Six weeks!

Ella has been home over a month already!  Some days it feels like we just brought her home and some days it feels like she has always been here.  It's been a strange adjustment to go from traveling on back to back trips to Russia to staying home the majority of the time.   Almost like you are in a whirlwind and, all of a sudden, it comes to a complete stop.  (Not that raising four children isn't a whirlwind in itself, but you get what I mean.  ;0) 

Although we were careful to stay home for the first several weeks, the bonding/attachment specialist from our agency was giving us some insight to see if Ella is adjusting well enough to slowly introduce her to our "normal" life.   (They basically want to see that she is depending on us instead of running into the arms of every random adult she sees.  ;)  When we first brought Ella home on Christmas Eve, she definitely would go to anybody without a second thought.  Everybody was so impressed with how friendly and easy going she was (since her survival in the orphanage depended on going to anyone who would care for her needs)... but it actually wasn't a good thing.  I have seen such a huge improvement with this in the past few weeks though!!  More often than not, when friends reach out to hold her and she shakes her hand "no" and clings to her mommy.  One friend who came over this morning was watching as Ella laid her head on my shoulder and snuggled into Adam and said, "Wow!  She is incredibly bonded with you both already!"  Which for an adoptive mom, is music to your ears.  :)

So after several weeks, we are finally starting to venture out!  Last weekend, we braved shopping with all four kids in search of a bunk bed for Jacob and Gavin.  Instead of the "Wow, three boys!  You sure have your hands full!" comments, we are now getting "So you finally got your girl!" comments.  That's one thing about adopting from Russia, everyone assumes she's biological.  We love telling them she's adopted though... it usually strikes up conversation and an opportunity to share our story.

I'm not gonna lie, life with four kids is seriously busy!  At one point yesterday, I set out to empty the dish washer and with all of the distractions in-between, it was another two hours before it finally got unloaded.  Potty training Casey has definitely added to the craziness.  Thank goodness (probably due to the fact he is three and a half... and that he will do almost anything for treats ;) potty training has been going well so far.  I was worried about Casey being jealous of Ella, but it ends up that lately Ella has been more jealous of Casey!  Even if I am playing with her at the same time, as soon as my attention shifts to Casey, Ella will let me know that she is one unhappy camper.  I guess, bonding-wise, it's a good thing she wants mommy all to herself?  Gavin cracked me up the other day because he saw Ella crying when I was giving Casey a hug and he said, "Mommy, I think Ella wants you to hug her too."  He is all about protecting his little sister already!!

 Feeding Sy.  Again.  ;)

 We asked Casey if he wanted Ella to sleep with him.  We were joking, but he seemed okay with it.  Until a few minutes later when we heard, "Mommy, get E-wa back in her crib!"

Reaching for Casey's potty treats...

... got 'em!

Saturday morning forts

Ella's horsie (from a very special friend)

Taking a bath with her big brother!

Considering she just broke two molars, she is one happy girl!