Everynight we go down to Malia's bedroom to play. Sometimes she wants to play dress up and it always involves her taking out ALL of her shoes and putting them on one after the other. Tonight we put a chinese dress on and she proceded to get all her shoes out again. I think my mother is rubbing off on her, lol.
Today is the 6 month anniversary of when Malia was in our arms. Wow, it doesn't seem like that long ago but at the same time it seems like she has always been with us. She has physically and mentally grown so much. It's weird to think that when we first got her she couldn't even stand up on her own because she thought her legs would give out. But within 1 1/2 months of being home she was walking. She shows and receives love so well. She just recently started to initiate cuddling and will come to us unasked and give us kisses. Before she would wait until we came to her. She is absolutely the light of mine and Gary's life. She is awesome.
While we were in China I bought a bunch of DVD's and CD's. Her favorite is a CD of Chinese children's songs. She just cant help but move her feet and dance when its on. We call it the "Chicken wing" dance because she just flaps her right arm. Every once in awhile she would stop and check out her reflection in the TV.
We went to Hershey's Chocolate world today. It's pretty sad that we only live about 35 minutes away from Hershey and that there is so much to see and do in that area, but we never go. I don't know why. I guess we will start going more this year. The last time I was at Chocolate world was about 35 yrs ago when you toured the actual place they made the chocolate. Malia enjoyed herself for the most part. There was one part on the ride that she got a little worried but was fine for the rest of it. They also show a 25 minute movie in 3D, she tolerated the glasses but did not like the 3D part of it. Every time something came out at you she would tense up and jump. There was one part that had a lot of mice flying at you, she just lost it then so I took her out of the theater to wait on everyone else. All and all it was fun, you could easily spend a good 3 to 5 hours there.
Here we are at the entrance of the ride.
Singing cows
Oh yeah, sporting the 3D glasses
Cuteness
Leaving after a fun day.
Yes, I have a little rooster. Malia's chinese zodiak sign is the rooster. I was just surfing around on the net the other night and decided to look it up and low and behold it said that you often take on certain traits of your sign. I'm hear to tell you, its TRUE. Malia gets up every morning between 5:00 and 6:00. Ugh ! Sometimes she gets up as early as 4:00AM. It does not matter if I put her to bed at 8:00 PM or 10:00 PM, it doesn't matter if she gets a nap that day or not. She is up at the crack of dawn and most of the time before that.
Here we are playing with Play-Doh again, this is the new interest. But she still likes her kitchen set too.
Malia got Tinkerbell and snow white outfits for Christmas but she didn't really give them a second glance. She did wear the snow white dress for about an hour on Christmas day but other then that......nothing. Well, yesterday she spotted the Tinkerbell one and insisted on wearing it. She refused to take it off, lol. However she does not like the wings attached to it, they are kind of big and get caught on a lot of things so maybe that's why. 
Malia has been getting Developmental, occupational and speech therapy for about 2 months now and its going great ! Her Occupational therapist is Christine. Malia and I both think she is great. She really makes the therapy fun for Malia. Here is a short video of Christine getting Malia to use her left hand and arm.
Ugh, the video didn't work ! I will try again in a little while.
As some of you may know, I pretty much had my mind up that I wanted to adopt again but not for another year or two. So I kept away from the waiting child lists on purpose so I wouldn't see our second daughter on them. Well, I couldn't control myself and looked at a few lists and BAM !! There she was *sigh*. She is 4 yrs old and absolutely beautiful. She has the same type of Cerebral Palsy that Malia does and it seems to be a mild form just like Malia's. Her birthday is 9/19/03, that would be 17 days after mine. She can walk, has already had surgery to lengthen her achilles tendon and move the anterior tibial muscles tendon.
I had it in my mind that I wanted to adopt a child born within 6 months of Malia so that they could "grow up" together but this little girl REALLY pulls at my heart strings. She is listed with Small World Adoptions and they have her listed as "Noel". I really don't think I'm going to get the RHW (Reluctant husband waiver) but I did show him her file, and he didn't say no. He does NOT want to go back to China and I told him he wouldn't have to go. I can find someone else to go with me. I know Megan would jump at the chance to go again :)
So for all who will, please pray that I can get the RHW !!
Not too much going on right now, so I will just put some pictures up.
Here Malia is rearranging the customer seating at my office. She thinks this is her job. 
Yes, I have him wrapped around my finger and can talk him into dressing a baby doll.
This is my Great Grandmother and me on Christmas day.
Yum ! Peanut butter and Jelly
Malia's big brother, Dylan has been home from school over the holidays and Malia is in heaven. He constantly plays with her and showers her with attention and she adores him. She has to sit next to him when he is on the couch and if he should get up for some reason she also has to get up and follow him. He has to go back to Pittsburgh this Sunday, she is going to miss him very much. Dylan had her wearing everything from his winter hat to his motorcycle helmet and goggles. 
