An Incredible Water Baby

The house is so quiet, I can barely write. I am so used the constant 'running commentary' and banter, I have programmed my mind to function optimally with it...

 

Things are continuing to move at a steady pace here. Bart finished harvest (quite early) and we have been enjoying his company in the evenings. Of course, the holiday season is inching toward us and that speeds things up considerably. I love the holiday season though and cannot wait to share it with Jacie.

 

She has begun to sleep in every morning that I let her. I do not know if she is trying to catch up on sleep from the transition, dealing with the pre-puberty stuff or has patterned her sleeping habits after her teenage brothers but she does seem better rested.

 

She has grown one and a quarter inches since she came (four and a half months ago.) I looked at pictures of her when she first came, she looks a lot more filled out. As she should, since she eats like a logger. I have been keeping track of her height on the doorframe with her brother's record. She likes that. The funny thing is that the Christmas before we went to China, Bart and I bought her a pair of Levis with sparkles and hearts on the pockets. Way to cute. She was not here yet but I wanted to get her something so I chose clothes because I knew that she would not come with any. In China, these jeans had to be cuffed almost two and a half inches. She also had to wear a belt with them. Yesterday, when she wore them they fit her perfectly. I definitely see a difference...

they have become my 'tape measure' as well.

I finally found her a pair of water shoes. She is starting swimming lessons and with the slippery tile, I felt she would be safer with them. Unfortunately, they are out of season here so the selection isn't great. The other issue is that her ankles are fused and quite big, she cannot bend her foot in any direction. All of the swim shoes were slip-ons. Not one pair worked for her. On Ebay, I finally found and purchased a pair of Velcro style. They are perfect. We are also taking our family 'sneak away weekend' soon and have scheduled a couple of nights at a large indoor water park. The shoes will be handy for that activity as well.

 

Sneak away weekend started as a tradition where we would tell the boys on the day we were leaving that we were going away and to pack a bag.

Like any good tradition, it stuck though it has changed just a little.

 

We now do it once over the summer (camping) and once after harvest (most years in the winter.) It has become one of our favorite traditions.

 

I think that she will like it as well. She is quite the 'water baby'...

 

Jacie continues to develop and grow. She is an incredible girl. Pray for her as we begin working on her dental and medical issues. I have put it off long enough and feel that before Christmas (and surgery) she should have her fillings complete and blood work run. I don't know why I am dragging my feet. I know it needs to be done. I just don't want to lose any of the ground that we have gained.

 

~Angie