Slip n' Slide

It was a hot day yesterday and the kids had been begging me to set up the Slip 'n Slide. So, we set it up and Emma and Jacen had a blast playing on it for over an hour! I am afraid to see my water bill. That thing takes a lot of water! :)

Fun at the Park

We met Mommy's friend Erin and her daughter, Emmy (Emma's bestest friend!) at Choo-Choo Park yesterday. Those that don't know, Choo-Choo park is where we had our first meeting with Emma's birthmom. So, it's a bit sentimental. We love going there and it's a good place to meet for Erin & I since we are on opposite ends of the city. The girls had a blast and so did Emmy's baby brother, Sam. Mommy got some baby-loving time in playing with Sam as well.

Fun with Aunt Kristin

Emma loves her Aunt Kristin so much! My sister is just awesome at playing with Emma and having such a great time. In these pics they put on dress up clothes and had a talent show that consisted of them singing and dancing. It was such great fun to watch :)

Exercise Medal!

I'm a little late in posting this, but oh well. Emma had an exercise class in preschool this year, led by Miss Lois. They put on a little show for the parents at the end of the school year, which was absolutely adorable. Then, they all got medals from Miss Lois. Emma was so proud!

Ear Infection #3

Yep, you read it right. Emma has her 3rd ear infection since her tubes came out. We ended up at urgent care last evening. Why is it that her ear infections only happen on the weekends? So, we're back on Omnicef. I will give her ENT a call tomorrow because we need to get her next set of tubes scheduled. It hasn't even been 2 months since her tubes came out and she's on her 3rd ear infection. Unbelievable!

Grandpa

Emma's love for her Grandpa just amazes me more and more every day. Shawn's dad was over on Sunday evening and Emma went running leaps and bounds for him and was in his lap immediately. She sat there in his lap almost the whole evening, talking to him, cuddling with him, and singing him songs. It is absolutely the most precious thing. He is the best grandpa a girl could ask for. Who else would come over at 5am to stay with her because Mommy had to work and Daddy had to leave early? I am so blessed to have married in to such an awesome family. John and Diana are the best in-laws and have accepted me whole heartedly as their daughter.

I wish I could bottle the interaction between Emma and John. It is magic.

Heidi

Well, Emma has a doggie. She is a 14 week old Miniature Schnauzer that Emma named Heidi...well actually Happy Heidi Ho, but she goes by Heidi :) She is super cute and has such a great personality. She did fantastic in her crate the first night. She would only whine and howl if she heard us awake. She is doing great on housebreaking so far, but what a pain!

Ear Infection #2

Yep, you read right. Emma is on her 2nd ear infection since she had her tubes removed on April 7th. She got her 1st one on April 20, 13 days after her tubes came out. She got this one on May 17. She had been acting like she was getting sick toward the end of last week. I picked her up from Carrie's on Friday and she was complaining about her ear. So, Shawn took her to the doctor on Saturday and sure enough, a double ear infection. One more infection and her tubes go back in. I KNEW this would happen. It just sucks!

Mother's Day

My Mother's Day present that Emma made at Miss Carrie's. I love it! Shawn has the same poem and handprint from Jacen when he was just a bit older. I am going to hang them together :) Thanks to Carrie...I have NO idea how she finds the time to do these projects with the kids. Some days she has 6 kids! I swear she's superwoman!

Emma's footprint made to be a chick on a potholder. She made this in preschool a few weeks ago...and actually kept it a secret. She was so proud of herself.

This was on the front of the package for me from preschool. She kept asking what the teabag on the front was.

This is probably my favorite gift from Emma. Her teacher asked her the questions, Emma answered them, and then her teacher filled in the answers. In case it's hard to read in the picture it says:
My mom is special because: she loves me
I like it when my Mom: puts cottonballs in my ears (must have been done right after her tube surgery...hehe!)
I can make my Mom laugh when I: am silly
My mom is as pretty as a: butterfly
My mom is best at: doing laundry
My mom is smart, she can even: clean up my house

From the mouth of a 3 year old :)

Shawn was so sweet on Mother's Day as well. He went out in the morning before I got up and got me cinnamon pancakes from Bob Evans...yum! And, I got a gift certificate from Kenneth's for a relaxation massage and a facial! YAY! I can't wait to schedule it. Thank you honey!

New Bike

Emma got her big girl training wheel bike. She HAD to have the Barbie helmet to go with her bike. She asks to ride her bike every single day. She FLIES on her bike now. It is super cute!

EMMA

Emma can write her name all on her own now! She has been doing this for a few weeks now. She also wrote LOVE on my Mother's Day card all by herself. She writes her name all the time. She is so proud of herself!

There aren't the words....

...to describe how much I love this girl!

Spring has Sprung!

My spring beauty!

Just crusing along!

Smelling the neighbor's daffodils! They have tulips that have bloomed now, and Emma always stops to smell them.

What is that you ask? Green grass and daffodils! YAY! Spring has finally sprung here in Ohio! This was one of the first warm days we had in April. Emma was having a blast playing outside and riding her trike. One of our to-do's in the next few weeks is to get her a big girl bike with training wheels. She's been bugging us for that, a Barbie Jeep, and a dog. Hmm. I think we'll get her the bike?

After surgery...

I've been meaning to post this pic for the past few weeks. This was Emma the day of her surgery to have her tubes removed. She got a bouffant cap to bring home, and got one for her Elephant that she brought. She is holding the bear that she got from the surgery center. She still sleeps with that bear! The staff at the surgery center were the best. They were so good with Emma, and with us! Aww...ain't she cute? :)

Adoption Quotes

When I was in college, my friend Suzy & I kept quote books. We used to collect quotes and share them with each other. When I was over at her house a few months ago, she pulled out her quote book. She still collects them. I have to admit that I don't even know where mine is anymore. But, I started thinking about great quotes again. Tonight, while I was reading the Adoption Support Board that I frequent, there was a topic about Adoption Quotes, so I thought I'd google it and see what I came up with. Here are a few of my favorites:

We witness a miracle every time a child enters into life.But those who make their journey home across time & miles,growing within the hearts of those who wait to love them,are carried on the wings of destiny and placed among usby God's very own hands.--- Kristi Larson

Life is not measured by the number of breaths you take,but by the moments that take your breath away.--- Unknown

I prayed for this child, and the LORD has granted me what I asked of him.---1 Samuel 1:27 (We used a version of this for Emma's birth announcements. It summed it up perfectly.)

Not flesh of my flesh, Nor bone of my bone, But still miraculously my own. Never forget for a single minute, You didn't grow under my heart - but in it --- Fleur Conkling Heylinger

Once there were two women who never knew each other, One you do not remember, the other you call Mother. The first gave you a need for love and the second was there to give it, Once gave you a nationality, the other gave you a name. One gave you the seed of a talent, the other gave you an aim. One gave you up ... it was all that she could do, the other prayed for a child and God led her straight to you. And now you ask me through your tears, the age old questions through the years, Heredity or Environment ... which are you the product of? Neither my darling-neither, just two different kinds of love. Author unknown

I didn't give you the gift of life, but in my heart I know The love I feel is as deep and real as if it had been so. For us to love each other is like a dream come true. No, I didn't give you the gift of life. Life gave me the gift of you. Author unknown

Butterfly Conservatory

Emma's preschool class went on a field trip to the Franklin Park Conservatory to visit the butterfly exhibit. They had a story first and got to plant flowers. Then, we went in to the butterfly room. The kids had SO much fun! It's so cute to watch all these 3 year olds completely mesmerized by things that we take for granted every day.

Celebrate Adoption!

Here is a great video that a friend from my adoption support group sent me. It is such a celebration of what adoption does for families. If it touches you...please pass it on!

http://s71.photobucket.com/albums/i139/chakazulu_2006/adoption%20video/?action=view&current=hearthope.flv

Seriously?

Well, after having her tubes out for 13 days, Emma has an ear infection. I just *knew* this was going to happen. I just didn't think it would be this soon. She has been running a temp of 103 since yesterday and started to complain about her ear hurting. So, we went to urgent care this evening, and sure enough, she had an ear infection. We go back to see her ENT next week, so I'll be talking to her about some kind of long term solution to her ear infections. Emma has had chronic ear infections since she was 10 weeks old :(

So behind...

I am so behind on this blog...I promise to get some new pics up soon!

To tell you a cute story...

Monday night, I was putting Emma to bed, and she handed me her little Precious Moments bible and asked me to read it to her. I told her that was way too long of a book for bedtime reading and we needed to read a different book :) So, she decided to read it to me, and it went something like this:

Mommy, how I love you. I love everybody in the whole wide world, because I love you. And I love Daddy, and I love you. And, I will love you forever. The end.

How is that to melt your heart. I hold these moments close because I know soon they'll just be memories. I love my little Punky!

Easter Dress

Here's Emma showing off her Easter dress...and her cookie :) We made easter cookies..just the easy pop it in the oven and you're done kind of cookies. This one was a chick before she beheaded it. She looked so cute on Easter...I need to find an excuse for her to wear that dress again!

Surgery

Emma is having surgery on Monday to remove her ear tubes and put patches on her ear drums. She has had them in for 3 years (since she was 6 months old) and her ENT wants them out, so they don't cause permanent damage. Say a prayer for our baby girl on Monday. I know it's a quick and easy surgery but I am still scared to death. I hate being a nurse sometimes...ignorance is bliss.

Opening Day

Well, Monday was opening day (baseball for all you non-fans out there). Emma was disappointed that the TV was turned to the Reds game because she wanted to watch something else. So, Daddy pulled her up on his lap and gave her a little lesson on baseball. It was so cute. She was curled up on Shawn's lap, asking questions. She learned who the pitcher, batter, and catcher were. And learned how to do "You're out!" She's such a Daddy's girl. It was neat watching this little bonding moment between them :)