The Summer Begins

This week Deanna was busy with many activities. She attended a day camp at the church where she goes for daycare/preschool. It was everyday, which she is not use to, but she really seemed to enjoy it. I do notice that she interacts more with the teenagers and adults than with the kids her age.

Jeremy is home with us for the summer. Deanna, Jeremy and I drove to Corvallis to pick up some of his things. It was fun for her to see where he lives when he is not with us. She LOVES playing with him and having him around but he is such a big tease! However I do think this bothers me more than it does Deanna.

This week she started private speech therapy. The first visit consisted mostly of testing and assessment, so the real work will begin next week. We are also in the process of evaluation for services through Early Intervention and Doernbecher Children's Hospital. It is clear she will need a lot of work so we are anxious to begin. With her speech delay it is easy for people to forget she has a language barrier as well. (Although her comprehension is excellent)

Deanna loves to play ball and actually is a very good at catching and throwing for her age. She is a girl at heart though, when I went to take her picture with the bat she was hugging and kissing it. I'm sure in all of our years of baseball I never saw either of the boys do that!

Today was very hot so we got out the slip and slide. She didn't quite understand the concept at first but Jeremy was there to demonstrate. He is an old hand at the slip and slide. We all had a great time watching and/or participating and everyone escaped with no injuries. I think this is the beginning of a very busy, hectic, and fun summer.

The Playhouse!!

After several weeks of bad weather, we were finally able to finish the playhouse.

Last winter, well before we went to Ukraine I bought this playhouse for our future daughter. The people I bought if from wanted it gone right away so Jordan, his friend Dave and I disassembled it by flashlight and brought it home one very dark, cold, and foggy night. It has been sitting in the yard in a pile ever since. So after excavating, building a foundation and floor, some paint, trim and hardware, it looks pretty good. The boys said Deanna would never use it and I was just fulfilling my own childhood dream (partially true), but as soon as it was finished she got her dolls, some blankets and a littlel crib and hauled them all out there completely on her own. She has been out there every day since, often with the dogs as they are also fond if it. Now I must begin planning for the interior decor ......

Dancer in Training

Today Deanna started dance classes! We know she has rhythm and moves already, so she's going to have a lot of fun perfecting her skills and learning new ones. She was very excited ahead of time and loved her new dance clothes. In the class she had no trouble following directions and keeping up with everyone. She did keep her eye on me throughout the class, so I don't think I'll be able to sneak out anytime soon. I think this will be first of many such classes.

Mimi and Grampa

Deanna has been having fun hanging out with my parents, also known as Mimi and Grampa. We have been with them at the beach a couple times and of course to Mexico. They are even willing to come to our house to watch her when needed. She is the only granddaughter they have so that makes her very special. Spending time with Deanna will keep you young, she has endless energy and will give you a run for your money!

Meeting New Friends

My mom hosted a very nice party so some of her good friends and family members could meet Deanna. We had a very nice time, and the guests were very generous with gifts. We really appreciate everyones willingness to make her feel so special! Deanna really enjoyed the whole experience.

3 Months Home

We have now had Deanna home for three months! She has experienced so many new things and places and always enjoys everything. She has also endured a major surgical procedure with very little complaint. She is very energetic and really keeps you on your toes. She also likes to test her limits quite regularly, but overall she is very happy and extremely affectionate!! She has a habit of taking other peoples things such as car keys, garage door openers, cell phones, etc and moving them to another location. The good part is she always remembers exactly where she put them! Her english comprehension is excellent and we actually take for granted that she understands everything we say.

We were able to take her to the beach again, which she really loves. She and Rosie (her best friend) got a lot of exercise. It was nice to spend more time with Mimi and Grampa too.