Been Busy!

It's been a busy few weeks! We've been busy learning English, learning which buttons not to push on Mama's forehead, learning about how the routine works in the house, and we've been learning how to be gentle with the dogs (or trying to).

Joy's English is just blooming! My favorite phrase is still, "Mama, Joy I love you this!" but occasionally it comes out, "Mama, I love this". We'll have a burst of talking that mostly makes sense. Then a few minutes later, she'll ask me what Katrina's name is, when she does really know - she just can't find it in there! It's really funny because she knows she knows it and she knows she can't find it! She'll tap her head with her hand, and say, "Ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma....uh....what's your name?" pointing at Katrina. ("What's your name?" is really "how do you say this?", just as she means "more please" when she says "do it again"!)

There are so many little things that I want to remember so that I can tell her someday. I know this blog is a way to do that, but I can't possibly write down all the strange things she tells me, or the quirky phrases she'll come up with! I do want to ask her later about a few things - what were you talking about?!

Some things are so much better - bathtime, bedtime, staying with me in the parking lot, the whining, the screaming in the house (well, somewhat better...) - I'm really surprised at how quickly things change.

Here are a few pictures of Joy and our friend Lou Anne, who has a karate studio in Ft. Collins. She graciously gave Joy a private lesson to catch her up so she could join their beginners class this week. Joy obviously knows a few things about karate, and she's been practicing her kicking all week, mostly on me. We're working on that part...

More soon - she just woke up crying. She has been so good about sleeping through the night that when she doesn't, she's seriously scared about something!