Friday, February 10, 2006 Happy Birthday Brooke Alana! Today you are one! What an exciting day for our family. I am so glad that we could celebrate Brooke’s first birthday here in America with our family. Brooke has been an official member of our family for five weeks but it feels like we have been together forever. She has adapted beautifully to life in America and most especially, life with us. Matthew and Brooke are inseparable and she is constantly looking for him. She calls for him all the time. Maaaahum, Maaaahum, Maaaahum and when she finds him she squeals with joy. Now don’t get me wrong, they have their good moments but they have their not so good moments too. When she has had enough she lets him know and when he has had enough he just walks away. They are true siblings. Brooke started walking in China and the nannies in Maonan SWI were quite proud to let us know that she began walking at 10 ½ months. When we were together in China, Brooke would take a few steps here and there in the hotel room. I never really encouraged the walking in China for a few reasons; first I was worried that she might hurt herself in the room with the edges of the furniture. Although the White Swan is a magnificent hotel, the rooms are very small so there was not much cruising room for a baby to explore. Second, I was a little selfish. I wanted her to be a baby for a little while longer. I missed the first 11 months of her life, I knew once she started to walk that baby stage would quickly vanish and I was right. Brooke started to walk the second week home with more than just a few steps. Maybe 8-10 steps and boom – down she went. On the day of her first birthday she gave us about 12 running steps and then the fun began - no more crawling for Brooke. She is constantly in motion. She runs and runs and doesn’t stop. In such a short time she was steady on her feet and off. She doesn’t want to miss a thing and is ready for a good time anytime! I will never forget the nannies telling us that she was the most active in the orphanage. Of course we thought that she was probably active but that the nannies were exaggerating a little. Well, I don’t think they were exaggerating at all. Brooke is a wild woman. She climbs on everything, she can escape from her high chair, has tried to climb out of her crib, can maneuver out of every carriage and yes, of course she is safety harnessed in all of them. When manufacturers of children’s products need to test for safety measures they should call us in to see if their products pass the Brooke Alana escape technique. The only times Brooke is not bustling around is in the car seat (she loves to go cruising in the mama mobile) or when we rock her to sleep. Even during down time she needs movement whether it be from the car or the rocker. Surprisingly she does not like the playground swing. I thought that she would enjoy the movement but she was scared of the swing. We will try again in the spring when the weather is warmer and all the children are out and about. I wish I had more pictures of Brooke but she is faster than the delay on the digital camera. Sometimes when I go back to view the photo, she is not even in the picture she had moved so fast. For the record, I am not complaining. I wouldn’t want Brooke any other way. She has a zest for life and lives every moment to the fullest. We are so fortunate that she is on target with her development. Her fine and gross motor skills are excellent and she is progressing so well. She smiles and squeals and babbles with delight all the time. Every moment there is something new to explore and enjoy. She is curious, playful, friendly, independent and so happy. She is absolutely perfect for this family. Brooke sleeps great. She has slept through the night since the very beginning. It is no doubt that she sleeps well through the night- she is exhausted from her very busy day. She is a very busy little girl. It is amazing how this little bundle of joy is so right for this family. Brooke is so much like us. She is the happiest of the happiest. She is also very funny and likes to make people laugh. She is a little clown just like her brother. Although she is so happy 99% of the time, Brooke also has a little temper and when she gets mad – watch out world! She is so much like me. She loves to laugh and make people laugh, she loves to dance, she loves music, and she loves to play, loves to sleep and loves to eat.

I am one year old today! Celebrating with our friends and Brooke's SWI sister Lindsey Brooke and Lindsey on their first official playdate Matthew. . . Do you want to play catch! I can maneuver the remote now. Daddy beware! Birthday's can be so tiring!

Brooke is a non stop eater – sometimes I think she is going to explode. She enjoys her food there is no doubt about that. I suppose that after 11 months of nothing but formula and rice cereal, everything seems so delicious. I have heard from other moms of adoptive Chinese children that this is very common the first few months home and then their appetites seem to settle down a little. I hope so, at this stage she is eating way more than her six year old brother. Well, we will keep you all posted of Brooke and the family a few times each month. Stay tuned. Please email us privately or sign our guest book. We love to hear from all of you. Bye for now, Mandee, Howard, Matthew and Brooke

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