Big Girl Bed *sigh* She's growing up!

Well, last week Miss E decided that naps were for the birds.  This was not ideal for us because of course, there's a new addition coming into the house and we all will need our sleep then!

While trying to determine what we should do, we decided that it was time to turn her crib into a toddler bed.  She already had a true toddler bed in the room but we thought we'd give her a choice of which one to sleep in.  The first "nap" time turned into a party fest.  We let it last two hours on Saturday and she promptly fell asleep in the car later!

Saturday evening she played for about an hour and a half and then I heard these beautiful words "night night" and then silence.  She had crawled into her bed and fell asleep.  It lasted until about midnight when she awoke and became a little frightened not knowing exactly where she was.  No biggie, we understood that this would take time.

Sunday at nap it was party fest again - but only for an hour.  An hour into the party there was sudden silence!!!  She fell asleep in her bed - again!  SUCCESS!!!  And Sunday night she slept through the night and slept in later than she ever did in her crib!  

Yesterday was the EXACT SAME THING!  I'm sure she will still have her moments, but she seems to be sleeping so much better in the toddler bed than she has for a while in her crib.  I guess it was just time.

My baby is growing up.  Can I be happy and sad at the same time?

Today is my daughter's birthday

I can not believe she is three years old today. Just in the past few months she really has begun to act like a kid, not a baby. I miss that baby stage, but I do love her little personality. She tells me everything right now, good and bad and I know at some point I'll miss that.

For example, yesterday I asked her to do something she didn't want to do. Her response? What Momma, I'm not listening...Oh boy, just think when she learns to just ignore me!

This little girl loves elephants, music and did I mention elephants? She turns anything into a musical instrument and loves to sing "pretty songs". I bought her a harmonica the other day and as soon as she figured it out, she couldn't play more than a note or two because she kept smiling so big. She's already gotten pretty good at it. I see lots of music lessons in our future.

I'm going out while she's in preschool to find her an electric guitar. Yes, I am. She has an acoustic guitar, but it's a little big for her. The electric one I'm looking for is smaller and she can hold it more easily. She is going to be so happy she'll bust! And hopefully, she'll sing me a few more happy songs!

Happy Birthday baby girl! Your Momma and Daddy love you more than you'll ever know.

(pictures of the big day will come later)

Parent Teacher Conference

We had Miss E's first parent teacher conference yesterday. It was fun to hear about the few hours that she spends away from me. Apparently she is very bright (we know), very active (we know) and a big helper (nothing new there).

Her teacher said that she will help the other kids pack up their lunchboxes after snacks and always loves to help out when she can. She also said that the other kids ask about her if she's absent. I think that's pretty impressive considering they're only two!

Umm, okay yeah...it's been a while!

I figured I'd make one more post before our big ultrasound on Wednesday. We find out whether it's a girl baby or boy baby. I really don't have a preference other than boy babies scare me a little. I've got the girl thing down (for now) so a change in my parenting MO is a little nerve wracking!

I have another belly picture that I'm going to post when we know the gender, but even though I look MUCH bigger (I feel huge) I've still only gained a pound. It's not for a lack of eating either...I'm a little piggie these days! I'm sure it'll catch up with me, it always does.

On another note, tomorrow is our first parent/teacher conference for Miss E. I'm a little nervous to hear what the teacher has to say. I think she's absolute perfection, but I guess we'll find out if her teacher thinks so or not! I'm sure that will be a blog post too!

Oh, and NICOLE IF YOU ARE READING THIS I NEED TO SEE A PICTURE OF THAT BABY! I know you wouldn't read a blog without sending me one of new little P right???

Two years ago today...

Two years ago today we left our house knowing that the next time we were home our lives would be completely changed.

Armed with two very packed suitcases, we were nervous, excited and very ready to leave for our trip to China. We had half a dozen pictures of the one person who had become the focus of our lives for months and months. We were about to become parents. It was a very long hard journey, so much so that it seemed like a little 27 hour trip wouldn't be that big of a deal at all.

I have such a hard time believing it's been two years and at the same time it feels like she's been a part of our family for a lifetime. She is the most special little girl in the world and I know how blessed I am to be her mama.

Hats, hats and more hats!

I'm noticing a trend in a lot of the pictures I've been taking lately.

The Big Girl Bed

Need I say more?

An anniversary and a beginning...

Two years ago today, J and I sat in our living room awaiting the most important phone call of our lives. Every time the phone rang we'd jump. Finally, after lunch, the call came.

We were parents. To a daughter.

I'll never forget the anxiousness I felt awaiting that phone call. Horrible thoughts were running through my head. Maybe something was wrong and China didn't send our referral. Maybe we were wrong about our LID date. Maybe this, maybe that. I think somewhere in the back of my mind I was convinced we'd never be parents.

But the call came and we were/are parents. Parents to an amazing little girl.

An amazing little girl who started school today.

She started 2 year old preschool and did a great job. She already loves her teacher and talks about her a lot. There were tears this morning, but not from our baby, just her baby of a momma. I couldn't help it - she's growing up way too fast. It hit me on the way that this is just the first step of many.

Splish Splash, I was taking a bath!

It's been a while since I've taken any bathtub shots of E. I took about 50 pictures, and these were my favorites!!! I was also experimenting with my new flash. I was adjusting where the light was pointing and trying to soften the light.

A new book: Silent Tears

An American woman who volunteered in an orphanage in China has written a book about her time spent in China.

I have not read this book, so I can't comment on the contents. However, I have heard over and over that it is a realistic and eyes open wide view of orphanage life for children in China.

I'm about to order the book and hope to read it soon. I'm not good at reading these books, and I'm guessing E is going to get many extra hugs and kisses while I'm getting through it. It's hard to be thankful that I have one child home knowing that I'm waiting on another. It feels like we're only halfway there.

http://www.kaybratt.blogspot.com/

Can our family handle TWO photographers?

Lately when I want to take pictures of E she isn't cooperative unless she has a camera as well. I pulled out my Powershot this afternoon because it was quick and available. Not too shabby on either of our parts, huh?

I think the funniest part of these two pictures is how we both hold the camera. Think she's seen me do this a few times?

June 19, 2008

It was a good day. So good that our lives will revolve around that little day for quite some time. That is the day CCAA logged us in for a sister for little E. One day, she'll learn to share her Mommy and Daddy. It's going to be hard because the sun rises and sets with that little girl.

YEAH!

Fun with photography at the zoo

I can't think of a better place to practice my new hobby than the zoo. I also can't think of a place that brings a faster smile to my daughter's face than the zoo, so we were all happy. My hubby was just happy that we were happy!

So, we saw lots and lots of animals and I took lots and lots of pictures. There is a stingray exhibit at the zoo right now and after paying six or seven dollars to see them, my daughter decided she was petrified and wouldn't touch the fish! This is the kid who LOVES all animals.

Well, here are three pictures I took. I think they turned out well. The only thing that bothers me is you can see a bit of the flash off the glass in the penguin picture. I'll have to get my photography teacher to teach me how to avoid that in the future.

Mini photo shoot!

So, the only time a little one in our house is still is when she's strapped into her booster seat and eating. I gave her some Pirate's Booty and proceeded to snap some pictures. I really liked two out of the 111 I took. Hooray for digital cameras!!!



Tell me what you think. The lighting could have been better, but I think these turned out great.

I'm anxiously awaiting a new book!!!

It comes out on June 19th...of course it will be several more years (if ever) before I can read it without crying. Poor little E, she'll have to read these books to me one day because I'm still having a hard time reading them to her!!!

http://themommyorphanage.com/

I guess she'll have to read them to her sister too!

I completely forgot to mention one other FD gift...

Our dossier went into translation today. Fingers crossed that either at the end of this week or beginning of next our dossier will be mailed to China. The wait is so long that we really try not to talk about it, but it feels a little more real. And you never know what will happen in the world of International Adoption!

The picture I added is a "Red Couch Photo" taken our last day in China. We left later that evening to head towards Los Angeles. We spent the night in LA and headed home and landed in Texas November 4, 2006. There was nothing posed about those smiles, we were the happiest people on the planet! Can't you tell???

Father's Day gift

I ordered this photo blown up to an 11x17 and will have it matted and framed for DH for Father's Day. I'm going to also buy a coffee mug for DH from baby because she OFTEN talks about "Daddy's Coffee"!

I think what I love most about this picture is how turning it to b/w hides so many problems. Here it is in color:

Ahhh - Calgon take me away!

Someone just taught herself how to climb out of a crib WITH a crib tent. Oh boy. We're buying her a toddler bed tomorrow and removing all the furniture from her room.

I am not looking forward to this one at all. Any advice?

Just making myself at home

This morning we had a playdate at the Arboretum. Someone loves the little houses in the village area so we played there the most. She's been asleep for almost three and a half hours and I don't hear her stirring at all!

I caught this shot in one of the houses. It isn't a great photo, but it is a great pose!!!

Loving every minute of it!

Here are the two loves of my life.