Fall Fun!

So, Emma's 19 months old now. She went for her 18 month check-up this week, and she's right on track with everything! The doctor asked lots of questions about her development, and I think she's just about perfect. I may be a bit biased though! She's such a funny bug, and I love seeing all the new things she can do! Though I've spent a lot of time with kids, it's definitely a new experience to see her changing right in front of our eyes! It's amazing to see her learning new things so quickly. She is playing pretend a lot more lately: feeding her baby, wrapping her up in a blanket, making "food" and feeding it to us, etc... She babbles constantly, but she also has a TON of words that she says. The doctor asked how many, and I couldn't even come up with a number. I really need to write them down! She has started saying, "Mony, mony, ed!" She says 'mony' for 'monkey.' I finally realized she was trying to say party of the "5 Little Monkeys" chant that we do ALL the time! The 'ed' part was for 'bed.' Crazy! Of course, last week she decided to try out for the part of one of the monkeys. She climbed up on the bed, started jumping, fell off, and yes...bumped her head. She's fine. A few tears, but nothing too major.

Today she opened up our tall pantry cabinet, stood behind the door, and tried to pull it closed. She did this a week or so ago and came out when Mike came inside. She wanted to scare him! Today, he was at work. However, she hid and said, "Dada, are you?" I'm pretty sure she was asking where he was. She did it to Eddie our dog too! She saw Peanut but not Eddie. She called out, "Eddie, are you?" It was just about the sweetest thing ever!

She's growing up so fast, which is fun and hard at the same time. I want to freeze time, but I know I can't. I try to soak it all up, but sometimes life gets in the way of that too. I guess we just have to do the best we can, and when she says, "Mama! Are you?!" I'll be right there to say, "Here I am!"

Eighteen Months? Really?

So, Emma is going to be 18 months old tomorrow. Seriously? Already? I'm not sure where the time goes. Some days, like today, the day goes so fast! One minute she's playing at Grammy's house, dancing to music, bugging Liam, laughing at the silliest things, kissing her "owie" that was gone a month ago, and trying to do somersaults in the middle of the floor. The next minute, I'm saying her nighttime prayer, giving her a hug and kiss, and putting her to bed. Other days, the time goes so slow! This mostly happens Monday through Friday between the hours of 7:30am and 4:30pm. Sure, I stay busy with my school kiddos, but I really just can't wait until I can be with that silly little girl again! She has made our lives amazing these last 18 months, and I can't imagine life without her!

I think I could fill pages and pages of all the new things this girl can do (or thinks she can do)! Here's just a couple cute Emma stories:

• One night, she was awake at 3am, crying, wanting out of bed. Though I know I'm quick to oblige, I was trying to help her learn to put herself back to sleep. Pretty soon, she was pounding on the door and jiggling the door handle. She wasn't out of bed. Her crib is just right by the door, and she can reach through the slats on her bed. Anyway, for the first time ever she cries out, "Mama! Mama!" My heart was breaking, but I continued to wait it out. Pretty soon I hear, "Eddie! Eddie!" Apparently, she thought the dog would spring her from her confinement. Hah! She went back to soon shortly after, but not before making me tear up from sadness and laughter at the same time!
• Today at Grammy's, she was hanging out with her cousin Liam. He was playing with a toy, and like most toddlers, she decided she had to have it. She snatched it out of his hand and then looked up at Grammy. Grammy didn't say anything or make a face, but Emma turned, looked at Liam, and said, "Thank you!" 

She is such a little parrot now too! She repeats everything and is soaking things up like a sponge. I've read how much that happens around this age, but it's amazing to see it happening! I worry again this year about how much I'm missing when I'm not around her. I remember feeling this way when school was in session last year. I know it will be ok, but it still makes me sad. She's picked up the motions to "Wheels on the Bus" and "Five Little Monkeys" as well as the sounds for a cat, dog, duck, boat, car, bear, and owl. She doesn't always say them for everyone, but she does once she's comfortable! She walked by my friend Kim's classroom the other day and saw her owls on the bulletin board. She immediately said, "Hoooo!" I had no idea she even knew what an owl was! Apparently at mom's today she was pointing at a sign in her kitchen and saying random letter names. Not the letters on the sign, but letter names nonetheless! It's awesome to see, but sad to miss when it happens. 

She's growing up so fast! Tomorrow is grocery day, and I have to finish up laundry and cleaning. I'm sure Emma will help me with that! Hah! She's actually pretty good at helping with laundry, but I can't get her to stop putting various pieces of clothing on her head! Too funny! 

Emma loves the tent she got from Uncle Chris and Aunt Nicole! She tries to pull other toys inside, so she can play. She takes her babies in there, along with her little kitchen. She makes food and then tries to feed it to everyone!

Thankful Thursday (A couple hours early)

I just read my cousin's blog, and I was moved to catch up with all that I'm thankful for. Her newborn baby passed away a couple hours after birth, and my heart just aches for her. She is incredibly strong, and I admire her immense faith and love for God. As school starts, I start to stress about schedules, lesson plans, student concerns, new curriculum, and scary evaluations of my effectiveness as a teacher. Though I don't get a formal evaluation as a mother and wife, I am always ranking myself in my mind among my friends and family. I often wonder, "Do I measure up?" "Am I doing my very best, really?" "Have I shown Emma and Mike how much they mean to me?" "Am I feeding them well enough? Are their clothes clean? Is the bathroom clean?" It becomes almost too much to bear. Then I realize that while my story is just that, mine, another person's story can put a lot into perspective.

I am thankful for my God. Though I'm not very vocal with my faith, I know that God has brought me through many difficult times. Without him, I'm not sure I'd get out of bed some days!

I am thankful for Emma's giggles and even her tears. Hearing both are precious sounds, and I am blessed to have her in my life.

I am thankful for a supportive and loving husband. Though he doesn't always understand the stress of being a teacher (and wife, and mother), he steps it up every year and tries to make my many hats easier to wear. (For example, he made dinner last night and even bought me a container of Ben and Jerry's Phish Food--my favorite ice cream ever!)

I love my family and am thankful for them all the time. We have our ups and downs; this year may prove to be trying in many ways, but we stick together and support each other!

This is us right before heading to a wedding reception. She was acting so funny and could hardly sit still for the picture! This is our Emma Jayne in a nutshell! We love her a bushel and a peck!

Thankful Thursday

I am thankful that Emma was fever-free as of 3:00am. Hopefully this is still true.

I am thankful that we had a wonderful summer to remember as we get started with the school year!

I give thanks for the sound of Emma's voice and hand on the doorknob (she can reach through her crib rails and jiggle the door handle) as I type this post. 

Though I have many more things to be thankful for, these are the ones at the forefront of my mind this morning. I'm off to start the day!

Thankful Thursday

So, I realize that I missed a Thankful Thursday last week. I have no excuse. It's not that I wasn't thankful for something last week. I just was so busy enjoying all of my thankfulness that I forgot to blog about it! So, here are just a few things that I am thankful for this week:

• I am thankful for the rain. Yes, it has brought cooler temperatures, but we needed it badly!

• Today I am thankful for the relationships I have with friends and family. I am blessed with people who genuinely care about me, Mike, and Emma. They listen, give advice, and lend a hand when needed. Life is so much easier when you have people to lean on. I can only hope that I can do the same for them.

• I am thankful for Emma. She makes me laugh, cry, and shake my head in disbelief. She is such a funny girl, and my life was dreadfully dull before she arrived in our lives. Her laugh is contagious, and it pulls me in even on my worst day. Sometimes I find myself laughing at her through my tears, and this helps me to stop. 

• This morning I was thankful for my coffee with caramel flavored creamer. I stayed up way too late browsing Facebook and had a hard time getting out of bed!

• Finally, I am thankful for this summer break. I went to school to start putting my room back together today. It's always hard to go back, but I know I have had a great time with Emma and our families. I'm blessed to have the time to spend with my family, but I am ready to tackle this next group of students too! 

P.S. I'm pretty sure Emma would say she's thankful for corn on the cob. How can you not smile at this face?

Thankful for Curiosity

My cousin does a Thankful Thursday edition to her blog every week. I admire her so much, and I would love to be able to do something like this on my blog. Today I am thankful for Emma's curiosity. While it does get her in a pickle at times and is sometimes a bit frustrating, I love that she examines everything: the rocks in our driveway, a tape measure, the wheels on her doll stroller. Right now she is amazed at how the tape measure goes in and out and can stay out with the push of a button. She keeps pushing it in my hands, so I can do it for her. It's the little things, and I love that she helps me see them through her eyes every day.

Climbing!

Well I thought Emma's climbing adventures would stick to chairs and couches. Nope. We came home from Robinson Lake to find that her determination has now convinced her to climb out of her crib, onto every single one of her toys, and onto our computer desk! The last one just happened a few minutes ago while I was taking care of laundry. She has also decided that my iPod is hers and is very mad that she can't have it. She also got used to constant attention last week and can't figure out why I can't sit and play with her every minute! It must be so hard for her to come back from vacation too! Daddy's at work, Mommy's doing laundry, and Emma has to find stuff to do. Hopefully it won't mean another climbing adventure! Will the counters be next??? Oh my!

Alpena Was Awesome!

We seriously had the best week ever in Alpena! We have been going for 32 years now. The weather was perfect, and the water was like bath water! We swam 3 times every single day! Turns out, Emma's a serious water bug. She loved splashing and playing in the sand. The spot on Lake Huron where we were is so shallow. There are tons of sand bars, so Emma could walk really far out (safely tucked in her floatie of course!) before she couldn't touch anymore. By the end of the week she would just take off and leave us in her dust! I'm having serious Trelawny Resort withdrawals this week, but I know it's just because we have such a good time with family and friends.

Emma had her 15 month check-up today (we were a tad late due to vacation). She's doing great! She's growing like a weed and handled the appointment well. She was fussy because I had to cut her nap short to get to the doctor on time. I was worried about her one vaccination because of her crankiness. Amazingly, she did fine! She wanted to sit up, so I had to hold her arms. She watched the nurse the whole time and just stared as the shot went in. Not a peep! Not a whine. Not a jerk of the arms. Nothing. It was crazy! I think she'll sit up from now on for all her shots!

I'm sure I have talked about Emma's determination. Her persistence. Well..... I'm thinking that it's a bit more challenging to handle with a 15 month old! The past two days have been interesting around here to say the least. She is determined to do everything herself and often wants what you have. Things that she has ignored for a while are back into play. The remote, cell phones, regular phones, my Nook, dog dishes, glasses of water, laundry baskets. Everything is fair game! And now she can climb! I spent a good portion of today trying to keep her off our bed because when she got up there she would throw off the folded clothes and empty the laundry basket! I'd put her down, she'd run for the dog with her drumstick! (These have been safely put away!) She is a girl on the move, and I am struggling to keep up! Mike and I often have the discussion about how much Emma actually understands and what her motive happens to be when she does some things. Personally I think, her receptive vocabulary is VERY good. I just don't always think her intent is a naughty one. So.... we take it one day at a time and try to figure out how to discipline a toddler who can't always communicate what she wants. A common parental problem from what I hear! LOL!

We are continuing our busy summer with our yearly trip to Robinson Lake with Mike's family next week. It'll probably be the last year, so we'll make it a great one! A wedding finishes up July, and then I get to go dress shopping with Emma's birth mom the first weekend in August! I was asked to be her Matron of Honor, so I get to go help pick out bridesmaid dresses! I can't wait to see her dress too! Then a wedding, Danish Festival, a wedding, and then back to school! This summer is flying by, but boy are we having fun!

Summer Adventures!

I seriously love summer. I get to stay up late and have some quiet "mommy time." I can sleep in (if Emma lets me). I have even been able to read a little bit! Pinterest is giving me all sorts of fun stuff to do with Emma. My shopping list grows each time I log on--paint, shaving cream, sidewalk chalk, window markers, etc... We have used her kiddie pool on a daily basis lately. In fact, she jumped in, clothes and all, just after getting out of bed at 9am! We played outside until about noon, then went in for lunch and a nap. Every day is an adventure with her for sure!

Our summer continues to be busy, and I'm trying to find a nice balance to it all. (My recent FB post shows my struggles with saying "No" lately.) It's tough, and Mike is working a ton of overtime. We're trying to make it work, and I'm trying to figure out what things are most important. I'm struggling with that quite a bit. In my head I know Mike is doing it for us; he's thinking of the family and trying to help my stress level regarding money and such. In my heart, I see all that he's missing. It's a tough road, but we're trying our best.

On the bright note, we made it through our road trip to Pennsylvania, and we had a great time! We saw the Flight 93 Memorial and visited the Pittsburgh Zoo. Emma was a gem in the car even though it was about 10-11 hours both ways. The DVD player was a smart purchase! It's currently packed away for our next long trip, which is coming up soon!

Her latest accomplishments:

**She can climb up on our bed by putting her foot on the side rail. Boy was that a surprise when I went in our room the other day!

**She can climb the ladder on her small play structure, and she can get herself into a sitting position to go down the slide.

**She's learning how to go down the stairs on our deck backwards. Honestly, stairs scare the crap out of me!

**She has found a love of watermelon and blueberries!

**She has figured out that her finger can go up her nose.

**She has figured out that her finger can go up MY nose!

**She can now say bunny, duck, help me (more like hpme), banana, hungry (ungy), potty, and lots more! Mostly she just repeats them, though a few are said on a regular basis.

The day is never dull with Miss Emma around, and I am so thankful for that!

So Much to Say.....So Little time!

Has it really been over two  months since my last blog posting? I say this as Emma is trying to stand on my Stampin' Up case, so she can see out the window. Oh wait...now she's trying to stand on the 2 inch window sill! Our little peanut is such a busy girl! It doesn't help that she seems to lack fear--completely! I'll try to keep this update as short as possible:

• Emma is now 14 months old. She's growing like a weed, which shows when she eats like a farmer! She's running around like crazy and starting to climb onto everything too. She can say quite a few words, though "puppy" is a favorite. She seems to understand so much, which is fun and scary at the same time! I love to see her explore and learn, but it also means she's growing up quickly. 
• She has such personality! Emma is definitely our little ham. She will do such goofy things just to get a laugh from us or herself! She is also very determined. According to our daycare provider, she "has quite a grip!" I think this will suit her well if she decides to play sports, piano, etc... :) However, it's difficult to get things away from her when she doesn't want to let go! This usually ends in her sinking to the floor and "growling." It's funny, but we try not to let her see us laugh. 
• Our summer is pretty much full already, but we're looking forward to time with family and friends. Emma is going to daycare one day every week, so I'm hoping I can use my time productively! I also hope to do lots of fun things during the week--the library, the beach, museums, zoo, etc... I have big plans, but I like the idea of sitting in our backyard with Emma's kiddie pool too!
• I got my e-mail confirmation that I'm still going to be teaching 1st grade in the fall, so that was a relief! I want to spend a lot of time looking at curriculum this summer, as the new core curriculum standards are quite impressive. 
• I want to start looking into adopting again, but I'm not sure I can get Mike on board. He wants to adopt an older child, but we haven't really talked about what that might look like. I really want to adopt an infant again, so we'll see what happens. I feel strongly about giving Emma a sibling, but it might just not be in the cards. 
• It's hard to believe, but Mike and I are celebrating our 10 year anniversary in the fall! Friends of ours are going on a cruise for theirs and want us to go, but I don't think we can. I would love to start planning a weekend getaway for us that won't cost too much but will let us spend some time with just the two of us. Things have been stressful at times lately, and I realized that we don't go on dates or anything anymore. We definitely need to get out! So....if anyone has any ideas, I'd love to hear them! It's in October, so the colors should be pretty. 

Anyway, Emma is ready for her nap, so my few minutes to blogging must end. Happy Saturday everyone!

We Made It! Emma's a Year Old!

Well, we made it a full year with our lovely Emma. We waited so long to have her in our arms; each year seemed to take a decade. The funny thing is that this year flew by so fast! I know I've said it before, but I'm still amazed at how fast time can truly fly. Emma had a wonderful birthday. I took a personal day to hang out with her, Grammy, and Aunt Amy. Her birth mom and birth sister came the night of her birthday because her birth mom couldn't come the day of the party. It was nice. We had dinner and opened a couple presents.

Party day was pretty great too! Aunt Amy and I did massive cleaning and got everything ready to go. Emma slept until about 8:30, which was great! She played while we did last minute prep. Grammy got here around 12:00, right before Emma's lunch, bath, and nap. People started showing up about 3:00. Guests included: Great-Grandma Jakubas, Grandpa and Grandma Sibley, Aunt Amy, Grammy, Aunt Katie, Uncle Rohn, Liam, her birth sister, birth uncle, birth grandparents, and The Ramos Clan! We had yummy sloppy joes for lunch/dinner, opened gifts, ate cake, and then played outside for a while! It got chilly, so we went inside. Emma was very sad. She loves playing outside! Eventually she got pajamas on and had a bottle before going down for the night. It was a very full and exciting day! She got so many nice toys and clothes. She is a very loved little girl!

We are putting together a memory box for her to open on her 18th birthday. I hope we can get lots of notes to her to put inside. I know all of our family and friends couldn't join us for her party, so I'm hoping to carry some note cards in the diaper bag for a while. If you're interested in putting a note in her box, let me know! I'm hoping it gives her a picture of how loves she is and how much she means to everyone!

It's been fun, but I'm exhausted! It's almost midnight and finally time for bed. Tomorrow is lunch with the family before Amy heads back to Chicago. Then the week begins again! Her one year check-up is Monday, so that will be interesting! Only another week before we leave for Tennessee! Life is never dull, and I cherish every moment. I've waited a lifetime for these moments, and I am so lucky to have Emma and Mike to share this life!

A Fun Day Filled with Challenges!

Today was so much fun, but it had its moments! Emma is definitely finding her "voice" as she gets closer to her first birthday. She hates having you hold her hand! She doesn't want anyone leading her anywhere--she wants to run the show! The weather was lovely, and I was hoping to get her picture taken at Kmart. They have an Olan Mills studio. She was looking all cute in her skirt and top with the cupcakes. Just as we were finally ready to leave, she tripped and sat in the dogs' water dish. *sigh* Water was everywhere, she was soaked, and she kept slipping and falling in the water. The trip to Kmart was fairly uneventful, thank goodness, but she wasn't able to get her picture taken today. It'll get done, but we won't have anything for her party. I decided to make a "quick" trip to the grocery store, knowing that she was in need of food and a nap. Silly me! Needless to say, we went to the store farther away from us, so she could get a cat nap in the car. Shopping was fine. She had a granola bar in the checkout line. Home for lunch and unloading groceries before heading to a birthday party. All was fine until she decided to throw her sippy cup on the floor. I really did almost cry over the spilled milk. *sigh* As I got everything in the car for the party, I realized I STILL hadn't eaten today!

On a bright note, the party was great fun! I got to eat something too! The weather was perfect. Emma could run and play with the kids, which she loved--until we had to go home. Her temper is truly showing these days! Home for a quick nap, bath, dinner, playtime, and bed. Mike has been working for 21 days straight. He's exhausted. On days like today, though, I feel like a marathon runner. A very out of shape marathon runner at that!

Guess I better switch the laundry, so I can get to bed! She'll be ready to go, and I have to be ready for her! Love her to pieces!

Birthday Number 1 is Right Around the Corner!

Emma's first birthday is fast approaching. I still can't believe we have her in our lives, and I'm amazed at how fast a year can fly! I remember how slowly time seemed to go when we were waiting during our IVF treatments and when we were first waiting to be chosen as an adoptive family. Now that we have our little girl, I want to freeze time, so I don't forget a thing! Funny how your perception changes!

We've been thinking about her birthday party for months now. Ok, I'VE been thinking about her party for months! I think that's a mommy thing! I went back and forth on what to plan. The initial desire was to have a huge bash--invite everyone and their brother! Decorations! Food! Cake! Presents! Our house is small. We would need another place. It might not be warm enough to have it outside. The thoughts went on and on. The more I planned in my head, however, the more I realized that Emma might get lost in the process. I want her to enjoy her day, not be overwhelmed by it. I want her to be in a familiar place. I want her to be able to take a nap if she gets tired. I know that downsizing is going to be disappointing for many family members who want to share in the joy of her first birthday. This was very difficult for me. I love to be surrounded by friends and family, and I want to show off my beautiful baby girl to everyone who loves her as much as I do! Everyone shared in the journey; they want to share in the celebration too. I hope that our beloved friends and family will understand. I know it will be a special day, and I hope she will have a great time.

Emma survived her first real cold and slight ear infection. Meds and an inhaler got her on the mend very quickly. It looks like she might have the start of an eye infection now, so we'll visit Grammy at the eye doctor's office tomorrow afternoon! Emma is an absolute hoot! She giggles like crazy and cracks herself up all the time! She loves playing with the dogs, and I think they secretly like it too! She loves to run up and throw herself on top of us when we lay on the floor, and she gets a kick out of trying to tickle our feet. Her understanding of language is just amazing, and she learns new things every day!

A lot has happened in a year. I reflect on it often--where were we a year ago? Counting down the days to delivery. My birthday is next week. That was the day we found out the day Emma would be born. So much has changed, and I am so thankful every day for the sacrifice her birth mother made. It was a rough trip, but the destination has been more than worthwhile!

Walking Already?

Well, Miss Emma is on the move--more so than ever before! She is finally figuring out the walking thing, much to our delight and dismay! She's so cute! She toddles around with her hands above her head. Her Uncle Chris calls them her Crab Hands because she walks around opening and closing her hands like a crab claw. She's not completely sure of herself, but she's trying it a lot more than she was last week! Eventually she'll get faster, so we're already looking for an extra long baby gate to keep her out of the kitchen area. We have such a small house that we haven't really had to block her from anything yet, but I'd like to have the kitchen area out of her reach. She's just too fast!

Time Flies!

Well, I have decided that I'm really bad at keeping a blog. I can only seem to do it on a monthly basis. I'm sure it has nothing to do with our very active 9 month old! Boy is she a busy girl! She is constantly on the go, and is learning so much every day! I have loved our 2 weeks together over the Christmas break, and I am kind of dreading going back to school. I know it'll be good to get into a routine again, but I hated how little I got to see her during the week. Things were always so busy, and it was hard for me to find a nice balance of wife, mom, and teacher. Once school gets going again I'll have to think about testing and conferences. I know it's life, and I am incredibly thankful for my job. It's the next best thing to being a stay-at-home mom I think. It's just tough sometimes.

On the bright side, we had a wonderful Christmas with Emma! She was a riot! She has started doing lots of new things. New facial expressions, mouth noises, and games. She's really getting into playing peek-a-boo, and we had great fun with that! I can't believe she's 9 months already! I made a DVD of a bunch of her videos for family members for Christmas. It was amazing to see how fast she has changed and all the stuff she can do now.  She is so close to walking! She walks all over if she has our fingers. Sometimes she'll take a couple steps if she's only holding one finger, but then she realizes what she's doing and looks for the other one. She holds onto furniture and walks around, which is fun to see, but scary too! I don't think I'm ready for her to be THAT mobile! The crawling has kept me busy enough! LOL! I have a feeling she'll take her first steps before she turns 1, but we'll see!

She got tons of fun new toys and lovely clothes from friends, family, and Santa. We were able to see her birth family, which was really nice. The holidays were tough for her birth mom, but I think spending time together helped us all. We are so lucky, and we love Emma so much. I really hope the birth mom knows that and sees that and believes she made the right choice.

Let's see... I think that's mostly it for now. I'll just list a few of her favorite things....just for the heck of it. :)

Favorite Toy: Anything she's not supposed to have!
Favorite Show: Mickey Mouse Clubhouse (and don't worry...she sees it once in a very great while. It calms her down in a split second when she's really having a fit though!)
Favorite Snuggle Item: Definitely her taggy blanket made by my Aunt Tami. She loves to play with the silky tags.
Favorite Song: Still Mary Had a Little Lamb I think, but she really likes most music. She'll bounce to pretty much anything!
Favorite Food: Any baby food and her bottle, but she has tried bread, lasagna noodles, and a few other grown-up foods, which she has really liked.
Favorite Things to Drive Crazy: The dogs! Hahaha! They don't like that she's really mobile now, and she knows it!

Words she's saying: She has been saying "Mama" and "Dada" for a while now, but she also starting saying "Up" occasionally when she wants to be picked up. Pretty cool!

Can you tell we love her to pieces? :)