Fun Day

Hi Everyone,

Well, we had a very fun exhausting day today. We started the day by taking Ella Xiao and her cousins Hanna and Connor to the local dinosaur interactive museum. Unfortunately there were no dolls, no princesses and no frilly things for Xiao, so after digging for a dinosaur and getting dirty hands we were pretty much done. I tried to push the envelope a little with Xiao today and requested that when she wanted to be picked up or needed Mom we use the words to ask for this instead of "huh" "ah" or just plain yelling which honestly after three weeks is like nails on a chalk board for Mom! :) That said, it didn't go so well, so we are going to work on that and I am very pleased that she is using more words and speaking up with yes/no and asking for the food that she would like. All great things going into week three. After the museum we went to the store to buy shoes, and Ella Xiao picked out four pairs that actually fit. Yeah! We even purchased our first pair of flip flops, they of course have thumbalina on them, but they are flops. After dinner, our neighbors came to visit. They have a lovely daughter named Paige, and her brother Alex and another neighbor boy Eli all came to say hello. They said they have been very patient but could not wait anymore to say hello. Ella Xiao enjoyed meeting them, and of course when they said good-bye, she had a hard time. Good-byes are still a tough thing for Xiao but seeing that her cousins and Aunt Ann-Marie come back each day has helped. Tomorrow we have our dentist appointment and I am going to check out a new school for Xiao. Hoping to find that small classroom setting for my very sensitive daughter to help with her transition. Ella Xiao got a call from her Aunt Julie and Marianne today, and she actually has said both their names to them, so this is certainly a treat. They love hearing it! I am posting some more pics of Xiao, a distorted self portrait close up shot Xiao took, one showing my daughter's flexibility, her true princess self and even when we fall asleep we can hold onto our sucker! (p.s. Karen it was great to hear from you and thanks for the encouraging words about your friend.)