Friday, June 19, 2009

So sorry!











So sorry everyone that I have not blogged. Its been 6 days now and Kayla is just now getting adjusted to a new time zone, new weather, new house and unfamiliar people and surroundings. My poor girl. We had some really rough nights and days. She still will not sleep on her own in her own room in a crib. So since we have been here, for the first time, she has been sleeping with me. This I hope does not become a habit she gets used to because when we get home its back to her bed she goes. While I enjoy the cuddle time with her, and while my heart melts when she sleeps with her arm around me...it's not something I like. I dont sleep as well as I should. But she just cant warm up to sleeping alone in a new house.




However, she was angel during the long trip. During the 12 hour flight we both slept the majority of the time since it was during the night Guam time. I cant even begin to count, or even try to give you an accurate number of the amount of people that were just amazed by Kayla's beauty during the trip. She got so much attention. So many people were in awe over her big brown eyes and gorgeous brown locks. One guy even motioned to me from across the customs line coming in from Japan, that Kayla is a perfect blessing.




We have been super busy. Mama has been getting in Walmart time along with Kohls and Michaels. Today is the first day we have done nothing. Kayla needs a break.




Since we have been here Kayla has picked up on the word 'Doggie'. Very cute.




Today Im going to start giving her whole milk. Just a a couple or a few ounces mixed into her formula to see how that goes.




She has been walking and walking and walking and talking non-stop and she really is no longer a baby. She is a little girl.




For now, here are a few pictures. I will try to get on here and blog more than once every 6 days.




Now, Im going to try to get caught up on a few blogs.

Thursday, June 11, 2009

Until next time!

This time tomorrow we will be at the airport in an hour. Today I will be rushing around getting some small errands accomplished and making sure we have everything we need.

Can you believe yesterday I accidently washed and dried our passports. Nice, huh? They survived..just wrinkled with curlede edges. I sure hope we dont have issues with that. Japan is pretty strict with that.

So, until next time! I will blog when I can blog. We get in late on the 13th so it could be a few days.

Thank you for all the safe journey wishes.

Wednesday, June 10, 2009

re-cap and pics

So, I think a few people must have missed the post where I explained why I was doing Kayla's birthday pictures so soon. So to re-cap my explanation:
1) because we will not be home for a month so I wont have anyone to do them and I refuse to take her to a place like The Picture People and be charged an arm and a leg.
2)because I wanted to create cards to mail to the family and invite them to a party while we are in Pennsylvania (this way I can see everyone at once)
3)because we have to have this party before July 11th, because that is when we fly back home to Guam. Kayla's actual birthday isn't until July 30th
Which makes this photoshoot 6 weeks early.

We got some great pictures of her in her birthday shirt, a great naked picture of her (boy her butt needs a tan! lol) and just some great shots of her playing throughout the day. Not as great as a regular photographer, but great considering it was just me and a friend taking the pictures.


We have today, and tomorrow. Then, we fly The Day After Tomorrow!

a picture!


Here is one picture from today during dinner time. Much more to come. I must get to bed. It's been a long tiring day for me. So much so, that I tried to brush my teeth with soap instead of toothpaste. Whew. Oh boy.

And check out those spiral curls! Click the picture to enlarge it.

Tuesday, June 09, 2009

Trying again

Today we are going to attempt Kayla's 1 year pictures again. So that I may order them before we leave to PA and have them delivered there, ready to mail out to family and a select few (ok, 1) friend (and a few good blogger friends) in time for Kayla's hopeful pre-birthday celebration!

Hoping the weather cooperates. So far it looks fantastic, but on Guam that can quickly change at any moment.

We've got the rest of today-Wed, all day Thursday and Friday...then we're off!

Monday, June 08, 2009

What is required?

Im bored. Today we are having a base wide typhoon exercise which means we lock up like vampires all day in the dark. Fun. We tie down or lock up EVERYTHING except the mailboxes outside. You stay indoors with your typhoon shutters locked up so all day it feels like its the middle of the night. I did go to the grocery store this morning, and it's like ghost town out there.
So, are you interested in what is required to travel with a 10 month old baby on an 8,323 mile trip over the course of 28 hours? With only 3 days to go until we take off, we are quite ready. Not totally, but almost there.
*LOTS of tampons and pantyliners and tylenol. Yes, Im lucky enough to also be traveling with the monthly monster. Lucky me. This will be interesting.
*Lots of non-musical toys. example: Mickey Mouse, a doll, a few books and rattles.
*20 diapers and 2 travel packs of wipes
*Motrin, Tylenol, Orajel and teething tablets
*An extra set of baby clothes, plus a jacket.
* Blanket and pillow
*4 extra binkies
*2 bottles
*8 pack of travel size ready to go apple juices in pastic containers of course(no glass allowed on the plane)
*TONS of snacks.
*1 container of Similac powder
*1 travel size container of purell hand sanitizer
*Camera


OMG!

Kayla is totally walking!!!

I cant even believe it! Today marks a big milestone in her life at only 10 months, 1 week and 2 days old or,1 month, 3 weeks and and 1 day shy of her first birthday.

Kayla is walking. Wow. My tiny precious little baby? Was she not just born like 4 months ago? All by herself? Like a big girl? Am I dreaming?

She doesn't walk everywhere yet, she doesn't have the leg strength, but she gots her balance now!

I was in my room hanging my clothes. I looked over at her and she was walking!!!

Then she fell and I stood her up and she took 7 steps all by herself! (yes, I counted them)

Then she did it again in the hall when I went to the phone to call my good friend. Then we went to friend's house right away so she could see, and Kayla wouldn't walk but a step here and there.

As soon as we got home she walked from the computer desk to the couch with a big smile on her face. Which is a good 7 feet or so.

I cant believe it. She is growing up faster than I want her to. Its such a great feeling watching her learn and grow into a person, but at the same time it's so sad and makes me want to cry. I will never again have my little baby. I will forever now have my little girl. Well, forever in my eyes she will be my little girl.

Perfect timing for her to be able to walk up to her Grammy and Grandpa in just 4 days.

4 days. 4 days? I don't even feel ready. Normally before a trip, I am totally prepared. Mentally and physically. Not this time. I don't feel like I'm going anywhere. I don't feel like it is Monday night and I don't feel like we are taking off Saturday morning. I don't feel like Kayla will see her Grandparents so soon. I don't feel the long journey ahead of me. I don't feel like I'm even close to being packed. I don't feel like I wont see my my cats for a month.
It just doesn't feel real yet. But you can bet, I cant wait.

If only her Dada could see this momentous milestone. It hurts my heart more than ever that he is missing this. Such a sweet sweet day, can hurt so much at the same time.

Sunday, June 07, 2009

Show and Tell



I am participating in Mel's show and tell class this week. Head on over to the class and check it out.

I am showing and telling about some very old pictures that I have. Of my maternal Great and my Great Great, AND Great Great Great Grandparents. For Kayla, these would be her Great Great Great Great Grandparents. Pretty amazing if you ask me.

Here is a picture of my Great Great Great Grandfather, Charles, he is the older man in the picture holding the dog leash. Of course, the dog's name is Chief. I dont know when this is picture is from but I do know that is on Thanksgiving Day in front of their home in Enola, Pennsylvania.



Here is my Great Great Grandmother in 1929, from whom I get my Dutch descent from. Hazel Marie, born 1 Jan 1910 and passed away on 8 Dec 1973.


Next is her husband, my Great Great Grandfather. I dont know the year this picture was taken. His name, Wilson Russell, born in 1904 and passed away just 3 years before my birth, in 1981. Boy I wish he could have been here in 1984 when I was born. He is whom I get my Indian descent.


Next, is their daughter- My Great Grandmother- who Thank You Dear God is still alive and well in her almost mid 80's. Kayla will get to meet her during our trip to PA.


This is her, my Great Grandmother, Laverna Evadna when she was 2 years old.


And, here she is again with the neighbor's baby in 1950. The back of the picture says she is 12 years old, but she looks much older to me, so Im not sure.

And there you have it folks, my show and tell.

Friday, June 05, 2009

1 week from now


It is just after 8:30 AM, Saturday morning for me. This means, in just 1 week I will be in the car on the way to the airport with my little Miss Marvelous. It's official. Im getting nervous, anxious, excited and get butterflies when I think about it.

I just cannot wait until Kayla lays eyes on her grandparents, and them her.

*Depart Guam, headed to Tokyo, Japan for a 3 hour and 50 minute flight at 10:35 AM, June 13th.
Approximate Miles: 1,561

*Depart Tokyo, Japan headed to Detroit, MI for an 11 hour and 40 minute flight at 3:05 PM, June 13th.
Approximate Miles: 6,398

*Depart Detroit, MI headed to Harrisburg, PA for a 1 hour 25 minute flight (this one always feels like the longest flight) 7:02 PM, June 13th.

Approximate Miles: 364

In case you didnt get that...

Approximately 8,323 miles one way.




Wednesday, June 03, 2009

2nd post of the day



I couldnt resist....telling you all that in the past couple weeks during this major growth spurt, not only is Kayla growing teeth and growing herself....but her hair has gotten wildly out of control. 

We are lucky that her hair is  smooth, soft and silky and the curls are perfect big spirals. 
But...you should see this child first thing in the morning! Pahahahaha! She is so beautiful.


Yesterday...





I have gotten the suitcase of our storage area a couple weeks ago. Its been sitting in my bedroom ever since. 

Yesterday I decided to get some things together that I can throw in ahead of time. Like...a couple extra boxes of Kayla's rice cereal, 1 extra outfit for Kayla (I'm taking very few clothes except for emergency to force me to have to shop for new), 1 pair of Kayla's pajamas, my curling iron, extra sippy cup, snacks I bought yesterday for the plane, the cash I been saving up for months, gifts for my Mother In Law, Kayla's Mickey Mouse DVD's( cant go without Mickey) Bubble Bath (cant go without bubbles), a couple of toys, etc...

While doing this Kayla decided it was time to go to Grammy's and Grandpa's house NOW by climbing into the suitcase herself. Silly girl.

I guess this was all a bad idea  because from 3 am to 5 am I cant even count how many times the freaking cats woke me up by fighting over and playing with this dumb suitcase in my room. How is it that half my days being exhausted is partly due to the cats? Why cant I have normal cats, that sleep all day and all night and hide under the bed? Why do they have to be so....human like? Like 2 extra 1 year olds...seriously?

But I wouldn't have it any other way. No matter how those furry boys irritate me, I love them.

Also, a picture from outside yesterday before nap time. Can you see the sweet desperate beg on her face for nap time?

Later in the day, I took her out to play in the rain. Pictures of that later.

Only 8 days until we take off!



Tuesday, June 02, 2009

Cancelled

Today's photo session has been cancelled. My friend called  yesterday asking if we could do it next week. And there is no hurry (except that it must be before June 13th) so I said of course. 
Then yesterday Kayla had 1 diarrhea diaper. I thought hmmm, wonder if teething is coming back?

Then at 2 am I didn't have to wonder anymore. Kayla woke up crying for 30 minutes and my baby girl is not a crier unless something is seriously wrong. Then she was wide awake at 4:45 am and I am holding my eyes open with chopsticks today.

Wonder which teeth are bugging her now? Poor girl. I hope we get another break after these ones. Preferably the break  being during our 28 hour flight.

Monday, June 01, 2009

10 days!


Only 10 more days until we arrive in PA and Kayla's Grammy and Grandpa can hold her in their arms and drown in her big, beautiful brown eyes. She was only 5 weeks old last time they held her.

Tomorrow we are taking Kayla's 1 year pictures. Yes, she is only 10 months old, and yes, it's a bit early but here is my reasoning:
1) We will be in PA and wont be able to do them there.
2) We are having a 'pre- birthday party' while we are in PA for 2 reasons:
 1a) so family can see Kayla without me having to travel to everyone's house,
and
 2b)because we have recieved so much love and support from family both pre and post Kayla's adoption and all love her so much and deserve to be present during her 1st birthday.
3)I want to make her "Look who's turning 1" cards on Snap.Fish.com to mail out to family before her 'pre-birthday party' celebration.

A friend and I are going to be doing the pictures. I dont want to pay our photographer for a photoshoot so close to us going on our trip, because....let's face it. Im going to need the cash for shopping which I am taking FULL advantage of while we are there. 
The one thing I hate about Guam....very few places to shop.

I cant wait for the next 10 days to fly by. I cant wait to be on that plane and on our way to Pennsylvania. I cant wait to walk out of the airport and see my father in law. That is always the best part.