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One year later....Cleo and Her Friends |
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Written by Stephanie
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Saturday, 12 January 2008 |
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We are lucky that so many of the girs that Cleo grew up with in China all live relatively close and all the families we met and shared the experience of a lifetime with in China are still in constant contact. So, even those that can't get together regularly always know what's going on! This year we were able to get most of the girls together for a reunion on the weekend of Forever Family day and to celebrate one giant two year birthday party as they are all turning two within a month of each other....with Audrey leading the pack! Here are some pics from the big day!  All the little angels (?) in a row...sorta!  Emma  Gwen  Audrey  Kelly and Layla  Lauren  Not to be outdone....Cleo  Grace  What fabulous cupcakes Jen!  Grant and Olivia  And the hostesses....Ann-Marie and Eva  Cleo with her Mommy |
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A year later.... |
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Written by Stephanie
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Friday, 11 January 2008 |
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What a different world, what a different little girl. All grown up and walking, talking, running and generally enjoying life. We're all so lucky to have her with us....thank you CCAA!  January 11th, 2007 in China - Forever Family Day 2007!  Forever Family Day 2008 at home! |
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Cleo's 23 months!! |
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Written by Stephanie
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Thursday, 03 January 2008 |
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I can’t believe that this is the last month we’ll be able to think of her as a one year old. With Christmas just barely behind us her second birthday is looming large. So are all the milestones that come along with it – our first Forever Family Day anniversary, our one year home milestone….wow, how the time has flown! Last year at this time our entire focus was about packing, repacking and getting on that plane to China. Cleo’s talking more and more now. She’s connecting words and giving out orders – ha! Charles is Daddy, I’m Mommy and the constant refrain around our house is “Bye, bye Mommy”, “Hi there Mommy” or “Daddy down!” (picked up after spending a day at her Nana and Papa’s house where their dogs were constantly being told to get down)...she uses the hand gestures too – ha! She’s so much fun! She’s babbling and picking up new words every day. She loves to dance and will ‘sing songs in her head’. We’ll just randomly see her sitting and humming to herself wit her head bopping away, which is just too much fun. Her first Christmas was quite the adventure. I can safely say that she had the most fun ripping the wrapping paper off the gifts and moving on to the next one, rather than the gifts themselves….”more, more” was frequently heard (much to my horror). She did get totally spoiled so the command was often met with ‘more, and more’. Sigh. She’s still madly in love with Playdough, Puppy and Elmo but has added babies and her kitchen to her list of preferred toys. Of course, when she puts her ‘baby’ in her ‘oven’ one has to worry about her future as a babysitter?? She's also suddenly into imaginative play, she loves to dress up, carrying a purse, putting on extra skirts, Halloween costumes, etc. Speaking of which, she’s started dressing herself…rather than just removing her socks and shoes she now puts them on from time to time….which is nice. She’s also still the queen of cleanup..loving to put things in the garbage. Now if only she wouldn’t get things on the floor in the first place things would be really good. Milestones this month – a get together with her friends just before the holidays, playtime with Grace and Eva over the holidays, and most of all her first Christmas here in Canada with her family!!  Our Christmas Angel?!  Kelly, Cleo and Eva...  Eva time...  Lauren and her hat?!  Grace on her car...what's she planning?  Megan...enough pictures already?!  Emma figuring out the truck!  Cleo with Grace and Jen!  Eva, can't you just see her as a teenager!?  Grace, Eva and Cleo...buddies!  Grace and Eva...snuggle time!  Grrrrrrr.....  Grace prepares to jump!  Cleo and her beads!  Santa's helper and her Aunt April!  Cleo shares a moment with her GG and Spencer!
 What can you say?  Looks at all those presents...guess who most of them were for?  Cleo and her Uncle Mike! She's helping him open his gift!  Grandma...I like your robe!  Cleo and her Grandma playing at her new table!  This was Cleo on Christmas morning!  Cleo opening gifts on Christmas Day!  Cleo gets her first ornament, a family tradition continues!
 Look at my ornament Mommy!  Putting it on the tree with Daddy!  Cleo in her new dress!  Hey! What is that lying in the clean laundry?  Sharing a moment with Mommy!  Papa, is this for me?!  Ah, the constant eater is happy again!  Cleo, her Aunt April and Spencer
 Cleo on the day she turned 23 months!  Cleo singing to herself!  Cleo snuggling with Mac on the kitchen floor!  We can't believe how big she's getting!
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Cleo's 22 months!! |
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Written by Stephanie
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Monday, 03 December 2007 |
Cleo celebrated this milestone in Calgary with her Daddy’s family where we were together for an early family Christmas with her Grandpapa, Dorothy, Aunt Cathy, Uncle Rob and cousins, Natalie, Emilie and Noel. We played outside in the morning enjoying the frigid Alberta weather and taking advantage of the ‘loaner’ sled from her cousins to go to the local park. Despite the minus 15 degree weather our little girl insisted on spending some quality time on the swings – in her snowsuit, hat, scarf and mittens of course!
This is the week I became Mommy rather than Mama or Ma. This is such a fun time in her life. She loved visiting her cousins and her first sightings of Santa. She doesn’t understand what the excitement is all about, but she sure caught on quickly to the idea of the Christmas tree and presents for everyone. She’s quite the little Elf, and loved handing out the gifts to everyone in the family. I’m proud to say that there were no tears with Santa. My little musical baby also fell in love with the harp at the Christmas brunch we attended at her Grandpapa’s club. The harpist was very accommodating to Cleo’s curiosity and let her play on her lap.
The words are coming gradually, but she’s babbling a lot more to herself so we’re all confident that when she starts speaking she’s going to be quite the little motor mouth. She also learned how to jump this month. She’s been trying for months but this is the first month she actually consistently ‘gets air’. She’s also become an Elmo fan and Playdoh is the toy of the moment. Her faithful puppy is still very much around and her music classes with Daddy are a favourite. The CD from her class is frequently requested. She’s also very into her stickers right now…they’re everywhere! Plenty of time is spent putting them on assorted things…her drawings, her hands, feet, the hands of others….you get the idea.
She loves her pre-school now and not only aren’t there any tears for drop-off anymore, sometimes we’re in for a fight to get her to come home!! She’s such a tease, she wants to get chased around and then giggles like crazy when caught.
Other highlights of this month…meeting her ‘Aunt’ Ruth from California…they are so much alike it’s scary (Cleo is a little Ruth), the first snowfall and eating snow despite our protests (avoiding yellow snow of course), her friend (and our Goddaughter) Charlotte turned two, and her first bouncy castle experience (jump, jump!). Phew, Christmas is right around the corner!
 Peek a boo!!!  Cleo and her stickers....an obsession.  Cleo tastes the first snow of the year...  Even in winter, swings are us!  Cleo and her soulmate...Ruth!  Family time in The Distillery District  Cleo in the kitchen, helping out!  Charlotte's two! Gift time!  Charles, Cleo and baby Jacqueline..a handful!  Charlotte, Cleo and the boys!  Cleo in her fancy coat!  Tent time with Daddy...silly!  Cleo's first Santa moment! No tears!!  Cleo and Daddy...snuggle time!  Bouncy castle....  Half and hour later the negotiating begins...  Cleo and Natalie in Calgary  Cleo, Noel and Natalie in the backyard!  Girl power, Cleo and her cousins!  Princess???  OK, this is cuter....  Santa, what are you up to?  Cleo, Mommy, Daddy and her cousins!  Cleo sneaking around at the Petroleum Club in Calgary  Fascinated by the harp!  Goofing around at Grandpapa's!  Cleo, her Grandpapa and Dorothy.  Sled time in Calgary on her 22nd month birthday! |
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Cleo's 21 Months! |
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Written by Administrator
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Saturday, 03 November 2007 |
This has been a month of firsts....the first time I can describe myself as a working mother...for example. As a result, you'll note that I'm posting this just hours away from Cleo actually being 22 months! It appears as though monthly updates will be the trend for the next while....sorry!
Cleo's 21 month birthday was quite an emotional milestone for her Mom and Dad. It was exactly one year from the day we first saw her picture - the day we got her referral. The fact that it's been a year is so unbelievable to us. What a difference in our lives. We are so incredibly blessed. We still remember that day a year ago like it was yesterday and all the emotional ups and downs leading up to it are still barely hidden away...those emotions can be called up so quickly even still a year later. My heart goes out to all of you still waiting.
My first week back at work presented a 2 night trip away from home on business (trial by fire), all went well...sorta. Cleo got her first boo-boo (a small scrape on her knee that required hourly kisses to make it feel better), and the night I returned she came down with a major case of the croup requiring a trip to the local ER. Cleo also experienced her first Thanksgiving and her first Halloween...such fun!
Her development is on high speed now that she's in daycare. She's verbalizing a lot more, even if it all requires translation by her Mama or Dada. She got her first backpack and was so excited that she learned the new word within minutes so she could ask us repeatedly if she could wear it. Impressive.
It took her a few weeks to recover from the croup but that didn't stop us from taking her to Chudleighs to experience the apple farm experience and she also enjoyed a group outing with her friends to Puck's Farm where she rode her first horse! This girl is fearless! Jumping off bails of hay is nothing to her...more Mama, more!
She got to meet her Great Uncle Doug from BC at Thanksgiving, and also had a fun family visit from her Aunt Cathy and Uncle Rob who dropped in for a weekend wedding from Calgary.
Last but not least, Halloween, what a girl! She and Grace looked absolutely fine as the cutest Monkey and Chicken one could ever imagine. The two of them took only two houses to get into the trick or treating groove and managed to visit all the houses on our little block...with way more energy than their papparazzi parents thought they'd have - all before they had their first bite of chocolate. The best moment of all had to be afterwards when the two girls held hands and 'danced' to ring around the rosy....too cute!
What a month!!  Cleo on the day she turned 21 months!  Check out my serious booboo...left knee!  Cleo and Daddy on Thanksgiving Day!  Walking on Daddy's feet!  Cleo, her GG and Great Uncle Doug on Thanksgiving!  Cleo on the tractor at Chudleigh's Farm!  Eva's turn!  The girls in the wagon...drinking coffee?!  Mommy and Cleo having some fun!  Sharing a swing...not too happy about it!  Playing in the hay!  What a beautiful group of girls!  Cleo at Puck's Farm!  Grace in her rainslicker!  Cleo on her first horseride!  Off she goes!! No fear!  Lauren's beautiful smile - caught it!  Cleo and her first backpack!  Snuggling with Aunt Cathy!  Mommy gets a Halloween visit at work from a little monkey!  Seriously...could they be cuter?  Daddy and Cleo trick or treating (yes, he's in costume as a geek)! |
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Cleo's 20 months! |
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Written by Stephanie
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Wednesday, 03 October 2007 |
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This was a big month for all of us. It was the last month of my leave with Cleo, and she got to start nursery school. A big transition for all of us. We also took a big roadtrip, without incident. Cleo's talking more and more...adding a few more 'words' this month. She's definitely asserting more independence , while at the same time going through a phase where Mama and Dada need to be close by (if that makes any sense). Her new food loves this month included raisins and beets (previously both were hated and literally thrown if served up!). Another big milestone this month was Cleo's first sleepover. She had a great time at her friend Grace's house. She even fooled Grace's Mom and Dad into believing she's a total angel! She didn't even seem too fussed to pay attention to us when we showed up in the morning for brunch!? Thanks Jen and Shawn! As the end of summer approaches and I'm returning to work, I'm sad to see the end of a very special time with my little girl.  Thanks for the raisins Mama - more, more!  This is a meal of asparagus, beets, rice and chicken...heaven for Cleo! |
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Lantern Festival Reunion |
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Written by Stephanie
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Sunday, 30 September 2007 |
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We are very lucky that the group of families we travelled with are all dedicated to making sure our girls stay in touch. This time most of the girls were able to get together to have a reunion at Jen, Shawn and Grace's house where they got some time to play while the Moms and Dads caught up and marveled at all the changes that happen in a month! After a few hours of munching, chatting and generally making a complete mess of Jen and Shawn's house, we all trekked to the Chinese Lantern Festival at Ontario Place. It's so strange to think of all the changes a year can make. Last year at this time Charles and I went to the Festival with friends and were hoping and praying to get a referral from China before Christmas...now, a year later, we had Cleo and all her friends in tow. My heart goes out to all the waiting parents...it'll happen, it'll happen!  Gwen gives Cleo a push!  Lauren's contemplating something?  Olivia and her pigtails!  Emma time!  Gwen's fish face!  Megan and Lauren hanging out!  Coralie taking time out for a snack!  Grace and her blocks...  Three's trouble....Cleo, Grace and Eva  The Panda lanterns were great!  Daddies and their girls |
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Mid Autumn Moon Festival |
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Written by Stephanie
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Tuesday, 25 September 2007 |
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We celebrated the Mid Autumn Moon Festival over two days....first with the FCC Toronto Chapter at their annual dinner in Chinatown and then on the real date at home as a family. The FCC dinner was fun, it was great to see that many happy adoptive families celebrating their children's birth culture together. Cleo loved the dancing in particular. We made sure we respected as many of the traditions of Cleo's culture that we could...we had a real feast, decorated the house with lanterns, at some moon cakes and we took Cleo on an evening walk to look at the full moon (which was less than successful given it was overcast). Cleo even ate with her chopsticks for the first time and had a blast doing it!
I think most important for us was knowing that on this "Chinese Thanksgiving" as our friends called it, we share our thoughts with our family, friends and we'd like to believe Cleo's birthparents. We all are looking at the same moon and giving thanks that Cleo's safe and happy.  Goofy girl through the bars of the gate...  Cleo's idea of a smile....cheese?!  Cleo and her Moon Goddess rattle...  Cleo and the Dragon and her Daddy!  Intense closeup...  Checking out the lanterns...  The feast is served....  She ate with her own chopsticks!! Wow!  She loved her lantern and being out in the dark!  Mama, it lights up? This is great! |
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Cleo meets Spencer! |
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Written by Stephanie
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Saturday, 22 September 2007 |
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Today Cleo got to meet her new 'cousin'. Her Uncle Mike and Aunt April came over to celebrate Charles' birthday, babysit for us (yippee!) and introduce Cleo to Spencer, their new puppy! Turns out that Cleo and Spencer love each other....April and Mike were worried about Cleo's safety and Charles and I were trying to make sure that Cleo didn't squish him! All in all, they had a fun time....and after some initial tears at bedtime Cleo went to sleep much to the relief of her babysitters.  Spencer comes in for a kiss....  Yucky!!  How could anyone resist that face! |
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