He-no!

We have just passed the two week mark with Jillian...and we are amazed at just how far she has come. She had her first doctor's appointment yesterday...and received four immunizations. Today she is battling a fever...but is still just as sweet and smiley as she can be.

One of the things I worried most about was communicating with Jillian in the first few weeks. I can honestly say that this has been a non-issue. She makes her needs known by pointing (and saying the Chinese words as well). We just keep trying until we get it right. She shakes her head no until we do...and has been so patient with us! Additionally, she really seems to understand what we are saying to her! She follows directions like, "Put it in the trash can", "Give it to Lia", and "Do you want to take a bath?" (which she LOVES now, by the way!).

And in the past three days or so, we have seen a small explosion of English words creeping in to her vocabulary. I wanted to take a minute to get those words down so I can remember one day how it all happened...

Mama
Daddy
Lia (although she really calls Lia "Mia" so insistently, I jokingly asked Lia if we should change her name! :-))
Nana
Papa
thank you (SO cute!)
More
love you
bye bye
yummy
hi
shoe

...and my favorite:

hello ("he-no" said with great gusto! :-)). She says this when she "answers" her play cell phone...so darling.



She has gotten much better about putting on different clothes each day...and yesterday picked a new pair of shoes from her closet to wear...the first pair since we got her. They happened to be two sizes too big...but they were sneakers like Lia had on...and she was so happy with them, that I just put them on and off we went. Still the cutest three year old ever...even with clown feet. :-)

We are still shaking our heads over how easily Jillian has fit into our family and lives. She is a joyful, determined, sweet, giving child. We are so so thankful and humbled by the blessing of having her home forever.