THANKS LAO LAO!

Well, today we got ANOTHER box from Sarah's Lao Lao. She sewed this beautiful jacket for my baby girl. What a seamstress, huh? She did a great job and it is so cute. Sarah HAD to model it for the camera right away. I know the pants don't match, but we were just trying it on and I had no desire to change the whole outfit! Merry Christmas early from Lao Lao!

This one is a little blurry, cause I wouldn't hold still for Mama, but I'm still cute, don'tcha think?

In this one, I was telling Mama, "I'm so cute!"

Of course, I'm showing you my pretty pearly whites in this one. I get a really funny look on my face when Mama asks me to smile, so she said, "show me your teeth" and this is what I did!

Contemplations

So, for some reason today I'm feeling quite comtemplative. I read something that has got me thinking about the Blessing that my daughter is. So, I decided this is the best forum to get these things out of my head and heart to words. There are so many things in my brain right now, bear with me.

My daughter has changed my life in so many ways...I went from working full-time in a career to a life of a full-time cook, maid, diaper changer, snot wiper, and owie kisser.

I love that when it's time to go to bed, Sarah gets really silly and we have a blast together being silly and laughing.

I love that when she has an owie she wants me to kiss it and when it's a really big owie, she runs to my arms, lays her head on my shoulder and wraps her arms and legs around me and just cries it out.

I love the way she finds something humorous and looks over to me with a smile that could light a room to see if I think it's funny, too.

I love how when we adopted her she wouldn't even look my direction but now, she looks me straight in the eyes and says, "yahve you"

I love the way she tries to sing along to the radio in the car when she thinks I'm not paying attention and I hear her sweet little voice repeating the words of the song in her own little sweet melody.

I love to watch her dance to the music with such abandonement...bouncing up and down at the knees, clapping her hands, wobbling her body to and fro, and walking around in circles to the beat.

I love the way she claps and cheers, "YAY, MAMA" when she hears me flush the toilet after using it. (Can you tell we're trying to potty train?)

I love the way she runs to me when I get home in the morning from work with a big laugh and jumping up and down yelling, "MAMAAAAAA" as she wraps her arms around my shoulders with a big hug.

I love that she says, "Yawve You," "MISSHYOU" when we put her to bed.

I love that no matter where we are, no matter who we are with or around No one can cough, sneeze, or burp without Sarah telling them, "bessh you"

I love that while she lies in bed at night and we are talking when we cough or sneeze she shouts from her room, "bessh you!"

I love the way she farts and tells me, "Mama farted!" when I say, "No, it wasn't Mama" Then she says, "Baba farted" when I tell her, "No, Baba isn't even here" she gets a BIG, SILLY grin and says, "shara farted!"

I love that when she sees a photo of herself, she says, "baby shara" then she'll say, "mama's shara, baba's shara!"

I love that when I grab the duster to get the house clean, she runs to the cupboard, grabs the second duster and runs to the living room and says, "dusty tee vee, Mama" and continues to help me dust.

I love that when it's time to vacuum, she says, "help you, Mama" grabs the handle of the vacuum and starts to try to vacuum the carpet with the vacuum angled in the air cause she's too short to hold it so it touches the floor.

I love the way she rides our dog Liberty like she's a horse!

I love that she says, "petty yites" "kissmas tree" and NO Man when we see Christmas lights, a tree and a snowman while driving around in the car.

I love the way she snuggles up in my lap on my left leg and leans into my shoulder as I read her story after story after story, each time she goes and gets another one.

I love the way she laughs like crazy when I tickle her until she's had enough and she manages to get out, "shtop it peazhe" while she's still laughing.

I love that when she is in the shopping cart that I'm pushing and I'm stopped, looking at something, she'll lean forward put the side of her face against my tummy and say, "Awwww, yawve you, Mama" Then she'll ask for a "UG, Mama"

I love the way she wakes up from her nap and yells at me, "WAKE UP!" thinking that I'm asleep, too...and it's time for me to wake up and get her!

And, that's my cue! Gotta go get my girl.

Before I do, I guess the most amazing thing that I love and have learned is there is no feeling on this planet like feeling the love of my child.

Here's my baby when she saw the Christmas tree for the first time last Sunday, Please pay no attention to the laundry!

Our First Ever Santa Experience

You know how they say a picture is worth a thousand words...well, You gotta hear the story behind this one. We decided that Sarah needed to sit on Santa's lap for the traditional annual photo with Good Ole' St. Nick. So, I noticed the other day that Wal-Mart was having photos with Santa last Saturday and thought...perfect, it's near my house, at a convenient time. I'll get my Noodle all dressed up Christmas-like and get a cute photo with the Jolly Old Guy.

Well, we got there before Santa arrived. He was a little late, can you believe that? Anyway, I digress...Sarah was sitting in the cart hanging out with her toys while we talked and played and we were second in line. Before us was a family of 3 kids and the parents. There were 2 boys and their little sister who was probably 6 months or so older than my Sarah. The boys had their turn, but then it was time for their little sis to sit on Santa's lap, and the tears started to flow! That cute little blondie just cried and didn't want ANYTHING to do with sitting anywhere near Santa, let alone his lap! Well, the aforementioned family was finished and I told Sarah, "Come on, Sweetie, let's go sit on Santa's lap, he's really nice!" Sarah let out the most blood curdling cry, "NO!" and as I started to pick her up out of the shopping cart she screamed and cried-I'm sure they could hear us all the way back in Layaway! Her body was wrapped around me with the Sarah Grip Of Death! She didn't want to get near the big guy in a red suit with all that fuzzy white hair all over him. No Thank You, No Way, No How!

I just finally set her on his knee and told her how nice Santa was, to no avail. The helper chick came over with a treat and if you look closely in her hand, you'll see the hershey's kiss that the gal gave her in an attempt to help her to stop crying. Sarah stopped crying for about a second-just long enough to look at me and say, "OPEN!" then continued her screams. I told the photographer, "just take it, don't worry...she's not planning on stopping til she's off his lap and besides, it'll be cute" So, here we have our daughter's first experience with Santa! You gotta love that little face even when she's so unhappy!

Of course, for the rest of the day, Baba couldn't help but tease her about it. He kept saying Sarah, let's go to Wal-Mart and see Santa! You can sit on his lap again! She would just run the other way and say, "NO!!" I guess with all the 2 year old tantrums of late, he was thinking of a little revenge.

Again at church Mama made me stand by the petty kissmas lites cause LaoLao wants pictures of my petty dresh. Lao Lao buys me the best and pettiest dreshes! See, I like the lites!

Heehee, my Baba was standing behind Mama while she took my pictures cause he was making me laugh and smile!

Merry Christmas a little early

Well, here is our baby, who's not such a baby anymore, in her Christmas photo. She has that...hmm...kind of half smile, when you're not looking I'm taking off with this string of garland so, look! Mama! over that way! kind of look on her face!

Pretty in Purple

So, Lao Lao has been at it again! She sent us this adorable chinese inspired purple velvety dress from Hanna Andersson....and the pretty purple flower bow she made matches perfectly!

They got the church all dressed up and ready for Christmas...I kept running around telling Mama, "petty yites" (pretty lights in Sarah-nese"

Cute Thanksgiving Girl!

We were invited to my Dad's friend's for Thanksgiving so I had to catch some shots of our baby. Lao Lao bought Sarah the cute dress (of course, who else?). It was a little long, but with the color scheme, I couldn't resist making it the Thanksgiving dress!

Being cute, by my Baba

Here I am with my friends, Nati and Greg

Huh? What? It wasn't me! I didn't do it, Mama!

Okay, I'm ready to EAT!

I love my Baba!

My Little Cleaning Lady

So, from somewhere, my little Sarah got the "cleaning gene". I'm not complaining, don't get me wrong! I wish I had the gene myself, for me it's always been a struggle...a constant battle. I remember my Mom constantly getting on my case as a child, "clean your room," "Make your bed." etc, etc, etc.

Well, not with this girl! Sarah found the paper towels...took them to the dog's water dish, (not the most sanitary, I know) and began to wipe down everything in site! It was pretty cute so I had to let her continue for a bit and grabbed the camera before I got her cleaned up.

Uh, Hi Mama, I am just cleaning up my car...(maybe if I look all cute, she will let me keep my paper towel)

See, Mama...I figured out how to flip over this box and it still holds me and I can reach the window for you and get it nice and clean!

Look, keening, keening!

All Dressed Up and Somewhere to Go!

So, when choosing our outfit for church this morning, we opted for the fashion-ista look! :) LaoLao got us this cool dress off ebay (it was brand spankin new) from a woman in NYC who bought it at a boutique there somewhere. We found the perfect tights and shoes...and with LaoLao's hand crafted bow for the hair, we were ready for a glamourous day in the Nursery at church! *wink*

Wait for me, Mama, "thirsty, dink, Mama"

I know you do it with this button somehow...I just can't coordinate my fingers to make the water go into my mouth!

A Beautiful Day at the Zoo!

We had a Great day today. Since my Dad got us a ZOO membership this year, we like to go even when the weather gets cooler. The animals are more fun to watch, it's not so crowded and not as miserably hot as the summers are around here. We couldn't have asked for a more beautidul day. The weather was sunny and there was just a hint of "cool" in the air. It was a blast. Sarah loved it. Enjoy some of our memories from today.

Look Mama! Me and Lili are in the Egg!

This is a fun bridge that swings a little when you walk on it, Sarah loved to walk back and forth on it!

Weeeeee, that was a fun slide! Especially cause I got to ride it with my friends, Lili and Tati.

I'm a lot smaller than the Gorilla, huh?

Look, Mama...this is a lot like the bikes we saw when we were in China!

This is the life!

Baba held me so I could pet the giraffe! He was really soft and friendly, too.

There's me and Baba looking at the zebras!

A Few Updated Photos

Well, Today I'm trying to get a little bit caught up, Here are a few updated photos of the last month or so. We have been really busy lately and the Holidays aren't even here yet! Yikes!

Here's my Baby at church last Sunday

Baba is being so silly!

Lao Lao is playing with me and my new purse that Gigi gave me. Isn't it cool?

Showing off one of my new outfits

Look, Lao Lao...maybe we can take Pebbles for a walk??

Do you think if I smile real BIG, she'll come with me? "here Pebbles!"

WEEEEEEEE I LOVE the swing!

HAPPY 2nd BIRTHDAY SARAH!!!

Well, we had 2 heck of a celebrations for our little girl's SECOND birthday! When we traveled to Ohio to visit my family, we decided to celebrate her birthday there so that my family could be a part of her birthday and then we had another party here, the day after her actual birthday (the closest Saturday!). She had a blast both times and got A LOT of awesome presents! What a joy to FINALLY be able to celebrate a birthday with our daughter, since we hadn't met her last year for her first birthday. What joy she's brought to our lives.

Hmm, let's see this music....what song shall I play?

Music, schmusic! Who needs it? I'll just play the concerto in my head!

Look at one of my favorite presents! I got a ladybug raincoat, umbrella and cute boots to match from my Great Uncle Greg and Aunt Cathy! They're awesome!

Here's my cute cupcakes that my Mama's cousin, Christine, made for me for my birthday...I'm not so sure about those candles, Mama said that they're hot and I don't want to get burned!

Here's my new xylophone that I got from Aunt Nati...this was from my second party. I love to play songs for my Baba, but for some reason, he puts these little things in his ears and just smiles at me while I play.

This is my cool new wagon that I got from my Poppa, I LOVE to go for rides all over the neighborhood, I tell Mama and Baba, "ride wa-GON please" every day!

Peek-a-Boo!

Here I am holding my new asian baby doll that I got for my birthday, isn't she cute? She kinda looks like me in the first photo that Mama and Baba saw of me...except she has a lot more hair!

Here's the cupcakes Mama made me, and Baba is holding it so I can blow out the candle, I was feeling a little better about the candles this time.

What? Huh? Can't a girl enjoy all this sugar without that silly camera in her face?