Miss Heidi

Heidi is getting to be such a big girl! She has really grown alot in the past month. She's such a sweet girl...and I think she's housebroken now! She was actually really easy to housebreak. She's really bonded to our family and we love her. :)

Emma's Flowers

Our neighbor, April, has a flower garden in her back yard. The other night when we were outside, she gave Emma a bunch of flowers, because Emma is always outside admiring them. Then, yesterday, April's daughter, Lauren, was outside and gave Emma even more flowers! Emma LOVES her flowers and they look so pretty in our kitchen. Thanks April and Lauren :)

Busy, Busy, Busy

I have been slacking on the blogging department lately, and on taking pictures too! We have been SO busy the last week. After the baseball game last Saturday, we took the kids to Fort Rapids on Sunday and Monday. They had lots of fun, but Mommy and Daddy were T-I-R-E-D!!! Aunt Kristin came along on Monday, which helped tons!

Shawn was on vacation this week. I didn't have any vacation left to schedule a week, so I was working this week. Anyway, things were crazy busy, and now that I have a few days off, I hope to get caught up on a few things. I need to get the kids in to get their pictures taken, since Emma's 4th birthday is coming up. Hopefully, we can get those done this week.

Shawn's friend, Greg, and his wife Kim, came over yesterday to spend the day with us. They are moving to Chicago...we are going to miss them! Emma LOVES Greg! She spent the WHOLE evening on his lap. She was crying when she went to bed because she didn't want Greg to leave. We will definitely be planning a trip to Chicago to see them, once they get all settled in.

Anyway, enjoy this beautiful Monday. More to come later...

Happy Birthday, Jacen!!!!

Happy 11th Birthday, Jacen!!!!

Today is Jacen's birthday, his true birthday, because he was also born on Father's Day. So, today has been a realaxing day for both him and Daddy. We went to see the Reds vs. Red Sox yesterday in Cinci and Jacen had a blast. Today we are going to an indoor water park and staying the night. The kids are going to have so much fun. Jacen said he didn't care about the presents he got because it was already the best birthday ever! Happy Birthday, old man ;)

Heidi & the Slip n Slide

I thought these pics were hilarious. Heidi was very interested in the slip 'n slide until she realized it was wet! The 2nd pic is of her getting the heck out of dodge! Hehe...

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