The Last Week of July with Emma & Sophie!

I hope that you enjoy the VERY random snapshots of Emma and Sophie taken this week. :) I am very lucky to be able to spend each day with them as each day contains a small blessing...you just need to know where to look.

We are completing Sophie's 6 month home study update for China this Sunday. Of course we will not be celebrating our 6 month anniversary with her until September 9th, but we need to have the information submitted to China BEFORE then. It quite honestly feels like Sophia Grace has been with us for much longer than that...then again I saw her picture for the first time on November 8, 2007. So, that explains why-I think?! :) Sophie is doing VERY well. She has gained 4 pounds since coming home...that is a pound a month as my Mom put it. :) She is still very much a baby. Yet at the same time incredibly smart!! She is learning English at an impressively fast rate. She adores and idolizes Emma & could not be any more loving to Greg and I! She babbles NON STOP and makes me smile every day. Sophie had blood work for the second time just this month to monitor her Hepatitis B status. We were thrilled to learn that her levels are stable and her next appointment with the lab will not be until January 2010! :)

Emma has matured A LOT over the past 6 months. Her determination is incredible. We are so very, very proud of her. She has also regressed at the same time. Does that make sense? If not, don't worry. It is hard for US to understand sometimes too. We have yet to learn what it takes for Emma to simply function every day. I think that it takes A LOT though. It appears to be an immense effort for Emma to cope with simple every day things. And, she DOES try. We had to leave the grocery store today with a partially full cart. It was just too much for her...and for me. (I assume Sophie as well). It has just been one of THOSE weeks.

We have an appointment next week with a colleague of our Neuro-Psychologist. We want her to test Emma for whatever she CAN test her for. Greg and I need answers for Emma. It is our privilege and duty as parents to advocate for her. Likely the upcoming tests will be developmentally and neurologically based. I will update this area when we learn more.

My daughters are beautiful. I can say that because this is my blog. Enjoy the pictures.

A Busy Afternoon Outside! :o)

*THEY BOTH HAD FUN PLAYING SOCCER.

*EMMA LOVES RIDING HER BIKE AND SOPHIE STILL CRIES.

*SOPHIE LIKES TO DRAW WITH CHALK AND EMMA NOT SO MUCH.

~Spending Sunday with Emma & Sophie~

After lunch we took Emma & Sophie to the zoo. We walked around the ENTIRE perimeter of the zoo & visited some different exhibits that we normally do not see. Of course THEY were only interested in TWO things today; #1 The Penguins and #2 ANY bridge that was in sight. All that I can say is that these two little girls are unique! :) They enjoyed themselves and they were well behaved so I guess that I can not complain!

Getting ready to leave for the zoo and apparently rather impatient about taking a picture. You'd think that they'd be used to me by now! ;) Sophie was not smiling here; but I thought that she looked very beautiful anyway. :)

Watching the Penguins....Emma is making her "big eyes"....

Content in the stroller and not wanting to get out for a closer look.

Sophie blurted out "There it is"!

The source of their amusement.

One last look before heading off in search of bridges...After the zoo we stopped by our local grocery store for a few things. The girls love visiting Dillon's-I really don't know why?! I took the following pictures to show everybody how Emma & Sophie ride during every shopping trip. They BOTH insist riding in the back of the cart and expect to eat snacks the whole time. They LIKE having the groceries piled on top of them while shopping too. Yes, really! :)

Here they are with Daddy!

Buried under groceries and enjoying themselves! :)