Expect, Anticipate, Hope, Await…: Canada

We just got back from a three-week trip to the US and Canada. At the end of our trip we got to spend a week with Andrey's family. Ella and her cousin Annika got along so well and had so much fun that it was difficult to get them to do anything else but play together. (Suddenly we were having numerous urinary accidents because of how much fun Ella was having. She didn't want to miss any of it!) They held hands in the car. And for the first time, I saw Ella spontaneously give a hug to a friend. A few times, she walked over to Annika and gave her a huge hug. So sweet.

At the end when we were saying good bye, both Andrey and I hugged Annika. With each hug, Ella mildly protested and said, "Ella's Mommy!" and "Ella's Daddy!" She wasn't upset, she just declared the truth to make sure Annika understood.

It made me so happy to see this. To me, this was an example of her secure attachment to us. She was claiming us as hers. And she did so confidently.

I compare this to where we were at a year ago. Same Spring trip. In DC at a friend's house who had a 2 week old baby. I held the baby and Ella pitched herself onto the floor crying. She was so upset that I quickly passed the baby back to his momma so I could hold and console my daughter, assuring her that she was my daughter, I was her momma and always would be.

That is the difference between insecure attachment and secure attachment.

We are a year and seven months in to parenting our Michella, who is thriving. She is a gem and we love her to pieces.

Now check out this adorable video of Ella and Annika having snacks behind the couch at Grandma and Grandpa's house last week. Cheers!

Sorry for falling off the blogosphere while we were away. For some reason when I take a long break from blogging I find it extra difficult to get going again - just like exercise. Maybe if I get a post up I'll suddenly feel like exercising... or get going on all the other things I'm behind on. We've already been home a week and we are sleeping normal hours again. Here's to getting things flowing again.

Our trip west was fantastic. Ella did impressively well (again) on the long flights both ways. The short 1-2 hour flights within Canada felt like our routine trips to the grocery store. We are to the point now where flights any less than 5 hours seem super short and easy. The 9 to 11 hour flights between Seoul and the west coast of North America are long but manageable, but the 12 and 14 hour flights between Seoul and the east coast of North America like we do each Spring are what feel very long to us. It's only 4-5 hours from Cebu to Seoul. Only two flights to get all the way to Vancouver? That is a great thing. We love being able to fly out of Cebu and avoid Manila all together. Thank God for Korean Airlines giving the best prices. By the way, Ella loves flying so much that when we reach our destination she asks to go back to the airport so she can go on another airplane.

Being in Canada was such a treat. The trip as a whole was very full, a little tiring, but very fun. I mean, who doesn't love getting to see close friends and family whom you miss dearly and getting to socialize socialize socialize? Well, my extreme extrovert of a husband loves every minute of it but I'm quite happy to have a little down time in between. I am certainly more of an extrovert than an introvert but much closer to the middle of the spectrum than my husband. A three week trip was just enough to keep me engaging in as much as I could because of the novelty of it all but just about tapped me out by the end. Ella did amazing with the crazy travel routine (or lack there of) but we could see that the late bedtimes, the opportunistic/only-as-convenient car napping, the plethora of unfamiliar food, and the steady abundance of new faces began to wear on her by the last week. We both came home with colds. The fact that we kept it up as long as we did without any serious melt downs or an essential need to get her in bed by 8pm is just evidence of how easy-going this girl is. We just kept saying, well as long as Ella is handling it okay, we'll keep doing what we're doing. And she did. She is so amazing! We didn't expect this much out of her and she surprised us. Again.

We are so thankful we got to make this trip. It sort of makes up for missing our furlough to Canada last year around this time. I remember we booked our flights and then a week later got that call that we had a daughter. The trip was missed for the best reason possible. Now a year later, getting to bring our girl to meet so many people we love and cherish and who have prayed with/for us for so many years for a child was a privilege and a real gift. We are so glad she enjoyed it as much as we did.

Our time was spent in/near British Columbia, Alberta and Saskatchewan. I say near because the first week we actually stayed in the US, a few minutes south of the Canadian border in Andrey's parents' timeshare. It was ideal to be an hour and a half away from Seattle where we used to live and 20 minutes from our friends in BC, where Andrey once lived and went to university. We both love that part of the continent so much.

To recap, I'll just share some of our highlights and then end with some of our favorite photos. Unfortunately the hubby is out of town so I'll have to share his highlights from the trip later.

Jen's highlights:

Quality time with close friends. You know the kind of friends that you can just pick up where you left off even though you haven't seen each other in years (keeping in touch over skype, blogs and facebook help)? Friends you know well and who know you well and have history with? Friends you can be totally relaxed with and just be yourself? Friends who traveled quite a ways to see us and who hosted big gatherings in their homes and cooked delicious meals for us. Friends like these are a gift we don't take for granted.

Reconnecting with family. We have many family members that are our good friends and would be even better friends if we lived closer. Such fantastic people. They are family who cleared busy personal schedules to spend time with us, cook for us, host us - and did it again and again during our stay. Thank you dear family! We are so privileged to be related to you all!

Staying in the same place and traveling with my sister-in-law, brother-in-law and niece, who came all the way from Nova Scotia to hang out. Huge highlight!

Having grandparents around. I realized for the first time that Ella has not only become comfortable with Grandma and Grandpa but has clearly bonded with them. Ella ran off with Grandma to the park within an hour of our reunion. I watched Ella lean into Grandpa and cuddle with him and reach for him or Grandma to be carried on the first days of this visit and throughout our time together. Aside from the practical benefits of this, it brought me much joy to see how Michella has risked to love and be loved by more than just her Mommy and Daddy. Did I mention she's amazing?

Seeing Ella and her 2-year-old cousin Annika build on their friendship (they only first met in person eight months ago); watching them play and have fun together; hearing Annika ask repeatedly, "Where Ella go?" as soon as she was out of sight.

A playground in every neighborhood and open space to walk and enjoy nature, for FREE.

Meeting at the waterslide hotel in Regina with friends from Winnipeg who drove 6 hours each way with three kids to hang out for two nights. We drove 2.5 hours with 1 kid. You guys rock! That waterslide time was EPIC!

The fall weather (or at least until it snowed and felt more like winter to me). The yellow/orange/red leaves. The trees. The cool, crisp, clean air. LOVED IT!

Ella's highlights:

Seeing snow for the first time
Daily trips to the playground
Having Daddy around all the time
Having Grandpa and Grandma around
Staying in the same place as Annika, getting to travel with Annika, playing with Annika, dressing up for Halloween with Annika, bath time with Annika...
Being read to by Uncle Mike
Visiting the Firehall
Tucker the cat
Pete the dog
Gunner the horse
Baby Amarys
Baby Isaac
All the toys at Addie's house
Froggy costume (not just worn on Halloween)
Waterslide
Halloween candy