Two Years Ago - First Local Adopters Dinner

I started my blog - which was then called "Waiting For Briana" - in July of 2006. I went through the archives of my blog a few days ago to find the post in which I talked about the first time Kathy and I went to the Big Toy consignment sale (which I linked to my last post). Of course, I couldn't help reading a bunch of my posts from 2006. Wow. It is truly amazing how much my life has changed in two years. When I started my blog, I was a person entrenched in the adoption process. I was someone so heartbroken from the agony of infertility that I couldn't allow myself to get really excited about the thought of becoming a mother. It is now 2008, and I am a completely different person. My dream came true and now I am experiencing the daily trials and tribulations of being a mom. My blog evolved from one type of blog to another. I have certainly come a long way from this post.

I came across the post I wrote on October 2, 2006. I wrote about attending my first local China adoption dinner with Doug on September 30 - two years ago today. Here is the post. It was the first time I met Lisa and Eammon, Melissa and her family, Stephanie and Jason and Deb and her family. I honestly can't believe it was two whole years ago.

I feel a true excitement in the air because a number of my friends/blog buddies have February and March LIDs. I cannot wait to see them united with their children. The wait has been too long. It is time to see their dreams come true now. It is time to see their blogs evolve the way mine has - from waiting adoptive parents to parents with beautiful children from China.

I can't wait...

Just Some Bullets And Some Cute Pics Of Bri

* I have no idea why Briana thinks it's hilarious to make funny faces when she sees the camera. Wait - maybe it's because I laugh when she does it. Hmm, might be a good idea for me not to do that. Gotta love those funny faces...

* I think Briana looks so cute in the picture below. Speaking of cute, Briana says the cutest things. Well, to me they are the cutest. When I ask her if something is okay, she answers back "okay mama." She also says "tank you mama" and "scuze me mama" - which I love. She has also mastered the word "more". Well it sounds more like "mo." I hear "mo Calliou", "mo Ye Ye", "mo pickle". Of course, I always make her say "please" after she says she wants more of something. Unfortunately she says "cheese", but I get the point.

* Briana is pickle crazy. She loves the little snack um pickles. She could eat a ton of them. She loves olives too.

* Briana really enjoys her Lego table. She is getting really good at stacking the Legos herself. I remember when we first brought her home and she had no idea how to stack Legos. It is amazing how fast she grows, learns and changes.

* Kathy and I got up early on Sat morning to head over and meet at the Big Toy consignment sale. If you remember, Kathy and I have gone to this sale a few times before. Except this time, it was held in a church gymnasium verses a backyard. It may have been in a different place, but it was still crazy and hectic. Bargain finders run into the place and start grabbing items as fast as possible. Man, I found some good stuff at great prices - a shopping cart, a tricycle, a little table and chair, another Lego table and a doll house. The doll house was a last minute item that I found in the back of the room, kind of hidden behind a bunch of other bigger doll houses. I am pretty excited because Briana really likes the doll house! And I had a déjà vu moment because Kathy and I were once again trying to figure out how to fit her finds in her SUV - LOL! Of course after shopping, we went and had a quiet little breakfast. It was nice to have some girl talk without the kids. We love our girls dearly, but the break was really nice. See how much Bri likes her doll house and little desk?

* I am so tired of this gas shortage. It is a nightmare. I am actually staying close to home this week just so I won't use too much gas.

* I have been thinking a lot lately about Briana's lifebook. I attended a First Friday meeting for the first time with my friend Angela several weeks ago, and there was a speaker that talked all about lifebooks. I have a lot of writing that I need to start doing and a lot of material that I need to sort through. It is going to be a very time consuming project. I am going to take my time because I want to do it right for Briana.

* I have done more laundry today than I even want to talk about.

* I can't believe it is almost October. Time seems to be flying by. Unfortunately for those still enduring the adoption wait, I am sure it seems like time is standing still. Just know I am thinking about you!

Fall Is Definitely Here

Tuesday was absolutely beautiful! Gosh I am so happy that fall is here! Tuesday morning, Briana and I met Angela and Laney at the local library for storytime. And I am so excited because my friend Amy and her daughter Mary have just started joining us for storytime as well! Usually after storytime, we head over to eat lunch at Chick-Fil-A and let the girls play in the indoor playground. It was so pretty outside on Tuesday, Angela suggested we head over to her neighborhood playground after lunch instead of playing inside. Unfortunately Amy and Mary couldn't join us at the playground, so I just have pics of Briana and Laney. They had so much fun sliding, swinging and climbing together on a beautiful, sun-shining day.

I love swingin'!

Yay! We love slidin'!

Let's slide down together.

Yippee!

Laney peeking at me.

Swing out sisters...

I told Briana she couldn't do something. She doesn't yell or scream, she just gives me "the pout" now.

Laney swinging and pretending to sleep. So cute!

Local Area China Adopters' Dinner

I just saw that Kathy posted about the local adoption dinner we had on Saturday night, and I totally swiped her pictures to include in the slideshow below! It was so great to see everyone (including a new family that joined the group) and let me just say, Briana thinks Eammon is super fun. I can't tell you how much fun Bri had with Eammon and Maisie and a few fortune cookies. All I can say - squeals of laughter! We all had such a good time. See you all again next month!

Here is a fun slideshow...

The State Fair (Part 2 - All The Other Stuff)

Ok - here is my post about all the other fun stuff Doug and I did with Briana at the fair. Briana was so excited as she entered the park, I thought her head would explode.

Here is the story told in pictures and video...

Oh my gosh - we are going THERE? You mean, that awesome place in the distance? Seriously. Seriously?

Entering the park with daddy. All smiles...

Bri's first ride on the ferris wheel. I think roller coasters are in her future. Oh help me...

We finally managed to get Briana to eat. I kept asking her if she wanted food and she kept telling me no. We were in the fair for almost an hour before we got some food in her.

Daddy and his princess.

I didn't say she ate food that was actually good for her...

Motorcycle mama.

One of her favorite rides was what she called "apple." It really was a big apple surrounded by a worm. She begged to ride it over, and over, and over. She would say "Hi Mama!" when she would pass by.

I love this ride.

The carousel operater grabbed the camera from Doug and took this shot of me and Briana on the ride.

I.LOVE.FUNNEL.CAKE.

I LOVE FUNNEL CAKE!!!

Second time on the ferris wheel.

View of the fair from the ferris wheel.

The beautiful sunset. Perfect end to a perfect day.

Doug was a good daddy and won Briana a giraffe by popping balloons with darts. He did very well!

Now enjoy these videos!

The State Fair (Part 1 - The Bungee Experience)

This is how much fun Briana had at the fair Friday night...

Briana had the best time a child could possibly ever have last night at the North Georgia Fair. She rode all sorts of rides (well, the ones she was tall enough for). When we first drove up to the fair and she looked out the window, saw all the rides and started to clap. She didn't even know what we were really going to do, but she knew it looked like mega fun. Now, I have a lot of pictures of the fair that I want to share, but I am going to focus this post on one particular ride because it was the ride Briana liked the best. The Bungee. We kept passing the kids bouncing on bungee cords and Briana wanted to do it SOOOO badly. Begging. Pleading. The sign said anyone could bounce from 20 pounds to 200 pounds. She is 24 pounds - so she fit the bill. I caved. As she was being catapulted into the air, people were gathering around and watching. A photographer started taking pictures (have no idea where they will end up). It was about the funniest thing I ever saw - which you will hear on the video I took of her.

Ok, here she is suiting up.

Boing!

Woo Hoo!!!!

Higher! Higher!!

Yeehaw!!!!

The girl assisting Briana in her flight experience kept asking Briana if she wanted more. Briana kept shaking her head yes. After a number of jumps, I finally had to make Briana stop. And get this, Briana is such a diva, her sunglasses stayed on the whole time.

When we left the ride, there was a family that stopped us and said they couldn't believe how little Briana was and how much fun she had on that ride. I told them I couldn't believe it either!!! Ok - here are two videos. I was laughing so hard in the first one I could barely breathe. Briana just amazes me everyday...

More pictures of the fair to come...

Who Knew She Liked Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers?

Briana and I met Suzanne and Matthew at Monkey Joe's today for jumping, sliding and fun! It was Briana's and my first time there. Briana hit every inflatable she could find. Matthew preferred to watch all the fun from the floor and decided to mingle with all the other kids off of the inflatables. After an hour and a half of watching Briana jump nonstop, we all took a short pizza break and the kids got a second wind. Two and a half hours of jumping and sliding make for a very tired Briana!

As for Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, as Briana was riding on a small coin-operated ride at Monkey Joe's and the song "Running Down a Dream" was playing on the speakers. Well, you'll see that she liked the song...

Going down the slide forward is so overrated...

Fun ride!

Briana enjoying a ride and some music...

It Had Been Far Too Long...

...since we saw Georgia, Jeff and Zoe. We all met for dinner on Sunday night and it was so nice to see them. I can't believe how much Zoe has grown. What a cutie pie!

As you can see, Briana is ready to go see Zoe!

I love this little outfit.

Miss Zoe!

Holdin' the sugar packets...

Briana - close up and personal...

It really had been too long since the last time we all got together. I promise not to let that much time go by again!

*Briana's outfit was a hand me down from Deb and Li Li. I wondered if Deb would recognize it and she did! So funny! Thanks Deb! ;)