Journey To Maggie

A Year Ago Today...

A year ago today we were united with our sweet little Maggie in the very hot Civil Affairs Office in Changsha China! It is so hard to believe what a wonderful blessing she is to our family. I am so glad that we used LifeLink and that I have met so many new friends along this exciting, frustrating at times, but most of all a blessed journey to adding a little miracle to our family!

Reflecting over this past year I just cannot believe how this tiny little underweight child has changed into a healthy vibrant little girl that her big brother affectionately calls, "Baby". I still don't understand at times how we were brought down this path to adopt a child or why it was a child from China that we were drawn to - I simply think it is a God Thing. He whisper to us and the whisper got louder and louder until we answered. I am so glad that we did!

To all of you who are waiting for your child is so worth the wait! The giggles, smiles, kisses and hugs (oh, and the poopy messes!) will soften the memories of the months of waiting for your family's perfect child.

Amy E
proud Wife to Matt and proud Mommy to Lucas William and Margaret Susan Yan Ying Edwards

March 8th, 2006

Hi All,

I don't know if anyone is even checking our site at this point but I wanted to add some new pictures of our kids. Maggie is doing great! She will be 19 months this Sunday. I can't believe it! She started walking on February 4th - the day we got home from Disney World. Now there is no stopping her!

I have given notice at work and my last day will be March 24th. Yeah! I can't believe I am going to be able to stay at home with my kids. I am scared to death but I can't wait to have fun with them.

Anyway check out the pics!

Amy

Six Months with Maggie

Hi All!  I am sorry that I haven't updated our site in a long while.  On January 11th, we celebrated six months with Maggie.  These six months have flown by.  Maggie continues to thrive! 

Maggie has filled out!  She has developed great muscle tone and she even has cheeks!  She is a very busy girl!  Always into something!  Maggie and Luke really do like being together and watching their relationship grow is such a joy for Matt and me. 

Maggie is almost caught up developmentally.  We have had her screened twice.  The last time was this past week.  Maggie's gross motor skills are at 14 months simple because she doesn't want to walk yet.  She takes steps between furniture but she is so efficient at crawling that she has no interest.  We are working on it!  Maggie continues to climb on everything.  We have to watch her like a hawk and we have to make sure all the dining room chairs are pushed in and that the gates are up.

Maggie is also saying simple words, mama, dada, papa,nign nign (for night night), up, thank you (we think), and sometimes I think she is saying "I don know". 

One thing we are struggling with is her sleeping.  She only sleeps eight hours.  Some say that is good.  Well, it is but when you put her to bed at 8 pm that means she gets up at 4 am.  4 am is the middle of the night for me.  5 am is ok that is morning - but 4 is just too early!  I know this will past but boy it can make for a long day is you stay up to 10 pm.

Well, that's it. Talk to you all soon.

Amy

4months with Maggie

Hi Everyone,

I have updated in awhile.  Life is so busy now that I am back to work.  Maggie has adjusted so well.  She is enjoying being with Barb our sitter.  It really helps that Luke is with her.  The other kids just love her and she loves them. 

Maggie almost has 12 teeth.  Her mouth is so swollen!  All her teeth are coming in at the same time.  She is also battling we think her third ear infection.

She is now saying Mama, Dada, Nigh Nigh for Night Night, Ba Ba for Bottle, Ba for Ball, That and she points at what she wants, hi, bye, na na for no no.  She also loves to sing, LaLa!

Maggie is walking around all the furniture and climbing up and on to things.  She is scaring me!  Little Monkey! Matt calls her hover because she is always eating things off the kitchen floor.  Mind you, that most of it she threw on the floor.

Our house is a mess! We staighten up and then in comes our little tornado and get out everything and unloads everything.  Toddlers are so active,  you forget! 

Luke is still the one who can make Maggie giggle and laugh the most!  It is so cute!  They go crazy with eachother.

We had great pics of the kids taken today.  I am posting them now.

Amy

October 22, 2005

Hi all,

It has been a few weeks since I lasted posted.  I am back to work and missing being with my children so much.  I am not going to dwell on that right now.  Maggie is doing so well.  She likes being at our sitter's home.  I really think having Luke there with her for part of the day has help with this transition.

Maggie now has 11 teeth.  She has three molars that have finally broken through.  Ouch!  She is still crawling up a storm and now is climbing up on everything.  She loves playing with balls.  She will sit and play roll the ball to you all the time.  She also likes playing with empty ice cream buckets.  Who needs all those expensive toys, right? 

We had Maggie baptized on October 9th (our wedding anniversary).  It was really nice she did great!  She didn't cry and she went right to our pastor.  I will post some pics of our little darling.  She was so cute in her white silk dress from China.  After Church that day we had our families over for brunch.  Matt and I made egg caseroles and they were very yummy!  Big thank you to Matt's Mom and Aunt who helped get everything ready.

Last weekend Maggie attended her first weinie roast and she really enjoyed the lawn chairs!  She loves mooching food from everyone.  She loves chex mix!

Well, I'll post some pics soon!

Amy

Back to work

Hi Everyone,

Well, tomorrow is the big day for me.  I return to my day job.  At the beginning of last week I was dreading it!  I haven't be apart form my kids for nearly three months and I have to say being at home with them was wonderful.  Today, I am feeling much better about going back to work!  Matt will be home with the kids for two weeks!  Matt will be working with her on her transition to our baby sitters. 

The whole family went to Chicagoland this weekend.  Matt and his parents went to a print convention.  Luke, Maggie and me hung out at the hotel and played at the pool.  It was very relaxing!

Maggie is growing and growing!  I loaded up my first bag of clothing to go to Good Will.  The nice thing about knowing that this is my last child is that I am not keeping anything!  When she out grows something I am getting rid of it!

Maggie is telling all of us no!  She is shaking her head no all the time it is so cute!  She is also taking a step from the couch to the coffee table.  So, before long she will be walking!

I am updating pictures today!

Amy

September 24, 2005

Hi Everyone!  Sorry that I didn't get to post last week.  We went to Michigan to visit my sister's family and boy did we have fun!  Maggie did very well for an 8 hour car trip.  She had to have one of us sitting in the back seat with her.  Not the most comfortable ride for an adult sitting between two carseats on the hump! 

Maggie is, of course, continuing to progress.  Tooth number 8 has broken through!  And we have a mouth of swollen gums.   Maggie is getting into everything and just loves to rip up magazines.  Sorry Oprah! 

Over the last couple of weeks Maggie has found her laugh.  In the past, she would laugh but now she laughs all the time!  Luke and Maggie crack eachother up!  Luke can really get her to laugh!

Well, short update because Maggie is crying and wanting to get up from her nap!

Amy

Another Week Down

Hi All! 

Well, time is certainly going by fast.  Maggie is so happy!  She is starting to give kisses and it is so cute.  The only time she isn't happy is when I take her shopping.  She hates it!  She screams and cries until we get in the car.  This makes Matt so happy. 

Maggie is now going up the steps.  She has no idea of what gravity is and will try to sit back.  Luckily, we have the baby gate up and the only time she can go up the steps is when Mommy or Daddy are there to help. She is also trying to drink from her cup on her own which is a good thing until she hurls it across the room.

Right now we are having the basement de-watered.  We are putting a sump pump system in and it is quite the undertaking.  So yesterday we went to Grandma Edwards' house and hung out and played off and on all day.

I will try to put some new pictures out tonight or tomorrow.

Amy

Week 6

I can't believe we have been home with Maggie for 6 weeks and that we have had her for 8 weeks.  Maggie is doing wonderful! Everyday she is doing more and more.  We had our evaluation with Early Intervention on Friday and Maggie is overall testing out at about 10 months.  We are so happy that she is progressing so quickly! 

In the 8 weeks that we have had Maggie with us we have seen her progress developmentally from being a 6 month old to a 10 month old who is actively getting around everywhere in our home.  She is also playing patty cake now and starting to give kisses!  She has the cutest little pucker!

Being home with our two kids gives me such a great appreciation for all stay at home mothers!  It has been very enjoyable and at times very trying!  I have to say that this time at home with Maggie is so wonderful and I am so happy that I am getting this time to bond with her.  She is such a blessing.

Amy

Week 5

Hi Everyone! Here is my weekly update.

Things are going great here in Bloomington.  Maggie is progressing so quickly!  We have had her assessed for developmental delays.  We will meet for a formal report next Friday.  Overall, she is testing out at about a 9 month old.  We met with the physical therapist and he was showing me things to get Maggie to pull herself up.  The next day she was doing it.  Pulling herself up and she can climb up steps as well.  She is so busy trying to get into everything!

Maggie is also trying more foods for me.  She had a waffle for breakfast and she has now decided that she likes pear sauce.  She loves eating and loves putting her food in her hair!

Luke starts Pre-K tomorrow afternoon.  We can't believe it!  Luke continues to be a great big brother.  "Mom, Maggie is getting into this" and "Mom, get Maggie away from my game!"  She thinks it is such a big game going after her big brother.

Maggie is also warming up to others.  We left her Friday with Barb for an hour and she did fine.  Matt's Aunt Dee Dee also came over to watch Maggie and Luke so Matt and I could work in our basement.  Maggie did great!  Matt and I are seeing a date night in our future!

I am posting new pictures of our little darling!

Amy