at 19 1/2 months old that girl of mine sure cracks me up!
She is certain that King Tritan (on The Little Mermaid) is Santa, or HoHo as she calls him.
She hides or even just covers her eyes and waits quite long for you to notice she is "gone". She then starts yelling "Ella" "Hiding".
She thinks all cats are named Ollie.
Shakes her finger and says "No, no, no!" at me or anyone else she believes is naughty.
Likes to watch Yo Gabba Gabba "Gabba", and Curious George "monkey".
Responds yes to questions by saying "okay".
Still uses her eyebrows to give death glares.
Is getting better with people, but still has issues with people who aren't her caregivers.
Likes to play trucks, cooking and babies. She also likes to help take care of the real babies at school "skoo". I'm sure the teachers appreciate her wonderful help!
Can follow directions quite well, sometimes even 2-3 step directions.
Loves to read.
She is usually to busy to snuggle but lately has been more affectionate and allowed me more cuddle time.
Thursday, January 10, 2013
Wednesday, January 2, 2013
Liberated
Congress Extends Adoption Tax Credit
January 2, 2013 – Alexandria, VA – Late Tuesday night, Congress passed the American Taxpayer Relief Act which will become law upon President Obama’s signature. Amongst the provisions of this Act was an extension of the adoption tax credit.
...
Complete details of implementation are still to be seen, but the bill permanently extends the adoption tax credit which is set at $10,000, but may once again be scaled for inflation, potentially bringing it to near the 2012 amount of $12,650. Families with incomes under $150,000 will receive the full credit and it will gradually phase out for higher incomes.
“Congress is to be commended for remembering children and families as a priority. The adoption tax credit is an important layer of support for families who adopt. The credit helps ensure children find their way to safe, stable, loving, and permanent families” says Megan Lindsey of National Council For Adoption. “We are grateful to Congress, the Obama administration, and our many partnering advocates in the Save the Adoption Tax Credit Working Group for their tireless efforts on behalf of this important credit.”
For those of you who don't know adoption is EXPENSIVE. Ella's adoption cost me more than my brand new SUV, and about half of my years gross income. Recently adoption costs have been skyrocketing, and I have been trying to resolve to myself that Ella will be an only child even though my original intention was that I would adopt a sister down the road. I simply can't afford to live the lifestyle I am comfortable with paying for another adoption and another child. Today this may have changed. Backtrack to Ella's adoption, I got her just under the wire to receive a tax rebate of 13k. Her adoption was finalized on December 19, 2011. If that had happened even 2 weeks later I would have lost that money making adoption really quite out of my reach especially for a second time. Now it appears as there will likely be a permanent tax incentive making adoptions financially "reachable" for families that may have not been able to otherwise. It also means that if I so choose I could pursue another adoption. I feel liberated in that I will have a choice. I may not choose to actually do it, but it will be an option.
All of this being said, who knows what will happen in domestic adoptions in the next couple of years. Russia closing may change the dynamics substantially, but as of now this new development has brought me peace in the fact that I will have a choice and not that a choice will automatically be made for me.
And because I know everyone is here for pictures here are some from Christmas
January 2, 2013 – Alexandria, VA – Late Tuesday night, Congress passed the American Taxpayer Relief Act which will become law upon President Obama’s signature. Amongst the provisions of this Act was an extension of the adoption tax credit.
...
Complete details of implementation are still to be seen, but the bill permanently extends the adoption tax credit which is set at $10,000, but may once again be scaled for inflation, potentially bringing it to near the 2012 amount of $12,650. Families with incomes under $150,000 will receive the full credit and it will gradually phase out for higher incomes.
“Congress is to be commended for remembering children and families as a priority. The adoption tax credit is an important layer of support for families who adopt. The credit helps ensure children find their way to safe, stable, loving, and permanent families” says Megan Lindsey of National Council For Adoption. “We are grateful to Congress, the Obama administration, and our many partnering advocates in the Save the Adoption Tax Credit Working Group for their tireless efforts on behalf of this important credit.”
For those of you who don't know adoption is EXPENSIVE. Ella's adoption cost me more than my brand new SUV, and about half of my years gross income. Recently adoption costs have been skyrocketing, and I have been trying to resolve to myself that Ella will be an only child even though my original intention was that I would adopt a sister down the road. I simply can't afford to live the lifestyle I am comfortable with paying for another adoption and another child. Today this may have changed. Backtrack to Ella's adoption, I got her just under the wire to receive a tax rebate of 13k. Her adoption was finalized on December 19, 2011. If that had happened even 2 weeks later I would have lost that money making adoption really quite out of my reach especially for a second time. Now it appears as there will likely be a permanent tax incentive making adoptions financially "reachable" for families that may have not been able to otherwise. It also means that if I so choose I could pursue another adoption. I feel liberated in that I will have a choice. I may not choose to actually do it, but it will be an option.
All of this being said, who knows what will happen in domestic adoptions in the next couple of years. Russia closing may change the dynamics substantially, but as of now this new development has brought me peace in the fact that I will have a choice and not that a choice will automatically be made for me.
And because I know everyone is here for pictures here are some from Christmas
Friday, December 21, 2012
Tuesday, November 27, 2012
18 months
My big girls weight is 20 pounds 9 ounces 4th percentile, her head is 46.5cm 48th percentile, and her length is 29 3/4 inches which is 6th percentile.
I honestly can't believe Ella is closer to 2 than 1. She is doing phenominal. Her level of understanding is easily above level. She has great communication skills. She knows TONS of words, but many of them sound similar. Usually situationally I can fiqure out what she is getting at. Esecially since she mixes sign language with spoken language and then adds her own gestures. It is amazing how much development I see in her language every single day.
She is WALKING! Recently she just decided she would, so she did. She actually rarely walks and prefers to run. She can also climb pretty much anything.
She loves singing. Up until recently "Wheels in the bus" and "If your happy and you know it", but now she is slightly obsessed with Santa. She loves "Up on the housetop", "Frosty the snoman", and "Santa clause is coming to town."
She still likes playing with babies and trucks the most. She also likes tv. Bo On The Go and Elmo are the favorites.
I honestly can't believe Ella is closer to 2 than 1. She is doing phenominal. Her level of understanding is easily above level. She has great communication skills. She knows TONS of words, but many of them sound similar. Usually situationally I can fiqure out what she is getting at. Esecially since she mixes sign language with spoken language and then adds her own gestures. It is amazing how much development I see in her language every single day.
She is WALKING! Recently she just decided she would, so she did. She actually rarely walks and prefers to run. She can also climb pretty much anything.
She loves singing. Up until recently "Wheels in the bus" and "If your happy and you know it", but now she is slightly obsessed with Santa. She loves "Up on the housetop", "Frosty the snoman", and "Santa clause is coming to town."
She still likes playing with babies and trucks the most. She also likes tv. Bo On The Go and Elmo are the favorites.
Monday, November 12, 2012
Less than a year between
Someone stole my precious baby and replaced her with a darling little girl! Perhaps it was Santa!
Sunday, November 11, 2012
Pain of adoption
Adoption is painful. I don't know that I could have understood the emotional complexity of adopting before having actually been there. I read a quote that "in a perfect world there would be no adoption". This is true. I am proud to have a gorgeous, wonderful daughter that happens to be adopted. However there is a flip-side to every coin. For me to have my love, someone elses had to be taken. For my family to be created another had to be torn apart. It is hard for me to not think about this. I wonder on a daily basis if her birth-family thinks about her, misses her, or if they regret their decision. I wonder if in several years she will be contacted by her siblings, or the parents that she never knew. Will she hate them? Will she feel like they "gave" her away? At the same time what is my role in the situation. I want more than anything to tell her she was loved and worshiped and she is missed every single second of every single day and have it be true, but is it the truth? The truth is I don't know. There are allot of questions she will someday ask that I simply don't have the answer to. Of course there will also be questions I know the answer to, but may not want to share. There is not instruction book for life after YOUR adoption. Figuring it out will be a guessing game. I just hope I guess right!
Thursday, November 1, 2012
National Adoption Month
*also know that much of my journey to my adoption is documented under a different blog. www.meandmylittle4.blogspot.com feel free to pop over and read posts from over there is you are interested!
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