Here’s Ry getting a ride from Miss M across the street. She is definitely a crazy driver! 
Enjoying the beautiful weather outside!
Here she is yelling about something.
Getting a special ride from Daddy!
My handsome little man!
I just LOVE these 2 photos. She is SO cute with a bow in her hair!!!
Ryan is very interested in arts and crafts projects now.
Okay, starting this week things have gotten easier. I imagine it’s because
1) she knows us better now and we her
2) she is officially on US time and is sleeping all through the night
3) she is starting to nap more (not on my chest) up to 1.5 hours total
4) Ryan is being an awesome big brother and learning how to help Mommy
5) We are getting into a routine
6) I am figuring out what all the noises she makes mean
7) I don’t have to carry her ALL THE TIME
Now Caroline is:
20 1/2 lbs
30 inches tall
A really good eater
Funny
Easy to please (once you figure out what she wants!)
Adores her Oppa (Ryan)
Doesn’t show a preference for doll/girl stuff over boy stuff
Crawling EVERYWHERE
Cruises as much as she can
Holds one finger (of yours) and will walk to what she wants by herself
Stands by herself for longer and longer times after pulling up on something
Tries to push herself to a standing position
Has 6 teeth (and drools a bit but not as much as Ryan)
LOVES to blow raspberries
LOVES the wind blowing in her face (sticks her tongue out)
Okay, I just had to post this. Mike just took this picture. Caroline actually napped this morning for a WHOLE HOUR! WOO! ON THE FLOOR! DOUBLE WOO! I was thinking, Rock and Roll! But no, this afternoon NO NAP again. She was SO crabby I put her on my back and started cleaning and doing laundry and what do you know? Here she is:
Isn’t she precious?
Mommy and Ryan went to see this awesome show together as some special bonding time. It was SO incredible. If you get a chance to see it, I highly recommend it. The tickets are outrageous, but it was totally worth it. You couldn’t use “flash photography” and I didn’t take my camera anyway, so Ryan did his own reinactment via duplo legos.
The last picture is of Caroline destroying his hard work! He was NOT happy! Welcome to the world of little sisters Ry!
This last photo is cute to me because she loves to try to open those drawers and Ryan was protecting them and she was hitting him to make him stop. He got the biggest kick out of it!
We’ve had Caroline a whole week now! The week went by so fast! I feel like I came out of a fog on Thursday. She slowly came to our schedule by the end of the week and was down for bed last night at 8 pm. YAY! She woke up a few times needing comfort but for the most part slept all night. It is SUCH a relief to have a full night’s sleep (almost!).
She is really a funny girl. We know she is going to fit perfectly with our family. She laughs the cutest belly laugh when you do silly stuff. (Great sense of humor!)
So far she will let me put her down next to me so I can fold laundry and put it away. I just have to carry her from place to place. She will go on my back in the carrier so I can cook dinner or do dishes. She still doesn’t care for Daddy too much but will flirt from afar. When he holds her she whines until I hold her again. She’s got a major temper when she is tired (which my sweet husband points out is exactly like me!). I told her no today and she made sure I knew how mad that made her.
This transition has really went well and I am so glad. Our family of four is starting to feel just like that, a family of four. She completes us more than I thought she would. She is just precious to us all and we Thank God every day for her.
I’ll post pictures in the next post. I have a TON to go through but it will have to be another night.
Caroline is doing much better. She seems to have attached well to me, which means no one else can hold her. Mike gets to hold her as long as Mom isn’t in the room and even then she moans. It makes it hard on me because I literally can’t do much. (Even pee!) My house is MUCH messier because for some reason Mike just doesn’t “see” the mess. How is that?? Hopefully by next week, she’ll let me wear her on my back and I can get some laundry done
She is soo cute when she smiles and laughs. Her new game is trying to pull off my glasses. Man, that one is so funny (to her, not to me) She just adores her brother, she watches his every move and he LOVES to entertain her. Tonight, they took their first bath together.
Here’s one of her last night by herself. She is SO happy when she sees the bath.
Once she goes down for the night, she’s out all night. Tonight I believe it is 11:00 pm. The last 3 nights were 2:30, 2:00, and 12:30. I hope this means we are getting on our time and we’ll soon be getting on a normal schedule.
I am dealing with Mommy guilt by not spending much time with Ryan. I miss my little man. He’s been so awesome and understanding. I just want to keep that great attitude. Once we get on a schedule I’ll be able to skip that morning nap that I take with Caroline, and we’ll be able to spend time together. So say a prayer that we get her going down at 8pm and sleeping through the night soon
OKay seriously, yesterday went crazy fast. Probably cuz I was drugged up on Ibuprofen the whole time. Let me just tell you that I *thought* I was in shape to take on a full time 20 pounder. How WRONG I was! LOL! She wants to be held 24/7 up close under my neck. My arms, my neck, my shoulders, my back, my BUTT, my (get the picture?) HURT. I am SOOO sore. The heating pad is my best friend right now.
About Caroline:
20 lbs
29 inches tall
can wear 9 month (kinda tight) wears 12 month (a little loose)
No crawling yet, how can you when you are being held 24/7?
Some of her personality is coming out…she laughed alot today.
finally pooped last night about 1130, ptl!
ate twice as much today than yesterday, says she isn’t a picky eater, yay!
The Bman’s brought us my favorite casserole last night – thanks guys – and so we’ll eat leftovers tonight. yum! Tomorrow night the Wolff’s brought us lasagna (today because it’s supposed to Ice up tomorrow). woohoo! I am so thankful that I don’t have to think about making food right now.
How’s Ryan?
He is doing amazingly well. Mary brought Andrew over today when she brought the lasagna and so he got some normal playtime in. He really wants to help us with her. Except no diapers (that cracks me up, won’t even pick up a pee one to put it in the trash!) He loves on her when he can and brings her toys. He isn’t acting jealous yet, but Caroline is sleeping alot so that helps him get some special time with us without her.
My Mom stayed the night the first night and helped with Ryan Saturday morning. I am sooo glad she did. I was able to sleep when Caroline did and get caught up. I didn’t feel so bad after that first nap. Both my Mom and Dad came over today and Caroline actually went to her Papa and he was just beaming. I think he’s going to be a more hands on Papa now that he’s ‘retired’.
I am SO so happy to have her home. Her smiles just light up the room. I can’t wait to really see what she is like when she is more comfortable. According to her foster mother, I better watch out!
Some quick pictures for ya’ll. No family of 4 pictures yet. We arrived so late and today was such a blur. Maybe tomorrow I can get some and post.
After her 20 minute crying jag, she finally passed out and the guy across the way was so nice to take this picture for us.
Anita took this pic for us when we finally came down to them.
This morning at around 8 am. Ryan has been so happy to help with her. But no diapers, because they stink!
Please ignore how terrible I look. I got about 4 hours sleep in 27 hours!
Jan called this morning and my phone was on the counter in the kitchen. I was upstairs bagged out on the couch while Ryan watched WordWorld. I heard the phone ringing, and raced downstairs and missed the call. So I called Dillon back immediately and got through to Jan, who said those precious words “You got TC”. WOO HOOO!
We’ll be flying to LA Friday January 23 from here at 8:30 and arrive LA at noon. Caroline arrives at 1:30pm and then we’ll turn around at 4:25 pm that same day to fly back. We’ll be home at 11:20pm that night! It’s going to be a crazy day but we just want to get her HOME!! Ryan will stay home with his Nana and will be home in bed asleep when we get back. He said the first thing he’ll do when he gets up the next morning is tell Caroline good morning! Sweet boy, she better not be asleep!
Donna
ps Prayers for my Sister-in-law Mi Ran in Korea, who is having surgery Wednesday.
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