Goodbye 2008

Wow can you believe that another year has gone by. I remember when I was younger I would listen to the adults talk about how time flies and being young I never really understood that. Now I do, I was feeding Bailee this morning and realized that she is getting older and bigger by the minute. So even though 2008 brought me Bailee, I am so looking forward to 2009. I hope that is will be a great year.

I have decided not to make any resolutions this year because I never keep them. And then I get upset that I can't keep a promise to myself. I always say I am going to lose weight. Yeah, like that has happen. So this year, I decided that I am going to write my bucket list for 2009. List will be later. I figured that this way if I give myself more of a to-do list I will be a little more successful. I love crossing thiings off.

So I wish all of you a Happy New Year.

Back From Texas

Well we finally made it back from Texas this morning. We all had a terrific time visiting with my family and friends. Everyone met Bailee and thought she was perfect, which I believe she is, but I am getting concern that it might all go to her head. I don't know if I was with her so much over the last week but she has really grown. She is outgrown the 3-6 month clothes and has discovered her tongue.
We decided to take a train to Texas. The trip was 24 hours. I enjoyed the experience but the customer service on the way to Texas was awful, but coming home they were a little bit nicer. We had a sleeping car, which is basically a 7'X5' room. It had two seats that converted into a bed and a bunk on top. Bailee and I slept together and Jim slept up top. I have never liked the idea sleeping in the same bed with a baby, I just don't trust myself. I am afraid that I would roll over or kick her, so I didn't sleep very well. So on the way to Texas Jim and I went to the dining car, I was holding Bailee and yes my biggest fear came true, I fell. When you go between cars there are two doors that you have to press a button to open each car and while I was pressing the button to the second door I was standing were the two cars are joined. Needless to say my foot went in opposite directions and I was trying so hard to keep upright and keep Bailee as close to me. But I twisted my knee and landed on them, Bailee fell forward a little, scaring her and me more than anything. We are all okay but I was so upset that we went back to the car and I cried a little. The time on the train went by pretty fast, Jim read to me and we took naps. Jim and I don't know if we would take the train again, but I am glad that I got to experience it.
We got back home around 9:30 this morning and I washed all of our clothes, unpacked and took a long restful nap. I hope that everyone had a wonderful Christmas and a safe New Year.

Christmas Time

This is Bailee's first Christmas and we are so excited. I think about last year and how Jim and I were getting ready for a vacation in Mexico. Bailee was not even in the picture yet. Wow, how funny your life can change in the matter of minutes. So this year we are all going to Texas on a train. I am super excited because all of my family should be at my grandparents for Christmas Eve. I can't wait to see everyone and for them to meet Bailee. I am also going to meet up with a couple of friends from high school, which I haven't seen in a very long time. I love this time of year, except for the cold weather. I enjoy getting together with family and remembering the good times of the past year. Some of 2008 I would like to forget but for the biggest part it has been a blessed year.

I want to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and a blessed New Year.

Friendships

I had a conversation with my babysitter about friendships today. And I started thinking about my past friendships and my current ones and how they are so different. I started thinking then about what type of friends Bailee will have? When I was growing up I had a lot of friends but I only had one friendship that has lasted thru adulthood. My wish for Bailee is that she has many friends but that she has at least one special friendship that will last for a lifetime.

Michelle-thanks for being friends with me.

Happy Birthday!!!

Happy Birthday to you

Happy Birthday to you

Happy Birthday dear Daddy

Happy Birthday to you.



I could sit here all day writing about my father. But simply put he was a good friend, and a great father. I do have one regret and that is I can't see him hold Bailee.



Daddy-I love you and miss you.


Love
Pumpkin

Bonds

So for the first time since Bailee's birth we saw her birth parents, James and Jessica. I was nervous not that she would run off with her, but if she would be upset and have regrets. Jessica was wonderful she didn't hold her at first she just looked at her and played pic-a-boo and asked questions. Then she finally asked to hold her and while she held her, I was thinking many things but one was what a courageous thing she is doing right now. Bailee snuggled in her lap and I thought does Bailee know? Do they feel a bond with each other? I would be lying if I said it didn't feel a little weird or hurt. But then as I was sitting across the room from them, Bailee looked at me and smiled and that is when I knew. I knew that I am Bailee's mom and she will only know me as her mom. I might have not given birth to Bailee but at that moment I have never felt closer to her.

What A Year

Last night was the annual football banquet. While we were sitting there watching the highlights of the year, I started thinking about how different our life is now compared to last year. I started a new job that I love, and we have Bailee. I do like going to annual things it makes me look back and see how far we have come.



Bailee is doing great!! Her Grammy got her a play saucer and she loves it, and so do mom and dad. A play saucer is a stationary walker that has toys around it and she can spin in it. She is recongizing her bottle and likes to pull my hair, a typical baby. Yesterday she was on the floor playing and had a toy about a foot away and she was trying to get it. She raised her hands and feet thinking she could swim to it. Anyways she was trying so hard that she got tired and layed her head down for a minute let out a big sigh. I was thinking fast enough that I got it on camera. I am hoping that she will be crawling by Christmas. I am excited to see her accomplish little things, I guess that is a mommy thing.



So Jim and I are finally starting some family traditions. The first tradition is that we are going to get Bailee an ornament for her every year. Of course this year will have something to do with baby first year. I have worked retail most of my life, so holidays have not been very special to me. But this year they are going to start being special. This year we are going to Texas, Bailee's first trip. I can't wait for her to meet the rest of my family and friends.



I would also like for everyone to say a prayer for Jim's Dad. He is going to have surgery on Friday.

Just my opinion

I was watching a show on adoption. It was about a single mother and another couple going to Russia to adopt baby girls. The wife of the couple made a comment that ticked me off. The couple is from Florida and both blonde. She said that she didn't want to invest 15 years of her life to have this little girl and all this money to have the girl say you are not my parents and I am leaving to go find mine. I don't believe that they are going to tell her she is adopted. I understand that it is up to the parent to tell if there child is adopted or not. I think if you decide to not tell the child it shouldn't be for your own selfish reasons. She also hoped that the baby was blonde so that she would fit in with the family. Okay when has hair color ever defined a family. I understand that people out there want to look like the "All-American" family, but I feel that doesn't exist anymore. I think the way families are now, has helped us as a society become more understanding and compassionate of people different than ourselves.

Bailee 4 months

Bailee turn 4 months November 1. We had our checkup yesterday and the doctor said she was perfect, which we already knew. She is doing great and we will be starting baby food today!! I can't wait for the mess.

I want to give a shout out to my mom. Mom thanks for everything you have done for me in the past few months, I would not have gotten through them without you. And thank you for giving me a great childhood. I hope that I can give Bailee everything you gave me. Kris and I are very lucky to have such a great mom. Mom I love you.

Why?

I don't understand why things happen. I have a friend who's son has cancer and they have a web site on Caringbridge. I also read about a little boy Gunner, who had the same cancer as my friend's son. Well Gunner died last week. Even though I had never met Gunner I was heart broken. His mother wrote and still writes everyday about her son and the battle he went threw everyday. I don't understand why God would make such a horrible disease and especially in young children. My heart goes out to all of those mothers and fathers who have to deal with this everyday. When they should be in the park riding a train with there kids instead they are in the hospital getting treatment. I think about my friend and her family and pray for them everyday. When you think you have a rough day with your job, husband or kids remember those families that are in a hospital at that moment getting the news that there child or they are very sick.

Another milestone

Last week Bailee has been working very hard in rolling from her back to her tummy. And I am proud to say she has mastered it!! All week she has been trying to roll over and sometimes she gets it and other times we had to help. But she can roll over with no help at all. Yesterday, I had left the room with her on her back, came back and she was on her tummy looking at me. Then I put her in her crib for a quick nap and went to check on her, she was on her tummy. She also likes to stand up. We have a little chair for her and she tries to stand. I just hope that her starts learning to sit up by herself. I get excited about the milestone, but then I realize that she is growing up and the milestones are going to be fewer and fewer as she gets older. I am already wanting another baby. Maybe in another year, I hope. I hope everyone is having a great weekend and enjoying the fall weather.
Love ya.

Nannie was right

When I was younger and stayed at my grandmother's house a.k.a Nannie's, she would make me lay down and take a nap. Well, I hated taking naps Nannie would call me her wiggle worm because I would never stay still. Okay Nannie your wish has come true, she told me when I have kids she hopes that they don't take naps. Bailee hardly takes naps. She might go down for one but 30-45 minutes later she is up and ready to play. However, for the most part she goes to sleep around 5-6p.m. and sleeps until 4 or 5 in the morning. I am not complaining but I really miss my naps on the weekends.
I love you Nannie:)

She who goes up must come down

I know that everyone has fears small spaces, heights and creepy animals. Okay my fear is stairs. Please stop laughing. I don't mind them going up it is the going down part I fear. I have fallen down a few flights of stairs, my first tramatic fall was at the IMAX Theater in San Antonio. Jim and I were dating at the time and I went into the theater first and fell to the bottom, Jim however decided not to come to my rescue and let perfect strangers assist me in getting up. I hopped back to the top where Jim was sitting and dying of embarrasement. The other major fall happen a year ago. When I was at the last two steps my knee gave out and I fell braking my leg. Now with having Bailee I totally freak out. I try to have someone else take her when I have to go down the stairs, but I know that there will be one day I will have to do it and that scares me. I am about to leave for the Rams game and of course our seats are near the top of the stadium. So when the game is over I have to go down several flights of stairs with several hundred other people that are racing around me trying to get out.

I hope everyone has a wonderful Sunday.

Football, what else is there!

Okay-as we all know Jim is a huge Missouri fan, if it comes from Missouri he is a fan. I am a Texan and as such we are proud of our football. So tonight is the Missouri Tigers vs. Texas Longhorns. So needless to say we are cheering for our respected teams. We all know that Texas is going to win but my parents taught me to be a good sport and when you win not to rub it in. My mom had bought Bailee a Longhorn onies and when my mom was here we had her pictures taken in it. She looks great in brunt orange. Jim is upset and wants to burn that outfit and the Cowboys outfit as well. Sunday, the Rams are playing the Cowboys in St Louis and yes we are going. I am just hoping the Cowboys don't beat up the Rams to bad. I know that football this year has been very hard for Jim. The high school team has not done very well, the Rams have only one 1 game so far, and now the Mizzou Tigers. I don't know how much more he can take, he takes these losses so personal sometimes. I can't imagine my life without football. Or Jim.

Being a Mom

The other day I started thinking what a wonderful gift I have been given. As some of you know that Jim and I adopted Bailee. Every morning when I wake her up and she rolls over to look at me and gives me that smile, and if you have seen Bailee's smile you know what I am talking about, I wonder if her birth mother knows what a wonderful thing she did. I drive a lot for work and I have noticed more and more bill boards for Pro-Life and for adoption. I hope that just one person looks at those boards and wants to adopt a baby or any child that needs a good home. I know that our adoption has been very easy and that most adoptions don't happen the way ours did, but when you see that child for the first time and realize that someone chose you to be that childs parents it is the best feeling in the world. I wish everyone can have the experience we have had. I am grateful and blessed to be Bailee's mom. Thank you Bailee's birth mom.