Our Journey to Caitlin Mei: Happy half-birthday, Caitlin!

Caitlin turned 3-1/2 today! We did nothing to celebrate, but I thought I'd take this opportunity to update this long-neglected blog...

Caitlin is quickly growing from a "baby" to a beautiful little girl! She is smart as a whip, and amazes everyone she meets or talks to. She is also becoming very loving, compassionate, and sensitive. Caitlin is one of the bravest kids I know; she faces challenges without a flinch, and she does not let anything get in her way! She is wild and constantly keeps me on my toes, but I love the challenge!

Caitlin had another procedure back in June including an endoscopy to try to get to the bottom of the ongoing stomach issues that she has had since the day we met her, and her plastic surgeon also came to work on her lip scar while she was under anesthesia. Her scar is healing very nicely, BTW!

Here are some milestones Caitlin has reached:

She has been taking ballet since May, and can now name and demonstrate several basic ballet steps, including 1st position, 2nd position, plie, passe, and arabesque.
Caitlin loves school, and is very popular with her peers! Every time I pick her up all the kids erupt into shouts of "Bye Caitlin Mei!" (There are 2 Caitlin's in her class, so Caitlin goes by "Caitlin Mei" at school).
She can count to 100 (or more; sometimes she just keeps going!).
She is learning to tell time on a digital clock, and on a "handed" clock to the hour and half-hour.
She can read and spell her entire name (even our last name, which is a doozie!), as well as "Mama," "Lala," "Stop," and "No."
She can write her whole name if following dots, and is learning to write letters without the dots as well.
She can recognise, by name, several planets, and describe them (Earth = "Our planet;" Venus = "the hot hot hot! planet;" Mars = "the red planet;" Jupiter = "the BIG planet;" Neptune = "the blue planet;" and Pluto = "the teeny, tiny, far away planet." (Don't get me started on how Pluto is not considered a planet anymore!)
She is learning several different languages; Caitlin knows a few words and phrases in Mandarin, Italian, and Slovak, and is learning the colors and days of the week, as well as several conversational phrases, in Spanish.
She knows the words to more songs than I can count, and also knows 6 prayers (including the "Our Father"/Lord's Prayer).
She knows that she's a human (not a mermaid- BIG Ariel fan!), and will tell you that humans, animals, and most fish have bones; slugs, snails, and jellyfish do not.
She can locate California and China on a map or globe.
She knows our flag, and that we live in the United States. She knows that she was born in China, and that her Mama and Daddy went on a big 747 airplane to bring her home. She will also tell you that her cousin, Cora, was born in Japan. (My brother was stationed there).
Caitlin is also learning to swim (without floatation devices).