Question

Before I post one more post with pictures...would someone please tell how to correct our problem with silde.com?
Once upon a time our pics were just posted and remained posted, now sometimes they are there and sometimes they are small or black and one has to click the "x" button to get them to appear. Any suggestions as to how I can correct this issue? Does anyone know a better uploading site?
Thanks-a-million!!!

Chinese Lessons for Emily

It is nice to post that Emily has been cooperating very well with wearing her eye patch each day. Also, recently Emily has begun to take Chinese language classes. I read some where that a baby begins to lose his/her first language after having been separated from it for 6 months or longer. After having Emily for 6 months, I discovered that we had a Chinese language teacher living in our neighborhood. After having discussed private lessons with her, she came to visit Emily. I found out that Emily still remembered Chinese. She responded to simple commands and could say some Chinese words and phrases. I also discovered that what I thought was baby babble turned out to be Chinese. Early on, when I would play music, Emily would say a word that I thought was babble, but found it interesting that she would frequently say it each time. I learned that she was saying the Chinese word for "dance." On the day of Emily's first lesson, the teacher told Emily good-bye in Chinese and Emily responed a full sentence. She said "see you next week." The teacher was surprised and so was I. I have a ton of other examples. I learn more and more about Emily Grace every day. :-) The Chinese lessons have been fun and we both are learning a lot. Oh yeah, we are still interviewing Nannies. Ughhhh. Wish us luck!!!!!

So Much To Tell!!

Yes, we have been out of cyber touch for a while. A lot has happened. We have had to change nannies, we have had to begin therapy on Emily's eye, not to mention Halloween and birthday parties. Yes, we had to begin therapy on Emily's left eye. About two months ago, we noticed that Emily's left eye would occassionally turn outward while the right one remained focused. This usually only occurred when she was tired. We took her to a Ped. eye doc (what a haneous experience!!!) Emily couldn't understand why so many people were in her face touching her eyes and such. She became so upset that she had to be restrained and they had to use metal bicep things to pry her eyes open. I had never heard her scream quite like that....not even on "gotcha day." I cried along with her. When it was over, we were told that she had stribismus (sp?) (Apparently, she has been seeing double for some time now) It ruins her depth perception. I had noticed that she would begin to step up on a step before she actually came close enough to it. Now, she has to wear a patch over her good eye for an hour each day. I feared that she wouldn't cooperate based on her eye exam, so I explained it to her like I really believed I could convince her to cooperate. Something must have worked because she wears it each day without fuss. Phew!!! What a relief!! If all goes well, this therapy should correct the issue. Our nanny, Jeannie, had to say good-bye last week. We appreciated all that she did for Emily and for us. We have been running around interviewing new ones and checking out "in-home" daycares and such. It has been a trying time. In addition to that we went to Maisie Shanahan's 2nd birthday party. She is also from China. It was a nice party. We also experienced Emily's first Halloween. She did very well. She had never had candy prior to that night, but some how she knew it was edible. She was more excited about giving it out to the other children then to actually knock on doors to seek it out for herself. Her costume was cute, but we had to add a t-shirt to keep her from getting too cold.

Part 2 of yesterday's update

Going along with yesterday's post, here are a few pics from Emily Grace's debut at the Family Reunion.

Update from the last month

Wow! What a severly busy time for us. Emily was 13 months old when we finally met her. This means that we missed her first birthday. Every baby should have a "first birthday." We recently had a belated first birthday party for Emily (just imediate family, since her 2nd birthday is in 6 months) I cooked and cooked....mental note: I will have her second birthday catered. Cooking=Work!! We traveled up north for a family reunion and Emily Grace's debut. We participated in a highschool "toga football game" with my students. Emily wore her first toga as we cheered in Latin for the Mustangs. She just looked at us like we were crazy. We visited the Apple orchard and apple festival in Elijay with my parents. (Didn't feel like fall, it was about 90') On that day, Emily tried apple cider for the first time. She looked up rubbed her belly and said "mmmm..goood" We had never heard her say that before. It was too cute. Now, she says it all the time for foods that she likes. We bought Emily a Leap Frog alphabet fridge phonics for her faux birthday and she loves it. She will say words and will tell you the beginning letter. Ie: Rain and rain begins with "R" I was stunned the first time, now we play word games. Right now, I am having a hard time updating because Emily wants to have a "tea party" again. I have had a lot of imaginary tea lately. :-)

Sixth Month Anniversary!! Tempus Fugit

It is hard to believe that the day that we were blessed with Emily Grace was 6 months ago today. In some ways it seems longer and in other ways, just like yesterday. She has progressed and grown so very much in 6 months that it is like we clearly have a different daughter. She has grown so much and is so independent that it is clear that we no longer have a baby but a little girl. I am thrilled and saddened all at once. She is everything that we had ever dreamed and more. We are so blessed and we thank God everyday. She may have been born in China but this little girl was definitely meant to be ours. She fits with our famiy so well, she might as well share our genes. We are so in love...can you tell? :-) Her five new teeth have pretty much sprung and her newest favorite thing to say is "NO." She replaced her most recent word which was "Yellow." She must love the color or the sound of the word or both...she runs around spotting everything that is yellow and points it out while yelling the most sourthern form of the word.."Yallo" ..I love it. She also tells David and me "I love you" often. I melt each and every time...no kidding. Here are few pics of Emily on "Gotcha Day" and some pics taken recently. What a big difference!!

STRESS...Who needs it??!!

Well, I have been out of touch this week. Our family had a terrible scare. David was in the ER this week for Chest pain that radiated into his left arm. His left hand even began to go numb and he was beginning to black out. He had a BP of 170/96 and an extremely high pulse rate. I was notified at school at 11:30 am and I was in my car by 11:32 am. They were sure he was having a heart attack?!?! What?!?! David is far too young, too healthy and in-shape for that one. He doesn't nor has he ever smoked and there isn't any heart issues in his family!! Turns out that his very stressfull job and the one hour commute to work and one hour commute home in terrible Atlanta traffic was the culprate. He rarely complains. He is one to keep it all inside. He did appear to have inflamation of the lungs (a condition that is clearly brought on by stress and mimics the symptoms of a heart attack) He still has pain....It will go away with time, but he is fine. Do you know that I couldn't even get him to stay home from work? It all becomes clear as to why this happened to him. So I have spent this week trying to make his life more pleasant when he is at home. So glad to have him when he is home :-) Oh how I love my David!!

September 11 Comment/Reality

I am a high school Latin Teacher. On September 11, I went into work thinking as many of us were, where I was when the tragedy occurred? I remembered that I was teaching in a Latin I class. We were about to have a quiz. So on 9/11/2007, I, absent mindedly, asked the students where they were when it happened.....Most of my students commented on how they didn't remember it happening!!! what!!??!! They don't remember??!!?? They proceeded to tell me how they knew what it meant, but that they didn't recall the event. My seniors were in the 6th grade (They could recall a bit), but my sophomores were in the 4th grade and my freshmen, well they were in the third grade....OMG... I AM SO OLD!!!! They began to tell me how their parents (rightly so) kept them from the horror of this event...That isn't my issue...my issue is that they DON'T REMEMBER!!! It shocks me that I actually have students who truly DO NOT REMEMBER SEPTEMBER 11th 2001. Where did the time go? It feels like yesterday. I still feel the pain from that day!! May we never forget!!!

GO BRAVES!!!

Emily Grace went to her first Braves game today!! We had a great time, although I think Emily was more interested in her "Cracker Jacks" than anything else!! It was a lovely day and we had fantastic seats in the shade, which is important in Hot 'Lanta.

Our Amazing Emily Grace

On September 2nd, Emily Grace became 18 months old and it was also the the 5th month anniversary from the date we held her for the first time. Wow!! Tempus Fugit!! Apparently, someone must have mentioned to Emily that baby girls really begin talking at 18 months old. She litterally woke up Sunday morning and began talking away. In fact, she has pretty much replaced all of her baby signs with words. I was completely floored, stunned, or whatever. My mouth fell open and hit the floor. Some of her words are a bit difficult to catch unless you are mommy or daddy, I guess...but I clearly know what she is saying. I am proud and sad all at the same time...just like the day she began to walk. Also, I checked her mouth today, and she is also currently cutting 4 molars and an eye tooth. SLOW DOWN!!! Look at this sweet picture...she still looks like such a baby here and not a fast growing toddler.