Leah is 3!

Leah went trick or treating to her new cousin Baby Zach's house...

Her witch costume for her school Halloween party

Leah and one of her many friends at the Diwali festival

Leah turned 3 this week! She also celebrated Halloween and Diwali so it seems late October and early November are always going to be crazy in our household. We also celebrate the milestone that she has now been home 18 months, the same amount of time she lived at Bal Asha. She continues to amaze us each and every day, after her birthday Andrew and I were both talking and saying what a true miracle and gift she really is and how we do need to remember to always keep discussing India with her and that she is adopted only because it truly never crosses our mind. She is ours totally and completely and we often forget we haven't always been with her.

She is still extremely tiny for her age but her new pediatrician (who is from India) is not concerned at all. She is growing on her own curve and the pediatrician said it is pretty hard to make up for poor prenatal care, being born premature and having poor nutrition for the first 18 months of her life.

She is talking up a storm, not as much as the average 3 year old, but again, our new pediatrician stresses that she is bilingual and based on that she is doing great. She now knows almost her entire alphabet, all of her colors and can count to 10 so we think she is on the right track. She has started going to a "pre-school" at the local High School where I used to teach, 2 mornings a week for 2 hours at a time. The students in a child development class run the "school" and there are more high school kids than 3 and 4 year olds so the teacher student ratio is ideal!

Her feet seem great to us, unless she is wearing cheap shoes ( a great reason for Mom to shop for cute shoes then). She has her 3 year check up with her orthopedic surgeon later this month so we will see what he says. Anyone who watches her run around though would not believe she was born with club feet. We think she is making up for lost time!

Well, there you have it, what's new in Leah's world. We are still figuring out what we are going to do in regards to expanding our family. It is official that it did not work out for Bennett Krutin and there have been a lot of changes with adoption in India so we are weighing our options. We are in no hurry to make a decision and are just cherishing our time with Leah as we have learned it goes too quickly.

One Year

May 11, 2009

Bal Asha Orphanage

Mumbai, India

May 11, 2010
Taste of India
Bangor, Maine U.S.A.

One year has passed... it is absolutely amazing. We thought May 11, 2009 was the happiest day of our life, but really each day since has made us happier and happier. One year has never passed so quickly ( I only wish the years of waiting for Leah had passed this fast)! Leah Aasawari Harmon has made our lives more fulfilled than we ever could have imagined. We are so blessed to call her daughter and for her to call us Momma and Daddy.

This is going to be our last blog post, or at the very least much rarer than they have been. We are now just a "regular" family and we don't have all that much to post- most of the "firsts" have been done and now we just start living! If you want to keep in touch feel free to email us or both Andrew or I are on facebook and it is much easier for us to put pictures on there.

Thanks for following our journey to Leah and the first year home with her...

Mother's Day

Well this year Mother's day was spent VERY different than last year's. Last year we were on a 15.5 hour plane ride to Mumbai to meet Leah. This year Andrew and Leah bought me a gorgeous Lilac bush and then we all went to our favorite place- Chase's daily in Belfast for breakfast! Leah is now napping and Andrew is landscaping and I am reflecting! Words yet again can not sum how blessed I feel to have Leah as my daughter. And today especially, I thank the woman who brought her into this world for making the choice she did, that allowed me to be Leah's Mom.

Long time no post...

First time climbing up the slide by myself! I love that my legs are getting longer!
Watching Megan be Eleanor Roosevelt in the 5th grade play... I went in my PJ's because it was past my bedtime!

Mom and I went to the Audubon Owl presentation. I love owls.

I like trying to dress myself/wear things... including Bella's collar!

And Daddy's boxers!!!

Watching Word World with my baby!

Wow it has been a long time since I have posted... probably because our computer has had off and on problems for weeks! Can you believe we are fast approaching Leah's one year anniversary! Hard to imagine- and she will be 2.5 tomorrow! Time flies when you are having fun! Leah is starting to talk quite a bit more... seems each day we realize she knows a new word or a letter! O's are still her favorite though. Last weekend she started using the potty- so we are in the beginning stages of potty training!

High Heels

Best toy ever!

This is a giant tote of dried rice and beans that I bought in bulk at the Natural living store. It is basically an "indoor sand box" with a lot less mess. It is truly the best investment for a "toy" I have made. Leah sits still and plays with this A LOT! I highly recommend!

Easter

After church... Leah LOVED taking communion! Meaning, I apparently need to start buying grape juice! Leah was happy- even though she does not look it here!
Leah and 2 grandmothers and one great grandmother!

Andrew's "artistic" photo!

Catching on this whole search for candy in your own house thing!

Dark chocolate Leah (and Mom's) favorite!

4 generations

We had a wonderful, wonderful Easter. It did not hurt that it was over 70 degrees and that we had Easter brunch at one of our favorite places. Leah was very good during church- we went to Milo to see Great Aunt Julie sing in the choir and then 9 of us went to brunch at the Riverdrivers. Yum Yum! We came home and played outside until bedtime. We also determined bedtime is going to have to be pushed until at least 7pm now that it is starting to get so nice out. No way do we want to be inside putting Leah to bed at her "normal" 6:15! Andrew did finally determine it was time to give up on one more snowstorm and he put his snowsled away for the Summer!

New Cousin!

Leah has a new cousin! Braden became a big brother yesterday to Hunter William Harmon. Here is a picture of the family of four! We are so happy for you all!

Marching through...

Leah and Maggie watching one of their favorite shows- Word World! Jake figured out why Leah must like it so much- the animation is done in India!

Maine Maple Sunday with Uncle Matt...

Tossing pebbles into the stream in the "Maple tree forest" with Mom and Uncle Matt

Helping Uncle Matt fix my John Deere

Hi Horsey!

Leah and 2 of her favorite guys!

Maggie and Leah in their PJ's! Notice they are holding hands!

A few pictures from this week of gorgeous spring weather. We have been outside a ton. Leah loves playing soccer in the front yard. One day we met my Mom and Michelle at a playground when they got out of school so they could visit Leah for a bit and a picture of Leah's newest trick- drinking with ONE hand no matter how many times we say TWO hands Leah!

Leah got to spend all day Wednesday with Grammie Carla- thanks Grammie! She kindly came to babysit Leah so Andrew and I could go spring skiing at Sugarloaf. Leah got to go out for breakfast with Grammie and Great Aunt Phyllis, visit other friends of Grammie's and go to Cascade park and another playground!

On the farm...

To take advantage of the gorgeous weather today we took Leah to the Witter Farm at the University of Maine to see the cows and horses. We were so lucky to meet twin baby cows who were only one week old! I am not sure who enjoyed it more Leah or Daddy! We can't wait to go back again soon and hopefully get to see the baby sheep! On the way home we stopped for an early dinner at Pepino's! Leah LOVED the salsa fresca and the margarita pie! She is all Harmon!

New Sunglasses!

This picture really cracked Andrew and I up... I took it of Leah with my cell phone when we were heading to Ashlee and Feleke's this afternoon. She sure does keep us smiling and laughing more than anything else!

March

Leah and her future husband, with his sport coat on!
Playing in one of the pretend trains at the Narrow gauge museum

Leah is thrilled that sliding season on our screened porch has resumed!

A walk in the woods with Dad, Jake and Maggie!

Daddy's girl

"Hiking" in Bangor City Forest

Sunshine!

Copy cat!

Not sure what to think of the conductor!

March is here and it seems Winter is over- and it hardly felt like we had winter! I haven't posted in awhile it seems... things are still going great. Leah had an app't with her orthopedic specialist and he doesn't need to see her until she turns 3! At that point she probably will not even have to wear her brace at night anymore. It sure has worked - her feet pretty much do not stop during her waking hours! Leah went to Will's birthday party and enjoyed having a train ride at it this weekend. We had reservations to leave for FL Wednesday but we are postponing it- the weather there sounds horrid and the weather here is beautiful so it did not make sense to leave!

More "Winter" Fun...

We went to LL Bean with the Harveys for school vacation week fun- Joel is of course, pointing out the trout to Leah...
Trying to convince Daddy to play dolls instead of watching the Super Bowl!

We went to Portland Head Light- Andrew's old summer job location since it was such a beautiful morning!

My FAVORITE trick of Uncle Matt's!

Coloring at Gritty's!

One of the "activities" at LL Bean was meeting a sled dog team... all of the dogs were SO nice!

It was so nice out Mom and Dad shared an iced coffee so I got a donut hole! Nice teeth!

Clear Blue sky!

Sunday morning walk at Higgins Beach- yes, in February

Getting ready for the tourney!

The back of my tourney T-shirt! Go Whit and Jake!

Our winter is a joke, we live in Maine for a reason- we like snow and we have almost none! Andrew has hardly used his snowmobile, we have only gone skiing 2x and the ice is so thin that it is dangerous. None the less some Maine winter traditions have gone on- one being the High School basketball tournament. Leah only got to go to 2 games- one in Augusta, and one in Bangor. We were very proud of big cousins Jacob and Whitney as both of their teams went to the semi-finals. Jacob's last game did not begin til 8:30 at night so Leah had her first overnight at Nana and Papa's. She did great, me not so much! Here are a few pictures of the past couple of weeks. We also went on a Southern Maine overnight with the Harveys. LL Bean put on lots of free activities for vacation week for the kids so we did a bunch of neat stuff there, let the kids swim in the hotel pool, went to the beach and got to visit the Mulkerns and eat fun food!