Visiting Daddy At Work

These are my two favorite people in the world! They are both so fun and so crazy!

Miss Briana and I went to visit Doug at The Home Depot on Tuesday to meet Doug's co-workers. She was the belle of the ball once again! And one of Doug's co-workers gave Briana a red ball to play with and you would have thought he had given her gold! She thought is was the best thing ever. She ran up and down the cubes at his office and had a total blast. She crashed in the car on the way home. It was a great day!

Briana and her favorite new toy...

Man, I love this ball!

Holding on to mama's leg - this is her new "thing". See her huge molar that just came in? She has three more coming in just like it. Unfortunately, her teething is causing her to wake up and cry at night now. Lots of teeth still to come in means lots of interrupted sleeping! Ugh!

Miss Chani

Here is Miss Chani! Isn't she just beautiful! Briana's future BFF is coming home soon! LOL! Congrats Kathy and Matt!

Briana's Flag

I never had a chance to post this, but I want to share it now. While Doug and I were on our way to China, my sister was on a business trip. This is the e-mail she sent to me while I was in China...

"Doug and Lisa:

I have to share this with you...

When you left on Tuesday morning at 10:00 to start your adventure, I was starting my own at High Hampton Inn. After sharing with my group the news about you leaving for China, Deborah S. (who arranged and ran the press trip) said we needed to do something special in honor of my new niece. So, like they do on Mount Everest, we decided to plant a flag for Briana when we got to the top of Rock Mountain (which we were going to hike). Deborah had a small American flag in her car, so that was our flag. And as a group, we were going to take it to the top! We set out at exactly 10:00 a.m.

Well, little did I know that the hike was going to turn into rock climbing. About two-thirds of the way up, I was doing pretty well -- that is until we had to scale rocks using cables. We literally were going almost vertical up to the top of the mountain. Five of us decided that we just couldn't make it and turned around -- but the others pressed on. My heroes, Bill B. and Bobby H. , promised to take the flag all the way to the top for me. And they did. (Bill and his wife Brenda have a friend who also adopted from China -- a little girl named Tess.)

So, right now, a small American flag is tied to a tree on the top of Rock Mountain in Cashiers, North Carolina. There it will stay -- in honor of the newest little American. It's Briana's flag, and our whole group had a hand in bringing it up there. I thought you'd like to see it.

Here are a few pictures that Bobby took for me -- the first is of Rock Mountain itself, and the others are from the top of the mountain. Hope you like them!

Love, Amy"

Isn't my sister the greatest?!

14 Months

Today, Briana is 14 months old. I can't believe how much she has grown and changed in the two months we have had her. She is so vibrant and her smile lights up the room. I fall deeper in love with this little girl every day. I am so blessed to have her in my life.

On Tuesday, Briana and I (along with my mom) visited my grandmother in the assisted living home. Oh boy was she the center of attention that day! All the residents had so much fun meeting her and watching her run all over the place. She is a ball of energy. She keeps going, and going, and going...

Here are a few pics from the day...

Briana and Great Grandma.

Briana running down the halls.

Briana playing with Great Grandma's stuffed animals.

Congratulations Kathy and Matt!

I want to give a big CONGRATULATIONS to my friends Kathy and Matt who got their referral today for their daughter Dong Fang Mei Ren. She is almost 8 months old! They won't get a picture until early next week (boo, hiss!). We cannot wait to see Chani's beautiful little face! Hip, Hip, Hooray!!!!!

Two Months

Yes, this is our little ham Briana. She is so funny and loves to laugh. Briana was placed in our arms July 30 and today is September 30. She has been in our lives two whole months - I can't believe it. This past week has been like a new world for me - I am not 100% physically, but I would say I am 95%. I love motherhood and I think I am getting the hang of it - ha! I think Briana can tell I am feeling better too. She seems so much more relaxed and happy this past week. The week before last, she was waking up every night two or three times a night. Once I got better, she started sleeping through the night like a champ. I really believe that babies can sense when something is wrong.

She babbles all the time and can say "bye" (with a little southern accent - wonder where she is gettin' that from - ha!). She also said "Mama" to me the other day. She has said it to me before, but only when she was crying. She looked up at me from her high chair the other day and simply said "Mama". I was so excited! She absolutely loves picture books and looks at them all the time. And she is walking all over the place. She got her check up at the pediatrician on Tuesday and she gained one whole pound and grew 3/4 of an inch! The doctor is so pleased and says she looks great!

Wednesday night, Doug, Briana and I had dinner at Longhorn with Georgia and Jeff - which was a blast! And on Friday, Briana and I had lunch with Miss Kathy - who should be getting her referral this week - woo hoo! We are soooo excited for her! It was so nice to be able to get out this week and feel like a human being again!

Here are a few pics from the week (and from the potluck last Saturday)!

Silly Briana...

Walkin', walkin', walkin'...

Clowning around with daddy!

Saying "bye" with a southern accent. This is the adorable outfit that Catherine and Stacy gave me for Briana at the Georgia bloggy bash - thanks girls!

Love the shades!

Briana before her first potluck - looking in the mirror.

Can't wait to go to my first potluck! And I let Mom put a barrett in my hair!

This is Briana and Claire (Cindy and Brent's little girl - what a doll by the way!) Briana loves feeding Claire goldfish crackers!

Alive and Kickin'

Here is our little "geek in training" and her geek daddy couldn't be happier...

I am FINALLY feeling better. I can't believe I am saying those words. Right after my last post about coming down with pneumonia, I realized I was coming down with the head cold that Briana had as well. I couldn't breathe through my mouth or my nose last week. I felt like I was gonna die. My mom came to my rescue every day last week except for one - and that was the day I forced myself to take Briana to the music class we signed up for a few weeks before. That is the only thing I did last week outside of the house. I am really glad I managed to get to the class because Briana really enjoyed it. Oh - and I am so glad I made it to the Georgia Waiting Families potluck dinner this past Saturday. I was feeling a lot better that day. I will post about that in a day or two, but for now check out Kathy's website for pics!

I was beginning to believe I was never going to get better. I am learning to be a mom for the first time, and for weeks, I have been trying to do it as a very sick person. There have been moments these past few weeks that I thought I just couldn't do it or I wasn't cut out to be a mom. I was pushing myself to take care of the baby and finding myself getting sicker. And when I wasn't taking care of the baby, I felt guilty that I wasn't taking care of the baby. But now that I am feeling better, I know can do this. Motherhood is a hard job, a hard job when you are well. I need to stop beating myself up for getting sick and having those moments of doubt and fear. Even though I have been sick, I have managed to get Briana into a routine (with the help of Doug and my mom) and she seems to be thriving. She is happy, strong and full of spirit. She walks all over the house now - and the falling down is getting less and less. That is the part that makes me nervous. It is not the walking - it is the falling because she is so wobbly. I am so looking forward to the day that she can walk and not fall down.

Now that I am on the mend (finally), I am going to try to return to blogland. I won't be able to blog like I did before because Briana doesn't allow that to happen! If I am on the computer, she wants to be on the computer - smashing the keys. So I will be limited to nights and naps. It stinks that sometimes I am just too tired to blog after a long day. But, I am going to do my best to keep you all up to date! And I will try to look in on your blogs every chance I get!

Anyway, here are a few pictures that I have been wanting to post since before I knew I was coming down with pneumonia.

Aunt Ann and Uncle Wes (Doug's brother) flew in from Colorado on Sept 5 to visit Miss Briana. We had a wonderful time!

Uncle Wes and Briana have quite a connection!

Here is Briana with my mom on her first Grandparent's Day!

Briana with Grandma and Grandpa on Grandparent's Day!

Here is Briana getting ready to go to her first birthday party!

Briana after her first birthday party! Ha!

A lastly - here is a video of the 2007 Bloggy Bash!



Photo Sharing - Video Sharing - Photo Printing

Pneumonia

Yep - that is what I have. In my last post on Sunday, I thought once again I was feeling better. Then Monday came. I felt like I was relapsing. I broke down and went to the doctor yesterday. I am in the early stages of pneumonia.

I have never had pneumonia in my life. But I guess when you go to China sick, come home from China and get the stomach flu, then get a chest cold two weeks later - the body starts to break down.

I am on antibiotics and have an inhaler, and I have to stay in bed now. I must get better to take care of Briana. My mom and Doug are really stepping up to help me, but I feel so guilty. I want to take care of Briana myself - I just physically can't right now.

I will post again when I am feeling much better...

Yes - I Am Alive

Wow - I can't believe how sick I have been. In my last blog, I thought I was turning a corner. Well, I wasn't. I don't think I turned the corner until this past Wednesday. My brother-in-law and sister-in-law came to visit and I was actually able to enjoy the visit (I will write about their visit in my next blog entry). I canceled every plan I had for the Labor Day weekend and I literally have been just miserable. I still have a lingering cough, but I hope that ends very soon.

Before I got sick (Aug 28), my sister came over to the house to spend the day with me and Briana. We had a great time! We hung out, went to Steak and Shake and Target - it was a blast. Briana LOVES Aunt Amy! The next day, Doug's friend Jimmie and his mom Ginny came to visit for the afternoon. We had a lovely time. Unfortunately after they left - I could tell I wasn't feeling well. From that time on I went straight downhill, and I have been down and out ever since. Even today, I walk up the stairs and I feel so winded. I can't wait until I feel 100% again.

As for Briana, she is amazing. I can't believe she has been with us a whole month and that she turned 13 months old on Thursday. She is really walking now. She falls a lot, but she can take 10 to 15 steps across the room with no problem. I can't believe how quickly she has changed. She is so strong and she babbles all the time. She now says git gat for kitty cat. It is so dang cute! I will say she is very, very active. A real wiggle worm. Never stops moving. Just goes from one thing to the next. It is exhausting for me, but I am so glad she seems to want to just see and learn everything. I believe she is brilliant - LOL! I am not biased or anything - ha, ha!

I want to thank my mom and dad for all of their help in helping me take care of Briana. There were a couple of days I really needed a few extra pair of hands and they came to the rescue!

Well, I still have a lot to write about (Grandparent's Day, Briana's first birthday party), but I am so tired. I just got Miss Briana to bed and now it is my turn. Even though I was sick, I did manage to take some pictures for your viewing pleasure!

Miss Briana in her groovy t-shirt.

Briana and Aunt Amy
Briana loves Aunt Amy!

Don't tease me with that rattle!

Too cute! Dancing girls!

Briana visiting with Miss Ginny

Briana loves her mailbox - score!

Peek A Boo!

Sick Again, Naturally

This is why I haven't blogged...

I am so sick. Chest cold, coughing until your head comes off cold since Wednesday. Doug has it too. Not really good when you have a brand new one year old. My mother came over to my house on Thursday and Friday to help me with Briana because I didn't have the strength to take care of her myself. I am that weak. And my parents came over again today to help out. I don't know what we would have done without them these last couple of days.

Tonight, I may have started to turn a corner. I feel good enough to at least post this.

BTW, Briana is not sick - thank goodness. She is thriving and happy. Giggles and laughs all the time, even with a sick mom and dad. Now she points at everything - every picture on the wall, everything. She is also a huge wiggle worm. Always moving, never stops. (Also tough when mama is sick). And she just started to really babble. She found her inner "g" and "d" with goo, goo and gaa, gaa and daa, daa. She is talking all the time. And we are so in love with her.

I promise I have not left blogland forever. Just until I can breathe again.