Emily Grace's 3rd Birthday Party

Yesterday, we celebrated Emily Grace's 3rd birthday (today is her birthday) at Gymboree. Of all the days to get snow in Georgia, we received it yesterday. It literally snowed little slush balls from 10:45am till about 4:00pm. Everything was covered except the roads. It was beautiful, but slushy. I would have a picture to show, but I was too busy with the party. In spite of the weather, we still had a great turn out for the party. This is a little surprising because most everything stops for the slightest snow in Georgia. The party was a HUGE SUCESS!! Emily Grace practically had a smile on her face for the entire 1 1/2 hours. She just loved sharing her birthday with so many of her friends and cousins. Every few minutes she would run to David or me and give us a big heart felt hug and then run right back to what she was doing. She also pretty much hopped from place to place, she was so happy. I would have shed tears of joy if I had had any time to just watch, I am sure. I was running just about as much as she. It was a wonderful joy filled day and our little family is so very thankful :o)

Emily Grace's Surgery

Emily Grace has to have surgery to correct her strabismus (her left eye occasionally turns out when focusing on an object far away in her visual distance. If left untreated, she could lose the vision in her left eye altogether and the eye would permanently remain turning outward) This surgery requires that the good eye be cut on as well. The plan is to attach a muscle from the weak eye to the strong to always keep them aligned. I have to say that I am EXTREMELY uneasy about relinquishing my daughter to be put to sleep and to have both of her eyes cut on..especially after seeing the possible risks from the surgery on the papers that we are required to sign. I promise you that I will need some sort of valium to go through with it. Currently, the surgery is scheduled for March 11th. May I please ask all of you for your prayers during scary but necessary time for us??!!! Please pray that Emily Grace emerges healthy, whole and with a successful surgery behind her without any complications. Please also pray that I am strong enough for her during this time!!!!!
I thank you in advance for the much needed prayers!!
Amy

Valentine's Day

After giving our sweet little Valentine her gift on Valentine's morning, we made cup cakes together for her to give all four grandparents as their gift. She was so excited!! Check out her first hair cut pics below as well!

Emily Grace's First Hair Cut

Just before Emily Grace's 3rd birthday, she finally had her first hair cut. Bless her heart, she was still pretty much bald at 13 months and it took forever for her to have enough hair for a bow let along enough hair to cut. Well recently, she had enough to put in two thin pigtails, but there was still quite a bit in the back of her hair that was not long enough to go up in the pigtails. So during craft time, a little girl at her baby sitter's house decided to cut a CHUNK of that remaining hair (that we waiting to grow in) so we had to cut all of her hair to make it look normal. She had to have about 2 1/2 inches cut from her length to even it out. Emily Grace was worried that she wouldn't have enough hair for her bows. I promised her that we would figure out how to wear her bows and not to worry.

To follow the adoption journey, click on archived journals from 2007

Emily Grace's First Symphony

Last weekend, we took Emily Grace to her very first Symphony. We just had to. She has this obsession with the violin. When I was girl, I always thought that I would have my children take piano lessons. Now that I have a child, I realize that they think for themselves. :-D Imagine that! She loves classical music and when there is violin in the piece of music, she gets so excited and says "Mommy, I hear the violin" and begins to play her invisible violin. It is too adorable. This orchestra had a "instrument petting zoo" before the show and Emily Grace was overly thrilled to be able to hold a violin and actually use the bow (is that what you refer to it as)? I feel sure that there are Violin lessons in the near future

We Came in 4th place in the Photo Contest

Please check out the following website and see a pic of our family that came in 4th place in a Photography contest. Once you have seen our unique pic, please look back at the top of the website. The pics change and there are about 3 of Emily Grace being shown. We aren't proud of our lil' beauty or anything :-)
photosite

Christmas Morning with gifts from Santa Claus

PIctures from Various Houses on Christmas

Here are pics from the various Houses. In a little while I post pics from Christmas Morning after Santa came to visit!! I have to organize those..you know how it is :-)

Our Favorite Christmas Yet!!

What a wonderful Christmas we had this year!!! It was filled with family, love and especially filled with a wide eyed 2 year old full of excitement about all of it. It all started with a journey to the North Georgia Mountains where we spent a Christmas celebration with my extended family in Cabins (12/19-12/21) We then spent Christmas Eve with my nuclear family at my brother John and his wife Chris' house. Christmas morning was spent here with both sets of Grandparents watching the thrill of Santa Claus and a big breakfast. We then had a Christmas Day dinner at my brother Michael and his wife Sydney's house. The following day we had another entire Christmas Day with all of David's family and finally New Year's Eve we had a family party here at our house and New Year's Day, we had a big extended family dinner at my parent's house. All of it was joyously fun and filled with wonderful food and gifts!! We are so blessed!!!!
Here are a few pics and mostly of Emily Grace and her Santa gifts. She received a much wanted bitty baby with all of its accessories, a doctor's outfit and a sushi set along with countless wonderful big gifts from grandparents and family.
Hope yours was as wonderful!!!