Bath Time, Birthday Plans, and New Hairstyle

It's been such a nice week being home with Emma. She is much happier with Mommy playing with her all day. The house is a mess and I could wash clothes for three days and still not be caught up, but it's not going anywhere and she is changing every day. She is crawling less and less and her balance is getting better. She still looks like a weeble wabble at times when she walks.

Emma loves bath time. She kicks and smiles when we ask her if she wants to take a bath. Her favorite is splashing in the water and playing with her bath toys.

I have been busy getting her birthday plans together. Her first birthday is going to be so special and we know how fortunate we are to share it with her. There are other families that dont' have that opportunity and we are going to enjoy it. Her birthday is on a Tuesday so we are going to celebrate the Sunday after. More details to come. I am still working on decorations and food. I want to incorporate the Korean culture as well as American traditions so it should be a neat experience.

As you can tell in the photos, Emma's hair is getting longer and I tried a new hairstyle today. She looks so cute but Mommy certainly needs to work on her styling skills.

Look at her go...

Snapping a few pictures in her birthday outfit for invitations

It doesn't matter what her hair looks like, she's still adorable!

Pigtails for my sweet girl

Staying at Home, Emma is Walking!

This is probably one of the most difficult posts to write. The past couple of weeks have been challenging to say the least. I went back to school, teaching, after being home with Emma for 14 weeks. Initially I thought the transition would be manageable. Emma had a very difficult time being with a sitter and after consulting with an adoption therapist, we decided it would be best for Emma if I stayed home with her. I am so blessed to be able to do this and also very thrilled to be with her during the day every day. As I told my teaching family, my hearts also breaks that I won't be able to fulfill my obligations to my students and see friends that I have grown close to as often. I know that God has a plan and he can see the entire picture of our life. With that said, I know He has something great in store for our family. We have been prayerfully considering an amazing opportunity within the adoption community and hope to proceed with it now that I have some spare time. More about that as things progress. So as I left school Friday afternoon, it was a bittersweet ending to a wonderful experience at a school where everyone loves and welcomes each other.

I am also in the process of planning Emma Tol party, her first birthday celebration. I've been researching traditional Korean customs and hope to incorporate those into a Korean American celebration. It's hard to believe she will be a year old in a few weeks. She is constantly changing and I think it safe to say she is officially walking as of yesterday! She's still wobbly and falls down, but it doesn't keep her from going where she wants to go!

Here's our little girl standing up on her own and taking a few steps...

She loves her sippy cup. It only took her a few minutes to learn to drink from a straw.

One of her favorite things to do is to pull everything out of the drawers in the kitchen. She does it very well!

Happy 11 Months Emma

Our sweet girl is 11 months old now! That is so hard to believe! She is growing, learning, and changing so much every day. So what is our big girl up to these days? Here are 11 things that our sweet girl is up to:

1. She is talking all the time. She loves to say "night night" at bedtime and yesterday she pulled up to me and said "take."

2. Her new favorite game is riding a horsey. We played it the other night and today she sat on my leg and started to jump. As soon as I began to sing the song and bounce, she giggled and smiled.

3. It is the sweetest thing to see her interact with her brother. She is quite the charmer when she blows kisses to everyone and winks.

4. Her walking skills are getting more and more defined. She is taking several steps at a time before stumbling over.

5. She is also standing up in the middle of the floor by herself by pushing up with her knee. Our sweet girl is quite strong!

6. I love the way she sits and plays with one leg behind her and the other in the front. She is so limber!

7. She tried Goldfish for the first time this week and loves them.

8. She mastered a sippy cup this month. Her favorite are the ones with a straw. She loves apple and white grape juice.

9. Emma's dancing abilities are amazing. She loves to dance to music and has started adding vocals. Her favorite Barney song is Deck the Halls and sings the fa la la la la on key! She also enjoys singing hymns during church.

10. Emma loves her baby doll and likes to hug and love on her like we do Emma

11. Emma is turning into quite the explorer. Her ability to clean out a cabinet, drawer, or laundry basket must be a record...

Snow Day

The snow came down overnight on Wednesday which allowed for a snow day!!! Not only did we get out Thursday and Friday of last week, but we have been out Monday and today this week! Chase enjoyed playing in the snow with his sled he got for Christmas last year. Emma wasn't sure about the snow at first, but enjoyed it after getting used to the cold. She was so cute all bundled up! It looks like we'll be back to school tomorrow as most of the snow has melted. Emma and I are staying warm and enjoying just hanging out at home. I've been getting things prepared for her big 1st birthday party coming up in Feb. 2. There is lots to do especially since this is her first birthday and the Korean culture places a great emphasis on the first birthday (Tol). She has a special outfit called a hanbok that her foster parents sent. This is the traditional dress that Korean children wear on special occasions. Hope all is well with everyone...Stay warm!!!

Emma wasn't a fan of sledding. She doesn't care for motion whether it is in a stroller, car seat, wagon, or even a sled!

3 Months Home

In some ways it's hard to believe Emma has only been here 3 months. In other ways, it seems like yesterday we received the call that we were matched with a little girl. In every way that matters, she has always been a part of our family and that is the amazing way God uses adoptions to bring together a family. God knew long before we did, that Emma would be our daughter and from the beginning, He prepared our hearts to receive her. We can't imagine life without her and as each day passes, she continues to amaze us with her personality. We have a very intelligent little girl that loves music, her brother, and parents. We are so blessed at how she has adjusted into our family. There were difficult times for her, but she loves her family and knows that we are here to stay. She has started taking a few steps and I'm sure will be walking soon. I love the way she blows us kisses and wakes up with a smile on her face. Her love for music is so cute and she has become quite the dancer swaying back and forth to the rhythm. As the new year approaches, we have so much to be thankful for this past year. I am so excited about what the new year holds as we prepare to celebrate Emma first birthday in February, finding a place to settle and call home, and looking at what other opportunities God might be calling for us to pursue. May 2010 be a year full of the renewed promise God has to bring you joy and happiness. May you find that happiness in Him as it will never be found in things... Welcome home 3 months Emma, to the family God created to love you forever!

Emma's First Christmas

This has been the most memorable Christmas for our family. It is surreal to think that last year having a daughter and sister for Christmas seemed so far away. Little did we know that God had a plan to provide us with Emma and give us the privilege to share in her first Christmas. On Christmas Eve, we celebrated with my family at Nana and Popa's house. Emma was slow to rip the paper off presents, and once she did get one good strip, she wanted to rip it into tiny pieces. It was so neat to watch her unwrap her presents, with the help of big brother. Her face seemed to say what is all this about... She received a wagon at Nana's and liked riding in it for a short period of time. I think her favorite part was napping in it later that evening. She also received a baby doll and immediately started giving it hugs and kisses. I think she is going to be a wonderful mommy one day! Ryan and I exchanged gifts later that night as well as Chase and Emma. Chase wanted to make Emma a bear at the Build-A-Bear workshop this year and she gave Chase a new portable DVD player since his broke while she was watching it. Ryan gave me a wonderful present this year...a new camera. I have taken approximately 13,000 pictures with my current camera and have loved using it. Photography is my favorite hobby and with a new little girl, there is a lot to take pictures of! I was very surprised and thankful for the awesome gift. It arrived today and I have spent the afternoon playing with it!!! I love it, but not as much as my wonderful husband!

It is a tradition at our house to attend the 11:15 Christmas Eve service at our church, and this year was no exception. Emma, being the night owl she is, was awake to attend and even stayed awake through the entire service.

Christmas morning was exciting as Chase and Emma woke up around 8:30. This year he was so excited and watching him open presents was so much fun. We went to Ryan's parents for lunch and to spend the day. The kiddos had so much fun there and Emma loved playing with all the things she received. She played us a tune on her new piano and pushed her baby around in her new shopping cart filled with play food that she can chew on. Of course she also enjoyed playing with the boys' toys, especially Max's fire station.

Christmas Eve:

Notice the sweet little bracelet Nana and Papa gave her... She had a bracelet on in her referral picture so it didn't surprise me when she left it on and didn't try to take it off. It is so cute!

All smiles at the Christmas Eve service, even with a runny nose!

Finally fell asleep on the way home from the Christmas Eve service...12:30 am

Christmas Morning:

Gran's house Christmas morning, I wish I knew what they were thinking...

Playing with her new baby doll and shopping cart

Giving love to her new inch worm ride on toy.

Having dessert with her play food

Playing with my new Canon 50D...Love it!!!

Man Down

Well, it finally happened... Emma captured a snowman ornament from the tree and not only did she grab him, but she managed to pull his leg off!!! When I asked her "What did you do to Mommy's ornament," she pointed at the injured snowman. One snowman down, two others in her sights...

Her new tricks for the week. She stood alone Saturday night and danced to Frosty the Snowman on TV. She loves music and has started swaying and bopping when she hears it. Last night at church she was dancing and humming to hymns. We have it on video and I'll try to get it posted later. Too cute!

Are you talking about that snowman who is missing a leg?

Who me, amputate a snowman? Look at this face...

Countdown to Christmas

Sweetest face I know...

It's hard to believe that Christmas is only 9 days away! I'm sure Emma will love ripping the wrapping paper into tiny pieces. She is such a busy girl these days!!! You can tell that she's comfortable at home as she opens the gate that keeps her in the family room and goes to explore the rest of the house. I can't manage to keep things picked up after her. She pulls everything out and smiles when you ask her what she just did! The tupperware tops in the drawers are her favorite. She is saying baby which is adorable. Hopefully Santa will bring her one to love on... Her bottom tooth is coming in more as well. She loves to have her teeth brushed and likes it even more when we let her do it! Last night Chase burped and Emma spent the next 5 minutes trying to mock him. We were laughing so hard and she was trying so hard, I thought she might throw up. Her facial expressions are too funny. She has also found the back of the couch and enjoys crawling from one end to the other. We go back to the doctor tomorrow to finish the "catch up" on her shots. Chase has his Christmas program at church tonight, so Emma will love hearing the music and watching big brother on stage. Here are a few pictures...

Yes, Daddy does Rock! We love him bunches!!!

Santa and Opryland Hotel

Emma decided that standing was overrated and took two steps toward to me this afternoon! I was so amazed and proud of her. She's also started giving Mommy and Daddy hugs. It's the cutest thing. She puts her arms around us, just under our arm pits and leans her head into our chest. Yes, it melts Mommy and Daddy's heart. The Christmas tree continues to be a topic of "no" as she has gone over to it what seems like a hundred times today. She patiently waits for the ornaments she wants to come around and then smiles that sweet smile and rips the ornament off the tree. Upon getting it, she shakes it just to hear the bells jingle.

Tonight we took Chase and Emma to see Santa Claus in Nashville. Needless to say it was very busy. I didn't know how Emma would react to him, so Chase held her while Santa talked to her. Turns out she liked him and probably would have sat in his lap, but we didn't push it... She waved bye bye and Santa told her he would bring her a babydoll. We did a few more things at Oprymills and then headed over to Opryland hotel to check out the lights. Emma enjoyed them, but really liked playing in the fake snow the best. Ryan ask me to marry him in December at Opryland Hotel, so we always try to go back and reminisce. It's funny how different it is with two kiddos in tow. We finished off the night with a trip to Olive Garden for dinner. It was a wonderful day spent with those I love so much. I couldn't help but think about Emma and how special this season is for her and us. This is her first Christmas and I am so thankful she will spend it with her forever family.

Chase and Santa

Emma and Chase with Santa

Our family of 4. Thanks to the sweet lady who took it!!!

Oh, my, he's getting so big!

Cheese...

Photo spot...

Emma loved the fake snow, so much she cried when we decided to move on...

Beautiful lights!

This is the spot where Ryan proposed to me. Right by the huge tree after a day of ice skating, lights, and a carriage ride

The true meaning of the season...

I love the Nativity scene

Daddy and his girl

My sweet kiddos

By the same tree where I said "Yes"

Decemeber Days...

I didn't give you the gift of life, but life gave me the gift of you.

Last night we had our second post-placement visit with our social worker. It went fine and the report will be sent to our adoption agency soon. It hasn't quite been 3 months, but our social worker is adopting from Ethiopia so she wanted to get this month's visits completed a little early. They leave the day after Christmas to go get their son. Congratulations to them and safe travels!!!

Emma and I enjoyed the cold day by spending it inside in our pajamas. We are actually still in them! It is nice to have a day at home with nothing to do but spend time together. She is such a funny girl and has entertained me all day today. The way she will crawl over to me and give me love just melts my heart. The weekend is busy with Chase having a basketball game tomorrow and then we are going to take the kiddos to see Santa in Nashville. Of course Kentucky plays tomorrow so we'll be sure to catch the game as well. I still have plenty to do around here before I go back to work soon, like wrapping presents, finishing up thank you notes, and getting the house back in order. Needless to say, none of these things take precedence over spending time with Emma. So there is still lots to do. Here's some pictures of the last week or so.

So excited...

Caught being still...for a moment

This is her new way of crawling. I guess she thinks she can get where she wants to go faster. We call it the Mowgli crawl.

Keeping her eyes on her big brother...

My sweet girl... I love that smile!

Everyone teases me about always having a bow in her hair. You can tell why...Her hair has grown so much that it is down in her eyes.

Just removed from playing with the Christmas tree...

Is that an ornament?