I am 2 - Two!!!! Our first birthday together!

Yes AnnaLeisa is now two..... and it was nice to be here in NS sharing it with those that came to China -family. I made a cake and felt like a mother; and had such a nice time baking it for her. And she had ice cream for the first time. She loved it and of course learned quite quickly how to say it. What a treat in the summer heat of day and to watch her little tongue sway back and forth trying to catch the little drips. Amazing to watch a child's world open and to see the 'in the moment' delight with such simple little things. It means I get to enter that simplicity too and to catch moments that really life is for. I am reminded frequently by other parents to enjoy this time as it passes so quickly and I do hope that I catch all those moments that I can. To really share her years.

More family shots in Nova Scotia

These are some of the family shots and as you can see we are having fun.....! As AnnaLeisa gets older she does remember more of her loved ones. Colin and Derek are lifeguarding at the seaside and we often played at the beaches. Halifax also offers much at the waterfront so we walked and sat at cafes watching boats go by. We also had use of a friend of my brother's cabin near Risser's beach so that we another time of relaxation... no computers, no phones and just good ole books and some pretty rousing games.

The Nova Scotia seas

It seems that to capture our time in Nova Scotia we will do a number of entries. Despite poor weather for a significant period of time we did manage to have nice play days at the beaches. Our seas here are wonderfully loud and full and complete with sand dunes, seagulls, big waves and time with sand castles and pails and shovels. AnnaLeisa became braver daily and really showed me how careful and adventurous she is! Her Chinese middle name 'Jin' means careful and cautious. She truly knows her limits and I get to respect them. She now knows how to say 'beach', 'happy' and the most common one these days is 'mine'. She adores her G'ma and G'pa and their home will be quiet when we leave on Tues. I think with the weather in Edmonton we were best here in the cooler temps, and in the basement bedroom, as the heat clearly is hard on AnnaLeisa's sleeping.

We had a wonderful time in the East being together while I was on the end tail of my parental leave. When we return to our little house and dogs we both start work - so to speak. I return to part time and AnnaLeisa has another adjustment as she enters the big world of daycare. It is time but I must say this period of being together has been soooo wonderful. I have always thought the art of parenting is to let go graciously at the right times and I now get to know how hard that can be...... I will miss my little side kick.

Great at home shots.... as she grows and grows.....

We have been so busy with much ... not the least of which is trying to organize childcare for AnnaLeisa. Our time at home is soon ending as I need to start part time work in Aug. I dread to see all of this end and on the other hand it may be good for us both as AnnaLeisa loves to play and is an extrovert at heart. And I will miss her dearly and .... well quite possibly (?) I may enjoy going back to work?

We are planning our time home in Nova Scotia as we are with G'ma and G'pa and all of our family from June 25- July 31. Time in the sea and sand... We have good people staying with the puppies and that is nice.

AnnaLeisa has been getting her bottom molars in and I am learning how difficult that is for little ones. Again sleep is disrupted and she needs her Moma. She loves her dolls and stuffed animals and I have to read books to them also. She also loves to feed, rock and sleep with them too....

she is doing so well and we are having ups and downs and I am learning the art of mothering and how humbling all of that can be at times........

an honor and responsibility and such an amazing relationship to nurture another......
Dear AnnaLeisa I love you so......

G'ma and G'pa come to town!

My parents flew from Nova Scotia to visit with us for 10 days and it was a delightful time. Dad of course did much for me including staining a very large fence. And we all enjoyed our girl who sang and danced her way deeper into their hearts. For me it was wonderful to have them stay in our home and live our life with us.... and to share my girl with family that live afar. She thrived on so much attention and really is becoming more and more of a little comic goof. The mornings were early, the days hot and the love abundant. It makes a difference that my parents traveled with us to China as the connection includes her land and her history. They met her when I did and are integral in our relationship.

Thanks Mom and Dad.... we love you! So do Kirby and Lola (who were walked more often).

Mother's Day and Quilts with Meaning

You may remember an older post about all the fabrics collected from dear friends for what is called a " Hundred Good Wishes Quilt". Well here is our finished collection of so much love. It is for AnnaLeisa - for her to snuggle in, to lay on and to read like a book in terms of the many images and all the collections of stories of who contributed. It was orchestrated by my dear friend Rochelle who embodies listening to the mother. Who loves to wait for the flow to direct and who watched this quilt have it's own life and rhythm based on AnnaLeisa and my journey. Through the long wait to referral, to our meeting in China and to the pulse of our now evolving relationship. It was finished this week in time for Mother's Day.

There is a unique front and then a back that was needed to include the many fabrics that arrived.

AnnaLeisa immediately pulled the quilt to her and as you can see her and Kirby have made it home!

We love it! Thank you to all of our friends and family who stitched with us and who sent fabrics to weave into the total of our lives.

Now to snuggle!

Here is a lovely quote I just found about the quilt.....

"It is a tradition exists in the northern part of China to make a Bai Jia Bei (a.k.a. 100 Good Wishes Quilt). When a baby is born, family & friends donate to the child's mother fabric with a written wish for the new baby. It is said that the luck,energy and good wishes from all the families and friends who contributed the fabric surrounds the child when she is wrapped in the quilt. The quilt is then passed down from generation to generation."

The Noodle Noodle Again - visits with China Friends

Our travel group included four families from Alberta...we managed to coordinate ourselves and to traverse through a downtown marathon race to meet at the Noodle Noodle for a scrumptous Dim Sum. It was so great to see everyone and especially the 4 girls after 6 months living with their families. They had enough room to play with big sisters and brothers and to also be photographed with 2 of the dads.

AnnaLeisa in true form devoured much and immediately started to use the chopsticks on her noodles.

I feel it is important for AnnaLeisa to stay connected to her peer "sisters" and also to her homeland China. It may not always be easy but it is one of my priorities. And then one day she will have more to say for herself in this regard and I will honor her choices ......

A West Coast Outing!

AnnaLeisa and I just returned from a very special trip to Vancouver. We had been postponing our journey for ages but then took the leap west. I had lived in Vancouver for 17 years so it is a wonderful and familiar place for me to visit again. And I have deep friends eternal that had yet to meet AnnaLeisa....
It poured the day we arrived and then the sun appeared and the heavens opened and on many levels the doors continued to invite us to enjoy more.

Sean is an old friend whom I hold dearly in my heart for all that he offers me in terms of true friendship. Our love seems to be one that spans the stars
and then plunges deeply to other places that remain mysterious. I thank him for all .......and for meeting me there.
And to Sean's wife Sarah - I say thank you for being the aunt that teaches of earth and connecting .... and playing.
And Laurie..... Auntie... and friend of the songs kind. One who remains....and then some.....forever heart.













... a memorable time and as you can see AnnaLeisa met the sea and the sand and wind .....and the perennial mountain backdrop.....
and now she has inprinted the hearts of many friends.....
thanks....

Our Easter Bunnies

We have been gently reminded that we have not posted in awhile and so I take heed! I really do not know how many people read of our lives but I am touched by those who mention they follow our life and love.

We have been full on! And full in terms of life is so good!

Let us begin with Easter and then repost....We woke to dogs barking and then shadows hopping on our lawn. Dark coats with while pijamas underneath? They hopped about and planted eggs all over our snowy lawn. They then entered the house to AnnaLeisa's delight and gave her a basket with a stuffed bunny... then they hunted...... and hunted and they found treasures of only a bunny kind.....
such such fun! Thanks guys....!

Raspberry Yogurt - our first video post

Well we had such fun last night and I was inspired by friends to post on our blog....

I was not able to post directly but you can access AnnaLeisa and her laugh on youtube... gosh the world is changing..... she just watched herself on this screen and then started to laugh at herself laughing.....

cold again in Edmonton and I do wonder when it will all shift....?

This is AnnaLeisa at Ikea --- she sure does love to push those little shopping carts - must be so much nicer than sitting in one?

We go to Ikea on cold mornings to play in the kids zone. Pushing the cart is more fun than the toys....

We are well and would love to hear from you!
PS: April 9th is 6 months since we met....... Wow! Hard to put this time in perspective as it seems we have always been together......


http://youtube.com/watch?v=mJIiumQtkS4

Growing Up! And Fast!

Spring is arriving and the snow that has been on the ground since our arrival from China in Oct is now surely melting! AnnaLeisa is enjoying her new boots and loves to stomp in the big puddles, the mud, the slush and the remaining snow. It is a hardy challenge as she needs to find new legs on the rough terrain each step. She loves to run up and down little hills but is wary of falling as the few times she has are big surprises!
My girl is growing soooo fast. I look at her lying in bed and am surprised each time by how long her legs are.....not such a baby anymore.

She has many words now including bra! Ball, bird, Mom, up, dog, woof, toe, and ohoh. She is very proud of all of her accomplishments and beams smiles with each new achievement. Just now she has climbed up the chair next to me and then back down. Such a smile!

She is also now taking off all of her clothes and then attempting to put them on. Hard for me to keep my girl warm. It is interesting to see the arrangements she orchestrates with her attempts. One foot in a pantleg and then the other trying to go in the bottom of the other leg. She gets tangled and frustrated but perseveres regardless.

We are still not sleeping well ..... AnnaLeisa wakes every 2-3 hours so a night with one spell beyond 3 hours is a reason to celebrate. She starts in her crib then joins me at some point and we toss..... and cuddle. What to do?!

The photos here are during one of our many walks..... we still love the ravine and watching me push the stroller up the ravine slush hills with AnnaLeisa and two dogs in toe must be a sight.
Here is one of the first times AnnaLeisa touched a tree..... she loves the pine trees and insists on me picking a small sprig for her to hold during our walks. Even not minding the prickles.


This is AnnaLeisa in a friend's coat and boots. All are free for attempts at mastering dressing up!

And soon we will be out on the sidewalk with various "wheels". She loves this toy and of course those hot boots.

Well.... off to playgroup. Have a great week-end.
Karla and AnnaLeisa

Chinese New Year 2007 at the Noodle Noodle Dim Sum

For the last two years I have attended the Chinese New Year event at the Noodle Noodle restaurant dreaming.....! I loved seeing the girls and meeting all the parents but it was all in anticipation of meeting my own daughter. Well this Chinese New Year was soooo full for me ..... AnnaLeisa and I were there together and I was beaming with love and joy. To have her home and with all of the other little girls was rich. She had a great time eating Chinese Dim Sum and sat next to her orphanage friend in a high chair. (They lived together at Leizhou and probably played together). At one point we looked over and they were holding hands.

It was nice to see old friends and to encourage and support those waiting.

The Dragon did dance into the restaurant with very very loud drums and that frightened AnnaLeisa so we missed the parade and made our way home for a needed nap. Satiated and full on many levels.

Camera news...

There was a tantalizing string hanging from the table and of course AnnaLeisa pulled on it! Who wouldn't? So it was attached to my camera.... it is now in for an estimate and possible repairs...
This week end is Chinese New Year and we are moving into the year of the pig. So I will purchase a disposable camera and try to post AnnaLeisa's picture from our Dim Sum celebration on Sunday. P.S. She is great!

our new look! to cut or not to cut?

Well as you can see our girl is growing rapidly and continues to shock me with her new realms. She comprehends pretty much everything I say to her and is now saying new words daily. Including "no, no, no, no "repetitively! She has me laughing outright frequently. The other day we were in the mall and I attempted to find some hair products for her long bangs and this was one touted item. I was laughing so loud in the mall as she cruised down the hall. Well, as you can see, it is so cute and so AnnaLeisa in terms of her persona....... and her mothers... not so adept at the girly things. The barretts were even more askew. But I also realized few of our blog photos show her smile and her joy. Her sense of humor is also growing daily.

On a positive and long awaited note we slept the last two nights for 6 consecutive hours and that has been the first! Hurrah! She still has small itchy sores which we now attribute to "post scabies pustulosis". Certainly not anticipated as I had never heard of them .... and they apparently are here for awhile... but otherwise her skin is fantasitic.

I love her dearly and am so happy.... we are active and at the library or playgroups and she remains an extrovert with a close eye out for Moma.

What can I say...... she's my girl! My little warrior.

Our Wonderful Quilt!

We have a wonderful tradition with my fellow colleagues to create a quilt for members who are either leaving, getting married or having a child. We get together and cooperatively make a personalized quilt for the team member. It usually occurs over time with one evening where we come together and chat and sew and drink a little wine. (After the finer details have been completed!). It is a wonderful tradition and has created a bond such as I have not known in any other work setting.

Before I left for Nova Scotia holidays the girls gave AnnaLeisa and I a shower and we were presented with our own unique quilt. It was taken from the first page insert of a book entitled


"The Great Race" by David Bouchard. It won the Canadian Children's Book Center Choice Award and is essentially a book detailing how the Chinese Astrology came to be! The paintings are wonderful and the animals beautifully presented.
We both love the quilt and the book and the quilt is now in my car as I proudly take it on our travels to show off. Soon it will be hanging in AnnaLeisa's bedroom - that is if she lets go of it!
A special thanks to Pat who has been the creative and life force behind the projects!
I love our quilt!

Our Christmas past!

Here is AnnaLeisa with her cousins Brett and Derek (Colin's brothers). She was loved up and loved up! So wonderful to see her joy!
And the family photos is the first of all of us together! What a year this has been dear daughter!

Our Christmas was somewhat tainted but trips to the doctor, the Children's emergency room and finally an emergency dermatologist apt here in Nova Scotia. AnnaLeisa has developed a rash that became progressively worse to the point where she would scream and dig and her mom and her would both be crying in the night. The GP recommended a scabies treatment that would supposedly make the itch worse. Well it did and in the night Grandma and I took her to emerg for relief. At this point they said it was not scabies and made a referral to a derm. specialist. Who then said that she could not say it was not scabies.... so a retreatment. And creams and creams... for the dermatitis that could have been caused by too many changes..... internally and externally the weather has seen dramatic shifts.

So the long and short of it is that AnnaLeisa is now back to sleeping on Moma's chest as that is when she settles and has relief. Full circle and into co-sleeping again.

She has been brilliant in all of this! And we are more bonded than ever. So hopefully our return to Edmonton on the 11th will be less dramatic in terms of adjustment.

Great photos eh?!