There has been so many things to note since the last time I posted and many of them are related to the festive season. In order to keep a log of those momentous moments I have attached a few photos that will make you both laugh and indeed bring a tear to your eye (well they did for me!)
I hope you enjoy these photos that helped to capture the moment:
1. Visit to the Registry Office and Passport Office in Belfast - Gabriella now has her own British passport and that concludes her naturalisation process. This has been a real achievement.
2. Visit to the Christmas markets in Belfast and a brave sit on the carousel - just the need for that occasional reassurance from daddy!
3. First Christmas tree and look who put the fairy on the top
4. First Christmas card from Nana & Grandpa
5. First lesson in car mechanics
6. First haircut at the hairdressers - thank you Helen!
7. First 'Happy Meal' from Macdonald's but don't let the Health Visitor know that!!
8. My first hair clip...just about enough length - thank you Auntie Karen
9. My first quilt (and what a masterpiece that is - thank you Auntie Cecilia for putting all those hours into making me my gorgeous quilt - I just love it and spend hours studying all of the panels)
10. Transition to my new 'toddler' drinking cup - no need for a bottle or baby cup now!
Gabriella has also progressed with distinction in her Domestic Goddess course and continues to amaze me at her understanding of how things work. Only this week I saw her placing her foot on the 'on' button of the hoover in order to activate it. I had to smile since that only meant that I must hoover quite a bit (I do!!) She also likes to dust and wipe things with a cloth too!
Gabriella continues to sleep 11 hours at night and we hope that this trend continues - this has undoubtedly made our transition into family life much easier since neither of us cope with a broken nights sleep. She has grown so much and is now out of most of her clothes that were purchased upon her arrival home. This is indicative of a healthy diet and we are so pleased to see her positive progress on the WHO growth charts . She now has 10 teeth and eats very well albeit that potatoes are off the menu - she is definitely a rice girl! Gabriella has been discharged from her paediatrician and again this is a good sign of her good health and well being.
Gabriella continues to develop in the complexity of her babble and by that I mean the articulation of the tongue is developing to create more complex sounds. Her words remain limited to 'mama' 'dada' and believe it or not 'NOW!' It is amazing how a child can teach you the errs of your own grammar. Obviously during the day I must say the word 'now' quite a bit and to have it as one of Gabriella's first words is embarrassing! It reminds me of a course I once attended - we had to video record ourselves conducting an interview with a client and (as an example) it was noteworthy how many times I ended sentences with ok! I must of substituted 'ok' with 'now'...will have to consciously correct that!
Stephen and I are really looking forward our first Christmas as a family. It is a time to reflect the wonder and true meaning of Christmas, a time to remember the reason for the season. In the same way that the angel Gabriel advised Mary that she would "bring forth a son" we give thanks that God's promise to us, that was held within the verse of Jeremiah 29:11, came true - we have been truly blessed with a wonderful little girl who we are so proud to call our daughter.
I leave you with this thought......
Legacy of an Adopted Child
Once there were two women who never knew each other.
One you do not remember, the other you call mother.
Two different lives, shaped to make your one...
One became your guiding star, the other became your sun.
The first gave you life and the second taught you to live it.
The first gave you a need for love, and the second was there to give it.
One gave you a nationality, the other gave you a name.
One gave you a seed of talent, the other gave you an aim.
One gave you emotions, the other calmed your fears.
One saw your first sweet smile, the other dried your tears.
One gave you up ... that's all she could do.
The other prayed for a child and God led her straight to you.
And now you ask me, through your fears,
the age old question unanswered throughout the years...
Heredity or environment, which are you the product of?
Neither, my darling, neither.
Just two different kinds of love.
One you do not remember, the other you call mother.
Two different lives, shaped to make your one...
One became your guiding star, the other became your sun.
The first gave you life and the second taught you to live it.
The first gave you a need for love, and the second was there to give it.
One gave you a nationality, the other gave you a name.
One gave you a seed of talent, the other gave you an aim.
One gave you emotions, the other calmed your fears.
One saw your first sweet smile, the other dried your tears.
One gave you up ... that's all she could do.
The other prayed for a child and God led her straight to you.
And now you ask me, through your fears,
the age old question unanswered throughout the years...
Heredity or environment, which are you the product of?
Neither, my darling, neither.
Just two different kinds of love.
Wishing you a blessed Christmas and New Year
Love Caroline, Stephen & Gabriella xxxPhotographs:
With mummy at Passport Office
My first ride on a carousel...it went a bit faster than I expected!
My first 'Happy Meal'
Don't I look pretty with my new hair clip?
Daddy is now competing with mummy's domestic goddess course - he will make sure I will not be a damsel in distress should my car break down!!!!
Getting my hair cut....just keeping a good eye on those scissors!
Yippee...my passport has arrived! Don't I look cute??
Just making sure that there are no mistakes!
I achieved merit in my domestic goddess course....technique was assessed as fully competent
My new cup....no more baby cup for me!
Auntie Cecilia spent hundred's of hours making me my first quilt...it is a masterpiece and an heirloom....pictured here proudly with Auntie Cecilia & Uncle Gordon
I love a good novel....
Concentrating on putting the baubles on the tree...perfect
A Christmas tree is not complete without the fairy on the top...daddy helped lift me up!
My first Christmas card from nana and grandpa
Just posing! I am good at that too! but do not let daddy see me with the lipstick :)
