First Day of Preschool

Another thing that no one really tells you about being a parent is that your first child's first milestones are really first milestones for you as well.  While we've already been through school ourselves and may even have some memories of preschool and/or Kindergarten, it is not nearly the same as being a parent to a child going off to his or her very first day of school.  

I have been worrying for weeks about how Shay would do.  While I know that worry doesn't really help anything, I worried just the same.  Will Shay be scared?  Will she make friends?  Will she have a good teacher?  Will she behave?  Will she be able to get her lunch box open and get into all of her food packages?  Will she eat?  Will she do okay with pottying?  She's been potty trained for a long time and does great at home and out and about with us but she tends to not tell people she doesn't know well when she has to go.  The kids are expected to be able to be completely independent so, if she does have an accident, she's supposed to be able to change her outfit herself.  Which brought on more worry.  She gets frustrated when she can't easily get her clothing on and pitches a fit.  Will she be able to dress herself okay, especially in her school uniform clothing that is a little trickier than her "street clothes?"  

Those are just some of the things flying through my mind directly relating to Shay.  I've also been worried about all of the things with adjusting to a new schedule.  Jeff has been home with Shay for the last 3 years.  I know that this will be a big change for him.  He's also in the midst of searching for a job so, once he gets hired, we'll have to figure out all of the logistics of who is dropping Shay off at school in the morning, who is getting her in the afternoon and what to do about childcare if there is time between when the school day ends and when we can leave work.  It's strange, even though I'll still see Shay the same amount of time I have been since I work full-time, I feel like I will be much more worried about her on a day-to-day basis.  When she's home with Jeff, I could call anytime I wanted to see how she was doing.  Jeff would sent pictures and texts and we could chat via Facetime.  Now, I cannot just bombard the school all day long wondering how she's doing.  I was worried about a bunch of small things as well...even down to trying to figure out the flow of traffic and all of the nuances that the school has in place about drop off and pick up procedures, traffic flow, rule sets, etc.  

I also have been getting teary eyed over the past few days just thinking about how fast our baby is growing up.  How she's becoming more independent.  How the quote, "The days are long but the years are short" is so very true.  I figured I would cry on her first day.  I figured wrong...instead I cried a couple of days before her first day.  Jeff even thought he might cry too.

But our little girl amazed us.  She did not cry at all.  Usually if she's around people she doesn't know, she gets really shy and doesn't say a word.  However, once we got to the school, she was just fascinated.  She willingly let the teacher's assistant, Ms. Jeannie, take her into the classroom with a bunch of the older kids in her class and said a loud "Hello" to her teacher.  They took off before we even really had a chance to hug her but we didn't want to call her back and make it seem like a big deal so we just said goodbye to her and walked out of the classroom.  

As we were in the hallway, a mom was walking away from another classroom with her hands on her forehead nervously saying, "Oh my God, she's crying.  She's crying!  I can't stand it!"  I felt so bad for her.  I know that could have easily been me had Shay cried as we walked out.  The school held a "Boo Hoo Party" for the new parents and I saw several teared up faces.  I think Jeff and I were just so happy that Shay didn't seem scared or cry and that her teacher, Mr. Morell, seems so good with kiddos.  We actually walked away feeling pretty good.

Today was only a half day so we were back to pick her up at 11:30am.  Let me tell you, it was really weird for both Jeff and I to be at our house together without Shay.  Normally if one of us is home without her, it's because the other one is out with her.  To be just the two of us was strange.  Good, but strange.  It's amazing how this little person comes into your life and you completely forget what life was like before them.  

It was the sweetest thing seeing the teachers and staff come out of the school with small groups of 3 and 4 year old's.  All were wearing their uniforms and they just looked so darn cute.  When Mr. Morell came out of the building with Shay, she was happy as a clam.  She gave me a big smile and hug when I walked over to meet her.  She had a blast!  When we asked her what she did today, her first response was, "I went potty at school!"  Haha, thankfully she used the bathroom.  Upon opening her lunch carrier, I saw that several of the items were missing which made me happy because it not only meant that she ate something but that someone helped her open the packages.  Shay said that she has friends at school and likes her teacher.  She's even excited to go back next week.  Rousing success for day 1 I'd say!  I hope that she continues to enjoy it.  We think she's been getting bored at home and is ready for new challenges.  

Here are some pictures of her (and our) big day:

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School Orientation

Tuesday night was the parent orientation at the school that Shay will be attending beginning in August. 

The principal gave an introduction and overview of the school, its philosophies, some policies and what to expect for the parents.  The president of the PTO gave a pitch about involvement with the organization and how it benefits both the school and famillies (which are required to donate a minimum of 35 volunteer hours per year).  Then we went to a couple of teachers’ classrooms for a tour and description of the activities that take place on a typical day. 

This was extremely helpful in helping us to have a good idea of the things that Shay will need to be prepared for.  The kids are expected to be potty trained and be able to undress and dress themselves.  While Shay is potty trained, she still needs some help getting a “clean sweep” and in putting her clothes back on.  She’s good with pulling up her pants but gets frustrated if she can’t easily get a shirt on over her head and her arms in the sleeves.  Same thing goes for zippers that don’t easily pull up.  She hasn’t ever tackled the tricky world of buttons.  Since the kiddos are required to wear uniforms (black, navy or khaki pants, shorts, skirts or jumpers and solid colored shirts with collars), she will need to be able to master these skills.

Her school teaches based on the philosophies developed by Maria Montessori.  Having been raised in a very good public school system in Minnesota, I had never heard the term “Montessori” before and had no idea what a “Montessori” or a “Magnet” school was.  There is a really good FAQ’s page from The Montessori Foundation.  While Montessori learning will not work for every child, we think that Shay will thrive in this sort of environment over traditional schooling.  Montessori has a strong focus on instilling a love of learning into children and is very hands-on, teaching a lot of independence while fostering grace & peace.  Shay takes a lot of joy in being able to do things independently and loves to learn so we really hope that she will enjoy school.

She will go half days on the first week of school and then be full-time, 5 days a week from 8am-3pm.  For the 3 & 4 year olds, the morning is filled with work/play but the state mandates that they must nap for a good portion of the afternoon.  Kindermat supplier recommendations anyone?  After the first week or two, we will also need to be able to drop her off from the car and she will need to walk up to the school door by herself (within site & help of school administrators/teachers of course).  All of these little steps to independence are exciting but I’m not sure I’m ready for it!  The school has a “Boo Hoo Party” for parents after the kids get into their classrooms on the first day!

Shay's 3rd Birthday Party

Finally getting around to posting some pictures of Shay's birthday party.  Better late than never I suppose.

My camera died toward the beginning of the party even though it said the battery was fully charged before we left.  Thankfully, Jeff's mom had her camera on hand and I was able to get those files in addition to the ones I shot on my iPhone.  

We had Shay's party at Hoppity Hop in Hendersonville.  I would highly recommend hosting kids' parties at a location with activities for the kiddos.  Instead of running around like mad trying to clean house, buy and prepare all of the food, buy and put up decorations, etc., we are able to relax and actually just enjoy being with Shay, family & friends during her party.  Plus the kids had a blast.  Hoppity Hop has a private jump room filled with big inflatable slides and play houses for each party as well as use of the party room.  They provided all of the food & drinks, minus the cake, as well as tablecloths, plates, cups, utensils, etc. and did the set up and clean up after.  

We are thankful for everyone who came out to celebrate our little girl and for those who were thinking of her on her birthday.  Here are some pics of the fun:

 Shay's party room

  Giant slide and pirate bounce

 Climbing...

 I love this picture - pure joy on her face!

Big Shay & her cutie Liam

 I think Seth may have been having more fun than Sophia!

 Liesl, Londyn & Shay

 Shay's much requested Very Hunger Caterpillar cake

 First time truly blowing out a candle

Hoppity Hop party room

Sophia & Shay 

We met Sophia's parents at Lamaze classes - the girls are exactly 1 month apart.

 Anai & Aidan helping Shay open her gifts

 Gift opening frenzy

 These chocolate bars along with bouncy play balls for the kids were the party favors inspired by The Very Hungry Caterpillar book.

3 Years Old

Today is our little girl's 3rd birthday.  Wow, does the time fly!  I don't have any poignant words, hilarious anecdotes or deep, insightful thoughts to share.  Just heartfelt thanks for having this amazing gift from God in my life who brings more joy than words could ever convey.  Love beyond what I ever thought I could feel for this little person who is growing up before my eyes. 

This morning we took Shay in for her 3 year well child visit to the pediatrician.  She is doing so well at all of her developmental milestones and is, as the doctor said, "Perfect, healthy, smart & beautiful!"  She appears to have 20/20 vision (a miracle considering Jeff & I both have terrible vision) and she did well with her hearing test, something they say they typically cannot get 3 year olds to cooperate with.  Shay measured in at 3 ft., 3 in. tall and 31 lbs.  This puts her in the 90th percentile for height, 50th percentile for weight and 10th percentile for BMI (yes, I'm envious of her tall, skinny stats). 

Here is a pic of my little goofball at the pediatrician's office:

I'll post another blog and photos of Shay's birthday party after tomorrow.  Stay tuned.  And happy birthday sweet girl - Mommy & Daddy love you so much!

Sea Starlet

Today was Shay’s 4th swimming lesson. Judging by the way she started crying and generally freaking out as soon as Jeff got her swimsuit out this morning, we both figured it was going to be another tear-filled lesson. Before leaving for work, I gave Shay our customary goodbye hug & kiss and told her to be a brave girl and to not cry during her swimming lesson. Our little girl surprised us and Jeff called me at work this morning to proudly inform me that she did great! She didn’t cry or try to climb out of the pool and she did all of the things that the instructor said to including floating on her back and jumping in by herself. One little boy started to cry and Shay even tried to encourage him telling him that, “It’s okay.” After the lesson, she declared, “Swimming’s fun!"

The instructor even talked to Jeff about trying to switch her to one-on-one lessons on Thursdays instead because she has already learned as much as she was going to get out of her current Tuesday class. She said that Shay is very strong for her age as she can climb out of the pool by herself. I’m not sure how she’ll do without Jeff in the pool with her but he can be in the seating area inside so she’ll have sight of him the whole time.

It’s crazy how fast she’s growing up and how her personality is developing more every day. She constantly amazes (and humors) us with the things she says and does. It’s hard to even believe that she was once this little smile-less baby who cried most of the time she was awake. She’s such a sweet, fun little girl now. I think 3 is going to be the best age yet!

Sea Startled

Tuesday was Shay’s second swimming lesson. However, let me back up to actually describe her first one. Of the 6 parents and kids in the group class, Shay was the only girl and Jeff was the only dad there. The rest were moms with their toddler sons. Anyway, Shay eagerly got into the pool and was happy as a clam for the first 5 minutes. Upon the teacher’s instructions of having the kids hold onto the side of the pool, she had a breakdown once she realized Daddy was letting go of her at which point she began crying and trying to get out of the pool – which she proceeded to do for the remaining 25 minutes of class. At one point, the instructor had the kids sit on the edge of the pool and had the parents pull them into the water by their wrists, causing them to briefly go underwater before bobbing up to the surface. Shay did not like this one bit. More crying and insisting, “I want to get out now!"

Thankfully, the instructor was very calm as were the other parents saying that the toddlers almost always react that way the first few lessons but that they eventually learn. I’m glad Jeff is so good with Shay and stays calm despite her freaking out. Not sure if I would have been able to handle it as well. The instructor actually told Jeff that it is harder for moms not to react to their babies being upset. Leave it to our daughter, despite all of the dramatics, to loudly declare, “I like swimming!” just minutes after the lesson ended prompting a mock-exasperated, “Well ya could’ve fooled me!” from Jeff and laughter from the other parents.

The second lesson went a little better but, from what Jeff tells me, still involved a lot of crying and “I want to get out’s” from Shay. We’ve been working on telling her how great it is that she can go underwater which always illicits a proud, “I close eyes under water!” response. Hopefully 3rd lesson’s the charm!

Here’s a pic of our little aquatic drama queen all ready to go before her first lesson:

Sea Star

Shay starts her very first swimming class next Tuesday! We enrolled her at Sea Star Swim School which specializes in infant/toddler swimming lessons. We think it’s very important for her to learn how to swim at a young age. We would have enrolled her sooner, but there was a waiting list. She and Jeff will be in the classes together. We joked that he will likely be swimming in toddler pee. I knew there was a reason I want to do the Mommy & Me gymnastics classes with her instead of swimming lessons!

I’m not sure if she’ll freak out or if she’ll love it. Her only experience with a big body of water was a visit to Old Hickory Lake when she had just turned a year old. She had no fear whatsoever back then and toddled right into the cold water. She typically loves baths and likes to pretend to swim in the tub. However, she recently went through a 2-3 week period in which she was terrified of the bathtub or, more specifically, of going down the drain. (insert sarcasm) Thank you Finding Nemo!

Shay has been talking up a storm and makes us laugh with the most off-the-wall conversation. Cases in point:

Me: “Row, row, row your boat gently down the stream…"
Shay: “That’s ENOUGH Mommy!"

Shay: (while sitting by herself at the kitchen table eating cheese) “Not yummy for Mommy but yummy for MEEEE!"

Shay: “Meow"
Jeff: “Are you a cat?"
Shay: “No, I’m Shay Bug!"

Shay: (pointing at a tampon) “That’s a coupon Mommy!"

I wish I had a recorder set to capture everything she says one day. It’s amazing how her grasp of words and concepts is growing so fast and how her personality is showing more by the minute.

Paper Pregnant

Pregnancy is a 9+ month wait and, in my case, filled with vomiting, excitement, vomiting, preparation, vomiting, baby classes, vomiting...

You get the point. Domestic adoption is a very different journey, yet has some similarities. Basically replace the vomiting with paperwork and plan for a longer wait time. I’ve heard it referred to as a “paper pregnancy.” I guess you can officially call us “paper pregnant” now! We just finished the last of our initial adoption forms last night and are going to turn in the pile tomorrow morning.

We still have 3 ½ study sessions to go (you must complete 4 of 8 prior to starting the official home study process). These have been interesting because, while most of the material boils down to common-sense, to someone who has never really considered the daily implications of adoption, it provides some great food for thought. It’s funny to me to be reading the adoption study books as an Asian international adoptee in the midst of a U.S. domestic adoption as one half of a mixed-race couple.

Next up: Home Study! Here’s hoping that this process is smooth sailing and we have an approved home study by the end of the year. Then we anticipate 2013 as a “wait year."

In the meantime, we’ve been enjoying some of these cooler temperatures. While the hideous Tennessee summer heat and humidity are grasping for life here and there, it’s finally starting to feel a little like fall. We had an absolutely beautiful past weekend here. And yes, I just realized I am writing about the weather. This officially makes me an old fart.

I better post some pictures before I write any more about the weather.

Shay being a little imp during her Daddy's birthday lunch

 Helping Mommy pick apples at Bottom View Farm

1/2 bushel of freshly picked apples

Tire Horse!

Polishing off a giant root beer float

 

Running on a giant jumping pillow

One of my favorite shots

Wait, I love this one too!

 

 Feeding the ducks and geese at my favorite spot in Hendersonville

 Checking out a water fountain in downtown Nashville

Things No One Tells You Before Becoming a Parent - Vaseline

Back in the day of setting up our baby gift registries, when we had no clue as to what we actually needed, we saw a big 'ol tub of Vaseline labeled for babies.  I'm sure it's just regular Vaseline, but the pink & blue baby label drew in these naive parents-to-be.  It just seemed at the time that it was something we should add to the registry.  It was in the baby section after all!

Fast forward two years and said big 'ol tub of Vaseline has hardly ever been used.  Until 3 days ago when Shay decided to take the lid off and scoop out gobs of it, smearing it all over her arms, legs, clothes, hair, our guest bedroom comforter and her daddy as he tried to grab her.  Bath #1 resulted in getting the goo off of her skin but did absolutely nothing for her hair.  Strike one.  A friend of mine Googled the How To's of how to get Vaseline out of hair.  We tried one of the suggestions of rubbing with baby oil (supposedly to get the Vaseline out) followed by a shampoo (supposedly to get the baby oil out).  Strike two.  We put Shay to bed and she looked like a grease monkey the next morning.  The third attempt involved Dawn dish soap followed by shampoo.  Success!  In fact, quite amazing success (thank you Google, Kristen & Jennifer)!

Moral of the story...don't keep Vaseline within a toddler's reach.  If this fails (which it or something like it will inevitably do), keep a bottle of Dawn handy.

Things No One Tells You Before Becoming a Parent - Toddlers Can Rupture Eardrums

I'm compiling a list of things that no one prepares you for when becoming a parent, the most recent being that loud, shrill screams from your baby can have the power to perforate an eardrum.  That's right folks, Shay literally shrieked a hole right into her Daddy's ear.  My sweet little Seraphina has turned into a banshee!

Goodnight Moon!

We're on our second hard copy of the book Goodnight Moon. The first one got worn out from so much use and ultimately met its demise in a toilet bowl (thanks to a precocious toddler who will remain nameless)!  The current copy has definitely seen better days.  Thanks to Grandma Pam for both copies.  Since Grandma should not be an eternal source of Goodnight Moon books, we found an alternative...YouTube to the rescue!  This animation brings the book to life and we all love it.  It's part of Shay's bedtime routine to watch this along with a few other favorite videos linked below.  Enjoy!

Goodnight Moon

Goodnight Gorilla

Twinkle Twinkle Little Star (Shay's absolute favorite video. Ever!)



Springtime Fun

Nashville is beautiful this time of year with new leaves unfolding on nearly every tree and flowers in full bloom everywhere.  Perfect time to get out and enjoy the great outdoors before the sweltering humidity rears its ugly head.  What better way to kick off spring than a photo shoot of Shay at Centennial Park.  Once again, our creative, talented and generous friend Erin got behind the viewfinder of her camera and shot a bunch of great photos of Shay, her gift for Shay's 1st birthday.  Below are just a few of our favorite shots:

Flower child 

Love this one! 

Love that she's starting to look like a little girl in this one...

...and still looks like a baby in this one

On April 9th, Erin, our friend Liesl and I threw a bridal brunch shower for our friend Kristen who is getting married at the end of May.  We enjoyed beautiful weather out on the patio at local Nashville eatery Mad Donna's where we noshed on tasty food, sipped sweet mimosas and watched Kristen open her pile of gifts.  A perfect lazy Saturday morning. 

The bride to be

 Pretty flowers Erin brought

 Something must've been funny

Also this past weekend, my Aunt Paige & Uncle Bob rolled into Nashville in their motor home so we got to spend time with them on Saturday and Sunday and they met their grand-niece for the first time.  Shay, having gotten over her stranger anxiety a couple of months ago, welcomed them with all the vigor a 1 year old who has never before met her relatives can.  Which basically meant that she did not cry and instead offered up some waves and blew kisses.  She grabbed her Great Uncle Bob's cheek, fascinated for a brief moment in time with his facial hair, something she's never seen up close before (unless you count when her Daddy doesn't shave for a few days).

On Sunday, we drove to the campsite where Paige & Bob stayed in their motor home.  It was fun to check out their mobile digs and Shay enjoyed the playground and an impromptu dip in the lake, her first time in non-bathtub water.  She had a blast splashing around in the shallow water on the sandy beach and then trekked out into the lake itself seemingly oblivious to the coldness of the water.  She even fell backward and went completely under but came up unfazed.  As her mom, I'm not sure if it's a good thing or a bad thing that she's so fearless when it comes to water.  Maybe there's something to the ol' astrological sign thing...she is a pisces!  After our daughter was thoroughly soaked, we brought her back up to the motor home, got her changed into a clean, dry outfit and enjoyed a great dinner outdoors.

 Checking out the inside of the motor home

 Jeff & Bob hanging outside "Big Gray Box"

 A happy Shay Bug

 Yep, she has all the makings of a gymnast...loved hanging on the bar

 Great Uncle Bob & Shay at Old Hickory Lake

Splish Splash! 

 She kept the boys on their toes

 Beach baby

The Big 1!

Shay's 1st birthday has come and gone and I am left in awe thinking back on everything that has changed over the past year.  Her Daddy and I can't stop referring to her as a "baby" even though she's technically a toddler now.  I have to admit I cried a little the day of her birthday at that thought.  Not because I'm not absolutely thrilled to be able to watch my little girl grow up happy & healthy, but because this first year has passed so quickly and she's changed so much that I just don't want her to grow up TOO fast.

Part of me misses (and probably always will) Infant Shay.  Don't get me wrong, I don't miss the crying-almost-all-of-the-time Infant Shay.  The little banshee wails at all hours of the night and the shear exhaustion that would ensue.  Infant Shay did not smile or laugh for the first few months.  However, Infant Shay would cuddle and fall asleep in my arms (didn't realize how fast that stage would pass).  Infant Shay would let me swaddle her into a little "baby burrito." Infant Shay had that intoxicating sweet baby scent.  Yes, I will miss her.

Ah but Toddler Shay is so much fun and there will be new, exciting things to look forward to.  Toddler Shay gets more and more interactive with each passing day.  She's still not saying any words but she likes to mimic facial expressions, sounds and actions (she gives high fives, waves, claps & gives kisses).  Toddler Shay loves going to the playground and running around.  She really keeps us on our toes!  She is into running and climbing on everything.  She has a smile on her face a lot of the time and it's easy to get a giggle or squeal of joy out of her.   We're going to enjoy every stage of watching her grow up.

A big thank you to everyone who came out to Shay Bug's birthday party!  We are so blessed to have family and friends who love on our little girl so much!  Here are some pictures taken by our friend Erin...

 Butterfly Birthday Cake

It was a butterfly themed party

Me & my little Love Bug 

 Smiles

 Love this photo!

1st cupcake 

 Enjoy it now kid...you won't be able to play with your food like this for long

Love that Erin got a shot of the cupcake 'do!