21 Months

It just occurred to me that Emily is 21 months today.  Wow! Time flies when you’re having fun!  (not to rub it in to all of you who are waiting, I totally get how interminable that is!)   So an update on my girl.

 

• She is talking up a storm. Just one word at a time, but she can say a LOT now.  Here are a few.

            No!  Up, down, eat, cup, more, Mommy, Daddy, puppy, Shoe, Sock, nose

• She calls herself Em I nee.  It’s sooo cute!
• She’s in love with all things Baby.  Babies in magazines or on tv, or even younger pictures of herself. Baby? Baby?  She’ll even kiss pictures of them. It’s sweet.
• She can eat an entire pack of instant oatmeal in the morning and then ask for more. She has a crazy appetite.
• Favorite foods right now, French fries with ketchup, ice cream (I know!) deli ham and all things bread or potatoes. My carb loving girl.
• She can climb up the stairs. And walk down them holding Mommy’s hand. This makes me very nervous, because she fell down 6 or 7 steps at my sister’s house a few weeks ago, and although SHE was fine, I almost had a stroke.
• She loves to go for walks around the neighborhood in her stroller. I caught her climbing into the basket underneath the seat the other day. *sigh*
• She recognizes Diego from Go Diego Go!  She’ll even say GO! GO! GO!
• She is starting to dress herself. She knows how to put on her shoes and she definitely helps in the morning with arms in sleeves and junk.
• Although she is capable of saying most of her colors, if you ask her what color something is, it’s always Blue or Yeh woah. (yellow). Or she’ll just say “color?” and laugh at you.

 

 

Ok, well that’s enough. I could write about her all day long. One day I will do a list of things she can do that you don’t really want people to know about. Heh. Like eat an entire box of cookies. Or something.

 

 

 

 

Post Placement Review # 2

We had our final post placement review on Monday evening. Our social worker was awesome, and did just a phone interview this time. YAY. It took about 20 mins, and she wrote up the report that night. So, now all that’s left is to send in 3 or 4 pictures of Emily. I don’t know how I’m going to narrow it down to just 3 or 4, but I guess we’ll manage.  I’m so glad this is over. It’s nice that she is officially OFFICALLY ours with nothing else left to do. Oh, except have Tony adopt her and get her name changed. OK, so there is still a ton left to do. But we’re getting there!!

 

Tomorrow is the big Turkey Day.  We’re spending tomorrow with Tony’s brother, and his parents and one sister and assorted other family members. It will be nice to see everyone again. And eat. The eating part is key.  They want us to go for a hike after we stuffed ourselves, but since I live in a land where eating myself into a coma, taking a nap and watching football is practically part of the constitution, there will be no hiking on my part.  Hiking my pants up because I’ve undone the top button?  Maybe. Hiking up a mountain after I’ve eaten more food than should be allowed? No way in hell.   I’m just saying.

 

Then we go on to my parents house, where leftovers will be enjoyed and shopping (on line) will happen. We may even squeeze in some photos of the kids. Depending on how the kids want to co-operate. Last time we tried, it was a no go.  keep your fingers crossed it works out this time!!

 

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone! I hope you enjoy your family, friends, and food as much as I do!

 

 

Wedding Pics at Last!

Enjoy folks…finally some wedding pictures!

 

 

What's going on here Daddy?
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My flowers. Aren't they pretty?
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My sister & her hubby, giving us a funny toast!

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Tony and his Mom

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Me & Dad

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Emily came running up as soon as I got to Tony. She wanted to play too!
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Wedding Pics

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Wedding Pictures

Well my photographer finally sent us a link to all our happy wedding pictures. I had intended to post the link up here, but it lists our first and last names and addresses and junk and well, you could be a crazy blogger serial killer for all I know.  So that won’t be happening.  (Shanny's hubby CSP would be so proud of me!)   I will however, post some pics up here tonight or tomorrow morning, because I finally got some pictures in real life from friends that are blog worthy. I know you will be so relieved. Ha ha ha

 

Happy Friday Ya’ll.  I’m so glad it’s a weekend tomorrow!

 

 

 

Help!

I got this from a friend who knows this momma. You know the China Adoption community is small.  Can you please take a moment to read the below and see if you or your family/friends can help? At the very least, add Lydia and her family into your prayers.

 

My daughter Lydia was adopted from Guangdong Province China on July 5,
2004. In August 2008, she was diagnosed with AML, a very pernicious
and deadly form of leukemia. With the help of her Chinese-born doctor,
we were able to locate her birthparents and some of her siblings in
China that her family kept. We know she had at least two sisters older
than she (born somewhere between 1993 and 2002) who were also
abandoned. The birthparents have refused to assist with her bone
marrow transplant, even though two of her already found siblings were
a match. We are now looking for these other potential siblings to see
if they were adopted and might also be a match. Lydia is part of the
Hakka ethnic group, and so a match
from someone other than a relative is unlikely because of her unique,
almost bi-racial typing.

Lydia has classic Hakka features: "Brooke Shields" eyebrows, and
rather full lips and a round face. I will have my husband post photos
of Lydia and her birth family. I cannot do so at this time, because I
am in the hospital with Lydia and the internet connection here is too
slow and rather poor. Thank you for any assistance you may be able to
lend.

Blessings,
Monica Miyashita

More information, like pictures, are now available at:
http://www.caringbr idge.org/ visit/lydialimei eikomiyashita

If you can help Lydia please email Stephanie: Stephanie Withrow
stephanie@orbitelco m.com

 

Sleeping is for Punks!

Little Miss Emily kept us all up to about 3 last night. She just would NOT go to sleep. She went down around 815 and then woke up at 11 and was up pretty much straight through till 3.  First, I thought she had a bad dream. Then I thought she needed a drink. Then I thought she was hungry. Then I realized she was just punk’ng Momma and Daddy so she could stay in their bed and eat and watch cartoons. Little booger.  I’m so so tired this morning. She usually is a great sleeper, and I admit, we’re totally spoiled by that. Not sleeping is not fun for this Mommy. I was so tired when I got to work I managed to pour hot coffee all over my hand. I’m fine, but it scared the crud out of me. Which you think would have woken me up a bit. Nope! 

 

 

This weekend will be fun. Today is my nephew CODY RYAN’s First birthday!! Happy Birthday baby!  Cody Ryan is the sweetest most cuddly baby. Tomorrow I get to see him at his party and it will be fun to love on him a bit.  Until then, admire his cuteness in this picture!

 

 

 

Rascal Pie

The good news for today-the pain pills seem to be helping my doggie Rascal quite a bit. This morning he was actually RUNNING outside and he jumped up a bit to get a treat. I am very hopeful that he will continue to improve. I was really really worried about him.  He seems to be feeling much better though, and it makes me so happy!

 

Funny story about Emily. There is a little boy in her class at day care. Every morning when we come in he yells EMMY! and then comes running over to her.  Yesterday he came running over and started to hug her. Well Emily did not like that. She put up both her hands and shoved him away! I don’t really condone shoving, but it was so funny. Em is pretty small still, but she’s a tough cookie!  Plus, it’s good to shove boys away. Boys are icky, right?  Anyway, today we came in and he yelled EMMY, but he stayed where he was. Apparently he learned his lesson about Emily’s need for personal space. HA HA HA

 

 

 

 

Wednesday Round Up

Time for bullets

 

 

 

• I arrived at work this morning to find that not only did I have a glob of dried oatmeal on my pants, but I also had missed a button on my shirt. Nice
• I had yesterday off! It was fabulous. I brought Emily to day care and had the whole day to myself to be a grown up.
• My poor puppy Rascal is limping. I brought him to the vet yesterday and he has arthritis pretty bad in his back legs. The vet also thinks he may have torn a ligament in his back left leg. Poor puppy!! We got him some pain pills and we are to try them out for a week. If it doesn’t make a difference, then we discuss other options. (I do NOT want to discuss other options)
• Day light savings time has been kicking my a$$. For the last week, I’ve been going to bed moments after Emily goes down at 8. And worse then that, I’m falling asleep within 30 mins!! Last night was really the first time I stayed up like a grown up, not going to bed until 10 and not going to sleep until almost 11. sheesh.
• I’ve written exactly 1 thank you note since the wedding. See previous mention of going to bed ridiculously early.  Maybe I’ll get motivated tonight.
• Getting your name legally changed is a giant pain in the tushy. There are so many forms to fill out. I hate forms.
• It aggravates me that every US company is jumping on the “the government will bail me out” bandwagon. It makes me so mad. I work in finance. There is no way in heck that these stupid companies didn’t know they were running out of money at least 2 years ago. Sure, sure, forecasted spending might be off. But seriously, they had to know the risk of that to start with. That’s how companies work. If you can’t swing it, you fold.   Since when is it ok to take absolutely no responsibility for yourself of your company?? 
• I’m now off my soapbox.
• What should I do with my wedding dress? It’s not really wedding-y. It’s just an ivory dress that I gussied up. And let’s face it, Emily will never ever be as big as her Momma. Should I donate it to someone? Should I save it just to say, this is my wedding dress? Thoughts?
• Emily is reading all her books upside down right now. She’s been doing it for a week. If I turn the book right side up, within 2 mins she’s flipped it over again.  Is that ok? Should I be worried?

Weekend in Review

 

Well, I attempted to post some wedding pictures last Friday, but they didn’t work. No one who was at the wedding has emailed me photos, they’ve just posted them on Facebook or flickr! So I tried to steal them from there. Alas, it didn’t work. I’ll try again soon.

 

Meanwhile, Sat Nov 8 marked the one year anniversary of seeing Emily’s picture for the first time.  It was a very emotional day. Seeing your child for the first time is a bit…overwhelming!  I remember thinking, look at her sticky out ears!! Ha ha ha. What a weird random thought. In any case, my precious girl didn’t really understand why, but Mommy & Daddy gave her about 800 extra kisses and hugs this weekend! LOL  I really truly can not imagine our life without her now. She is the center of everything to us. It makes me do the happy dance.

Congrats Donna!

Everyone go over and congratulate Donna!  After waiting 3 years, she finally got her referral from China for her precious Lauren Elizabeth! Isn’t she a doll!!

 

 

 

November 5th!

Well last night was super exciting to see Obama win! I stayed up late (for me) and watched in awe as our country did something amazing together. I’m super thrilled with being American today!

 

 

In other news, today is November 5^th. A year ago today, was the absolute worse day. I was sitting anxiously by the phone, waiting for my REFERRAL call. Just jumping out of my skin, knowing that today would be the day I would finally know about my Emily. I had made the cut off. It was thrilling. And then I got devestating news from my agency. I wasn’t in that batch. Our agency wasn’t expecting referrals. I would have to wait another month.  To say that I was crushed would be an understatement. I was …oh, I was soo soo sad. Beyond sad. Grief stricken. You can read about it here.  Little did I know that later in the week I would become a MOM!

 

 

Happy Birthday!

Two Birthday Shout Outs for today Nov 5.   

First, to my fabulous sister! You are an amazing person and mom. I hope you have a super great day. I send you a big hug!

Second, to my goddaughter McKenna! Happy 3rd Birthday big girl! Have a fun day with Mommy & Daddy!! 

I VOTED!

 

 

I voted!! Did you? 

 

I only had to wait in line an hour and it didn’t start raining until I was done, so I consider that a great sign.

I love voting. I love the sticker. And I love that I get a say it what happens next. You do too, if you get off your butt and GO VOTE!

 

 

 

Totally Married!

So we did it! We actually tied the knot!! The last week seems to have flown by in a blur, but I do remember the "I Do" part and that was very nice. My Tony looked very handsome, and I looked super fly if I do say so myself. I know you all want to see pics, but it will have to wait until tomorrow. Recovering from a wedding/honeymoon/wicked cold all in one week is making me a little ...puny as they say here in the south.  But I'll leave you with this one, of me & T on our honeymoon to Charleston.  Isn't he the dreamiest?

If you look closely, you can see her gripping 3 lollipops in one hand and her basket of candy in the other!! 

Having way too much fun with Daddy!

My cutie pie lady bug! 

Happy Halloween!!