Happy Family Day Baby K

Yesterday was K's Family Day-it's been a year since she officially became a member of the Jones family. Hard to believe that she was once a tiny little baby-she is now 14 months old and running, climbing, and exploring everything!

We've spent a lot of time this week looking thru our photo albums and watching the videos that we made while in the Marshall Islands. I sure do miss all the family and friends that we have there:-(

Here is a look back at that day:

My favorite pic of the girls-we were in the courtroom waiting for the Judge


Our first family pic after the adoption proceedings-this is K's birthmom

And now look at my girls:

G and K on Family Day 2010


Just cute!!!!!

The Metro Richmond Zoo

We are fortunate to be geographically located between two great areas-Washington, DC and Richmond, VA. This week I took the girls and cousin J to the Metro Richmond Zoo.

It was a great place to visit and we're already planning a return trip in the Fall. It didn't have as many animals as the National Zoo in DC but there were opportunities for the kids to feed several animals and it had a couple of rides. You can see below that the kids got to feed the giraffes and birds.

I got a little turned around on my directions coming home and it took a bit longer to get back but the kids were so worn out that they slept all the way home and I got to enjoy an iced coffee:-)


The 3 Amigos as we began our day


"Come here monkey"


Feeding the giraffes


Grammy, cousin J and G on the Skyride


K watching the Skyride


G and cousin J feeding the birds


Two cute sisters

An update on K's physical therapy

Just a little update-K had physical therapy today and the therapist is getting ready to cut us loose! We had been going every week for the past 7 months and then last month she cut us back to every other week and now she wants to see us a month from today. If all looks well, then we'll be officially done with physical therapy.

To catch everyone up-K was born with congenital torticollis. (It sounds much worse than it actually is). Congenital torticollis can appear during the last trimester of pregnancy when the space inside the womb gets pretty tight. This causes the baby to lay to one side resulting in a tightened/shortened neck muscle.

Most often this is detected because the child will hold it's head at an angle to one side. In K's case, I became concerned because it looked like she had a little flat spot on the back of her head towards her left side. Her pediatrician suggested that we get an evaluation from a PT and she was diagnosed with a mild case of congenital torticollis. In some cases the head flattening is severe enough to warrant wearing a helmet to actually reshape the head and if left untreated this can actually cause disfigurement (all from a tightened muscle).

We were fortunate that K's was not severe and that we caught it early. We've been able to work with the therapist and do exercises at home that have lengthened K's neck muscle. The really amazing part of this process has been that I've actually watched the tightness move from K's neck down her left side. There is now just a little bit of muscle tightness left in her left knee area.

As happy as I am that we are almost done with PT, I'm really going to miss our therapist, Miss Leah. Not only is she a fabulous pediatric therapist but she has also passed along hints and helps from her own parenting experience.

I took both girls to the pool today. It was K's first time in the "big pool"-she loved it! I tried unsuccessfully to get a few pics with the camera on my phone so I'll try again next time with our regular camera. You won't be disappointed-there is not much cuter than 2 little brown girls in bathing suits:-)

The end of kindergarten

Last week was G's last day of kindergarten. It seems like the year flew by. Actually, it seems that every year has flown by since we became parents. That old adage about, "if you want to watch the passage of time fly by, then watch a child grow," is certainly true.

As apprehensive as I was about G going to kindergarten, it has been a positive experience for her. She has really come into herself-she made friends, learned to read, and most importantly, had something to call her own. She has done so well with making the transition from an only child to being the big sister and I attribute some of that to going to school.

For kindergarten, we chose a school that had a half day program so that G would have time at home with the baby. Next year will be a big change for all us as she heads to first grade and to full day school.

I leave you with some pics of her end of year school picnic and her first and last day pics.


The first day


The last day


G and a friend


G and her teachers


G up at bat


and no post is complete without at least one pic of my cute little monkey face

Wow! What a year it's been.....

It's hard to believe that just one year ago we received K's referral. I remember all those feelings of anxiety because the wait for baby #2 had become so long, now those feelings have been replaced by the anxiousness that she's growing up too fast!!!! Look at this beautiful girl-then and now......


Then


Now