Happy 3 month Gotchaversary Ivy!!

2 months HOME

Today marks 2 months home with our girl. She is doing an amazing job at figuring out what being in a family is all about. I cant say we have dealt with any major hurdles. She is bonding and attaching very well and seems quite cozy in her role as the littlest Lim.

I know the changes in Ivy are incredible since the day we first met her but sometimes I forget just how much until I go back and look at pictures and watch videos. In one video you can hear us being told how her legs are very weak and she can only sit.

They were.

But not anymore!

Girlfriend is on the move

And now there is no looking back!

Just a few days home and Ivy was taking her first steps. Within a couple of weeks she was toddling all over. I'm so glad she saved that milestone for us :) Really it just serves as a reminder all that these little ones are capable of when given the time and opportunity.

Not only has Ivy been busy perfecting her new found walking skills she has also mastered the English language learned 15 signs, plays peek-a-boo, gives high fives, waves hi/bye, gives hugs and kisses, blows kisses, and does about a million other things I find irresistibly cute. I am really blown away at how quickly she has picked up English. I can say pretty much anything and she responds appropriately. She loves to mimic everything we do and picks up on things very easy. She has learned a few signs that I have never taught her just from watching her signing DVD. We think she is a genius :)

Yesterday we had a well baby check up and Ivy has gained about 3 lbs and grown 1 in. since being home. I love how in one of the pictures above you can see some chub on her arm. When we first arrived home she went through a stage where she would only eat a few select things. Thankfully that was short lived and she is figuring out that veggies aren't so horrible.

We ended up with a wonderful sleeper, great eater, mostly happy, exceptionally cute, super smart, funny, amazing girl. She is worth it all - a million times over.

Beautiful Girl

I have some gorgeous pictures of our girl, and she isn't blurry from zooming past me, around me, over me, or under me! The change in her is amazing from the little girl we met 3 months ago. And I love how you can see her fun little personality shining through.

These are obviously pictures from our orphanage visits but they are just too cute not to share. Ivy looks like a little munchkin sitting up there on daddies shoulders. If this girl would slow down for a minute I could post some updated pictures. Every single one I take of her is blurry these days.

This one of her and I was the same day. We have many pictures capturing her giving us the sweetest looks/love. I wish everybody could experience this.

Ivy is TWO!

Ivy has found her first loves - Elmo and Cookie Monster. Actually, I think she likes Elmo better but we wont tell Mr. C that. It was so cute, I had put up the party decorations while Ivy was napping and when I brought her out and showed her she literally gasped and started kicking her legs with excitement. I wish I got it on video!

She had lot's of fun opening presents and shredding tissue paper.

Hokey Pokey Elmo is a big hit.

Signing "all done"

Ivy was a bit amused with us singing Happy Birthday to her but mostly she had her eye on the cupcake. This girl knows a sweet when she see's one!

I love the look on her face!

Think she liked it?

Stop the paparazzi!

Love, love, love this girl and so thankful we have her here to celebrate!

Ivy's first time in a shopping cart

Today we put Ivy in a shopping cart for the first time. I know normally things like this aren't really a big deal - but to a baby who has been exposed to nothing, this is a big deal! I wasn't sure what she would think, especially with this being during naptime.

But....

She was totally cool with it!

In fact, she giggled the first few minutes in.

And was perfect the whole shopping trip no nap and all!

But she did tell me not to buy her any veggies :/
(We're working on that....)

Our last orphanage visit

(This was supposed to be yesterday's post but I didn't finish in time)

Three weeks ago today was our last day to be just Ivy's visitors. It was a cold windy day so we had our last 2 visits indoors. There was excitement in the air as we were so close to walking out those gates with our girl.

She was in such a happy playful mood. It was almost like she knew something really big and exciting was going to happen. I believe it was all our prayers that God would instill in her the sense that we were her mommy and daddy and she belonged with us.

Our facilitator was there and she was able to translate some very nice things that one of the head nannies had said. She told us how all the nannies, director, and dr. could not believe the change within Ivy during the time we had been visiting. They said they did not recognize her as the same child, she was learning a lot and her legs had become much stronger. This was very encouraging to hear as sometimes it feels like you hit a brick wall with bonding when your visits day in and day out are confined to such small areas doing the same things over and over.

It was really a surreal feeling. Everything we did we commented on how this was going to be the last time we would do it. It would be the last time going up those stairs. The last time knocking on the head nannies door letting her know we were there. The last time Ivy would be brought out by a nanny and come to me very excitedly. The last time we would play in that room with those toys. The last time we would sit on the couch covered in a bright orange fleece blanket.

She had no idea that after one more sleep, her life was going to change forever.

Outside those four walls she had a family all her own just waiting to love her up one side and down the other.

I think she was ready....

for life to begin.

Pictures from our flights home

We've been home 2 weeks today but it feels like so much longer. In a way, the whole thing feels like a dream and Ivy has always been with us. She is growing, learning, and changing so much already. I want to take the time and make separate posts about everything so I'll start this one with pictures from our journey home. A lot of it is on video and some are long so I'll have to edit them and add them later. But for now....

This is actually mid trip as we had already been going since 4am that morning. We left Kiev at 6:45am and flew to Munich Germany, had a 7 hr layover, and this is when we were boarding in Munich headed for Los Angeles.

In the big plane in Germany, ready to get the show on the road!

Sleeping during our long flight. Dont let this picture fool you, it only lasted a few minutes :)

In the USA!! Ivy officially became a US citizen!

We had a 4 hr layover in LA and thankfully we have family there so it was not time wasted. Ivy got to meet her grandma, grandpa, aunt, great aunt, great grandma, and cousin! This picture is with Rob's mom, otherwise known as Grandma Mary :)

With Auntie Stacey

Finally aboard our last flight home! Notice mommy and daddy still smiling but I think Ivy had had it. This was about 27 hrs into the trek home...

We are HOME and my other babies were just inside. I couldn't wait to kiss their little faces after 7 long weeks!

Meeting Grandma Debbie

Checking out big brother

Sisters <3

Lovies from Auntie Vanessa

Looking Auntie Alyssa over, thinking of ways to get her wrapped around her little finger.

Our family of 5 on August 14th - before the journey began

Our family on Oct. 1st the way God intended, with one amazing baby girl.