One Year Anniversary!

OK, so updating the blog is not one of my strong points! But at least I'm doing it now right?

Can you believe it? Addison has been with us for an entire year already! That time went by so quickly. She has adjusted so well and seems like she's always been with us. She's getting ready to go back to preschool next week and can't wait. Kailyn and Ethan started school this week so every day she asks me if she will go to school that day. She gets speech therapy while in school and she has already made great progress since her palate repair in March. The surgery went very well and she was discharged the next day even though her surgeon insisted that she would be in the hospital for at least 2-3 days. She was doing so well though, that he couldn't find a reason to keep her there! She didn't even want any medicine for the pain after we got home. It was amazing. Most adults wouldn't have handled it as well as she did, she was a real trooper.

In June, she had to have dental surgery to repair her teeth which were in horrible shape. The dentist had to do the work in the hospital because there was so much that needed to be done. She didn't wake up from the anesthesia as nicely that time though. She was miserable! But we got through it and three kiddie root canals and a bunch of fillings and caps later, she's as good as new!

She went on her first camping trip and had her first trip to the beach this summer. She loved both of them. She spent lots of time in our pool and and is going to be a natural swimmer I think. That's the complete opposite of what I thought when we brought her in the pool in China and she screamed the whole time! She's definitely a tomboy and would prefer to play with her brothers toys rather than her sisters anyday! She can be very stubborn, but she's just starting to figure out that it's easier if you play by the rules!

All in all, she has done incredibly well and has fit right in with our family. She loves to help when we work outside or when we go to take care of our horses. I think her biological family as well as her foster family in China would be amazed by the things she is doing. I only wish they knew how happy she is.

I am posting some photos for you to enjoy. One from the day that we got her in China and others from the last year. I will post a description with each. I will try to update more often but I can't make any promises! Take care!