September seems to be a busy month of important events!

Eleven years ago our lives changed and a family was formed! I married a star trek loving, hard working, soccer playing young man. Life certainly has thrown a few challenges our way, and I have a feeling there are more to come. However, we make a united front and muddle our way through.

I love as much today as yesterday. You are a great Daddy, all your girls love you!!
Oh, and of course, we haven't aged a day.

Happy Brennyn Day

Tomorrow is the third anniversary of the day we met our youngest daughter. Three years, my goodness. I can only think that if we were to go back to China tomorrow, no-one would recognize this little girl, she has come so very far in three short years. She is a strong, brave, sweet child. Her strenth amazes me, I am so proud to be her mother. I don't care that people may stare at us when she acts a little "crazy" in crowds. In fact, I want to turn to them and explain how exraordinary this child is, and how sick she was three years ago. I want to tell them how much this child has gone through in the first 5 years of her life, but it's none of their business.

We love you Brennyn Yi Rui. We are privileged to call you our daughter. I will never forget the day we met. I will never forget our time in China, it was hard but we made it work didn't we. I knew you were one special kid the first second I saw you (I know, I'm your mom so I am biased but it's so true). You are a fighter, my daughter and you make me so proud!

Our first picture together, above.

3 years later!

Awesome day yesterday. Sick Kids Plastics department rocks!! We had such a great time at the Congenital Hand family day. Very informative discussions for the adults and lot's of fun for the kids. My girls loved the drum session (they were able to play after some instruction and story telling with the drums). It's all they could talk about, and of course, they now want drums for Christmas, ha ha ha.

It was very interesting to see the surgeons and their teams (especially, our physiotherapist) outside of the clinical setting. This is on their own time, and it was quite the event. It was obvious that a lot of time and effort went into planning this occasion.
It was wonderful for the kids to be hang out with other kids who also have hand differences. Brennyn met a little friend who was like a mini Brennyn, just as outgoing and sweet, and perhaps a little excited. It was kind of funny to watch them playing, I think Brennyn actually got a little annoyed at her little friend, because she kept grabbing on to her and wanting to play (too much like herself). In the end, they had a great time together. Even Avery was running around with them, laughing and playing.

Did I already say how awsome the day was??

We are so excited around here, this coming Saturday we are attending the Sick Kids (Plastics division) families with congenital hand differences picnic. Looks like it is going to be a great day for the kids and educational for the parents. I volunteered to speak on the panel, have no idea what I'm going to say but I'm always up for a challenge. My husband mentioned that I don't seem to have anything prepared, but I've done a few adoption panels and it's all good. People want you to speak from the heart (well that's what I like to hear from people, the doctors and other professionals can handle the medical speak).

Personally, I am looking forward to meeting other families who have children born with hand differences.
Brennyn will be happy to see her favourite physiotherapist! There may be lots of other kids there but everyone always remembers Brennyn!

It's difficult to post about something you really need to keep private

Here is something that I find interesting:
We have a semi-open adoption situation with Avery's family who live a world away. That distance (and the language situation) make it very difficult to have a relationship, but we are trying on all sides.

In our situation (well it's really their situation with Avery) they just want updates every once in awhile. They wanted to know what happened to their daughter! They wanted to explain to Avery why they felt they had to give her up (in their words).

I guess the interesting part to me, is in a culture, where it is still taboo to talk about adoption, they risked so much to find out where their daughter had gone. Yet, here I am in Canada basically being ignored by people who live 30 minutes away (where apparently, the subject of adoption and birth family is still taboo).

Speaking of school

Brennyn had a great first week, happy to meet some new friends (her best friend is in the afternoon kindergarten this year, but they may be together next year again).

Avery, on the other hand, is doing okay. She has adjusted well to the amount of time she is in school (grade 1, so the first year of going all day every day). It's the socialization that still suffers.
It's the same at gymnastics, she does not talk. All I can think about is how lonely she must feel. As a mom (and a very shy person) I just want to find a way to make it easier for her to talk to kids outside of her own environment (because bring a child to our house, and it's non stop talk).
However, the more we bring the situation to light, the more she shuts down (or rolls her eyes at us).
Of course, she also takes out her frustration on her sister and I, which is unacceptable. She picks on her sister, constantly is in her face, etc. It seems obvious to me (the non professional) that she feels out of control at school, etc. so she feels a need to control her home environment.


In other education related news, Brennyn has started her assesment with the local infant and development team. The team and I are wondering if the testing part is not a waste, since it is clear that Brennyn is one smart cookie (knew that). The testing is more to show developmental delays in thinking, memory, etc. which B does not have any issues with. Her issues are more behavoural in nature. There is a huge questionnaire that the teacher and the parents fill out which addresses more of the behvioural aspects. Should have all this done by the middle of October, which makes me feel like we are getting somewhere now!!

School time!

Grade 1 and SK, watch out world here they come!

Back to school pancakes (tried to make an S for School).