Abby's Doll Party

Abby had her first "friend's birthday party" yesterday and she had a great time. The weather thankfully cooperated and everything turned out perfectly. We thought it was funny that all the girls showed up wearing dresses!

After lunch, the girls played "Pin the bow on the doll". You can see on the garage door the doll drawn by Lyle. Each of the girls picked a ribbon and in "pin the tail on the donkey" style, they were blindfolded. Only one girl actually got her ribbon touching hair, so it was easy to pick the winner!

From there, we moved onto "Musical dolls", and here is a photo of "Duck Duck Doll".
The "Find your doll" game turned out to be more challenging than I would have guessed! The youngest girl at the party, 3 year-old Amanda, just could hardly stand the suspense of watching! She'd yell out, "That's the WRONG doll!" or "Yep! That's right! You got it!"

Abby has had her eye on this Barbie cake for years. Every time we go to Albertsons, she stops and says hi to the Barbie. She was disappointed to learn that she wouldn't get the EXACT cake that was there on display, but the baker promised her she'd make Abby's cake look just the same! Before the cake, the girls broke open a pinata. I was a little worried that Abby had become "attached" since she'd named the pinata the day before. I wondered if she'd be able to give Leah the Unicorn a smack, but she seemed to have no trouble with it at all! Maya, however, was a different story! She kept saying, "Uh-oh! Horsey! Uh-oh!" She tried to stick its back end on and shook her head in disbelief. She repeatedly grabbed my arm and pointed saying, "Mama! Look! Uh-oh!" I think she was pretty sure somebody was in big trouble!

Happy 6th birthday, Abby! We love you!

Abby's Spring Festival

Abby had her last Spring Festival at the Farm Montessori School. Madeline and Abby each went here for 3 years (2 years of preschool and 1 year of kindergarten).

This year's theme was Luau and the kids did lots of cute Hawaiian songs and of course the Hula!

Abby will dearly miss so many of her friends. Some will still be at the Farm, the rest are all going off to different elementary schools.

I wish I could keep Abby in this fabulous environment through high school--although I guess the chairs would start to feel a little tight!

The wonderful Miss Marie. She's been teaching at the Farm for many many years. She just can't retire until our youngest girl gets through with kindergarten!

Abby and great friend, Isabelle.

Maya practicing for the future out on the playground.

Abby getting teary-eyed as she poses by the Farm sign. I have to admit, I got a little choked up when Madeline left the Farm and it happened again with Abby.

What a great start my girls have had at The Farm.

May 30, 2007

I know this isn't the greatest photo, but I love it. I was looking out the kitchen window and saw Adam walking with Maya, holding her hand and talking to her. She was taking big steps, trying so hard to keep up with him. It was such a sweet moment, that I ran for the camera.

Adam, Madeline, and Abby add so much to her life, and of course, vice versa. Maya is always so excited everyday when Adam's school bus pulls up, or when she first spots Madeline or Abby after school. When she saw Madeline coming down the trail the other day she excitedly squealed, "My sissy!"

Abby teaches Maya many things--some things I'm not so thrilled about, but mostly it's a positive. Abby told me today, "Mom, Maya used to not jump in her crib very well at all, but I've taught her and now look at how high she gets!" She's also taught her to spin very fast, say "ow" when she's getting her hair combed, scream "Dad!" and run for the door when Lyle comes home, and other important things.

I can't say enough about what a blessing these older kids are to their little sister.

Today is Abby's last official day and tomorrow she has her Spring Festival. I can hardly believe she'll be in 1st grade in the fall! Maya and I will both miss her very much. Abby is a fiesty girl, but has a heart of gold. I really think it will be hard to keep Maya entertained, because that's what Abby does all morning!

We're not sure what school she'll be at next year, but I know she'll do well. She turns 6 on June 11th, something she's been waiting for since June 12th of last year. Seriously, nobody enjoys their birthdays quite as much as Abby! She's planning her first "friends party" and hopefully it will live up to her very high expectations!

Yes, it was with copious amounts of gel that we accomplished Maya's very first ponytail. She felt pretty stylish! It's supposed to get up to 90 degrees here today, so we thought the up-do was appropriate.

Oh, and a quick product endorsement--the bib Maya is wearing is the best thing that has happened to the Beck family in quite a while! It's by Baby Bjorn and the kangaroo pouch is awesome! When Maya is done with her meal, she keeps herself entertained by eating out of her pouch!

Maya, in her ponytail and very cute pink sunglasses, was being particularly charming today at the grocery story. She kept waving at shoppers, saying "hi", and "gasses". Thankfully because she was simultaneously pointing at her eyewear, people were not scared off by her "gasses" and came over to talk to her. One woman (and I've heard this a couple of times before), said, "Do you mind me asking...What is she?" Now, of course I know she meant nationality, which I told her, but I can't help but feel that's not the best way to ask!

Later, when we were in the checkout line, another woman was chatting with Maya and said to me, "Do you mind me asking......How did you get so lucky to be this little girl's Mommy?" I almost got choked up, it was such a sweet way to ask about Maya's story. It's definitely not always what you ask, but how you ask it!

Maya's First Hike

Lyle had a day off from work, so while the big kids were at school, we took the little girls up to the Olympic Mountains for a hike. The day was clear and beautiful and the weather was perfect!

Abby has only been on two hikes, and both times she's seen bears. She's pretty sure that's the norm. These bears were quite close to the road and we did get out of the car for a better look, but having the car right there helped us to feel safe.

Abby checking out the viewpoint at the lodge. She had a great attitude, but we were to soon learn that the hike was more than we'd bargained for!

Maya thought riding in the backpack was great. She thoroughly enjoyed her personal bag of trail mix, but made Lyle a little nervous when she kept saying, "put it in a pocket!" Lyle wondered what pocket she was talking about, and later discovered that a few nuts and M&M's had found their way down the back of his shirt!

Abby listening to the peaceful sounds of nature. I should point out that at this point, the sounds were peaceful--later on, that all changed! Hint: Remember the bears?

At the start, the trail was completely clear, but as we got higher, we trudged through lots of snow.

At this point, we were still doing well!

Here's where things began to fall apart! We needed to pass through a large, steep slope covered with snow. In this photo, normally sure-footed Lyle slipped down the embankment and saved himself and poor Qiu from a serious fall by grabbing hold of a tree branch.

He got a little dirty! I wish I took some pictures of the treacherous hike from here on out, but I was more concerned with survival! The deep snow chilled Abby's atittude considerably and after crossing a couple of snow fields, we realized we'd never make it. So, we turned back and slipped and slid back through the snow.

Maya zonked out in the backpack and we picked up the pace as we repeatedly heard the grunts of a bear somewhere behind us. We never saw it and didn't spend much time looking. We were all happy to get back to the car!

One Year Ago Today

On May 23, 2006, we woke up to a phone call from the Small World Adoption Agency. Kathy asked if we'd checked our e-mails from last night. Nope, we hadn't. "Well," she said, "I sent you the file for a beautiful 8 month old...." The kids weren't up yet, so we quietly went downstairs and opened the e-mail and read all her information.

At the bottom were her photos. I wanted to kind of sneak up on them and give myself a moment before I saw her, but I scrolled too fast and there she was!

There were 3 adorable pictures, but it was this one that just took my breath away. She felt familiar and so much like a Beck. Lyle kept chanting, "All babies are cute....All babies are cute..."

I wouldn't say our minds were totally made up in that moment because we knew we wanted to discuss her file with an international adoption pediatrician, but we certainly knew we really WANTED to adopt her!

Wow, that was me?!

I'll admit, that e-mail from one year ago is still in our "in-box". It makes me happy having it there!

Hair Issues

It's fairly customary in China for infant and toddler girls to get their heads shaved. Our adoption coordinator in China said it helps them to have beautiful, thick hair when they grow up. Looking at poor Maya's sad head of hair, I must say that I'm almost tempted to pull out the clippers!

It's growing at the top and we have enough for some respectable bug antennae, but the sides stubbornly refuse to grow.

Unfortunately the back is also growing quite well. Adam commented the other day, "Isn't her hairstyle called a mullet?" I suppose it is.

Didn't I promise you'd see more of the picture face? This, once again, is the "picture face delay".

I trimmed up Maya's bangs today because she had a few hairs that were straggly looking, but obviously most of it is still pretty short. Now that it's a little more even, I think it just looks like I cut way too much off on top!

In this photo, Maya jumped out and yelled, "Surprise!!" It did surprise me because that's the first time she's ever done that! I'm so happy I got it on film. What a funny girl!

When and if her hair ever does grow, I do think it will be beautiful. It's very shiny and smooth and for the first time I'll be dealing with a non-curly female head of hair. Lyle tries to spray Maya's head with water and do the "scrunch" technique that works quite well with our curly heads, but I think no amount of scrunching will do the job on Maya's head!

Although this has nothing to do with hair, I want to share a sweet Maya story that just warmed my heart last night. I was putting her to bed, a time when she's always snuggly and sweet, and she said without any prompting, "I love you, Mama." Then she blew me a kiss. Any stress or expense incurred with bringing her home is such a distant memory. She is such a blessing.

Adam Turns 13!

Do you think it's a tad foreboding that our first child entered his teen years on Friday the 13th? Yes, it makes us a little nervous! Unfortunately Lyle missed the festivities as he is off in Oklahoma City, the city of his birth, for a dental meeting. As I've heard the story told, I believe Lyle only actually lived there, outside of the uterus that is, for less than a week. The family was waiting on his arrival so they could move to Idaho Falls.

So, while Lyle was in Oklahoma reconnecting with his roots, we had a tasty birthday spaghetti dinner. If I wasn't in single parent mode I might have made the table look a little more festive, but it was pretty delicious sauce, if I do say so myself.

Oh, and I should mention that Lyle had called and left a message on the answering machine wishing Adam a happy birthday. When Adam heard it he said, "You know, he's such a great guy. I hope I can be just like him someday." He does occasionally like us!

Lyle has convinced the Qiuster that she can and should feed herself. You can see the results. That's an apron I have tied around her neck, but really, nothing adequately does the job. When I try to feed Maya she turns her head, clamps her mouth shut, and reaches out her hand for a fork, waving her chubby little fingers. I like how Lyle "teaches" her these skills but isn't around for the cleanup.

Also, this is her new picture face. Get used to it because I have a feeling this is what we'll be seeing for awhile.

This is Exhibit A.

And here we have Exhibit B. This one is a slight variation on Exhibit A. I call this the "picture face delay". If I wait a few seconds she'll usually sneak open one eye to see if I'm still there.

Adam wanted brownies as a birthday cake substitute. Unfortunately, the kids saw the brownies on the counter after school and thought it was an after school snack. Hence the half-eaten pan. It wasn't a birthday feast that would rate very highly for looks, but I think the kids had a good time.

Adam hadn't even seen the present yet and was just being a ham. It's hard buying gifts for a teenager! The present was actually a digital camera. I have no idea why they packaged it in such a huge box! Adam said, "Thanks, but I don't really see why I need a digital camera. I always use yours." Exactly!

Tonight when I put some laundry in the washer, I found a paper in Adam's pocket that was apparently from his health class. It listed different moral dilemmas and asked questions like: What do your parents think about this? your friends? media? and finally, What do YOU think about this? The one that made me laugh was his answer to the question, "What do YOU think is appropriate dress for you?" His response was so perfectly Adam-- "I don't wear dresses."

I do feel for Adam being the oldest. He gets us at our most paranoid, inexperienced parenting selves. I hope we can avoid any Friday the 13th bad luck and that he'll be kind to us during his teenage years. Happy birthday to our teenager! We love you Adam!

Spring Break 2007

What a gorgeous spring break we've had! Lyle and Adam are off in San Francisco this week having a blast but we've had a pretty great time at home as well. Today we headed out to an old favorite, Fay Bainbridge Park. This was Maya's fist time.

Our beach toy set unfortunately has only one shovel. Can you guess who's ticked off about scooping with the sifter?

There's Abby's pretty smile!

Maya definitely set some type of speed record on these slides! As you might imagine, trying to get a picture and trying to catch her couldn't simultaneously happen. Sorry Maya!

This picture does a good job of highlighting her uneven hair growth! The top grows, but not the sides. In this photo she looks like a man with a comb-over out in a windstorm!

I love this picture of all three girls.

Madeline and Abby love the tire swing. Maya most definitely does not! She's smiling in this photo because they hadn't spun yet. When they did, her little eyes kept darting side to side, like when the doctor has you follow the little flashlight, but turbo speed. Her head rolled around and she almost instantly turned a funny color. We got her off, put her down on the ground and she looked like a drunken sailor for a good 10 minutes.

So Cute

Eighteen Months Old!

Maya turned 18 months old on the 2nd! Although today was her "official" first day of church nursery, we've been sneaking her in for about a month now and she's loved it. Well, at least she did love it! We found out today that she apparently just liked the excitement of illegal, underage entrance. Now that she's old enough, she doesn't seem to want to go! Little rebel!

She had another "first" last week when she tried out the McDonald's Playland. I thought she'd be pretty timid, but she definitely proved me wrong and had lots of fun going through the tunnels with Abby.

This little girl is really having a language explosion and for future record I'll share some of her words. Most of these she'll sign and say at the same time.

*basketball (bassaball), baby, doll, horse, duck, cat, cracker, apple, banana (with a very cute sign), water, pants, shoes, sleep, pocket, socks, nose, head, hair, eyes, mouth, fish (another really cute sign), please, dog, car, hat (she’s decided she REALLY likes hats!), jacket, pizza, Adam, ball, rock, Uh-Oh! (we hear this way too often!), Ow!, No!No!No! (Usually spoken to babies in books when she pretends they bite her fingers), Shhhhh, book, cow, eat, bease (The word baby Abby used for blankie), more, bye-bye, Maya, Qiu (She answers to both. We still call her Qiu more often than Maya.)

Maya's first phrase was "please more water", although she's only done that once. She often pairs "bye-bye" with "dad", even if she's saying goodbye to someone else. I think she's just used to saying bye to Dad. She says some words very fast, like basketball, and other words slowly like fish.

When she's decided she's done visiting with someone she will say "bye" and walk away. (Sometimes I wish adults could get away with that!) Anytime she sees a medical professional she doesn't even give them a chance. She yells a very quick "bye-bye" and attempts a speedy exit.

We think her language aquisition has been pretty fascinating. An adult certainly couldn't do what she's done in the last 7 months. I'm sure they could learn more words, but they'd be saying it all with a Chinese accent and would probably always struggle with certain English sounds. A group from Spain adopted babies from Guiping the week after us. Isn't it amazing to think that she could just as easily be speaking Spanish now?

I wish she'd speak a little bit more when other people are around. She gets kind of a "deer in the headlights" type of look and it's often hard to get a peep out of her. Well, anything that sounds like a word anyway. She's still a shrieker when she sees something she wants--usually food. She'll scream and then sweetly say and sign "please". I have to admit, she does get our attention! She's a smart girl!