Samantha is 13 months and has been home for two months today!

Samantha is my sister and I love her so much. I used to stay after school until 3:30 but now I come home as soon as school gets out so I can see her. She loves me too and now she gives me, and our mom too, kisses when we ask for them and sometimes when we don't! She even makes an MMM sound when she kisses. She also gives us hugs. She is very loving. She likes my dog, Eva, now and will tolerate Cookie (my dad's dog) but she really only likes Eva. Every night I help give her a bath. I have never missed a night because I know she likes it when I'm there and I want her to know I will be there if she needs me. She is eating really well and likes most of the food I like. I can't get her to eat taco's but I will! She is growing fast and the doctor said she was amazed how much weight she put on so quickly and that she must have really needed the food and attention we are giving her. I have been keeping track of what she says and does. Besides all of the words and signs I wrote before she can do this: She beckons us to come to her; She whispers to us if we whisper to her; She does the sign for hungry, more and done at mealtimes and she says the words with more and done but she doesn't say hungry yet. She can say 15 words now and she has 12signs. The new words are Off (which she yells to the dogs mostly); Up; Ow ow (when she wants to go to sleep and mommy is taking to long); Thank you (every time she gives us something or takes something); yum (if she likes food); Ki for cat; da for dog. She is very smart. She is almost walking but if we stand her alone she falls to the floor. She growls at us. When she is mad because she wants more food she growls! She also growls if we don't pick her up fast enough. But sometimes she growls because she's being silly. She tries to give us her toys but it's a trick and then she pulls it back and laughs hysterically. When she does that to Logan he gets really upset but we think it's funny when she does it to us! She copies everything we do and say and we have fun with her every day. I hope you like the pictures of her. She is really cute!

Macaroni Grill to celebrate Samantha turning 13 months and our two month anniversary as a family of four! Sierra decided Macaroni Grill is our tradition since that is where we went the day we picked up Samantha (1/22), and for her first birthday (2/22) and now!

EASTER SUNDAY:


The making of a bunny cake - Our traditional Bunny cake, made by Sierra (with Samantha) for the first time! This is a tradition that I started as a child when my sister was a baby and I have made it every year since.


Having Easter fun...note the matching outfits! Samantha and Logan played, sort of!

Samantha turned 13 months old on Saturday. Saturday was also two month anniversary of the day we picked her up in Taiwan. We went to Macaroni Grill in Taiwan the day we picked her up. On her first birthday we also went to Mac Grill so Sierra has decided it has become a tradition and we must always go there to celebrate her monthly annivesrsay/birthday milestones. We finally talked her into a quarterly restaurant change tradition so next month we get to go to one of our favorite (Not a chain) restaurants downtown!

Samantha has really begun to blossom in our home in every way. We have truly been blessed with a great little baby! Not only is Samantha bonding to us much better than I ever expected (and experiencing gobs of stranger anxiety anytime someone gets too close and separation anxiety if I attempt to leave the room) but she has become a very funny, loud, adventurous, talkative, active but extremely affectionate and loving little bundle. NOTHING like they described and nothing like she was when we picked her up! She is also very healthy having never been sick since we've had her (I'm knocking on wood as I type!) and she is a great little napper and nighttime sleeper. She also LOVES her big sister madly and deeply! They are so sweet and so happy together it brings tears to my eyes just thinking about it!

She is no longer anxious (unless someone tries to hold her or gets too close to her), is no longer quiet and no longer too skinny! She went from being the weight of the average (Asian) three month old (at 11 months) to being the weight of the average six month old in less than two months! Her height is actually pretty good and she's in the 5th% for height, not too far from her sister! The doctor predicts (actually the computer did this) her weight and height to correspond to each other by her 2nd birthday but I think it will be sooner than that. Other than two short food strikes she is doing very well and likes a fair amount of variety and is not shy about asking for more and only more of what she likes! We don't have to do regular weight checks anymore! She's just doing great in every way and has added so much to our family I couldn't even begin to express what she means to us all!

Sierra's Science Project was a success!

Logan, Sierra and Samantha playing and looking cute!


Playing...Samantha LOVES to play with Sierra and Sierra loves playing with, teaching and cuddling with Samantha!

Snow Fun? Well, fun for some, misery for others!

Going to the snow is our annual tradition - Jeremy, Sierra and her friend have a blast. I suffer through and wonder what people see in going to the snow. Samantha agrees with me! She hated the snow!! We were all exhausted as we headed home and now we can just dream about SnowDay 2009!