Happy Anniversary Ava! We Love You Mei Mei!

Ava Le Bei one year later!

Where Ava used to sleep, eat, and play one year ago.

Now she chases her big sister around and even dresses like her!

Our first meeting with Ava and the day she joined our family--Gotcha Day!

Today we celebrate the first day we met Ava and the day we call Gotcha Day.  Ava was late arriving to the civil affairs building so we actually got to ride with her and the nannies on the elevator.  We couldn't hold her, but the nannies told her that we were her family, her Mama, Baba, and Jie Jie.  She was so scared and just snuggled into her nannies shoulder and looked at us with confusion.  She was so withdrawn with no emotion for the first 24 hours.  After that, it was game on and her outgoing personality began to show in little pieces.  We brought Ava home at 21 months old.  She had lived at the orphanage since she was found at one day old.  She didn't speak or understand any English so communication was frustrating for us all.  

Over the past year, Ava has endured leaving her nannies and caretakers, moving from an orphanage in Southern China to a hotel for 2 1/2 weeks with perfect strangers, getting on an airplane with these strangers and moving to New Mexico for 3 months, then packing up and moving to Kansas.  Ava has proven that she is a survivor and adapts amazingly well to change.   She now understands 99% of what we say to her and can communicate great considering her age and what she's been exposed to.  Ava is also a social butterfly.  She loves to wave and say hello to everyone.  She loves playing with the big girls and boys--I think she's 2 1/2 going on 10!

As I put Ava to bed tonight, I thought about the first night she slept in her crib beside our bed in the hotel in Guangzhou.  She went right to sleep and slept all night--she must have been exhausted from the fear of the unknown.  I was so scared about what the future would hold for our family with our newest member.  How would things work out with Ava and the bonding process and would she eventually love us as her Forever Family?  How would Emma adapt as the big sister and with no longer getting all the attention?  

I still remember the first time Ava called me Mama--of course, now she says it 500 times a day! She now says "I love You" and it makes me tear up every time she says it.  Emma is an amazing big sister and LOVES Ava so much.  She still doesn't like Ava to get into her big girl stuff in her bedroom, but shares anything and everything with her Mei Mei.  Thank you Emma for being the wonderful young girl and awesome big sister that you have become.  We are so proud of you.  

Thanks for an amazing year Ava.  You have lived up to your nannies nickname of a "naughty baby", but we love your curiosity and mischief.  You have changed our lives for the better and taught us that we can all endure what ever is thrown our way.