Happy New Year!

It’s now the New Year and I look back at the last 6 months in complete and utter amazement that:

• We (or I should say I) actually survived the wait until referral
• I got to experience the truest feeling of love at first sight when I saw my baby’s sweet face for the first time
• We actually went to China (dude, I was in China man!!!)
• I survived the first 2 weeks home with Jenna when the husband went back to work
• The husband survived all the huge parties and rather large gatherings of people in the last 6 months (birthday, baptism, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years) because if you knew the husband, you’d understand his need for personal space
• Christmas with our little family of 3 couldn’t have been more perfect
• And last but definitely not least, Jenna completes our family in a way I never thought possible and I cherish everyday with her.
  

The husband was home for quite a few days over Christmas which was really nice. I think Jenna is a real Daddy’s girl, which warms my heart to no end, so having Daddy home for a few extra days was just up her alley.

We just had our 6 month post placement adoption visit with our social worker the other day and it went really well. There were no white gloves, which is a good thing because my house needs a good clean, and there were no harsh or negative words to be had on her part regarding our parenting. Phew. Not that I had any reason to believe that there would be a negative word to be said but I guess it’s a bit of confirmation that we’re really on the right track with her as far as her bonding and attachment goes. Jenna is a very easy going, happy, social baby and pretty much has been since we first met her. Once she gets a little comfortable around people, she has no problem going to them and saying “up, up”. This did have me a little worried but our social worker said that if she was doing that with strangers right off the bat after first meeting them, then we should have cause for concern, but she does play shy with some people, more so now that she did before, so I guess that’s a good sign. I think the bonding has gone quite well but the attachment issue always had me a little worried because of Jenna’s personality and I wondered if we were overlooking that whole process. She’s happy and friendly therefore she must be attaching to us. Not necessarily the case. Anyway, as it turns out, we’re apparently on the right track in that respect so all is good in the world.

Jenna is embarking on yet another plane ride, this time with both her Mommy and her Daddy. We’re going to California again for my little nieces’ 3rd birthday. We’ll be flying there with the husband but Jenna and I will stay a few extra days to do what the husband hates most in this world and that is TO SHOP!!!!

I'll part with a few photos from last month.

Jenna and her cousin Elijah at his 2nd birthday















At Auntie Terri's house opening her presents















Christmas Eve morning with her shopping cart from Nina
















Grandma and the Lola's dressed her up in what seemd like ALL her dress up clothes from Grandma and Grandpa all at once. She was a princess/party girl/ballerina/pocahontas all in one!

















Late Christmas Eve the husband put out all our presents for us to open and this is what Jenna got from Mommy and Daddy, her very own Leap Frog train set! She loved it! (Video to follow)