Busy, Busy, Busy

Boy, it has been a crazy busy week and a half! Life with a one year old is just plain busy! I am trying very hard to get Briana into a routine, and so far, we have been very successful. Since I posted last, we only had one night that Briana had a tummy ache and did not sleep well, but other than that, she is sleeping though the night like a champ! She also takes one nap a day - usually around 1 or 1:30. The one day she refused to take a nap, she literally was falling asleep in her dinner - ha!

Briana is such a happy baby. She laughs and smiles all the time - she is quite the character! I am so relieved because the most important thing I wanted for her was to be happy. Doug and I took her away from everything she was ever familiar with, and I was so worried I would not see smiles for a long time. She is so attached to Doug and me just after a few weeks. I love that she lets me comfort her when she is sad or tired. And when Doug gets home from work, she sees him and literally starts jumping up and down she is so excited. It makes my heart melt...

What has been going on in Briana land? Well, too much to let me blog very much. I hope that changes in a few weeks because I really miss blogging. The Wednesday before last, Briana went with my mom and I for lunch to Steak and Shake and then we ran to JCPenney to pick up a birthday gift for my grandmother. Briana enjoyed it and she really loves my mom! It was a very short trip to the mall, but very significant - ha, ha! Briana's first mall experience - oh boy!

Then Friday before last, Lisa S., Maisie and Kathy came to visit Miss Briana for the first time. Briana let both Kathy and Lisa hold her and let Maisie give her a kiss! So sweet! And Lisa brought dinner for Doug and me to warm up that night - pork loin, potatoes and peach cobbler. Lisa - you rock!

Saturday was my grandmother's 85 birthday, so we took Briana over to my uncle and aunt's house for a few hours to meet family and celebrate with my grandma. My sister Amy was so excited when Briana let her hold her! She is an awesome aunt already!

Sunday, Doug, Briana and I spent the day together on our own - except my parents did drop off our kitty Asia who had been staying with them while we were in China. Asia is still not sure about Briana and vice versa. This will take some getting used to!

And Monday and Tuesday was just me and Briana. It was my first real couple of days without Doug (who was a work) and without the help of my mom or friends. I was pretty nervous (being a first time mom and all), but we had two really good quiet mother/daughter bonding days. I went to Walmart with her all by myself. Now, you experienced moms are probably laughing at me right now, but I was pretty excited. It's the little things you know. But I will say I was VERY tired by the end of those two mother/daughter bonding days!! Briana is still pretty clingy! But I even managed to cook an easy dinner one of those nights - woohoo!

This past Wednesday, my mom came over and help out again so I could get some errands (both in and out of the house) done. Thursday, Randi and Jack, Kathy, and Ann and Katie brought over some lunch for me and Briana. It was so thoughtful! I really enjoyed having lunch with everyone - thanks so much! And it was the first time I got to meet Miss Katie. She was adopted by Ann from China a month before I adopted Briana. And Katie is a real beauty!

And yesterday, my friend and neighbor Amy B. brought me over some Mexican food for lunch and we got to do some girl chat. Yum - O! Thanks so much Amy! And in the evening, Doug's best friend Jimmie stopped by to see Briana for the first time. He is a contractor in Afghanistan and will be going back in about a week. We really wanted him to meet her before he heads back for a few more months of work.

Here are a few pictures of our last week and a half...

Grandma (my mom) and me at the mall with Briana. (Yes, I grabbed the China stroller to use! I have a better one for long mall days!)

Briana and Maisie meet.

Kathy holding Briana.

Lisa S. and Briana

Oh, I love my chair and my snack trap!

Aunt Amy admiring Briana

Briana laughing again.

Briana and Jack playing.

Briana and Katie.

Briana and Asia getting to know each other.

Briana loves the telephone!

Looking outside!