Anniversary Trip to McCall

So for our anniversary this year we decided to take a trip up to McCall to use our timeshares.  We had originally planned to go to Vegas but since that was before we got Rachel we decided we could do something different.  So we headed up there with Rachel.  This was the first time she would be staying in our timeshares or a hotel since we have gotten her.  We weren't totally sure how she would do but she was great.  We had a nice relaxing three days.  We lounged around and watched videos, played in the swimming pool,  went on a scavenger hunt, and caught up on sleep.

 We were just lounging in PJ's and we let Rachel watch her Elmo DVD's on our bed and this is her just relaxing watching TV.  So funny how she wanted to be like this the rest of the week after we showed her this the first day.

 Watching more TV with another set up of pillows.

 Just such a cute picture of her.

 Practicing how to zip and unzip the camera bag.

 View off the balcony.

 It was actually raining at this point in time and Rachel was trying to catch the rain drops.

 SNOW!

 Yep that really is snow.

This is a picture of how much snow fell during our little snow storm.  We sat out on the balcony and watched it snow.  So relaxing I love snow.

 I can't tell what she ate but must have been pretty good because it's all over her face.  :-)

We did find out on this trip though that when you start packing up Rachel is ready to go at that point.  We didn't have to be out of our room until 12:00 but by 11:00 when we had the car packed she started pulling us to the door and saying, "Go!"  So we have learned to be ready to go or don't pack up so early.

Outside Play

So the other day Rachel wanted us to play outside with her.  She could spend her whole time outside but she doesn't like to be out there by herself.  She is always asking one of us to go out to either swing her or just play.  So these are us playing.

 Daddy swinging.  Wee!

 More Swinging

Yes that is Scott inside her playhouse.

 I can get in also but I will go through the window. :-)

 Hanging out with Daddy.

 Well she wasn't happy with just Daddy in her playhouse she wanted Mommy in also.  So we actually made it into the playhouse with all three of us.  We were squished that's for sure but it was fun.

 Yeah she hates getting her picture taken when it's not her idea.  Proof all three of us were in the playhouse.

 Rachel left to go slide.  You can see her behind Scott climbing up her stairs to her slide.

 This is a better one of all of us.

 I'm sure she is telling us a story and I'm just trying to be sneaky about actually getting a picture so she won't cry.

Daddy makes for a great horsey ride.

Milestones

So this month here are the things that Rachel has learned.  She is starting to learn so much.
1.  She has figured out about elbow's and is always pointing at someone's.  This came from Elmocise.
2.  She mimics everything.  The other day in the store she heard me say, Are you kidding me?  So needless to say throughout the store she kept saying what I had said.
3.  She likes Salt and Vinegar chips.  Scott thinks she's crazy with me.
4.  She loves to draw and is always saying, "I need a pencil. Please!"  Super cute.
5.  She has learned that she can stand on her piano bench to turn on lights and look up at the stove top.
6.  She now opens any door that she wants to.
7.  She climbs into her own car seat.
8.  She can buckle up her buckles on the booster seat and her car seat as long as she isn't sitting in them.  
9.  She has figured out when to say please and thank you.
10.  She can count to 11 but misses four and sometimes five.
11.  She can sing her alphabets and gets almost all the letters.
12.  She can actually pick out the "W, S, A, L. of the alphabet magnets.

Update on Rachel's Adoption

So we went to court on Rachel's permanency placement on May 2nd.  They were running behind but Scott and I were so nervous.  We weren't sure what they do at these things.  We ended up meeting the prosecuting attorney in this case and she was so happy that we were chosen for Rachel as her parents.  We learned about the trial they had for Rachel and then we went in to see the judge.  We were there in hopes of hearing that yes it would be okay to get her adopted.  Well to Scott and my surprise the prosecuting attorney asked that the foster parents be allowed to speak to the court.  Scott and I looked at each other like a ghost had just ran through the court room.  So we went up to the microphones and just rambled on about how great Rachel is doing and how she is thriving and is the smartest little girl ever.   The judge made sure that there was a statement in the court documents saying, "The foster parents are beaming over this little girl."  So cool.  After some more legal jargon they said that they didn't need to have any more hearings because this situation is good.  I didn't know whether to laugh, cry, dance, or scream from the rafters.  Scott and I walked out of there just completely overjoyed. The prosecuting attorney told us she had been told we would have Rachel adopted sometime in May.  We were like we haven't heard that but that would totally be cool.  The more we thought about it we were excited because if we can get through the court system by the end of May, then Rachel can get sealed to us on our 7 year anniversary on May 28th.  How cool is that going to be.  I got back to work and called the lawyer and he totally burst my bubble.  He talked to me about all the steps that still needed to be done and I was like well Katie(our social worker at H&W) said she had done all that stuff.  He said he would get back to me on it.  Katie was out of the office until May 6th so we couldn't get any answers from her.  She called us on the 6th  and told us even more bad news.  She had sent Rachel's paperwork to central office to get signed off on and some how there was an Indian tribe that had gotten missed.  (I know who would have thought she had any Indian in her.  Lets just say a trace if you can even call it that).  So we had to wait on that to come back before we could proceed any further.  She also told me she thought she had sent the paperwork to the lawyer so he could get it started and oops it wasn't sent.  I was really bummed.  So now instead of getting it finalized by the end of May we are looking at the end of June.  :-(  We are bummed but know that it will come eventually.