I knew it was only a matter of time

Avery said it, the one sentence I've been waiting for "When is she going back".

Avery and I were in the car, running errands. I was trying to have some Avery and mommy alone time. We are at a stop light and Avery mumbles "why is Brennyn taking so long". I have no idea what she is talking about so I said "do you mean why she sleeps so much"? "No, I mean why is she taking so long". Still not getting this I ask again, "honey, what do you mean". "Mommy, why is she here so long?"

I couldn't help it, I started to chuckle a bit (that's why I nominate myself for mother of the year again).

I did manage to choke out that Brennyn lives with us, we are her family, etc. Avery asked again "when is she going back to China". I explained that Brennyn is her sister, to which Avery replied "no she isn't" and "She cries a lot".

I just had the talk with her again at bedtime, but I still don't think she is convinced!

Halloween

I took the girls to a harvest festival last Saturday. It involved some trick or treating at the stores downtown. Avery thought she looked pretty cute in her costume. As I was putting her in the car, she said "I hope everyone thinks I look cute, oh of course they will, I am cute". I can't make this stuff up!
I did have to pretend Brennyn's costume was a coat, because there was no way she was going to put that thing on.

Avery is still asking me why everyone kept asking her "would your little brother like some candy too?"

Brennyn won't be trick or treating on Halloween. Too much going on for her!

First sentence

Brennyn said her first sentence today. Okay, so most people probably wouldn't understand what she said but we do. It was "brush please" (sounded like buh peese). We'll take it! She did kind of say "buh buh nana" (bye bye nana) the other day too.

Let me think, what else can she say. I have to keep track on the blog because being the awesome mom I am, I didn't buy her a baby book yet. Yes, Avery has a baby book (I think the last entry was from Jan. 2008, again, awesome mom here).

Back to the words: mama, dada, dog, car, people, nana, please, thank-you, up (her favourite), Avery (sounds like riri), hot, hi, bye, good girl (because we said it so much in China), boo boo, book, duck, yummy (and she rubs her tummy).

Again, most of these words are only understood by us and her grandparents but we still count them! I can't think of anymore right now, brain doesn't work like it used to.

Oh and we taught her the sign for stop but she thinks it means don't cry in Mandarin (because we were always saying that while using the sign). The other day, a little boy was crying in Avery's preschool and Brennyn stopped what she was doing, made the sign and said "bu ku".

Appointments

Just received a phone call from the genetics department. They are now booking appointments into 2011. Great. That was the second choice hospital, we still haven't heard from Sick Kids. We also have not heard from the plastic surgery department either, which is the more urgent appointment. We did get a call from the family doctor letting us know that the plastic surgery department did tell them that we will not get in until Feb. at the earliest.
The positive side to the long wait is that Brennyn will have more time to adjust to us and her new home before she has to have surgery and spend time at the hospital.

At least we are seeing the local paediatrician in two weeks. Our poor girl has developed some seriously dry skin. Avery had dry skin as well when she first came home, but not like this. Poor girls skin is cracking and she scratches at it causing bleeding. My friend bought us some amazing cream (it's so thick you can only put it on at night) so we are hoping it helps.

Sisters

Boy oh boy can these two fight. Not that surprising, but still.
At the same time, Brennyn loves to copy everything Avery does. It is so cute. Not sure if Avery thinks it's cute.
We're still working on the jealousy, but that will take time. Can be frustrating if both kids are playing QUIETLY and suddenly Avery just has to take whatever toy Brennyn has.

Have to say that in one month Brennyn has come a long way. She doesn't even look like the same girl to me. You can see the confidence in her eyes, amazing!
Still long way to go, but wow!

Just a few random pictures taken over the last week. As usual, I have put them on out of order, but it still works!
Both girls love play dough, although Brennyn just likes to pull it apart and squish it. Daddy made a Franklin, the man puts me to shame! I just make snowmen (art was never my thing).

We put out the Halloween decorations and had some fun with the wigs. Brennyn wants to put the wigs on all the time now, so funny!

No time to blog

Really don't have much blogging time lately. Perhaps if I could stay awake past 9:00pm I could do a post or two but that just isn't happening. Brennyn is awake longer than Blair and I.
That girl would sleep in until 9:00am if we let her. I am starting to think she is going to be a night hawk, unlike the rest of us. Blair puts her to bed between 7 and 7:30 but she plays around until at least 8:30. Avery insists that mommy puts her to bed, so that is what we are doing for now.

Speaking of Avery, we're having a few big sister issues (which is not surprising at all). She is just in Brennyn's face constantly, or in our faces. I understand now why people kept telling me that going from one child to two is a major adjustment. They were not lying!

Brennyn still cries a lot around me. Almost more of a whine really. Blair seems to be able to snap her out of it, but around me she just wants to be picked up. I'm thinking she believes that I am the big softy and I will give in. Daddy on the other hand, is serious.
She could be playing perfectly well and then I come in the room and she will start to cry/whine/want to picked up, etc.
Anyone else have this happen???