The O'Cain Crew: March 2012

March 28, 2012

Four Months

2:05 PM |

Posted by Jennifer O'Cain

Ellery has settled in very nicely into her family. She is changing by leaps and bounds everyday and we are loving her stinkin' cute personality!!

She has learned so much English that we are amazed. Unfortunately we still cannot understand a lot

of what she says because she mixes English, Chinese and things we just cannot understand.

Her singing voice is so precious and she has learned several songs.

Recently I started singing Jesus Loves Me to her at bedtime.

Previously we had been singing Twinkle Little Star, her favorite.

Within a few nights I heard her singing parts of it around the house. She has started tapping my chin when we are rocking to communicate to me to stop or start singing or even to change songs.

This is her singing her rendition of Happy Birthday. You can recognize the tune but not the words so much. We haven't really sung this so I am guessing she became familiar with it in China.
Maybe that is where she picked up the cheek motions?
Anyway it is good practice since we will be celebrating her 3RD Birthday on her 5 Month Gotcha Anniversary! I cannot wait to celebrate her special day with her!

She has also become the Blessing police around here.

She never lets us forget to bless our food. Even today we were eating something in the car and she clasped her little hands together and asked me to say the blessing. Be.still.my.heart! How precious is she? And she would may never have known about how Jesus Loves Her, God or prayer had she stayed in China.

So grateful we again answered the call to adopt.

Ellery is very strong willed and independent. No doubt this may be as a result of spending time in an orphanage. Not only learning to do things on her own because she had no choice but also being taught to do things on her own out of necessity by those caring for her. This translates into many wonderful things for her and us but it also translates into stubbornness, disobedience, fighting (among siblings), tantrums and confusion. Confusion possibly from learning it was OK in China but not OK here. Overall, we just handle things the best we can and try to kindly teach her a different way to do things and that it is OK for people to do things for you.

I must be in charge of the hose.

I must be in charge of Wyatt's water gun.

And if I'm not....

Of course I have been a mom long enough to know. Much of this is just normal 2 yr old stuff.

And there are many more times of this...

and this...Eating Jelly right out of the jar. Silly girl.

(it was the bottom of the jar and I allowed her this little pleasure)

and this...Painting at the Children's Museum.

and this...Relaxing outside.

and this...My first catch!

March 25, 2012

Hi Y'all!

10:17 PM |

Posted by Jennifer O'Cain

I guess it's pretty apparent time for blogging is not something I have much of these days! I stay quite busy and haven't felt much like posting. It doesn't help when your DH is gone a week, it does make life interesting. Many nights I hit the sack completely worn out. I am sleeping a little better than I have in a while so I guess there is a bonus.

The kids are doing great and we all have a little spring fever!
Our temps have steadily been in the 80's which is awesome, flowers are all blooming and most importantly the dead grass they have been tracking through the house for months is being replaced with beautiful green grass. We haven't had Spring Break yet and that is what is keeping us going at this point. We are heading out for our first camping trip as a family of 8 and to make it even more fun we are camping with another family from church. They have all girls and their youngest is just one day older (or younger?) than Ellery. I know we are going to have a great time I just hope I can talk some of the boys into sleeping in a tent so we can spread out in the camper. Maybe investing in some good cots will help (crazy because the two oldest are Boy Scouts!)

Here are a few pics...we are due for a 4 month update in just 2 days...seriously??? Where does the time go? I'll save some of my favorites for that and hopefully I can get around to it on time.

This girl is most willing subject, she loves to have her picture taken

Cookie Time. Ellery will often put on clothes or PJ's on top of her clothes probably due to her being used to the practice in China, it makes for some interesting outfits.

SISTERS!!

Not a day doesn't go by that I don't say to myself, "I cannot believe this precious

child is mine". So incredibly grateful for her.

And for every picture I take of her she made me take one of this dog. Silly girl.

After I took the picture she would say, "I won see, I won see" and looks at the screen.

I just ordered a awesome chore board from Etsy and went ahead and added Ellery's name.

This week she is setting the table and clearing it. Isn't she doing a grand job?

Hitching a ride around the yard with Mason.

And lastly our Hobo fort in the woods next to our house. Just another reason I am happy for spring.

Foliage will finally cover this eyesore again. This is just a small part of the compound.

March 1, 2012

Three Months

9:57 PM |

Posted by Jennifer O'Cain

Time is just flying by and our three months with Ellery slipped up on me. She is doing so great and we are loving her so much!

This is what three months of bonding, extra nutrients, no haircut's and unconditional love looks like.

Wow, what a difference three months has made.

Ellery is still a mommy's girl but daddy is ok too. When I am at work sometimes she gets to spend special time with daddy and when I am not around she gives him hugs and sugar and is his little pal.

When I am around not so much. It is so special though when once and a while she surprises him and searches him out for something or surprises him with a hug or kiss.

Ellery is all about babies. She loves her babies and I am actually having so much fun playing with them too. Lily never really went through a doll stage too much so this is my first. She is just so cute with them. She loves to push them in their strollers, they go pee pee on the potty, and she kisses each one nite nite and puts them to bed before she goes to bed. She sleep with one special baby that was Lily's and is her very favorite one.

Her language has blossomed so much I have lost track of everything she can say. She is putting several words together and her comprehension is great. Her sweet little voice is one of my favorite things about her. It just melts my heart. Of course unless she is whining which she can do a lot of, especially if I am trying to run errands.

and lastly 10 random things about our girl

1. She prefers to wear a diaper even though she is potty trained. She will get mad at me sometimes if I try to put underwear on her. She just likes diapers.

2.She can count to 3!

3.She has discovered the shower and now prefers it to the bath. I cannot even remember the last time she took a bath.

4. She loves to eat mushrooms.

5. She loves cereal with milk.

6. She likes to help with chores like emptying the dishwasher or sweeping.

7. She loves to sing.

8. She loves to play on the see saw in our backyard and will laugh and laugh when the big kids get on it with her.

9. Anytime any part of her gets hurt mommy must kiss it to make it better. Sometimes one spot will have to get many kisses before it is better.

10. She doesn't like any Chinese Food that we have tried except spring rolls.