A Thankful Daughter

I've finally got it on video! Every day, Tessa says she is thankful for something; it is her bedroom, her toys, the bed, the food etc. On this day (last week), while driving, she started talking and listing the things she was thankful for having. I decided to pull over and have her say it all again. Some of what she had already said, she didn't repeat on her own, so it looks like I'm coaching her, but I wanted to remind her.....Tessa started out thankful that she has a Mama and a Baba. She really is so happy to have the new life and all the new things she has now.

And last night while we were eating dinner, Tessa said "Tessa loves house!!" And I said to her "Mama loves you in it!" After saying it, I realized that that comment might be over her head, but this is what she said! "Mama is happy that Tessa came a long way from China to house?"
Yes, I had to hold back from just bursting into tears...but I'm sure she saw my eyes swell up and I just grabbed her and held her really, really tight and told her much I loved her and how so very smart she was!!

What I've learned is that Tessa really wanted a Mama and Baba and probably saw many babies leave the SWI to be with families while she stayed behind... that Tessa is a very loving and affectionate child and wanted badly to be loved too.... that I never thought my love for her could grow any deeper....but it does every day....

Pretty In Pink

I took these this weekend after Chinese school (there is a jungle gym at the school).
They are probably some of my favorites! I guess anyone can tell why.

Honor Roll!

Yes, she got a certificate for Honor Roll! I think that she doesn't quite know what it means,
but she knows that we are very proud that she got it!!
This is amazing considering that Tessa has been in
America only 3.5 months and has a limited-yet expanding, English vocabulary!
This just proves to me that Kindergarten was the ONLY way to go!
Plus she has an awesome teacher! And Tessa is very bright!

Every Friday is Jean Day. I had to go find some that fit her and Old Navy is the only place I've found so far with nice jeans that have adjustable waist bands.
She is in a size 3T with the waist band pulled a few notches. I started giving her Ensure everyday and I think we're seeing some weight gain already!

This is a dream Tessa had the other day!

So Long Camry

I have to talk about this wonderful car that I've driven for almost 15 years. In 1995, this car, my dream car, was to be my "family car." It was to be filled with kids; it was not until this year that I could say it was a family car. Tessa is even sad to see it go and wanted to help me clean it....she wiped down the seats.

I am giving it to my 2 nieces in Missouri. It's getting picked up tomorrow to be shipped up there. She was a safe, reliable and fun car to drive. She has many more miles left in her and will be great for the girls! So Long Camry!

Keeping Mandarin

I have been really aggressive at my efforts at Tessa keeping her Mandarin. Some don't get it, but I believe it is important for Tessa to be bilingual and to keep her native language. She loves the Chinese classes and is doing very well in all of them. She is also loving the KylinTV (Chinese TV). I got her the Happy Kids Video on Demand and she watches at least one to two hours every day. Tessa also loves her Chinese teachers and her new babysitter who speaks Mandarin!! I have even become very assertive with meeting people who look like they speak Mandarin and asking that they speak to Tessa. We've met some very nice Chinese people!! This weekend at Marshalls we met Ms. Karen, and today we met a young man with an earring. Tessa asked him why he was wearing one coz he was not a girl; he got a laugh out of that. I've learned that Tessa can barely speak Cantonese now. I've had some folks talk to her that are from her province and they say she speaks only a little of it. So I am certain she is losing it. But I am thankful she is still speaking Mandarin.

Lots of FUN w/Playdates!

At the Miami Book Fair, getting a lesson from an Archie Comics illustrator!

Ah! Eileen came to our house! She fell in love with Molly and the doggies enjoyed a nice walk with the girls, Tessa with Mocha and Eileen with Molly.

Tessa still asks for these three beauties, but they live "not so close" to us. But she is looking forward to the next playdate with them.

Tessa has met many young girls like her, some with Chinese parents and some with Caucasian parents. She loves them all and seems to always have fun with them. At school she has many friends too and when I pick her up I get emotional when I see her laughing so hard with her friends. I even observed a boy who seemed to have a crush on her. The teacher said she has observed that this one particular boy is very protective of her and is always making sure she has what she needs (pencil, crayons).....yes, this is scary for me! She's only in Kindergarten!!!!

4 Beautiful Months!

It is hard to believe that it has been 4 months already! In a way it is such a short time and in another, it seems like longer, as if Tessa has been with us her whole life. It is difficult for me to even imagine life before Tessa!

She is doing incredibly, amazingly well. I think she has been given the gift of a photographic memory, something I had wished I had all of my life. Her memory is amazing and she surprises me with statements from our short history together of events, statements or smells that she or we have experienced. She remembered the jersey number of the Florida Gators quarterback on Saturday! Her Nai Nai taught her "Go Tibo, 15" about a month ago and we haven't watched football since! And then on Saturday as the game was playing she yelled "Go Tibo, there he is number 15!" But what really impresses me is Piano/Music class. When the teacher asks the children to repeat a melody after her, Tessa does it immediately "Do do so so la re mi mi etc." and gets it right the first time....I barely get to the thrid note. The teacher actually had to correct her and instruct her to read the notes and not to recite from memory!

Tessa is doing great in school and made Honor Roll. Yes, I know it is only Kindergarten, but K isn't what it used to be! She can already sound out words and knows many words already!! Her English is stronger everyday. Her school is awesome! She has an awesome teacher! There are so many great activities and events and Tessa has fun with her classmates. Plus Tessa is no longer coming home with negative phrases, but with all positive ones like "good job, I did it, I can do it..." My favorite...one that I will take credit for teaching her is "That's Okay!" She says it all the time and it really helps her stay calm. She doesn't fret over much and even when I feel bad about forgetting something, she always tells me "Mama, that's Okay!"

Her behavior has been very good. In the back of my head, I am anticipating the storm but it just hasn't happened yet. Tessa learns fast. She knows the rules, and she really seems to want to follow them. Recently, she has wanted to surprise me with getting dressed all by herself, making her bed all by herself and cleaning up. She has been very affectionate and super clingy lately. Last week, I had to lovingly explain to her that I didn't like her hanging on me so much (and refusing to let go). She said simply "Ok, I won't do it anymore." She did dratically reduce the frequency and today she said "Tessa no way hang on Mama anymore." I think she noticed that "I" was more affectionate with her when she didn't hang on me all the time and she really loves it when I pick her up and squeeze and love her. She is such a perceptive child.

Another squeaky toy for Mocha

Another older video that I can't believe I didn't share.
Mocha and Molly were dazzled by Tessa's Chinese squeaky shoes and you certainly can't tell that Tessa enjoys teasing them!

Happy Dance

This is an older video clip from 2 months ago of Tessa's first meeting with Yanni.
I can't believe I didn't post it earlier; Tessa looks so happy!

Enchanted

Happy enchantment.....

Tessarella and SnowhiteJackie enjoy the ride house to house.

Tessa got a little spooked at this neighbor's house.
But she warmed up to the displays
and tried to figure out how they moved.

"Our house?" Tessa excitedly asked. Yes, that is Baba.

Tessa had 2 full days of Halloween! She dressed for school at SOMI, again for Chinese school, the UM party and then again for Trick or Treating in our neighborhood, so she got quite a lot of Candy!! Tessa loves to "look" at all her candy, but she isn't really eating many. She is throwing a lot of them away after tasting them and I'm eating the chocolate.....

Halloween Dance

Tessarella!

Island Beauty

With Aunt Becky and Uncle Tom in Key Largo.

Bongos and Bowling

Tessa attended a bowling party at the coolest bowling alley ever, Splitsville! Tessa had a ball!!

We were out to dinner at Gloria Estefan's Bongos Restaurant with Aunt Becky and Uncle Tom. Tessa just had to test these bongos out! She played every one of them (10).

Pumpkins and Kites

At the fantastic Kite Festival with Lia and Jia! First time loving cotton candy!!

Picking the best pumpkin, then giving it a smile and making it Happy!

3 Wonderful Months Home

Today is the 3 month anniversary of Tessa being home with us. I have found myself many times these past few weeks very emotional and in tears over Tessa being so special and wonderful! She is so smart, so kind and so loving. Everyday she says thank you for all of her new things. And she impresses everyone who meets her. In Chinese school, her teacher reports that all the kids are in awe of her Mandarin and her ability to remember the lessons so quickly; the teacher even permits Tessa to do some teaching! In piano, yes, we've started piano! Tessa's ability to recall notes is incredible. We are in a Yamaha parent/child group class and Tessa is the loudest "do-re-mi!" of them all.... And her teacher at her new school (Somerset) has only wonderful things to say about Tessa...(altho, at first Tessa was exhibiting some "pushy/bossy" behavior but she has overcome them now.)

We have also had an incredible time at home. Tessa is more and more affectionate and loving. She is less aggressive with the pets and is more playful. And she is talking more English everyday...and believe it or not, I understand her less now that she is talking more English!! Ha ha...I can't always get her pronunciations....she gets a little irritated with me...so I just agree, then I finally realize what she's trying to say. Today her new word, to my dismay, was "why?" And after several attempts of trying to explain myself, I finally just gave in and said "Because Mama said so!" oh dear.....

I, on the other hand, have been so exhausted! And my fatigue has impacted my patience which has caused some slight reactions from Tessa. I've noticed that Tessa is not moody, however, any changes in her moods are simply a reaction to my mood! I have to always remember that her moods bounce off of mine, so I need to always be positive and upbeat when I can.

We've been really, really busy, so I'll just post some photos and some short notes. I am so happy and sad at the same time, that we replaced my 15 year old Camry with a 2010 Nissan Rogue. My first SUV, well, a crossover, is what they call them now..... and my sister and her husband are here for a Bahamas cruise. Tessa did great meeting her new Aunt and Uncle!!

Today was also special day because I applied for Tessa's American Social Security Card. And our re-adoption court date has been scheduled! On December 10th, we will have our hearing, our celebration and finally will have documents so that I can get an American birth certificate and apply for her passport! Our attorney advised that I go ahead and apply for the SSN card, and change the name later. It is open season for the College Prepaid Plan, and we want to get that started (they need a SSN).

Things just seem to happen for Tessa. I've even surprised myself that I found a Mandarin speaking babysitter! She lives very close and I think they will get along superbly! Tessa met her tonight and we learned that she also plays piano, so this will be great! (Now I just have to find a piano! I think we'll start off with one of those digital keyboards for now.)

Tomorrow, Friday and Saturday, Tessa will be Cinderella. She is so thrilled!! It is going to be a magical few days!!

"Happy" Ni Hao Kai Lan Doll = Jing Huan

Tessa and I were so thrilled to find a "Happy" Ni Hao Kai Lan doll! Tessa said that the characters for "Happy" were the characters for her name: Huan! She was so happy to see her name on the Ni Hao Kai Lan doll! She still wears the necklace and loves the doll!!

First Sleepover with Yanni!

Tessa had a wonderful fun filled weekend with her SWI sister Yanni!
They swam, climbed the jungle gyms, played, and giggled all weekend!
Tessa had some minor issues with sharing, but it gave me an opportunity to work with her on this issue. The girls had some small arguments, mostly over toys,
playing just like sisters!! but they quickly made up.
They also had fun skyping with their SWI sister Jing Ju!

Playdate without Mama!

Tessa had her first playdate for a few hours after ballet without me! I think it was just as difficult for Tessa as it was for me. She told me she missed me and next time wanted me to go with her. But this was her time to be with a Chinese family and speak only Mandarin for a couple of hours. She had a great time with her friend from her old school; her family is from the same province and Tessa enjoyed Canton food!!

3 Month Anniversary Today!!

I just realized that today is our three month anniversary of meeting Tessa and becoming a family!!
Wow, it is so hard to believe, as it feels like we've been together at least a year! We are all so connected and she really is very much attached to us.

New School!

An incident happened at Tessa's old school that put a fire under me. She was poked with a pencil that broke skin by a boy who didn't know how to communicate "excuse me." Actually, that was the final incident; Tessa getting exposed to some aggressive behavior that was bothersome to me, she had been getting hit by boys and coming home with many negative phrases "stop it, don't do that..." She misses her old teacher and my eating breakfast with her every morning, but Tessa is now in an awesome Chinese Immersion charter school that just opened this fall and she is in a class that teaches Mandarin for an hour everyday! Next year, she will have 2 hours of Mandarin every day!!! I have to drive a little farther, get up a little earlier, but she loves the school, I love the school and it is so worth it!!

Moon Festival Fun with Lia

At a Moon Festival Gathering with several South Florida Asia Yahoo Group families at a B&B on Hollywood Beach. Tessa had a blast!!

Still Posing Pretty

At Hollywood Beach, just before the Moon Festival with more adoptive families. Today we went to a Dragon Boat Festival, flew a kite, and Tessa had an incredibly time on the beach with more Chinese American girls at Jean's place!

Flying a Lady Bug Kite at Haulover Beach!

Reading with Mocha!

Grrrrrrr! At the Girl Scout opening weekend! Tessa is a Daisy!!