TGIF!!

  It’s been a rougher week than normal.  Emily has a bit of my stomach bug, but she seems in good spirits and no fever, so other than the ginormous poopie diapers, she is fine.  I’m doing better myself, and actually was able to eat breakfast today and so far, I haven’t been sick, so WOO HOO! 

I had a colonoscopy yesterday. I know that Shanny would have me put up pics of my colon, but I think I’ll spare you!!  (I did get some though Shanny, so I’ll show you later)   The good news is that I don’t have anything chronic, just a really bad infection. It may take awhile to fully clear up, but I should be OK in a few weeks.  Let me tell you, it is a tough way to lose a few pounds. I’ve lost 7 lbs since Monday.  SEVEN. That’s a lot in 4 days.  I’m sure most of it will be back on by next Monday though!!  Oh well. I’ll enjoy the loose pant feeling while it lasts.  Thanks for all your well wishes and thoughts. It’s nice to know my bloggy peeps have my back!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BABY GIRL!

My precious Emily turned 1 today.  She woke up happy and I sang Happy Birthday to her while she was still in the crib.  She is just the most delightful little girl you could ever meet.  I’m so glad that we got to have this day with her, because I know a lot of folks have to miss the 1^st birthday. But I’m just thrilled and we had a good time this morning before school.

 

In other news It’s pouring rain and cold here. We even had thunder and lightening this morning which is really unusual for this time of year.  Tradition says if we get a thunderstorm in the winter, with in a week you’ll have snow or ice.  Let’s see!!

 

Also, unfortunately, I’m continuing to have severe stomach pain. I’ll spare you the graphics, but last night I was violently ill for 5 or 6 hours. (Imagine me in the staring role of the Exorcist.)   I’m exhausted today and very sore and uncomfortable.  Tony is a saint. He did a good job holding my hand last night and bringing me a pillow so I could lie down in the bathroom.  I don’t know how he lives every day being sick to his stomach. I know that he doesn’t have episodes like that every day, but still. To know that you COULD be that sick at any time, ugh. What a nightmare. I don’t know how he does it. I made him promise me last night that if I died, ( because I really thought I was going too for a little while there!!), that he would make sure I was cremated and to make sure Emily goes to college.  Weird what you think of, isn’t it?  Anyways, I’m back to the specialist this afternoon.  I’ll keep you guys posted.  HOPEFULLY, I’ll feel better later tonight and I can have a little cake with Emily for her bday.  If I can’t, I’ll just take lots of pictures of her having cake. That will be fun too!!

 

 

Friday!!

Man, I’m so glad its Friday!! I am feeling a LOT better, and can almost eat normally now. I can eat what I want, I just have to have less of it, which, all things considered, is probably good for me anyways.  And I only have a little pain every once in awhile in my stomach area, so that is also a bonus.  It is such a relief to be back to myself. 

 

This is going to be a rambling kind of post, so I think I’m going to go with bullet style. I mean it is Friday, right?

 

1. Not being able to read blogs at work has put a serious damper on keeping up with my bloggy peeps.  I’m reading at night now, and well, it’s not the same. So, don’t think I’ve abandoned you all, I’m just more pressed for time. 
2. I have recently got into Face book, thanks to my sister, and it is such fun. I feel all teen-popish, but so what. I got the coolest video message from an old high school friend the other day, (Hi BONNIE!) and it made me feel all Geroge Jettson!! HA HA HA… I love the internet
3. About a gajillion people tagged me to name 7 weird things about myself. I haven’t forgotten, I’m just trying to narrow it down to 7. 
4. Tony got me the nicest Valentines gift. It’s this gorgeous necklace with a pendant like a squiggle and it has little tiny diamonds in it. I love it. Emily loves it too, as she keeps trying to yank it off me and insert it in her mouth.  He also bought us lobster tail and steak, of which I got to eat none of, because I was in the hospital. BOO!!  I love that boy.
5. Emily has begun to grasp the concept of NO!!  (see #4) She seems surprised when I say it, but she’s getting it.
6. 3 hours a day with Emily is not enough time. However, 12 hours a day with her is too much.  I wish I could work part time and get paid for full time. With benefits. Then I could put her in a preschool or something so I wouldn’t lose my mind but still spend more time with her.   It’s a nice fantasy.
7. Jackie W.  GIRL! I  have got to call you. You are on my list.  I love you and I haven’t forgotten about you.  I will send you a big email this weekend or dig out your phone number and actually call. I promise
8. Go over to see Shanny's new puppy and wish her a speedy recovery.  I hope your knee surgery goes ok.  I think you will feel a lot better once it’s done.  
9. I was thinking about how much I love Emily & Tony last night and it made me cry. Is that normal?
10. I have to reschedule trying on wedding dresses.  I was all set to go this past Monday with my sis because I had the day off, but it didn’t seem like a good idea to put on 40lbs of restrictive under ware when my stomach was being that …destructive.  Sometimes I feel like the wedding planning will never get off the ground.  *sigh*

 

 

That’s it. Hope everyone’s weekends are super!!

 

 

WHOA!~!!! Did you read this?!? 

Em likes to pursue the paper with her morning bottle.  

Emily Cuteness

Uh OH!  Dropped the paper!!  Em can actually say uh oh now too. Mom, Dad and Tony taught her while I was in the hospital. It is the funniest thing to hear her little tiny baby voice say, UH OH! 

Stomach Issues

The past few days have been very rough. I got a stomach ache Wed afternoon that never really got better. By Thurs, i was moaning and groaning in pain so T took me to the urgent care who promptly called an ambulance and dragged my butt to the ER. So I have something called gastroblah blah blah which means that I have inflamed the illium of my small intestines. They thought at first I had a blockage, but after keeping me there for a few days they said it could be viral. Or bacterial. But probably not Chron's which is good since Tony already has that and who needs two stomach sick people in the same house?  I came home yesterday (Sunday) and I'm fine, but really REALLY tired and sore. I'm leaving in a few for a follow up with a specialist. I still don't feel super great, but we'll see.  I'm not going to have anything explode inside of me, and that is a bonus.

Emily is fine. My mom came down and helped take care of her and me with Tony. They did a great job.

And the book is not Ask Alice. It's About Alice and it's some lame biography about a guy's wife and how great and pretty she is.  I think eventually she dies of cancer, but I haven't read much the last few days.  It sucks.  

More when I'm less cranky. 

Mrs. Cranky Pants

Thanks again bloggy peeps for all your thoughts and suggestions yesterday.   I will have to get some sort of standard answer ready for “when idiots attack”.  And I guess I’ll just have to get used to everyone staring at us.  I really do think that, for right now anyways, they really are just enchanted by our little girl.  At least in church, I know the folks around us are just playing with a baby, and making faces at a baby.  I used to do the same thing.  And if all anyone is going to say is how cute she is, well, I can hardly disagree with them!!

 

On to other stuff. My neighborhood has a book club so I decided while I was off work and had a bit more free time that I should at least give it a try. The book we read was Water for Elephants  by Sara Gruen. It was good. Not great, but good. I give it a 3 out of 5 stars. (I can do an official review if anyone is interested)   Anyways, last night was my first official book club meeting. I’m all excited to go. I love to read. I love to discuss/argue in a friendly way. It was a chance to not be a mom for 45 minutes and just be my old self again.   Man was I disappointed.  The book club consisted of me, the neighborhood coordinator, who didn’t even read the book, and ONE lady, a retired elementary school principal.   *SIGH*  I was majorly bummed.  I mean, we talked about the book and everything, but come on. One other person?!?  It was a serious let down. They told me that there usually is one other lady but she was a no show last night.  So even on a good night there would still be only 2 people.  Ugh.  I decided to stick with it next month, just to see if it there is any more interest, but this next book is …jeez I forget the name. Alice something. About Alice? Or Ask Alice?  It’s very thin and it’s a non-fiction which I normally do not like.   We’ll see.   I’m not really getting my hopes up.

 

It’s raining and cold here today.  I just want to go back to bed and make a cocoon and wake up tomorrow.  Instead I have to take Emily to get vaccinations this afternoon.  That will be fun.

 

Just call me Mrs Cranky Pants.

 

 

 

 

 

Emily the Celebrity

First off, thanks for your kind words yesterday about day care. She got a “glad-o-gram” yesterday and they said over and over what a good day she had.  Apparently she only cried for like 5 minutes and then she played and played and ate and napped and everything.  She was really excited to see me when I came to pick her up yesterday too, and she konked out on the 20 min ride home, so I guess she did play and play.  She cried again this morning when I left her, but it seemed more half hearted of a cry.   I can call and check on her and see how she’s doing during the day so that makes me feel better.  Her room has two really nice ladies, so it’s not like I’m leaving her in a Turkish prison or anything.  It’s just, you know, they aren’t ME. 

 

But on to today’s subject.  Emily attracts attention like paparazzi around Britney Spears. EVERYWHERE we go with her, people stop and tell me how beautiful she is. I agree with them, but I’m a pretty private person (who shares her life on the WWW, yes, I see the irony) so it’s a bit, overwhelming, for me.  Mostly I just say “Say Thank You Emily!”  and kind of leave it at that.  When we go to church, we like, have a following. All the people around us just stare and stare at her.  Is it really cause she’s so pretty or is it because they are trying to figure us out? Like, why is that gorgeous baby with HER? And wait, isn’t she Chinese?!?  I expected stupid comments before I adopted, and I’ve gotten them, but I don’t think I was really expecting the constant staring. It’s un-nerving.  And while 99% of the comments are about how cute she is and how pretty she is, I think I’m getting wary that someone will one day something which will cause me to punch him in the head.    Yesterday, a guy at work was like hey Mama-san your back! And then he proceeded to make “Chinese” noises.  I just said, “ well hey, I appreciate your racist comments” and he laughed like I was joking. I wasn’t joking.  But I let it go.  But if someone did that in front of Emily, I think I would lose my mind. How do you prepare yourself for these kinds of moments, which I KNOW will happen? Or do I just go on hoping it doesn’t?    For now, it’s nice that everyone agrees with me how gorgeous she is. But what happens when the questions start?  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Banned!!

Well I knew it was going to happen sooner or later.  Work finally wised up and blocked all Blogger pages. BOOO!!   So I can’t see my own blog at work or anyone else’s for that matter. This is a real set back. I got most of my reading done at work. I know that sounds bad, but I’m on the phone a LOT, and I’m on hold a LOT and reading a page is something I can do in 30 seconds. Crud.  Not a fun way to start my first full week back, is it? 

 

 

 

 

Busy

Just a few things to keep y'all posted on my life.

1.  Day care stinks. She cries when I leave her there and it kills me. They tell me she stops after 5 or 10 mins but basically, I'm upset the whole rest of the day until I go pick her up. Everyone tells me she'll get used to it, but will I???

2.  Em got her citizenship papers. OOOH AHHH. They are very cool, and if they didn't have like every single piece of my info on them I would post the pics I took.  We even got a letter stamped/signed by the president congratulating her on becoming American. I mean, I think he's a moron, but still, the PRESIDENT is pretty cool. 

3. We took Emily for professional pictures yesterday.  She's gorgeous in all of them, so we're out a couple hundred bucks!! What a racket. The good news is that we have officially started a "Wall of Fame" in the house with framed photos of Emily.  And now I have tons and tons of pictures to give out to family and friends.  It seems like all I've done the last 2 months is write and address cards. Thank you cards, adoption announcements, birthday invites, and now photos to send out.  I'm not really complaining though. I'm grateful we have such a big network of friends/family who wish us well and want to know how she's doing.  

4.  Emily babbles all the time now. LA LA LA , BA BA BA, NAN NAN NA..  and I find that I'm doing it too.  Like I'm forever going, Buh Buh Buh, BOOK.  MUH MUH MUH MOOSE.   or whatever.  

5. I know all the words to the songs the Moose sings on Noggin.   Sad, sad, sad.  

Me in my shirt. I wore it to work, so this was pretty early in the morning, Em's still having her breakfast bottle...I haven't even changed her out of her jammies yet!! 

she's cute, coming AND going!! (I know one day she'll kill me for posting this, but her little bottom is so cute!!) 

Em, in her New Year's outfit.  

Stuff

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

 

I’m very excited that today is Lunar New Year! I’m wearing the shirt I had made for me while we were in China. I feel very cool, like I’m part of some unique clique.  (a clique of some billion people, but whatever, let me enjoy my day!)

 

Emily started day care this week and I started going back to work.  I’m only working half days right now so Em is only in day care for about 4 hours a day.  She was doing really well but this morning when I dropped her off she started crying and wailing. It about killed me to leave her there. If I could win the lotto I would definitely stay home and get a nanny to come to us for a few hours a day so I wouldn’t lose my mind.   As it is, I require medical insurance and a pay check, so off to work I go.

 

They changed my job while I was out.  Not sure of all the details yet, so I’m not sure how I feel about everything either.  It’s weird. And they have knocked down all these walls and put up new areas, so it’s like I’m working in a completely different place. I was only gone 2 months!! SHEESH!

 

And one last thing, you can check out Wendy’s Blog here and see more pictures of her beautiful daughter Catherine.  Wendy and I have been chatting it up and I for one, am just thrilled about this whole situation. I’ve been smiling all day and was crying last night from sheer happiness.  It’s such a relief to know that Emily’s little friend, her almost sister, has parents now and a whole big family waiting for her. I’m just filled up with happiness thinking about it.   Go check it out and wish her well!!!

 

 

 

 

YAY YAY!!

Meet Feng Fu Si!! This darling girl shared a crib with my Emily...and I found out today that she is getting a forever home!! I am SOOO excited about this, I can not even explain it!! She was darling and I'm just thrilled for Wendy and her husband.  Congrats to you!!    I can't tell you how relieved I am that she is getting a home. The orphanage was nice, but it's not a home, ya know?  Doesn't she have the craziest, cutest hair?