For now we are calling our beautiful daughter "Rachel." Because of his cleft Isaac has difficulty with certain sounds and the "r" sound is one of them. Try as he might, the poor guy can not say Aryn. He was calling her "Sissie" which I do not like at all! I know it's southern and it's cutesy for some, but to me I don't like it and can not have my child called "Sissie" so I told Isaac that he could choose what we will call his new sister. "'Achel! We call her 'Achel" So now at times, I will forget or at times I want to use Aryn because I think it's beautiful and Isaac will say, "Mama!" in an exasperated tone, "We call her 'Achel." "Oh yes!" I say, "I forgot, Rachel."
She likes both names. A lot of friends still call her Aryn, others like us, call her Rachel, and some of my poor friends were simply confused and thought they didn't hear us with the name or that they had been left out of the loop. I asked her "Do you like Mama to call you Aryn?" she nodded her head. "Do you like Mama to call you Rachel?" Again a head nod. Does she understand me? I think so? She knows English very well and when we go to the Chinese restaurant she responds to their Mandarin. I hope we can keep her language and build upon it. Right now she doesn't talk, she signs, but once she does speak I would like to enroll her in toddler Mandarin classes, that is, if there is such a thing.
Daddy meets Aryn Rachel. Isaac loves on Yeye!
First day home. Already Daddy's girl!As we began our second adoption adventure we had friend's tell us that adding an extra child was not double the work, that it was multiplied. Some said triple and others went higher in their estimation. I thought they were crazy, I thought they were trying to scare me. I was wrong! Two may be more than double the work, but it is also more than double the love and double the hugs & kisses. When Isaac sees Rachel comes to give me a hug & kiss he can not be outdone and he will come to give me a hug and kiss as well. When one wants a snuggle the other wants a snuggle. Now some of that is simply jealousy rearing it's ugly head, but sometimes it is a game filled with love and affection. I simply love it when it is a game of love and laughter.
A new night time ritual. The whole family spends quality time together before bed. Yummy milk. A couple stories. Sharing the best part of our day. Prayers. Then off to bed for a good night's sleep.
I was able to stay home for four weeks after we came home due to my awesome mother's generosity and our employers leave policy. We are able to donate accrued sick leave to a family member if they are in need. I only had 8 days of leave saved up and mom donated another 15 days. What a generous gift! She can save these days for retirement, but she lovingly gave them to me so that I could spend time with my new family. She donated days when we came home with Isaac as well. I am very blessed. During this time I was able to do something I never thought I would get to do since I'm a teacher. I got to go to a special day at Isaac's school on Valentine's Day! It was such a blessing to surprise him at the special tea that they had.
Isaac's special crown. He loved it and wore it to the grocery store after the party.
Play time together. They love to hide in the cabinet!
On February 21st Isaac had to get new tubes in his ears. Poor little guy still gets continued ear infections. We are praying that as he gets older that the ear infections will not come. They are a side effect so to speak with cleft affected children, but we believe that God can deliver him. He did very well in the surgery and within 30 minutes of being released from the hospital you would have never known that he had been woozy and loopy just a short while before. They told us we could expect a quiet day, they were wrong...
A few weeks ago Yeye played his mandolin at church. Before church Isaac and Rachel joined him and the rest of the worship team on stage to dance and sing. I wish I had a picture with both of them nicely in it, but they were having so much fun I could not get them into the same shot!
