Six Short/Long Months

Six months ago I stepped off a plane after a full day of traveling from Moscow Russia, with a tiny little girl holding my hand.  Its crazy to believe that it has only been six months.  It feels like she has been part of our family for much longer.  She seems to have aged at least two years in just six months.  In six short months Jaymi understands just about everything that we tell her in English.  She can say many words in English and uses signs to help us when we can make out what she is trying to say.  In just six months she has been able to see and do so many things.  Things that most of us take for granted because they are just part of life, living here in the United States, as part of a family.  However, they are things that she would have NEVER been able to experience living out the rest of her life in institutionalized care.  Just look back through this blog over the past six months and you can see all that she has been able to do and accomplish.  I feel honored to have been given a front row ticket to watch as she experiences her "New Life".  It has not been easy and it has tested our patience in ways we never knew possible, but I feel like we are in a good place and things seem to be getting better and better.    It easy to see all the things we have given to Jaymi by bringing her home and making her a part of our family.  Today I would like to talk about the things she has given to us by so graciously embracing us as her own.  Her mom.  Her dad.  Her sisters.

If Jaymi could write I think she might say something like this;

"I have helped my mom and dad learn how to be better parents to me and my sisters.  They didn't have much experience in actual "parenting" until I joined their family.  I helped them learn to be calm and positive when trying to teach me something new.  That it will take me a while to catch on and learn new skills and behaviors so they are just going to have to be persistent and patient while I figure this out.  I've helped them to appreciate the little things in life and to get excited about the fun things we do.  I've taught them to take time each day to get down on our level and play with me and my sisters.  To really engage with us and show us how important and loved we are by spending quality time with us.  I'm teaching them how to love me unconditionally, even when I'm not doing what they think I should.  But most of all, I'm teaching them how to love.  From the very day my mama scooped me up in her arms and took me from the only life I have ever know, I have loved her, undeservingly, unconditionally loved her and I have only let that love grow.

And as for my little sisters, I have given them the worlds best big sister.  I like to make them feel extra special so when I see them for the first time in the morning or if one of them has been away, I squeal out their name with lots of excitement.  They are my best friends and I love to play with them and share my toys, snacks and pretty much anything.  I am very sweet and tender with Kaelyn and like to play with her.  She can't quite walk yet so I get down and crawl with her.  I also help her by pulling the string on the front of her walker so she can learn to walk like me.  I'm a very good example for my little sister Bryn.  I have taught her how to put her pants and shoes on.  Feed herself and help pick up toys and dishes and throw diapers away in the trash.  She sees me helping mom and so she wants to help too.  I also help her eat her veggies because she sees me eating them, so we wants to eat them too.  I hold her hand and help her down the steps so she can learn to walk down them like me.  I'm also very patient with Bryn, she still has a thing or two to learn and so sometimes she takes my things or pushes me.  I don't ever push her back because I know that is not a nice thing to do.  I hope she catches on soon and stops doing that to me.  I love my sisters so much and am so happy I get to play with every day.  I make life so much more exciting for them but showing them how cool everything we get to do is.  I am very forgiving with my sisters and never hold a grudge, even if they do something that I don't like."

To celebrate our six month milestone we were able to go to the zoo with Grandma Bonner and all our aunts and cousins on the Bonner side.  The girls had so much fun.  I loved their reactions in seeing the animals that we already read about in real life for the first time.  Jaymi's favorite was the Elephants, we had to go back and see them one more time before we left.

The polar bear is quite the entertainer.  She had all the kids squealing in excitement the whole time.

The zoo just put in a fun little splash pad and the kids loved it, especially on a hot day like today.

This girl loves her water fun and will take it any ways she can get it.

This spot would shoot water up in the air every few minutes.  Jaymi stuck around for about 8 rounds until she was sopping wet.  

Soaked from head to toe.

Doing a little rock climbing

Sweet little Kaelyn

Making her monkey sounds.

One last look at the elephant.  53 years old and 9,000 lbs.  Crazy.

Here's to the past six months and how far we have all come and here's to the next six months and the excitement/learning we have yet to experience.

More Summer Fun

         Lots more fun going on here this summer.

Playdates with our bestest friends.  Nothing like a slip and slide and five person swing on a hot July afternoon. 

Meeting rodeo queens at the Draper rodeo.  We went to watch our cousins ride sheep.  Jaymi was very disappointed she didn't get to ride one too.  She was excited to chase the cash cow around the arena with all the other kids later on.  

I took the girls up to Rexburg to watch my brother Ryan graduate from BYU-I while Wayne was at camp all week with the Boy Scout troop he is over.  Jaymi was excited to take her turn riding on her Great-Grandma Ruth's walker. 

The girls were excited to have Dad home from scout camp.  He is such a fun daddy!

More dance parties.  Kaelyn was helping provide the music for us.

Bryn sporting her first set of piggy tails.  She loves getting her hair done like her big sisters.

Daddy park date with his girls while I was away in Denver attending the National Down Syndrome Conference.

Jaymi finished up her summer preschool program.  She had so much fun!  It will be a great transition for her to start kindergarten in the next few weeks.  She is so excited to finally get to ride the school bus, like her sister Kaelyn.

I was so lucky to attend this years National Down Syndrome Conference with these three fun ladies.  We had such a good time talking, laughing, crying, learning and eating.  It just turned our the the four of us that ended up being able to go all adopted little girls we found on Reeces Rainbow.

Jaymi started Dance class last week and LOVES it!  Isn't she just the cutest little dancer you have ever seen?  Its in her DNA :)

Bryn needed a bun on top of her head like big sister.

Jaymi's hair is getting long enough to do lots of fun things with.  She is so patient and sits very still while I do her hair. 

Our brave girl was at it again, wake surfing with uncle Michael behind grandpa's boat.  

Jaymi and Kaelyn had cardiologist appointments this week.  Jaymi's heart looks perfect and Kaelyn's is looking good to go for another year.  They both did so good during their exams and had lots of fun playing with all the toys and books.  

A little popcorn and a movie after nap time.  Its the simple things they love.

These three helping me eat my chicken spinach quinoa salad.  They would all turn their nose up to this if I tried feeding it to them for dinner, but since it was mine they couldn't get enough of it.  Silly girls.

Park date with our fun cousin KK and her cute girls.

This little boy was so cute.  He came over and sat by Kaelyn and offered her his fruit snacks and kept asking what she was saying.  It melts my heart when little kids pay attention to her.  I think they can sense that she is a special little girl and even though she can't talk or do the things most kids do, she is worth hanging around.  

Bryn loved going to dance class with Jaymi and practicing her own skills in front of the mirror before the other kids got there.

Jaymi did so good listening to the teacher and following instructions.