Fall Trip to PA, part 3

Sunday morning started out a little drizzly, but eventually we made our way to a local pumpkin patch to enjoy the festivities.  We started out with the requisite faces-behind-the-cutouts pictures.

Then Abigail climbed on round bales that were laid side by side and up to 2 high.  And she climbed some more. And she climbed some more after that. As she continued to climb, she became more and more brave until she was jumping off the tops and landing on more hay below.  And then she climbed even more!

With much persuasion, she then rode on a hay ride out to where there was a corn maze ending in the pumpkin patch.  She took an eternity to pick out her pumpkin.  Like as much time as she spent on the round bales.  Larry could only compare the experience to watching a women shoe shopping.  Then we figured out what was taking so long:  Abigail was confused and upset that none of the pumpkins had faces.  Once we explained that she would carve it at home and give it a jack'o'lantern face, we were happily loading 2 pumpkins onto a hay ride back to the barn.

 Abigail also "milked" a cow.  She was very persistent at this.

Then she climbed on the round bales some more.
We finally convinced her to say good bye to the hay when we bought organic burgers and dogs from the farm to eat for a late lunch.

It was a really fun day and I am glad that Abigail got to share it with 2 of her 3 grandparents.

Fall Trip to PA, part 2

Another highlight of our trip to PA was that I got to see my oldest friend (we have been friends for 23 years: since junior high school), her wife, and their baby girl.  

Abigail had some wonderful "big sister" type moments, when she pulled baby E in a wagon and gave her a piggy back ride (with my dad's help) and showed baby E the horses on the farm.  

But Abigail also had some challenging moments too, that we need to address before (and probably more after) we bring her sibling home from China.  For example, she wouldn't share with baby E, even if the item under contention was one that Abigail NEVER is interested in.  She didn't want to share a ball, any of 3 pumpkins, some baby toys, a toy rake; whatever the baby took interest in was what Abigail wanted at that exact moment.  Often, I can talk to Abigail logically on her level and get her to think clearly when she is making crazy decisions, but that didn't work this time!

Fall Trip To PA, part 1

Since our country still celebrates that largely irrelevant doofus Columbus, who accidentally "discovered" America half a millenia ago, Larry and I had a 3 day weekend.  Not that I am complaining about that, but it would be nice to forget Columbus and have a new holiday for someone a little more worthwhile.

Abigail running through the leaves while
my father raked them for her

Anyhow, we took an amazing mini-vacation to my parents' farm in western PA, where we were surprised to see that not only were the leaves still on the trees, but they had barely turned color!  That was unheard of in mid-October while I was growing up, a time in history when my mom designed Halloween costumes to fit over snow suits.

But it was so beautiful.  (With over 200 pictures, I am going to blog this in several entries.) On Saturday, it was one of the perfect fall days, cool but not cold and Abigail spent many fun hours with the tiny pile of leaves that had fallen (notice how much green is still on this giant red maple tree though).  Abigail loved to run through the pile of leaves, kicking them in all directions as she did and giggling maniacally as my parents feigned exasperation at having to rake the pile together again.

Yinski pretending to be irritated with Abigail
for messing up the pile of leaves

It is like trying to locate
E.T., but without all of
the stuffed animals!

She is such a joyful child!!

Interesting look

It is a shame we don't have
a happier child!

What is going on in her head right now?

My mother gave her the idea of throwing leaves at me.
Abigail thought she was pretty bad-ass to do this!

The i clue, by Larry.

Abigail and I were playing superheros in the basement.

Unprompted Abigail runs over and says "maybe this i will give us a clue about the bad guys"

She is so observant and creative.

Tiny Dancer

Abigail excited at home before class

Tonight was Abigail's first combo ballet-tap-gymnastics class.  She prepped by watching YouTube videos of Broadway show-stopper tap numbers and scenes from The Nutcracker and Swan Lake.  She was psyched. She was ready to go.  She shed her Spiderman t-shirt and running shorts today after school and slid into her pink uniform without complaint.  She allowed me to "pony" her hair without whining.  She packed her ballet shoes, tap shoes, and water bottle into her brand new Superman "pack pack."  Then she arrived at the studio and stood still as a statue for 30 minutes, joined the kids to rummage through their own bags, change shoes, and stood still as a statue for 30 more minutes!  No amount of gentle teachers kneeling at eye level or excited bouncing kids grabbing her hands and trying to drag her into the action could convince her to move. She got a little more excited with the gymnastics portion.  Surprisingly, in the car on the way home when I asked "what was your favorite part" Abigail enthusiastically replied "the ballet!"

Miss Statue, with the flower in the back
so she didn't have to look at it.
She accepted the pink but drew the line at flowers.

Abigail on the bar.

She flew down the balance beam.

Dossier or Deathly Hallows?

Did you ever wonder about the adoption "paper chase"?
Here is a visual for you: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows on the left, our completed dossier on the right.

Keep your fingers crossed for a match by February: we'd love to travel before next school year, and in above-freezing temperatures this time around!!  I cannot express how much we would LOVE to get to travel during summer break so we can really enjoy our time in China and take in some of Hong Kong on the way home.  Since our home study delayed us 9 weeks (incompetent, inept.....), it would not surprise us if we have to travel 1-2 months into the new school year!!

At least this part is done.  Now we just sit back and wait!

Bike Buddies

We got a bike buddy for Abigail.  Well, and for me.  It is fun biking with her this way, though I am afraid she isn't getting as much exercise as when she rides her tricycle.  But on the other hand, it doesn't require bucketfuls of patience to take her to the neighborhood playground when she rides this instead of a vehicle that maxes out on a 4-inch pedal revolution.