More Cuteness

I wanted to add some more cute pictures!! I am loving her hair. Notice how much it has grown out and changed. Soooo cute!! In the 2nd picture, she is showing you her panda on her shirt. She is ready to go swimming at the Y with Caroline in the next shot. The funny one with her yelling was when she was calling for the cat.

What's Going On With Us

Well, it has been a long time since my last post. I really wasn't sure I would post anymore. I figured I talked to everyone that could possibly be interested. But, after hearing from a few of you, apparently I was WRONG!!! So, here I go...

We we have been busy. But it is always a good busy. The Fall was fun with Julianna's first Halloween. Thanksgiving quickly came around and we had a great big family meal at a beautiful beach house in Nags Head. December always seems to fly by. Not only were we doing all the fun Christmas things, but we also went to Disney for 5 days right before Christmas. It was a lot of fun!!! ( As always)

January has included Caroline's 10th birthday, a run in with a nasty (and I mean Nasty) stomach bug. You don't want all the details,but the only one of us to escape it was Gary.

We are back into a school routine with swim practice, art class, and chinese school.

Julianna is enjoying the Y pool with Caroline and I. She is walking and saying a few things. She says Ma-Ma, Da-Da, duck, night-night, and Ho, Ho, Ho. She has her own sound for drink, and food. She loves her food!!!! She is a great eater. She had her 15 month appt. last week. She is 20.8 lbs (25th percentile) and 29.6 inches (also 25th percentile). Her doctor is very pleased with her progress.

I wanted to just post some random thoughts on Julianna:

*I love the way she rubs her fingers together to "call" the kitty.

*I love the way she usually kicks back in her highchair and props one of her feet up on the tray.

*I love the way she kisses with an open mouth.

*I love the way she crawls over and takes the bone from the dogs.

*when I am sitting cross legged on the floor with her, I love how she plops down in my lap and expects a book to be read to her. Don't even try to get up when she wants to read a book. She absolutely loves books. They are her favorite thing!!

*I love how she takes her CD out of the player to change it to her "dance" music.

*I love how she holds her hands up to be picked up to dance.

*I love how she waves hi to Caroline all the time. She loves her so much.

*I love how she says, "UMMMMMM" when she wants food.

* I love how she goes, "AHHHHH" after she has a drink.

* I love how she always smiles and giggles when she walks to me.

*I love how when she hears music in a store, she starts bobbing her body to the music.

*I love how she will stick out her tongue when you ask her to show you.

* I love a little naked bum-bum standing up in a bathtub!!!!!

We have had Julianna for over 5 months now. The time has flown by!!

3 Months With Julianna

It was 3 months ago on Sunday, August 2 that Julianna was placed in my arms. It is amazing how much she has grown and changed in 3 short months. She was 15 lbs. in China and she had such a bad cold. Now, she is healthy and weighs 19 lbs. She is crawling everywhere and pulling up on anything. She is relaxed and happy.

Sometimes I sit and think "Wow, did we really go half way around the world just a short time ago and have a wonderful baby given to us?" It all seems a bit surreal to think of 12 families all waiting in a conference room in a downtown hotel in Nanchang, Jiangxi China and someone walks in and gives you a baby!!!!! We are so blessed!!

It is true what they say, time does fly when you are having fun!! These 3 months have gone by so fast. I am loving every minute of it!!

Enjoy the Halloween pictures. Caroline was a butterfly and Julianna was a caterpillar!!

Fun With Friends

This week we had the chance to meet up with a travel buddy at Chuck E. Cheese. This is a very special travel friend because this family lives only about 45 minutes from us, used the same agency as us, and they were logged in the same day as us. ( oh those many years ago). In the adoption world, this is truly amazing. Anyway, I remember us saying to each other 4 years ago that our babies would probably be from the same orphanage because of all our similarities. That prediction came true.

Julianna and Allie lived together in the same room at the same orphanage for the first 9 months of their lives. They were born just 6 days apart. It is a very special friendship.

The girls had a good time riding the little rides, seeing the singing characters, and just seeing each other. It was so sweet to see both of them so happy and thriving.

Somebody Turned One!!!!

Julianna turned one year old on Tuesday!! We had a small party, and she loves her new toys.

She is doing so much. She crawls every where, she pulls up on anything, and she stands alone for a few seconds. She has been teething alot lately, and I have the bruises on my right shoulder to prove it.

It just amazes me how much she has changed in the two months she has been with us. She has just blossomed. She loves the pets and Caroline. It cracks me up to see her sitting in her highchair every morning beside Caroline. They watch cartoons together!!! and I mean she really watches them. If I am in her way trying to feed her, she will lean out of the way to look around me! She loves Sid the Science Kid!!

Here are a few pictures of the last few weeks. Be sure to check her out in the birthday hat.

New Pictures

Julianna has been with us for 8 weeks now. She is such a sweet little baby!! She is always happy. She sleeps well, and she is eating great. She has gained 4 pounds in the two months home. I said the other day that I think the memory of the horrible 15 hour flight has now left my memory. I could truly do another China adoption if it were not for the fact that the wait is now 7 + years. Hmmmm???

Life is good!!!!

Hello to all our travel buddies out there. We miss you.

Enjoy the pictures.

Been Home 2 1/2 Weeks

Hi to everyone!! I know I am bad at posting. Mainly because I talk to all that I think would want to see the blog anyway. But, I know a few of you still check for pictures (mainly you, Georgette!!!) So, here are some new pictures of our happy baby. Julianna is doing really well. She is such a sweet, happy girl. It is hard to believe we have been home with her for 2 1/2 weeks. Things are starting to settle into a routine. Caroline and I play with her all day. It is so much fun. Caroline is the best big sister. She is so much help, and she just loves the baby so much. Life is exactly how I wanted it for so long! Enjoy the pictures.