newest words and things you do to make you look 20 years old

Julia, my sweetie, you are growing up way too fast, but I won't complain about that since I waited for these moments for over 9 years.

You love the puzzle you got for your 1st birthday. It has a cow, cat, mouse, dog, bird, sheep and fish in a fish bowl puzzle slots. Tonight we were playing with this trying to get you to put the pieces of the puzzle back together and you took out the Mouse and I said "Oh that the Mouse" and you immediately looked at me and then Daddy and said the word Mouse! Loud and clear. So I pointed to the picture of the mouse as we put the puzzle piece back and asked you what this animal was and you looked up and said Mouse again. WOOOOHOOOO. I can't believe how quickly you are picking up the words and know their meanings now too. We played with this puzzle for about 20 minutes before you were distracted by the next toy. LOL

Newest words: Mouse, ouch, clearly saying Sadie now. Bath (which you start running to the bathroom and open the shower curtain to get to view the bathtub, the girl loves her baths), sit, down, (Ill think of some more later). I need to keep these words on a running list. Seems you develop new words every day or so now. Amazing.

You climbed up onto the computer chair and then proceeded to stand up on it too. I had to coax you down with a nice gentle, "Julia please sit" comment. You did sit, but immediately stood up and did this over and over while pushing the buttons on the keyboard. Do I need to find you your own desk and keyboard now too? It is hard enough to fight over the desktop with Daddy needing to do homework for college and our laptop being on the fritz right now. Yes, Santa is wonderful, but I just don't think he has a laptop for your use or a desktop computer either. Maybe in a few years, ok sweetie?

I called the mutual friend of your tummy mommy and left a message asking to have your birthmother H call us back. I did this on Wednesday. I hope they call tomorrow. I so want to hear from H and hope to invite her over for a holiday dinner here for just her immediate family and DH, you and I.

J, you turned 14 months old on the 27th. My gosh girl, you are growing so much. At home I weighed you and you were 23 lbs. I had a hard time getting you into your size 18 month gap pants the other day. I have a feeling you will be in 24month / 2T outfits sooner than I expected. Ugh, I didn't do shopping for that size for a winter season. I did get you some 24 months items for Spring/Summer. Dang. Gotta hit the shops soon for you then. Grow baby Grow. Thrive and Thrive some more. I love you.

p.s. FYI.......I use the term Tummy Mommy in agreement with J's birthmother. This is one of the things she said was comfortable hearing her being called when J gets old enough. I don't use it to be disrespected to J's birthmother.

2008 Christopher Radko Adoption ornament at Macy's

No, I am not being paid to advertise this, but I am telling you all that have adopted or are on the path to adopt, the 2008 Christopher Radko / Dave Thomas Foundation hand blown glass Adoption ornament is at Macy's. I got one for us and one for Julia in 2007 so I am off to buy the 2008 ornament. I will give her one of these each year and have one on our tree each year. Yes, they are a bit expensive, but I want to celebrate the blessing of adoption in our lives and this is one way to express that celebration.
click on this "green" link below to go to Macy's and review the ornament.
Macy's 2008 Radko Adoption ornament

my Sweet baby girl has new bling bling (earrings)

DH talked me into getting Julia's ears pierced today.

I had this feeling that I should not get her ears pierced for the longest time. I don't know, just a right of passage, I guess, because I couldn't get mine done until I was 14??!!

I must confess, I LOVE THEM.

I'll try to take a close up picture of her new bling bling tomorrow and post the picture tomorrow night. DH did a good job of picking out some cute bling bling for her too!

I was not there when he took her to the mall today. He called me to ask me I would be ok if he got her ears pierced and I said NO initially, but after two calls to me at work, I finally said OK(I said no on a few trips to the mall in the past few months too).

He said she cried for about 5 seconds (two ladies did each ear at the same time)and then she acted like nothing ever happened. Ahhh, relief. I did tell him to give her some tylenol before he got them pierced so maybe that helped with her pain. I also made DH promise that he will be taking care of her earrings, turning them, cleaning them, changing them... etc.. He agreed. Nice compromise, I guess. hehe

for now, here is her recent picture of admiring herself in the window reflection at my friends house. LOL she loves looking at herself. awwwww

HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO YOU ALL.

I wish I had the extra money for these invisioned blog makeover looks

Yes, I am envisioning a few blog look, but can't see to bring up a few bucks to do this. I found 4 other blogs tonight through others that all have the same green blog I do. UGH.. I want to be different in a way as picture title and with some cute backgrounds! BUT Can't do the revamp until the first of the year because DH's Job ends December 15th.. Crunching pennies until then.

ANy blog designers you can recommend to me that won't cost me an arm and a leg?

I am so excited.. I know, it might not be a big deal to you (Highway 40/64 reopening)

Yes, I am STOKED! The stretch of Highway (Forty or Farty if you are from South St. Louis City)40/64 from Spoede and Brentwood is reopening December 15, 2008. About 2-3 months ahead of schedule. This will eliminate my drive on hwy 270 Northbound from Hwy 44 to Hwy 40/64 or as I take getting off at Manchester to Topping to Clayton to Mason to North Outer 40 Drive.

I AM SO EXCITED. I'll probably has as long of a drive to work since I can't get on 40/64 until Brentwood or McKnight, but at least I know my back streets to get to and from the highway.

Hwy 270 N has been a parking lot the last few days at 8:00 am and thus I have been late for work by about a total of 30 minutes. I had to stay late to make up that time last night and I hate that.

Also, driving a stick shift vehicle in bumper to bumper traffic is horrible. This is when I wish I had my little ford focus back again instead of the manual / stick shift tribute I now have. Yes, I bought the tribute before they announced the highway closure so I am stuck with this until the reopening of bumper to bumper .. clutch killing driving. Just ask anyone that drives a stick shift/manual transmission car. They too would tell you they hate bumper to bumper.

I often thought about asking to change my hours to 8:00 - 4:00 pm, but I have to take Julia to the sitter in the morning to dropping her off after the 7:30 opening time of the sitter works out for me to take her and DH picks her up around 3:45 pm each day. Now with the highway opening I won't need to ask to change hours. See, I drive west from home against traffic for the most part so hwy 40 drive from the City to West County was typically not bumper to bumper!!


I CAN'T WAIT .. WOOOHOOO. less than a month away.


Ok, off to snuggle with the kiddo before I tackle that danged traffic.

Happy Day to you all.

thanks to my local friend... Welight Watchers is my new LIFE

Yes, I am back at Weight Watchers after a few year break. I had to do this for me and for my family, especially Julia. And with my friend holding my hand, we weighed in last week (my first for me and her 2nd in a few weeks) and we both did ok this week going back for our first official weigh in ..
for me:

first weigh in 11/4/08
218.8
2nd weigh in 11/11/08
212.8
total lost : 6 lbs

3rd weigh in 11/18/08
.4 lbs lost... not quite 1.2 a pound, but it is a loss nonetheless!!!
4th weigh in 11/25/08 (Oh the dreaded date before Thanksgiving dinner IF YOU BITE IT WRITE IT NO MATTER HOW MUCH IT COST> )

5th weigh in 12/2/08

6th weigh in 12/9/08

7th weigh in 12/16/08

8th weigh in 12/23/08

9th weigh in 12/30/08

Those dates will get me through the toughest time in the year to eat. Eat Properly, Track, Drink that water, Take a walk around the blok (or blogs) and keep busy from not eating that sweet treat .... LIMIT yourself. Be your own motivator. Set Goals.

I did it, I went and got it all cut off

Yup.. SHORT hair cut. I LOVE IT. It only cost $15.00 (plus cash tip) at Great Clips! WOOHOOOOOO. (Dang it, I could not find a coupon for a cheaper rate, Ha)

No more 47.00 hair stylist on my list (yes, I use to pay that much way back when and that is why I had over 5 inches cut off my hair(read) because I couldn't afford that kind of costs anymore in like forever now).

Now to give myself that 60.00 color treatment for $3.00 in a box. Tomorrow's agenda includes this treatment mentioned. DH will even help me if I can't get the back of my hair really well. Good doobie he is to me!

money found money earned... even if it is only

$1.59 found in the middle of the street ... on a panera bread gift card. WOW... I love finding money. I'll ask the neighbors around me first before using it on my next trip to get a yummy salad.

Monday earned this past week was 19.00 on toys that were extras around the house and or toys that J did not play with anymore. Craigslist ROCKS! Thanks buyers.

so 20.59 in one week earned, found is not bad.

How is your week going so far?

This money is going towards buying J a WINTER coat. realizing that she does not have one that fit her anymore, we are in a heap of trouble with this cold weather setting in. Looking for a 2T Winter coat if you know of any, please drop me an email. I hope to find one at the resale shop today, but email me if you do know of anyone selling theirs.

Have a WONDERFUL Saturday.

off to watch DH in the pool with J for her swim lessons since our yard sale we were suppose to have was canceled due to cold and wind.

milestones for 13.5 months old

My sweet daughter,

Today I saw you blowing on your mashed potatoes to cool them down because you thought they were too hot after I put them on your tray.

You figured out how to push Chicken Elmo's toes so he could sing "Elmo wants to be a chicken, elmo wants to be a duck, bawk bawk bawk bawk...." and then you dance your pants off with Elmo.

Tonight, you insisted on grabbing your grown out of clothes out of the box I am putting together for the yard sale Saturday. You are not helping mommy here sweetie, really. Bahhhh

Since you started walking at 10 months old, you are now RUNNING across the room. LOL you little butt is so cute when it goes that fast.

Your words so far: light, dog, hannah(sounds like haha with no n's), daddy, mommy, ball, fish, juice, bye-bye, hello, down, up, baba (bottle), duck, hot, bounce, button (belly button), bird, moon, moooo for cow, meow for kitty, ruff for dog, (I know there are more, but I just can't think of them). milk. You can repeat sounds for some animals after I saw them like the elephant, horse, lion and duck.

You can use the sign language motions of: Eat, all done, juice, milk, down and up.
You know where your toes, nose, ears, mouth and your belly button are if we ask. You know how to kick your feet on demand (thanks to swimming lessons). You climbed up on the couch for the first time this month. You leaned over in the tub the other night to blow bubbles in the water.

You love to climb through the legs of the dining room table chairs. You get such a kick out of daddy saying "I'm gonna get you" as you run towards mommy in the other room. So much joy that you scream at the top of your lungs. LOL

You can dance when we ask you to. Stand Up and down when we ask. LOVE to have daddy bounce you on the bed and couch. Loves to be tickled. You actually grab our hands and pull us to you to tickle you again and again. You know what close and open mean, on and off mean, you can pull the ceiling fan chain and light chain off and on over and over.

You have 6 teeth, 4 on top and 2 on the bottom.

Your hair, FINALLY, is coming in. Now don't pull it out like I caught you trying to do tonight.

You understand what the words "gentle touch" mean when it comes to petting the dog or touching mommy's hair.

You love to try and do things that you are not suppose to and take that moment during that task to look at us to see if we will say "Please Stop doing that". You especially use that side look like "I know I am not suppose to do this, but I'll test mommy and daddy to see if they stop me" while peeking around that item you are hiding behind.

You love to rock out to the music in the car as we are driving somewhere.

I love you and thank you for making each day such a joy to wake up to.

tooth brushing, bath time, and DH's job

two of her favorite things to do in the evenings. Bath time and Tooth Brushing is so much fun. I love to let her play with her tub toys. She got a bucket of tub letters and numbers for her birthday so we play with these at every bath now (which is ever other night, thanks to Dh with taking turns!). She also loves to grab for her tooth brush right after her bath. I set her on the sink rim in her towel in front of me and then put some tooth paste on her brush and off we go to dry her and put her pj's on. I sing a silly (made-up) song about her brushing her teeth and show her how to brush back and forth and up and down. She loves to mimic what I do so she does this brushing pretty well. I love this at 13 months of age because she now has 6 teeth to keep in good shape. Now my question for you is..... when is the right age to take her in to the dentist? What age worked for you and your child? My dentist said another year or so, but should I wait until she is 2?

I remember at the age of 4 sitting in the dentist chair getting fillings in my teeth. It was horrible and I don't want her to go through that. With adoption, sometimes that is the blessing of not sharing my genetics. My paternal family history of tooth decay is horrible. I will keep on top of her dental hygiene. I will!


as far as Dh's job, he works for a local company that sold out to Big Brother and now BIGGER Brother bought Big Brother out so DH was given an end date of March 2009, but was granted an earlier out of December 15th (too much crap floating around there). DH is now hitting the beat with interviewing and trying to find a job. I so hoping he can find something locally. Please keep us in your thoughts for him to find a job. I hate this. He has worked there over 18 years now and was "displaced" about a year ago. This puts our lives on hold for many hopeful plans such as looking into adopting again or being able to plan a nice family vacation next year. I will keep my chin up for him. I spread the word as much as I can that he is looking. Please send some good Job vibes for him. Thanks.

On the adoption front, I am so excited for some friends and extended family as we know several that are match with birthfamiles.

And I leave you today with a cute pic (yes, I love the tub pictures!)

Please go vote and Happy National Adoption Awareness Month

I don't talk politics on my blog. BUT I BEG OF YOU to go vote on Tuesday, November 4, 2008. I am one that says if you don't vote then you should not speak negative of any one thing that goes wrong by government standards in your life. Your voice is in your right to vote so go exercise that right and have a voice!

Secondly, This month of November is National Adoption Awareness Month. stay tuned for more posts on this subject.

Adoption is a part of our lives that will always be celebrated! I say CELEBRATED with a smile and warm heart. Thankful for our daughter and her birthmother! Adoption touches the lives of so many we know and are so proud to say it is and always will be a part of lives we will cherish. Thanks to a wonderful local St. Louis adoption support group, Infertility and Adoption Support, I have been able to be educated and can help educate those that are interested in adopting, especially experiencing open adoption. If you ever have questions, feel free to contact me. I can tell about our journey that brought us to adoption, our agencies, friends, family and how our two social workers helped us with the ups and downs of adoption and how our agencies brought us to the wonderful blessing of our daughter.

Adoption Haven
A Gift of Hope Adoptions

Adoption is a wonderful part of our lives... see