What a difference a year makes

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!

2011 in Pictures (and a bit more)

2011 was a fantastic and memorable year and I am so thankful for what we've experienced and learned.

Much has changed in our first full year together as a family.  Our girl has made huge strides in her level of confidence and security.  Andrey has grown as a Dad.  His relationship with Ella went from guarded and distant (on her part) to a moment on New Year's Eve when I tried to take her from him so he could drive some people home and she clung to him and cried, "Neeeeeeed Dadddy!"

Andrey and I have gotten better at caring for our relationship now that we are parents.  After eight years of just us, we know we have to work at it now and we're getting better at it.  I've changed a lot too.  I started the year feeling unconfident in my abilities as a new mom and struggled with anger and control.  I received some prayer and have worked hard to walk out the healing I experienced.  Today I feel more free and more like my true self than ever before. Thank you, Jesus!

Now to recap the year... with all its travel and firsts.

Malapascua in January with friends

Ella met Mimi for the first time in February when she came to Cebu

Back to our favorite beach spot in Moalboal in February

First international flight to the US in March

First road trip in the RV with Grandma and Grandpa

First time meeting Papa

Finalization of the adoption in April

 

Family time in North Carolina in May

Ella and her cousin Annika started a lifelong friendship

My first Mother's Day

Ella discovered a love for pecans and PJs at Mimi and Papa's house

Family Reunion Easter weekend in Alabama

Ella's first baseball game (and NY Yankees hat, thanks to my dad)

Back in Cebu: Andrey's first Father's Day

 Ella got LOTS of pool time throughout the year

First tricycle

Another beach trip in July

First tennis game in a very long time with good buddy Charlotte
(I won, but not by much; Charlotte made we work for it)

Ella's third birthday family dinner in September.  And yes, we always give her beer.

My first Scuba dive during a retreat with the organization my husband works for

Ella's first trip to Canada in October and first experience with snow

First family photo shoot

Fun times with Annika during our time in Canada

 

First horsey ride

First time meeting Grandma GG (and all our other wonderful relatives in Canada)

 

Ella and I began spending lots of time with new friends Hanna, Tessi and baby Gabe in October

Ella loves baby Gabe, like seriously loves him. Talks about him all the time. Cares for her baby dolls who she pretends are baby Gabe. Will pick him up like she does our cat if you turn your back for even a second with baby Gabe within reach. Having said that, she is very gentle and sweet with him.

 

A few of Hanna's shots from a trip to Crocolandia (who knew Cebu has the Philippine's largest crocodile? That was a little freaky)

 

Trip to Bantayan Island for Andrey's birthday

It was this trip when we realized that Ella really knows how to swim

 

During the last days of the year we took one last beach trip to our favorite spot in Moalboal with some great friends. We took a boat trip and spent many hours playing on the beach and in the pool.

Look at that starfish Ella!

Sweet daddy-daughter times

We have such great friends!!

 Happy New Year!

Christmas Week 2011

What a full week!

December 21st
We had our church congregation's annual Christmas party. It was wild, with gifts and lunch for 800+ people, mostly including people we know from the five mini-congregations we have in various parts of the city.

December 22nd
Ella made Christmas cookies with Tessi at Hanna's house. I didn't get any shots of the cookie decorating but I did get this shot of Ella in Tessi's old puppy dog costume. Ella loved it so much she wouldn't take it off. Never mind the sweaty head. As for the cookie making with a 2 and 3 year old? Easier said than done. Hanna and I were determined though and completed the project, but not without a few chaotic moments.

That same day Hanna and I took the girls to a play area at the mall. On our way back we found ourselves in traffic with a cowboy! This Pinoy cowboy was for real. The horse was huge and his rider had him galloping when traffic sped up and trotting when traffic slowed, right along with the rest of the cars. We rolled down the windows and hollered. The girls loved it.

In the evening we hosted some expats for wine, cheese and Christmas cookies.

December 23rd.

We went to our church team's Christmas party. It was a blast. I love how every Christmas party in the Philippines has to include games and presentations. I have yet to go to a boring Christmas party here. Here are some of the guys doing a hip hop dance and having a ton of fun.

 

Since Andrey had the day off, Hanna offered to take Ella for a few hours so Andrey and I could have a date. It was our FIRST DATE since we got Ella nearly 15 months ago. We went to a fancy hotel nearby to a rooftop bar and had a few drinks during dusk. It was SO VERY NICE. Oh my gosh, we really miss being out together. I can't believe our 10th anniversary is coming up next summer. We've decided to celebrate it all year. After all, we are in our 10th year as husband and wife and this is our 10th Christmas together. This feels very significant to us. It's been fun reminiscing what we were doing 10 years ago. In December 2001, Andrey traveled to Florida to meet my family for the first time. We were engaged a month later.

Christmas Eve

We had a party at our house late in the evening and lasted through the fireworks at midnight. Ella and Tessi exchanged gifts and they each got a new book.

So thankful for great friends!















We thought we'd let the girls stay up late but by 9:30 Ella was asking for bedtime. I put her to bed and then the fireworks woke her up again at midnight so she got up for a while. After the party I cleaned up and Andrey put Ella to sleep. Again! This time with me in the house. Unheard of.

Christmas Day

We slept in and then had a yummy breakfast of pancakes and bacon.

 

We didn't have time to open gifts...

...because we went for a very fun, celebratory Christmas morning worship service. There were testimonies of the Lord's provision and blessings. Everyone was dancing by the end. Despite how tired we were, it was so much fun.

We went back home for lunch, put Ella down for a nap then Andrey and I ate lunch in bed in the air conditioned comfort of our bedroom and watched a few episodes of Flight of the Concords on my laptop. Then had a nap. So relaxing.

Once Ella was up it was time to open presents. We announced, "Okay Ella, it's time to open our gifts!" and we meant, okay, let's get things ready so we can open our gifts but she didn't quite get that and went directly to the tree, grabbed a present and ripped it open before we could realize what was going on.

Thanks Mimi and Pap for the Leapfrop laptop!

Ella got several books and some fabric ice cream cones for her kitchen.

It didn't take long for Ella to get the hang of her new big girl bike. The same bike that was supposed to be a surprise but on Christmas Eve mommy dropped the ball. I let her out of my sight for a few seconds while daddy was fixing it in the back. I ran after her but it was too late. Oh well. She was happy to finally get to ride it on Christmas day.

I gathered up the energy to make an apple pie (a must for Christmas day in my family) for our simple, family Christmas dinner of leftovers.

December 26th

We skyped with both sets of parents while it was still Christmas day for them.

I love this group shot with my mom and dad. It's almost like they were here... but not quite.

We stayed home all day (Andrey is taking the whole week off, yay!!). Our good friend Charlotte joined us for dinner and happened to be around during our family pre-bed book reading time with Ella and got these shots for us.

We're off to the beach for two nights tomorrow with some friends. We are so thankful for the community we have here in the Philippines.

Hope you all are having a restful post-Christmas week!