us so much of Dayton at that age, she does so much of the same things that he did. I just picked up photos that we had taken of the kids back in August and they are just gorgeous, but it is as if I am looking at her face and seeing the same baby on the outside but she is such a different baby on the inside now. We have definately made huge strides in her emotional and physical developement. She also has more confidence. She is very strong willed and is learning how to "charm" us when she knows she is in trouble. She is saying new words just about every day, some of her new favorites are yes, juice, shoes, down and Chloe. She went through a two week period last month when she kept falling on her face, she was so swollen for a few weeks, she was a mess! We are adjusting to Mark's new schedule and trying to keep her quiet during the day is a challenge, good thing Mark is a deep sleeper! She will stand at the bottom of the stairs and yell "Da Da". She is quite a character. We are so in love with her and can't wait to see Christmas through her eyes. It is so sad to think that last year at this time she was six months old living with her foster parents and not even celebrating this holiday. Another mom who has adopted from the same orphanage as Myah has put together a scrapbook album for the Tuanfeng orpanage each year to send over and also sends something for the foster parents. We sent along a page that we decorated for her. We sure hope that someone will recognize Myah and take comfort in seeing her happy. I have been thinking alot about her birth mother lately and I hope that God has comforted her heart when her thoughts turn to the baby she left on the steps. I also think about little Myah and am so grateful to God that she was protected during those moments when she was completely alone, my heart doesn't let my mind play out the scenerios of what could have happened to her. Her birth certificate arrived the other day, it was very basic, I am sure there are many blanks that were left that way, blank. But the most important part was where it named us as her parents, we will love this little girl forever! Our best gift this year is definately one that won't fit under the tree..... or should I say that won't sit! Thank you all so much for caring so much about our family and about our daughter. This year has been just amazing for us and we are so glad that you shared it with us. May you all have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New 2007!