Tuesday, July 28, 2009

Kavanna is talking!


Kavanna is always in motion, even while wearing Mommy's flip flops!

So cute!
Kavanna has been talking for a while. Some of her words are absolutely correct and some of them are hilarious interpretations.

Her first word: Ariel (pronounced "Ay-el")

What she says perfectly: mommy, dada, more, no, hello, apple. And did I mention her favorite word, "no"?

Also:
A cow says "booooo" instead of "moo".
A cat says "now" instead of "meow"
Juice is "jew" (well, when she yells "Jew" in our house she's always right!)
A phone is a "hello"
A puppy is a "buppy"
When something falls, it's "uh-oh!"
A bottle is a "baba"
Her blanket is "nana"
Best of all, "I love you" is "Ah luh ooooo"

She has created her own sign language.:
An attempt to snap her fingers means, "put on some music"
Pointing to a couch or a chair means, "sit here, now"
Making a sign for milk, followed by touching her ear means she wants her formula, as opposed to milk. She came up with this at 12 months. She has a bottle at night which David would make and bring into the bedroom. I'd wait with her and put my hand to my ear, telling her, "Let's listen for Daddy".
One day she was signing for milk so I gave her some milk, which she rejected. She made the milk sign, followed by touching her ear, to let me know exactly which kind of milk she wanted. Brilliant!



Friday, July 17, 2009

See this happy face?

Kavanna was not so happy last Sunday when we went to the Bastille Day Festival.  Everyone parked at the stadium and big white vans took us to the festival.  As soon as we got into the van Kavanna started to tremble and look frightened.  We think that the day her foster mom took her to the orphanage, a white van drove her and the other babies from the orphanage to Nanning, where she was placed into our arms... We think she remembered the van and was afraid her life was about to change again.   We just hugged her and told her we were all going to stay together.  She clung to me in what can only be described as terror.  Later, on the way back to the parking lot, she was much more relaxed.
She is a happy girl, very smart, very joyful, friendly and outgoing... but the past trauma is still there, and unpredictable things can trigger it. 

Tuesday, July 14, 2009

Happy Bastille Day

Ariel and Kavanna dancing in front of the crowd as Ariel's friend Ariana sings at the Bastille Day Festival over the weekend.
It's Africa hot but Kavanna still must bring "Nana" (her blanket) everywhere she goes.
She loves to wear shoes... other people's shoes, that is!  The adorable tie-dyed outfit was originally Ariel's.  I'm so glad I saved it!
These flipflops are almost as big as she is!
Got shoes... and she's on the go!

Monday, July 06, 2009

Great weekend!



(this is a photo from April that I never posted but I love her pensive cutie-pie-ness)




These are just some photos from my phone... .more to come.  We had a wonderful time with Di and Dave, and their friend Renee who was visiting from Philly (I say that as if I'm comfortable with the term "Philly", although to be honest I've never been to Philadelphia - Pittsburg is as close as I've gotten - and never had a cheese steak sandwich, either... so there you have it), and our friend Val, with her sister and kids.

Kavanna was not too sure about the fireworks :)

The dress is a gift from my parents, who just got back from a holiday in Malaysia.  

Ariel spent the weekend at a friends beach house in Malibu.  She's living the life!

Hope everyone had a great Fourth!