6 Months!

As of yesterday we have known Zoe for 6 months.  Can you believe it?  I can't - it's gone by so fast!

Sunday we spent the morning at church and then drove across Illinois and part of Iowa toward a family reunion.  No. 1 Son took some cool photos along the way - the extended sunset going West was gorgeous.

We didn't really celebrate our meeting day yesterday - we spent most of the day traveling.  We did stop for a while at the Henry Doorly Zoo in Omaha to check it out.  They have some really great exhibits!

Zoe really enjoyed the fish especially - she's pretty cute too.

A New Look

Sweet Zoe's hair was getting pretty long, so Drama Queen and I decided it was time for her first haircut.  She had been shaved at least twice in China, but had never had a real cut before.  So off we went to our local salon.  Zoe wasn't too sure about the whole thing.

 Once she realized Mama was staying close, though, she was fine.

Silly Faces

Looking Adorable

Isn't she beautiful!!!

Birthdays!

We had two very special birthdays last week, so I thought I should share some photos.

The first birthday was Mr. Z-Man, who turned 8 years old.

He received several new Beyblades, making his battles even more fun.

He also got cards from his sweet grandparents with some money he was quite excited about.

One of his favorite gifts was a Krazy Kar, which is easier shown than explained:

Z-Man wanted a party at Monkey Island, so off we went after Tom Sawyer rehearsals with a bunch of his friends.

Unfortunately, he started feeling sick after a little while, and ended up sleeping on Daddy's lap.

Little miss Zoe had more fun than he did at his party, I'm afraid.

Which brings me to Zoe's 2nd birthday, her first home with us.  We had a quiet little party with our good friends, and she got to open her gifts.  She remembered how that worked from Christmas, and dug right in.  The first gift required some assembly - so The Man and his friend took it on, with a little help from the Birthday Girl.

Cousin Carly sent her a Ladybug Pillow Pet that she loves bouncing around on.

Zoe also got a new baby doll and some doll furniture:

Her favorite part was the baby shoes - she positively crooned over them.

Cake was interesting - she managed to blow the candles out pretty well.

But she wasn't so sure she wanted to eat it.  She preferred feeding it to her baby.

 It was a wonderful weekend of celebrations of two of the best kids in the world!

Another Foot

Yesterday Zoe got something really special:  Another Foot! 

We have been consulting doctors, thinking and praying about what to do about her short leg and little foot for months, and we have come to several conclusions.  1.  Limb Lengthening is not a route we want to pursue.  2.  Most doctors assume that an amputation of her foot is the only other option, since it maximizes her ability to wear a prosthetic leg and foot.  3.  There is a third option - another foot underneath her little foot, bringing her leg lengths to even. 

This third option may or may not be a long term solution, but for now it allows Zoe to walk without damaging her back and to gain trust and emotional stability in her new family without the trauma of an amputation.

So without further ado, we introduce you to what the kids have decided to call Commodore Mimi:

As you can see, it is a foot below a foot.  The prosthetist took a cast of her little foot and made an AFO to fit her exactly, and then added a foot below it. 

It's a little heavy, and needs some getting used to, but Zoe was very willing to get up and walk on it right away.  Today she walked all over the place.  As long as she is distracted, she doesn't mind it at all. The odd look on her face is her "cheezy face" - it's what she does when she know she is having her picture taken.

We go in to Shriner's to have it checked out on Friday.  She doesn't seem to want to bend her leg much, so I'm going to have them check the fit.  But generally, it is a huge success.

Catching Up

It's been such a long time since I posted!

To follow up on my last post, Narnia was amazing - beautiful and moving and oh so exhausting!  We took a bit of a break and then all three boys auditioned for the next show - Tom Sawyer.  The Artist was beyond thrilled to be cast as Tom himself, while No. 1 Son is playing the teacher and a pirate, and Z-Man is a student/townsperson.  And away we go again.

 Life is good here in Chicagoland, and I have pictures to prove it - here's some of what we've been up to:

Z and Z

This picture shows how much of a difference there actually is between her leg lengths.

A trip to the Museum of Science and Industry

Time Travel Day - the future.

Time Travel Day - the 80's (plus a little Starbucks)

Time Travel Day - WWII

Cheese Face!

A quiet moment schooling

He can ride a bike!  Hooray!

Handsome family on Easter

At Navy Pier

At the Childrens' Museum

The Artist might actually be able to be in a circus - he walked all the way across the tightrope while hula-hooping and holding the surprisingly heavy fake weights.

An actual family picture!

More updates soon - I promise!