Happy Chinese New Year!!!

It's the year of the Tiger. We had fun at our local FCC Chinese New Year party. We have been to this event every year while waiting for Julianna. This year she was finally with us!! We met the Winslow's for lunch at P. F. Chang's and then walked over to the party. Julianna had a good time!!

Six Months Ago Today

Six months ago today, Julianna came to our family. It's hard to believe it has been six whole months! In one way, it feels like it was just yesterday that we were standing in a conference room with 11 other families waiting our turn to get our baby. How amazing to be with so many other families and witness so many "births". So emotional. I have such strong feelings and memories of that day in the Jeng Feng Hotel in Nanchang, Jiangxi, China. In another way, it feels like Julianna has always been with us. She is such a blessing. We love her so much.

Look at the difference six months can make.

More Snow Pictures

I was not prepared. I had no boots for the babe. Oh well, she wasn't too impressed with it anyway. We went out walking on Saturday while it was snowing. Then, on Sunday, we put her down in the front yard to play with Caroline.

SNOW

We had about six inches of snow today!! Caroline played in it ALL day long!! Enjoy the new pictures. I didn't have any snow boots for Julianna, so Gary carried her on our walk. She liked tasting it. Hershey and Reese liked the snow, but they came in covered with snow balls all over their legs and belly. This is Hershey galloping in the backyard.

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!!