This Is Now

Problems With Adoption Tax Refunds

2011-04-11T09:52:00.000-05:00

Are you experiencing delays with your adoption tax refund? If so, you're not alone -- it is apparently a widespread problem for adoptive families throughout the United States.

The IRS is apparently delaying adoption tax refunds. Even if you filed your taxes exactly as required by the IRS, you may experience a delay of months in getting the adoption tax refund to which you are legally entitled. We have learned that countless adoptive families are experiencing inexplicable and inexcusable delays in processing of adoption refunds. The IRS itself has been vague about the adoption refund delays. The IRS is issuing confusing letters and adoption refund status updates for individual families. We have heard reports that the IRS has even lost paper returns or some of the documentation. The IRS seems to be randomly choosing adoptive families for "review" and demanding different information from different families, creating mass confusion among adoptive families. We are not aware of any public statements being issued by the IRS that would help clarify this adoption refund nightmare.

Here's how the situation appears to be unfolding for many adoptive families:

* You file your taxes as required by the IRS.

* You might get a portion of your non-adoption related refund. Or you might not.

* You might notice, using the IRS status of refund tool online, that your return has been received and given an estimated date for processing of your refund. Or you might not.

* You might be notified by letter from the IRS, many weeks after filing, that your tax return has been chosen "for review." Or you might not.

* The letter may tell you that no additional information is required and that it might take 45 days to review your adoption return. Meanwhile, you are left wondering what's happening.

* You then might receive more letters from the IRS, this time demanding detailed adoption expenses and "written explanations" of each adoption expense. This letter gives you 30 days to comply but does not tell you how long it will take the IRS to review your documentation. If the IRS finds your documentation acceptable, you may get your adoption refund; if not, your adoption refund may be refused.

Again, if this is your situation with your adoption refund, you're not alone. But if you have a legal adoption and the refund to which you are entitled has been inexplicably delayed, consider contacting your local media or your local government representatives for help. Again, the IRS doesn't appear to have issued any sort of public statement addressing this widespread problem, and adoptive families are left confused and uncertain how to proceed.

Some resources for additional information:

Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption

North American Council on Adoptable Children

Adoptive family forums

Please share your stories here and link to your own adoption blogs so that more adoptive families become aware of what's happening -- and so they know that they're not alone.

Exposing The Adoption Fraud In Vietnam

2010-09-13T22:33:00.002-05:00

This is a compelling, if tragic, expose on the adoption fraud in Vietnam. It's also tragic that the adoption documents have been so heavily redacted that the adoption agencies that may have been at least partially culpable aren't held publicly responsible. It's also tragic that so many families who adopted children from Vietnam may now be left wondering if their adoption was legitimate or not. And it's tragic that the hands of US officials essentially were tied by beaucracy, leaving a trail of families who were victimized. The only winners in this adoption tragedy were the scam artists -- and many probably are still in operation.

Anatomy of an Adoption Crisis

Privacy Act

2010-02-22T22:12:00.002-06:00

Yep, we're going private! I may post an update here once in a while, but at least for now, the bulk of our pictures, videos and updates will now be posted only on a private, password-protected blog. If you want to continue to follow our journey, email me (look under our profile) or leave a comment. See you around!

1 To 2

2010-02-11T08:44:00.002-06:00

Wordless Wednesday: Cozy

2010-02-10T21:05:00.002-06:00

One Month Old!

2010-01-29T12:41:00.002-06:00

Little Sister is one month old today!

8 days old:

"Sleeping On Bare Earth"

2010-01-27T12:34:00.005-06:00

One of my aunts does missionary work in a small community in Kenya, including running a school. The stories she shares about everyday life there are often bittersweet -- someone with very little to start with (possessions, education, health care, etc.) faces a crisis, and others step in to help in whatever way, big or small, that they can.

Here's one of those stories she just shared:

"Our little first-grader Samuel came in on Monday and was about to be scolded for being out of uniform when he told us his house had burned to the ground on Saturday. His "house" was a floorless room, rented for $5 a month, where he and his parents and younger brother and sister dwelt. All their possessions, which weren't much to begin with, went up in smoke. They were left with absolutely nothing. An uncle found Samuel some clothes so he could come to school. Teacher Jane then gave him a school uniform.

"Today when I heard they were sleeping on bare earth, I sent Titus, our trusty helper (he just graduated from high school and is doing odd jobs for us while he waits to get his results) over to their place to check out the details. He went over to Riverside and got the full story. The two younger siblings were cooking on Saturday when the fire went out of control. Their parents were out seeking odd jobs so they could feed the children. Their neighbor also lost his house due to the fire.

"Titus found the two younger siblings in another rented room and assessed what they had and needed. They had an aluminum cooking pot contributed by a neighbor. They had no clothes except what they had on their backs. There was no food in the room, and no other item was found in the room. And it was true---they were just sleeping on the cold ground. So we now sent Titus back to town to buy a foam mattress, blanket, small cooker, 5 plastic plates, 5 spoons and 5 cups all at 10 cents each, another cooking pot, a lamp, and a few other items, plus some shoes and a hat for Samuel. Samuel was just beaming. I think his parents will beam too when they get home this evening, and see that some help arrived while they were out doing odd jobs."

Wordless Wednesday: Loving Her New Computer

2010-01-20T18:52:00.003-06:00

FDA Backpedals, Now Says To Limit Infants' Use of BPA Products

2010-01-17T14:43:00.002-06:00

(CNN) -- Parents should take precautions to minimize infants' exposure to the chemical Bisphenol-A, the Food and Drug Administration said Dec. 15 in an announcement that stopped short of saying there is a definite health risk from the chemical.

In guidelines published on its Web site, the FDA said it has "some concern" about the safety of BPA, and supports efforts by industry to remove BPA from infant bottles and feeding cups.

Dr. Josh Sharfstein, deputy FDA commissioner, said the agency is trying to determine whether it has the legal authority to quickly force such products off the market if manufacturers don't do it voluntarily. According to Sharfstein, the six largest makers of infant bottles and cups already use alternatives to BPA.

Bisphenol-A is found in many products, but has drawn the most attention for its use in linings for canned food and infant formula, and as a hardener in plastic baby bottles and toys. A handful of states and cities including Minnesota, Connecticut, Massachusetts and Chicago, Illinois, have passed laws in some form banning BPA in products meant for children.

The new position is a partial reversal of the FDA's declaration in 2008 that BPA has no adverse effects. That announcement came under fire from environmental groups that said it relied too heavily on industry-funded research.

Since then, the agency says on its Web site, "recent studies have reported subtle effects of low doses of BPA in laboratory animals. While BPA is not proven to harm children or adults, these newer studies have led federal health officials to express some concern about the safety of BPA."

The new position brings the FDA into line with guidance from the National Toxicology Program, which in its own 2008 report said there is "some concern" for BPA's effects on the brain, behavior and prostate gland, in developing fetuses, infants and children. Other studies have found a possible link to diabetes and cardiovascular disease, but the authors of those studies say it's not clear the problems were actually caused by BPA.

At a news conference Friday, FDA commissioner Margaret Hamburg said further research is needed "to determine if and when further action is needed."

The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences has been allotted $30 million to study the health effects of BPA. Hamburg said that research would likely be complete in 18 to 24 months. In a separate review, the Environmental Protection Agency is weighing whether to list BPA as a chemical of concern under the federal Toxic Substances Control Act, which would trigger a formal process to develop possible restrictions on BPA.

At the news conference, Hamburg and Sharfstein urged parents to keep the risk in perspective, saying the benefits of nutritious infant formula outstrip any potential danger from BPA. Other guidance includes:

• Discarding scratched or worn bottles and cups, which aside from harboring germs might also release small amounts of BPA

• Being careful when heating formula, as boiling or very hot liquid might cause the release of BPA into infant formula

• Checking labels to ensure that only microwave-safe products are used in the microwave, and dishwasher-safe products are put in the dishwasher, to avoid leakage

In taking a middle ground, the FDA managed to frustrate both industry and consumer safety groups.

Steven Hentges, a scientist with the American Chemistry Council's global study group on BPA, said the guidance would "confuse consumers," while a scientist with the Natural Resources Defense Council said the move was "too little, too late."

Hentges painted the FDA decision as a victory, saying the announcement reflects scientific consensus "that these products continue to be safe for use." However, he complained that there was no scientific basis for the advice to discard older bottles and cups and insisted that studies have failed to find evidence of actual harm from BPA.

Sara Janssen, a scientist with the Natural Resources Defense Council, agreed the advice was confusing, but said the FDA should have gone further and banned the use of BPA.

Sonya Lunder, a senior analyst with the Environmental Working Group and a longtime BPA critic, says mothers can largely avoid BPA by using powdered formula instead of liquid. But she welcomed Friday's announcement.

"This is a huge step forward. The Bush administration wanted to close the books and declare this safe, and now that's not going to happen," Lunder said.

The Girls

2010-01-16T21:39:00.002-06:00

Favorite Photo Friday

2010-01-08T21:42:00.004-06:00

Kensington at 8 days old:

For comparison, here is Emmerson at her first shoot with Sophie Dogge, at 9 days old:

They both look pretty tiny, don't they?! (But Emmerson weighed about two pounds more at birth than Kensington did.)

Sisters!

2010-01-07T22:54:00.003-06:00

Wordless Wednesday: Heap O' Bacon

2010-01-06T21:05:00.004-06:00

While I'm in Utah, my parents, Emmerson and some other family members went to an indoor water park. They sent me this picture. There really are no words for this heap o' bacon on the breakfast buffet. At least no appetizing words.

7 Days Old!

2010-01-05T21:00:00.006-06:00

Little Kensington is already 7 days old! Where did the week go? Here's an abbreviated summary for those of you wondering what's been going on behind the scenes that led up to this new little (very little) addition.

Background
I decided in the fall to adopt again, after weighing the issue for quite some time. Once I decided to go ahead, things began moving quickly. October was spent completing an updated homestudy and other paperwork. By early November, all the necessary information was with the same domestic adoption agency that I used to adopt Emmerson. The bulk of November was spent waiting. Midway through December, I was told about a possible situation in which a birth mother was due in early to mid-January. We were officially matched on Wednesday, Dec. 23.

On the night of Dec. 29, I was fortunate to have a conference call with the birthmom, who'd just had an epidural and was in labor in Utah! About an hour after we got off the phone, baby Kensington arrived, weighing in at just 5 pounds, 7 ounces, and measuring 18.5 inches long. I hightailed it to Utah as soon as possible the next day (Emmerson is with her grandparents), and soon afterward had a very emotional meeting with both the birthmother and the birthfather! Kensington was officially placed with our family later that evening, in a very bittersweet moment.

Now
Despite her diminutive size, baby Kensington (also called Kiki and Kenzi) is doing great. She is eating like a champ and appears to be an easy-going baby. At first she was eating only an ounce at a time, every 3 hours or so. Imagine! A shot-glass size meal! Now she's up to two ounces for the most part. She is incredibly alert for a newborn and has many periods where she's awake for two or more hours at a time. She initially had her days and nights a bit mixed up, but I've been working on that and she's already getting rotated in the right direction. She also smiles more than any other newborn I've seen!

I was nervous about how tiny she was, but the doctors assured me that she is just as strong and healthy as a 7- or 8-pounder. She does wear preemie diapers, and even those tend to fall down around her skinny little bottom a bit. Preemie outfits are a bit small, while she swims in newborn outfits (there is a seriously huge difference between a 5-pound baby and an 8-pound baby -- even though that's the size range for which most newborn outfits are geared). Just tonight, her umbilical stub came off. She seems to have a touch of jaundice so I'm keeping an eye on that. But Kensington is a thriving, beautiful baby -- with that gorgeous shock of dark hair!

We can't go home until all the ICPC paperwork is done. I can't wait for Kensington to meet our family and friends!

Getting ready to get sprung from the hospital, Dec. 30, wearing the typical hospital garb.

4 Days Old

2010-01-03T21:10:00.003-06:00

Baby Kensington, 4 days old!

It's A Girl!!!

2009-12-31T21:19:00.001-06:00

WE BELIEVE!!!

2009-12-24T18:45:00.000-06:00

Wordless Wednesday: Picture Postcard Pretty

2009-12-23T13:15:00.004-06:00

Favorite Photo Friday

2009-12-18T07:15:00.002-06:00

Like A Kid In A Candy Store

2009-12-12T21:16:00.001-06:00

Snow Fun!

2009-12-12T13:12:00.004-06:00

We finally got outdoors for the first time since the temperature plummeted this past week and we had a little blizzard, with more than a foot of snow. It was still cold when we ventured out, only around 25 or so. Compared to the sub-zero lows we've had this week, it was almost balmy, though, and we're not about to let a little Midwest winter keep us from enjoying outdoor time whenever the weather permits.

First, we bundled up for a little stroller walk to the park so that Sophie Dogge could gallop around. I had Emmerson in her fleece footed PJs, a squall parka from Land's End, snow pants from Land's End, mittens -- and tennis shoes. That's what I get for buying a cheap pair of snow boots from Target. They stink, to say the least. I'll be buying a good pair of boots from Land's End or some other retailer with quality snow boots, pronto. We are open to suggestions!

This is when it's nice to have a Bob Revolution. The ice and snow don't slow us down, and we also have a weather canopy. I also bundled Emmerson up with a down blanket, so she was cozy enough to even enjoy a quick snooze! (She has not been sleeping well for a couple weeks now, thanks both to getting two-year molars and some sort of attachment thing, it seems.)

After our stroller jaunt, Emmerson was set loose, and she loved being outside once again! She even insisted upon swinging.

One Happy Puppy!

2009-12-11T21:51:00.004-06:00

Sophie Dogge got to play in the snow today and loved it!

Sophie Dogge also recently got to meet a new friend:

Favorite Photo Friday: Meeting The Jolly Old Elf

2009-12-11T07:25:00.002-06:00

Emmerson is one of those toddlers who actually enjoyed meeting Santa!

Variations On The Sit-N-Spin

2009-12-01T23:00:00.003-06:00

While at Grandma and Pops' house this week, Emmerson has been learning to master the Sit-N-Spin. (No children, adults or animals got even a minor owie in the filming of these videos.)

Future DWTS Contestant?

2009-11-29T16:31:00.002-06:00

I'm pretty sure Emmerson is in practice for Dancing with the Stars (at least I imagine she must be -- I've never actually seen Dancing with the Stars but I've heard about it and DWTS sounds like it might be a good fit). Witness:

Happy National Adoption Day

2009-11-21T13:10:00.000-06:00

Today is National Adoption Day! ♥ One year ago at this time, Emmerson was 8 months old and recovering from a GI bug. Two years ago at this time, I was "DTV" -- my dossier had just been sent to Vietnam for an adoption that would never happen. Today, I have a beautiful, amazing daughter thanks to the selfless act of her birth mother! ♥ ♥

Celebration Time

2009-11-15T07:01:00.003-06:00

Our friend Sophia is turning the big 2 (!), and we celebrated her birthday in great Princess Tiana style this weekend. For all of the efforts usually made by the parents to get all the kids to hold still for just one little picture, it almost never happens. But on Saturday, a big group of the kids were drawn to the party room doors like moths to the light - and voila, a cute group moment captured by Stacy.

20 Going On 24

2009-11-11T14:31:00.006-06:00

We have kissed the teenage months goodbye!

How is it possible that my little baby is now 20 months old? March seems so far away, yet 20 months seems so close to 24 months. Similarly, it seems like Emmerson has been part of my life forever, and yet the last 20 months have flown by.

I don't post many updates anymore, it seems. Mainly cute pictures and videos, with a few wordy posts thrown in when something happens, like the attack of H1N1. Partly that's because I don't have as much to say about adoption. The process of adoption was such a vital part of my life before Emmerson arrived, and even in the months after it was a big part of our lives, but adoption per se is no longer the overarching factor that defines our life or our relationship. (Of course, adoption is going to become a very big part of our life once again!)

It's also partly because we keep our life more private now -- I turn to Facebook more often since I can control things a little more there. And frankly, there's so many gazillions of people posting about the same old trials and tribulations on blogs, Facebook, Twitter and other social networking sites these days that it's all just becoming background noise, and I don't feel much like contributing to it. But I do reserve the right to change that 100 percent when we add on our new addition. :-)

So, anyway, back to Miss Emmerson at 20 months. (Just had a flashback: Do any of you remember that old TV series, "James at 15?")

She is a wildly normal toddler!

She doesn't like vegetables but a few nights in a row last week could not get enough sweet corn and practically licked out the serving dish to get every last morsel. At the same time, she stopped eating the broccoli and ranch dressing she had loved. She has always been a greater eater but after getting H1N1, has apparently decided that she will only pick at dinner and instead have a big snack later (such as two whole bananas). She still loves fruit. She must review pieces of food before consuming to make sure they are suitable - they must not be broken or too small, for instance.

She still loves reading. But a few times in the last week, she hasn't wanted to read, so I'm hoping that's not a hint that her passion is fading ever so slightly.

Emmerson loves to get a reaction from people. She will make funny faces to try to get us to laugh. She will look at me before doing something naughty to see if I'm watching, and if I am, she'll do it, but if I'm not, she won't. Just last night as she was eating her snack, she put a magnetic letter in her mouth, and when I told her no, she did it again, with an evil grin. But then I ignored the behavior, and she instantly stopped doing it.

She is talking like mad. Our bedtime routine includes rocking and reviewing our day as music plays. It used to be me doing all the talking. Now I might not be able to get a word in, as Emmerson can talk for 5 or 10 minutes nonstop. She basically repeats all words now and is talking in two- and three-word sentences (that make sense -- she says so much but a lot isn't recognizable). She is singing understandable melodies, is counting and is saying much of the ABCs. The other week, I pointed out the number 7 in our street address and Emmerson continued counting up to 10. It's especially endearing when she says "I love you" or when she gets out of bed and says, "Good morning."

Emmerson is still a really good sleeper. I attribute this largely to consistency and having a good bedtime and naptime routine. I put her down in her bed awake, and while she may stay up and play for a little while, she is happy and content and usually is asleep within 10 minutes (when she is going through developmental stages, it may take an hour, but it's a happy hour!).

She is very impatient! She wants everything now!

She is sassy!

But also sweet, doling out hugs or kisses.

Emmerson loves being outside, daycare, spinning, dancing, running, singing, jumping, Kindermusik, splashing in the dog's water bowl, Yo Gabba Gabba, a family wedding video, Laurie Berkner, throwing her stuffed animals and dolls, knocking over stackables, running away from me, trying to climb into her crib, climbing around in my CR-V, cuddles in the morning, George, grabbing the remote control or computer mouse or my iPhone, her blankets, my stainless steel coffee mug, jumping in her crib, going up and down the stairs, her play kitchen, looking at her teeth and mouth in the mirror, tearing up old magazines, sucking the Aqua Doodle pen until it's dry, climbing on Sophie Dogge, and an exhausting list of other stuff!

Every parent I know considers their child wild and spirited, unstoppable, active and at times crazy and goofy, with a gentle, loving, cuddly side. Emmerson at 20 months is no different -- just a wildly normal toddler.

But soon she's going to be a big sister. And that could change everything!

***

I already have to edit this post, as another blog reminded me of a couple more things.

First, Emmerson recently got little injuries to two fingers on her left hand. She was absolutely fascinated by the smaller owie on her little finger. She constantly examined it and would point it out if asked about her boo-boo. It was a tiny speck but it had her utmost attention!

Second, Emmerson has become a great helper. Things must be in the proper organized state. If I leave the microwave door open for a split second, Emmerson's radar goes off, and she quickly comes over to slam the door closed (and it's on a counter that she can barely reach). She likes putting her plates in the sink, throwing items in the garbage (and it's not always actual trash), putting her books on her bookshelf, wiping down the table and her face and hands, and generally being a good little helper. It's just too bad that she's too young to do the dishes and the laundry, as I'm pretty sure that this little stage will have long since passed by the time she is old enough.

Reading Buddies

2009-11-09T21:32:00.003-06:00

This was not staged! Emme, Sophie Dogge and Rudy the Cat just curled up together for some cozy time.

This Could Be Interesting

2009-11-08T22:36:00.003-06:00

Favorite Photo Friday

2009-11-06T07:40:00.003-06:00

Not-Quite-Wordless Wednesday (H1N1 Strikes Again)

2009-11-04T11:17:00.004-06:00

Poor Emmerson has a confirmed case of H1N1 influenza. She's been sick and miserable for three days now and counting.

(Emmerson watching a favorite video)

She was fine right through Sunday night, eating and playing like her normal wild and crazy, unstoppable self. She'd had a bit of a cold the week before and a slight, occasional cough, but that was it. But late on Sunday night, I checked on her after the World Series game -- my normal pre-bedtime routine -- and she was very hot and uncomfortable, and her breathing seemed rapid and shallow. We had a pretty sleepless night, and finally at 6 a.m. Monday I decided to take Emmerson to the ER because I was concerned about her labored breathing.

Apparently, that's a good time to go to the ER, as we were basically the only ones there and we were tended to immediately. However, we also were immediately treated as if we had the bubonic plague, with one nurse rudely demanding that Emmerson keep on a little mask even if it meant taping it to her head. Another nurse had on a full plastic face mask. Emmerson was too sick to care, for the most part. The ER doc also was concerned about Emme's breathing, along with her whimpering and moaning, so off we went for a chest X-ray. Fortunately, it was clear. By that time, her fever was 102.5, not outrageously high, but concerning. The doc also swabbed her throat. Three hours after we went to the ER, we went home. Later that day, we got the swab results -- confirmed H1N1. Just a few days before that, on Thursday, Emme had had her first dose of the H1N1 vaccine -- but by then, she'd already been exposed to the virus, likely at daycare, where several other kids were out sick.

I was able to get Emmerson started on Tamiflu on Monday evening. The ER instructions were to rotate Motrin and Tylenol every four hours, so she'd have, say, a dose of Motrin, then four hours later a dose of Tylenol, and four hours after that, a dose of Motrin, and so on. She also is getting albuterol to help open up the breathing passages in her lungs. Although Tamiflu can cause some vomiting, Emmerson hasn't experienced that, fortunately -- but it does apparently taste pretty nasty, and she can't stand it.

Emmerson's fever continues to come and go. She is stil pretty listless, although she does perk up watching her favorite videos (Yo Gabba, Laurie Berkner, and some family wedding videos). She has hardly eaten anything since dinner Sunday -- some Cheerios, some mandarin oranges, a couple bites of toast, and this morning a couple strawberries with some milk. I think she must have aches and pains because she acts sometimes as if she is in pain. One very nice lady we chatted with while waiting to get our Tamiflu prescription said she had H1N1 and that her chest really hurt with each cough, and I imagine Emmerson must be feeling the same, as she cries out when she coughs.

It's been very hard to see Emmerson so sick and miserable. People who brush off H1N1 need to see the results of a child sick with it. I'm so glad that we have access to world-class health care and ER service just minutes away. I only wish that the vaccine had been available sooner for us. I haven't been able to get the vaccine myself, and the ER doc warned me that I am likely to contract H1N1 as well. If that happens, I certainly hope my case is mild (right now I have symptoms similar to a cold). Emmerson's illness struck quickly in the middle of the night, and given her previous bout with RSV and pneumonia, I wasn't taking chances so sought help quickly and got treatment started quickly. We're fortunate that we were able to do that. It's frightening to think about the people who don't have this same kind of access to quality health care. Take care of your kids, and remember that vaccines work.

National Adoption Month 2009: Foster Care Adoption

2009-11-03T12:45:00.002-06:00

In honor of National Adoption Month this November, we'll be sharing several adoption-related posts.

This is from the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption:

All children deserve a loving, permanent home. This is the premise of National Adoption Awareness Month, founded in 1990 to increase the number of children adopted from U.S. foster care and celebrate the unique joys of creating families through foster care adoption.

The Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption encourages families to open their hearts and homes to children waiting to be adopted. Research conducted by Harris Interactive and commissioned by the Foundation(1) suggests Americans' misperceptions may act as a barrier to foster care adoption. A surprising number of Americans underestimate the number of children waiting for adoptive families, believe children in foster care entered because of juvenile delinquency and do not know foster care adoption is affordable and permanent.

The facts:

Children enter the foster care system through no fault of their own. As victims of abuse, neglect and/or abandonment, they are removed from their homes because their birth families are unable or unwilling to provide a safe environment for them.

More than 129,000 children in the U.S. foster care system are available for adoption. Their parents' legal rights have been permanently terminated and children are left without a family.

Children often wait five or more years to be adopted, can move three or more times in foster care and are frequently separated from siblings. More than half of these children are nine years of age or older.

Each year, more than 20,000 children available for adoption turn 18 and leave the foster care system without a family.

Adopting from foster care is affordable. Most child welfare agencies cover the costs of home studies and court fees, and provide post-adoption subsidies. Thousands of employers offer benefits for employees who adopt and adoption tax credits are available to most families.

Every child is adoptable. Many children in foster care have special needs. All of them deserve the chance to grow up in a safe, loving, permanent home. Post-adoption resources are available.

Adopting from foster care is permanent. Once a child is adopted out of foster care, the birth parents cannot attempt to claim them or fight in court for their return.

"Every child deserves a family," says Rita Soronen, executive director of the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption. "There is a critical need for Americans to become aware and involved. Everyone can make a difference - either by adopting a child from foster care or by supporting the work of agencies finding forever families for waiting fhildren. We offer a myriad of free resources, including a step-by-step guide for those considering adoption and a foster care adoption awareness toolkit for those willing to advocate in their community. We are also proud of our relationship with Wendy's as they work to encourage foster care adoption through in-store awareness campaigns this month, fundraising and volunteering across North America."

Learn more or order the Foundation's free materials at www.DaveThomasFoundationForAdoption.org or 1-800-ASK-DTFA.

About the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption

The Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption is a national nonprofit public charity dedicated to dramatically increasing the adoptions of the more than 150,000 children waiting in North America's foster care systems. Created by Wendy's founder, Dave Thomas, who was adopted, the Foundation implements results-driven national signature programs, foster care adoption awareness initiatives and research-based advocacy efforts. (1) National Foster Care Adoption Attitudes Survey, November 2007, conducted by Harris Interactive and commissioned by the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption.

SOURCE: Dave Thomas Foundation For Adoption

Happy Halloween!

2009-10-31T22:31:00.003-05:00

Jockey Celebrates National Adoption Month

2009-10-29T22:18:00.003-05:00

Jockey International, Inc., is celebrating National Adoption Month (November) and the five-year anniversary of Jockey Being Family, the brand's corporate citizenship initiative aimed at strengthening post-adoptive families, by increasing its financial support of post-adoption services.

This November, Jockey is donating one percent of all Jockey catalog and Jockey.com online sales, as well as 100 percent of sales from its Jockey Being Family Bear to the Debra Steigerwaldt Waller Foundation for Adoption, which funds post-adoption services for children and families. Consumers can help make a difference in the life of a family during National Adoption Month by making a purchase through the Jockey catalog or on Jockey.com.

"Adoption is a lifelong journey, but without post-adoption services many adoptive families are at risk to fail," said Debra Waller, Chairman and CEO of Jockey International, Inc. "Through Jockey Being Family, we strive to raise awareness of the need for post-adoption services to help ensure that families get a strong head start and become 'forever' families."

Since 2005, Jockey Being Family has supported post-adoption services through Jockey employee volunteerism and financial support to signature nonprofit partners, such as the North American Council on Adoptable Children, the Adoption Resources of Wisconsin, the Center for Adoption Support and Education, the Adoption Council of Canada and the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption.

Jockey recently partnered with the Dave Thomas Foundation to offer parents a new free resource booklet, called A Step-by-Step Guide to Post-Adoption. Jockey underwrote the costs of the guide, which defines the types of resources available for parents after an adoption is finalized.

Additionally, throughout the year Jockey Being Family sponsors fundraising initiatives, and donates $3 from each purchase of its Jockey Being Family Bear to support post-adoption services. Some of the program's initiatives include:

Home to Stay Backpack Program - Jockey employee volunteers compile personalized backpacks for children who were adopted, full of fun, age-specific items to call their own.

Comfort Crafters - Jockey employees and other volunteers create hand-made quilts and blankets for each child's backpack.

So Tell Me ...

2009-10-28T21:57:00.004-05:00

... how do you get your toddler or child to eat vegetables by choice?

Emmerson loved vegetables when she was a baby, in the pureed form. There was a brief window when she enjoyed raw tomatoes, too. But now she eats broccoli with ranch dressing (loves it!) and corn on the cob. I've tried other vegetables with ranch, but that's a no-go. And I'm not sure that she will voluntarily eat any other vegetables. And if I mix in vegetables, say with pasta, and she sees a flash of orange carrot or the green of a pea, she'll disdainfully push it aside or sometimes get downright angry and stop eating.

I do diguise pureed vegetables in many meals (I add pureed carrots or sweet potatoes to spaghetti for instance). And just recently I started buying Horizon's Little Blends, which she enjoys. But that doesn't help her learn to eat vegetables by choice since she doesn't know she's eating them. I do try to offer her vegetables at lunch and dinner -- vegetables she can see and feel and fling to the wall to see if it sticks.

On the flip side, Emme loves fruit and would -- and often does -- eat fruit at every meal or for dessert. (She almost never eats any sweets.)

Maybe it doesn't matter that she won't eat vegetables. She's only 19 months old. I'm pretty sure I didn't enjoy vegetables at that age either (Mom??) but now I love all vegetables (especially if someone else is preparing them, and especially on the grill). Emme does take a multivitamin (especially important for vitamin D, which many kids are deficient in, especially African-Americans because of their darker skin).

How do you handle the vegetable situation with your child? Email me or leave a comment, if you carrot to. I'm sure I'll be green bean with envy.

A Little Early Trick-Or-Treating

2009-10-25T22:14:00.001-05:00

Emme takes a break from a little early trick-or-treating with some of her little friends.

Tweet, Tweet

2009-10-24T13:02:00.003-05:00

We're on Twitter now, so be sure to follow us if you'd like. And let us know who YOU are! Just look to the right sidebar.

Wordless Wednesday

2009-10-21T19:24:00.002-05:00

(Yep, that would be me, circa 19wacky-something.)

Fall Fun

2009-10-19T19:39:00.003-05:00

Enjoying some fall fun during a visit with the grandparents!

Vacuuming the driveway:

Pulling the little red wagon (temperature was in the low 30s):

Playing in the bar sink:

Aw, sweet apple tree heart:

At the pumpkin patch (zero interest in actual pumpkins):

Hiking in the forest preserve:

Hiking in the forest preserve:

The Looking Glass

2009-10-17T14:20:00.005-05:00

Emme loves the kitchen remodel her grandparents recently had done. The microwave is now at the perfect height for a dancing toddler, especially one who loves to look at her reflection and who took all of about two minutes to crack the "child-proof" safety code and can now operate the microwave as well as the adults (or better)!

This cracks me up, but it's so much funnier to watch her perform in person. Emme is such a little goofball. She just brightens up our lives!

Favorite Photo Friday

2009-10-16T07:01:00.002-05:00

First Fall Hike As A 19 Month Old!

2009-10-11T13:05:00.004-05:00

We took a long walk in the woods this morning and loved every minute of it. While it was sunny, the temperature was only about 30 degrees, so we bundled up. Emme just loves wearing her mittens now! She wants them on in the house, too, although she usually prefers wearing only one at a time, a la Michael Jackson. Emme had her squeaky shoes on again and loved them, too. She ran all over the place for 30 minutes nonstop, and she would have kept going but we'd been out for an hour and a half and it was time to head home for lunch.

Time Keeps On Slippin' ...

2009-10-10T20:13:00.005-05:00

Count me among the bloggers with big plans to blog ... and poor follow through. I had meant to do a September wrap-up and now it's mid-October already, and we've had our first hard freeze and even a bit of snow!

Emme continues to change on a daily or weekly basis. And I don't even know everything she can do because it happens, sadly, at daycare. Unless our provider mentions it to me, I don't know for instance, that she's singing Old MacDonald and quacking like crazy. She still loves reading her books like mad. She loves her "ladybug stars," our Yo Gabba Gabba DVD, our Laurie Berkner Band DVD, meatballs, strawberries, corn on the cob, dancing, running and jumping, buckles, walks in the park, feeding herself, chalking and coloring, and so much more. Emme is still a good sleeper, but sometimes plays in her crib for an hour, happily chattering, jumping and clapping away -- she's happy so I don't mind too much, but sometimes the crib is shaking and rattling so much I think she must be dismantling it. She has been going through a mild bit of separation anxiety, which means she's generally more clingy (and cuddly!), which can make mornings challenging as we both must get ready for our day and she is stuck to me like Velcro. And of course, Emme is still very attached to her George, and also to a couple very specific red and blue toddler spoons and forks -- she must have them!

One of Emme's favorite new things these days is her pair of squeaky shoes. At first, they drove poor SophieDog wild, because she happens to be obsessed with squeaky toys, and they sound exactly the same!

This video is from this evening, before dinner and after a long stroller walk in the park. It was in the 30s and I just threw together whatever I could get on the squirmy little girl so ignore the, um, outfit.

Favorite Photo Friday

2009-10-02T08:51:00.002-05:00

(Emme had her 18 month pictures taken recently by a friend who happens to be a great photographer. This is a sneak peak.)

Little Miss Serious

2009-09-24T20:36:00.004-05:00

Emme was all business tonight as she pushed (and pulled) her stroller around the yard!

What Do You Think?

2009-09-16T22:26:00.002-05:00

I'm testing out a new background image for the blog.

Do you like it?

Well?

18 Months!

2009-09-12T13:30:00.003-05:00

Beach Scenes & More

2009-09-05T12:00:00.004-05:00

More On The Beach

2009-09-04T09:18:00.003-05:00

Life's A Beach!

2009-09-03T15:21:00.005-05:00

Emme is thoroughly enjoying her visit to the Pacific Ocean! I always love a trip to the shore! But this is Emme's first ocean visit -- and hopefully one of many she'll enjoy as she grows up.

She didn't hesitate at all with the vast ocean in front of her. She simply followed in her cousins' footsteps and plunged right in, regardless of the chill. And she didn't slow down even when the small waves toppled her face-first into the cold surf!

More pictures to come!

Finally, More Pictures!

2009-08-24T21:08:00.009-05:00

It's been quite a while since I posted any pictures of Miss Emmerson, so here you go -- a mix of old and new, including some fresh off a wonderful evening tonight.

I did have to pry Emme away from her books to get her outside tonight. She is obsessed with her books right now, and the minute she got home from "school" today she started reading her books, taking a break to get through dinner as quickly as possible. She read on Sophie Dog's "lap" again, on my lap, in her chair, in the middle of the living room, on the kitchen floor, and wherever else she could read, for nearly two hours! And she reads out loud, flipping through the pages, pointing, touching and gesturing. It's just so charming and cute!

Family Fun Night!

(I know, I know -- seriously, could there be a more pathetic-looking bunch of normally cute kiddos?! And this was before the festivities of Family Fun Night even started. It was a fundraiser for a children's museum earlier this month, and once they were freed from their strollers, the kiddos were all much happier and livelier, even dancing with the, sadly, mostly mellow/downer music.)

Emme's new playhouse:

(Just kidding! We put some stuff in a friend's garage sale, including this old dog crate that Emme loved playing in. Don't worry, even though it's quite a bit cheaper than daycare, I don't think I'll be using it full time.)

Emme still adores her swing:

"Cheese!"

Playing with Sophie Dog:

We know all about Newton's First Law: "An object in motion tends to stay in motion:"

"Pruning:"

The main reason not to eat dried coneflowers:

(They are quite prickly)

My sweet baby:

Review: Tiny Love Sort N' Learn Pelican

2009-08-23T20:42:00.006-05:00

I've always been a sucker for toys for Emmerson. If it looks cute, fun or educational -- but not necessarily all three at once -- it may be hard for me to resist the temptation. But before plunking down my cash, I check it out pretty thoroughly to make sure it's safe and durable, and depending on the cost, I may read product reviews first or see if my parenting friends have it. So while I'm not a stingy toy shopper, neither am I frivolous. The toy Website called ebeanstalk bills itself as being dedicated to selecting good, safe toys and baby gifts. Ebeanstalk sent us a toy to review called the Sort n' Learn Pelican from Tiny Love, which generally makes good developmental toys. In fact, I've blogged before about the Tiny Love Symphony in Motion mobile that Emme absolutely loved -- and probably would still love if I could have kept it safely over her crib!

So here's a look at the Tiny Love Sort n' Learn Pelican, which is slated to be on the market in November:

Bottom line: Sadly, we're not feeling the love from Tiny Love on the Sort n' Learn Pelican.

Details

Description
The Tiny Love Sort n' Learn Pelican is a shape sorter in a pelican shape. The pelican's mouth opens to reveal slots for four different shapes. It's made of hard plastic with a few "tufts" of crinkle material.

Learning, education and development
The Tiny Love Sort n' Learn Pelican has the potential to offer a great educational experience -- it's marketed as being for tots from 6 to 36 months. The pelican provides feedback in several ways -- it can be set to name the shapes or their colors in English, Spanish and French or it can just play fun sounds. So children are guided to learn shapes and colors, and perhaps a second (or third) language. They also can gain dexterity by getting the shapes to fit in the right slot.

Fun factor
The toy looks fun. It's bright and colorful, which is always a draw for babies and toddlers. I set it down on the floor for Emmerson to stumble across, and as soon as she spied it, she headed on over to play with it. She enjoyed playing with the shapes and, with my guidance, putting them in the right slot.

Quality and durability
Quality and durability leave a bit to be desired. While Emme loved playing with the shape sorter initially, she quickly grew frustrated with it. It's not easy for a child to retrieve the shapes once pushed through the slots and into the pelican's pouch. They must be able to independently firmly hold the whole toy down while pulling open the mouth, which ratchets upward with an appealing (to a child) clicking noise. The mouth is too inflexible. So invariably, the toy topples over unless you can hold it down with one hand and open the mouth with the other. I think that's asking too much of a baby. Emme couldn't do it, nor could one of her little friends I invited over to play with it. Both of them got frustrated and lost interest because they couldn't get the toy to behave how it should have.

Also, the pelican's whole head easily pops off. I'm not sure why it's even made so the head can come off, when all that's necessary is for the mouth to open.

Finally, little fingers could pretty easily get pinched between the two parts of the pelican's mouth as they come together at the joints -- that seems like a safety flaw, especially since this is hard plastic.

***

While I'm always drawn to multilingual toys and toys that encourage education and development while having fun, I'm afraid that knowing what I know now, I'd be unlikely to buy this for Emme. It could simply be that Emme (at 17 months) isn't ready to play independently with it; an older child might be. However, I haven't lost faith in Tiny Love (or Ebeanstalk). I know it generally hits the mark!

Emme Reads With Sophie Dog

2009-08-13T13:54:00.002-05:00

Turn your volume up higher so you can hear better.

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail

2009-08-11T10:52:00.003-05:00

This little critter visited my garden this morning. Pretty!

I'm back from a long blogging break. Maybe. I do more on Facebook now and have gotten bored with blogging. But I have a few posts coming up. I think. No, really I do.

Wordless Wednesday: Best Friends

2009-07-15T06:39:00.001-05:00

A Lovely Summer Day

2009-07-12T07:31:00.005-05:00

We had such a nice summer day on Saturday, the kind of day that makes you truly appreciate the season.

We started off with a morning wagon ride in the park, which included a trip around the pond (unfortunately, it's having a full-blown algal bloom, so it's incredibly stinky, gross and toxic) and time for SophieDog to socialize with some of her friends. Then Emmerson and I headed to the farmers market, since we haven't been there yet this year. My main mission was to get strawberries, but unfortunately, it also was the mission of half the city, and alas, there was nary a strawberry to be had by the time we arrived mid-morning. But we did stock up on some other treats, including raspberries, potatoes, zucchini, broccoli and some cranberry rhubarb bread. Emme really enjoyed the crowds, the musicians of various flavors (from accordian to guitar) and the odd Things from what was (hopefully) a Seussical promo. Then it was lunch and a too-short nap for Emme, as I had to wake her so we could gather up some friends and road trip to the zoo.

The girls (both adults and little ones) had such fun together. Because we arrived later in the day, the zoo wasn't crowded, and some of the animals were getting ready for feeding time, so we had a few special up-close encounters:

The zoo has a little "farm" area, so the girls could make friends with the goats, cows, pigs, chickens and other animals straight out of Old MacDonald:

Poor Delaney! One goat was especially fond of nibbling her hair:

We headed to the tropics, which included a gorgeous gibbon area:

The zoo closes at 6 p.m., which seems very early to me, but perhaps they need lots of time to feed the animals and get them into nighttime enclosures? But it was perfect timing to feed our own little bunch.

The girls were all so good the entire time! But after car rides and being in strollers for a few hours, they definitely had energy that needed unleashing, so after dinner we went to a park for an hour or so, where the girls could run amok, and run amok they did.

What a sweet moment:

Uh-oh, could be trouble!

Emme's version of red rover, red rover, send Emme right over!

Delaney turned 18 months and Emme 16 months that day; Sophia is on the brink of 20 months. The girls are at an age now where they enjoy each other's company (though the gap between Sophia and Emme is still a bit wide in some developmental areas.) It's so fun to watch them interact. Several, times, they started "singing" together, or clapping, or yelling.

It won't be long and they'll be having slumber parties!

New & Improved

2009-07-07T08:58:00.004-05:00

Miss Emmerson is doing much better! Her blistered mosquito bites are healing with bacitracin and the awful swelling around her left eye has nearly completely gone away thanks to the steroids and benadryl. (BTW, I guess I'm fortunate that the benadryl has the sedating effect on her, and not the hyperactive effect!)

She is having a blast with her grandparents and loves being the center of attention. And of course, she's not being spoiled at all.

Emme's vocabulary has continued to expand like crazy the last several days. I guess she's at the point where, sadly, I'll no longer be keeping track of all her new words. I remember how exciting those first few words were, and while each new word is still fun and exciting, I can't keep up, and she also says new words to others, so I'm not even aware of them all. If she starts speaking Spanish or Russian, though, I'll make a note of it and start looking into early admissions. A few more of her recent words:

Sarah (Cousin Sarah, that's YOU from your pictures!)

Mask (my dad has some African masks in his office that she loves looking at)

Good girl

Pizza (or, pizza pizza pizza!)

Doggie

Meow

Growl (she "growls" at Sophie Dog)

Yes (usually it's "no, no, no," though)

B*tch (yes, that's really what it sounded like, although hopefully not what she meant!)

Emme has also become an escape artist. She knows how to open the (unlockable) screen door to the deck and backyard at my parents house, so off she and Sophie go! Those two are going to be trouble together! I'm hoping that she doesn't become one of those toddlers you read about on CNN who are rescued by a motorist on a highway two miles from home! Uh-oh!

Here are a couple pictures from the neighborhood picnic my parents hosted yesterday:

The Morning After

2009-07-05T14:03:00.005-05:00

This is what poor Miss Emmerson woke up to:

Yep, it worsened over night, and her eye was completely swollen shut. And a couple other mosquito bites on her forehead had blistered, apparently in a reaction to the topical antibiotic cream! Since we are out of town, we went to an immediate care clinic near my parents' house. We had efficient, friendly service, and Emmerson got some steroids and benadryl. Hopefully nothing will get infected and she'll now recover quickly.

(P.S. She weighed in at 23 pounds.)

Happy (?) Fourth!

2009-07-04T21:41:00.006-05:00

We're usually enjoying a large family reunion every 4th of July, but this year there was no family reunion, so Emme and I just had a ~~quiet~~ celebration with my parents. My mom's birthday is also July 4 (!), so at least we get to share this special day.

But poor Emmerson has been attacked by blood-thirsty mosquitoes, and it's not pretty. I'm a little concerned about the swelling, especially around her eye, which got worse throughout the day today, and the appearance of the bites on her forehead, which seem a little weepy. They are very itchy and bothersome to her, and I don't think that helps the situation. I've been applying antibiotic cream and hydrocortisone cream and am keeping my fingers crossed that the morning brings some relief for my girl. (If you have any experience with this kind of reaction to mosquito bites, please feel free to comment or email.) She's also working on teeth #10 and 11, and perhaps 12, poor thing.

Things started out not looking too terribly bad:

And then the mosquito bites on her forehead started swelling up:

Now we just call her Rocky:

My poor Rocky!

Last June Update

2009-06-28T21:04:00.015-05:00

Just call me "Hollywood:"

Nora and Emme. Emme has a love-hate relationship with poor Nora (11 mo):

Emme enjoying a favorite book in her beanbag chair. The book was from the Dolly Parton Imagination Library:

Emme going down the "big kid" slide at the park, nearly giving me a coronary (thankfully friend Jenn was at the bottom to catch her and Shawna at the top to help her down):

Emme at our local nature center, a block away from us:

Wha a cutie (this is the bench she fell off of last night, landing on her forehead on a paver):

Mayhem, trying to get a group shot of a herd of toddlers:

Virtuosos:
The Piano

Emme Update

Emmerson is enjoying a language burst. She is also getting more teeth. And the poor thing has fallen smack onto her forhead three (!!!) times now in the past week or so onto rock and cement. It's helping me get over my head injury paranoia because after a few moments of crying (her, not me), she's fine.

Emme is literally saying new words every day. But usually when I try to prompt her, I get the silent treatment. Here's what she's been saying in the past couple weeks, including as recently as this morning, when she said "wow" several times after I said it.

Wow

Kitty

Emme

Car

Auntie (what the kids call her daycare provider)

Puppy

Poppy (this is when I tried to prompt her to say Pops)

Keys

Bye-bye

Hot

No (usually said as "NO!!!")

George

Uh-oh

Mama

Mommy

Pool Party

2009-06-21T21:58:00.005-05:00

We went to a friend's for a pool party, and the kids all had a great time.

Although Shawna's backyard was loaded with lots of fun toys and pools, Emme and some of the other kids felt some sort of magnetic attraction to the neighbor's yard, and I was constantly having to fetch my errant child! I think as a new walker, she's just enjoying being free range!

Emmerson planted herself at the top of the slip-n-slide.

As if all that wasn't enough, even more stuff was brought out.

Some of the cuties dined al fresco.

George!

Get out the safety gear, kids, Mama's driving!

Happy Father's Day, Pops!

2009-06-21T10:14:00.002-05:00

Saturday Roundup

2009-06-20T12:43:00.012-05:00

Emme is mainly walking now. She still isn't a fan of grass on her skin, so prefers walking on the cement. Of course, most of the time she's trying to actually run, which about gives me a heart attack. Indeed, she took her first face-first plunge onto the cement driveway the other night, with a sickening little thud as her forehead made contact. But after a few moments of tears (her, not me), she came away with only a small welt, certainly nothing that slowed her down.

I'm thinking about getting her one of these:

Actually, I may get her a toddler bike helmet, like a Giro Me2. Maybe then I'd feel comfortable letting her ride her toys on the cement! Yes, I have a probably abnormal paranoia about her hitting her noggin on the cement and suffering a brain injury.

I did break down and get Emme a pair of Crocs (thanks to Jenna for some advice, too!). I was having the hardest time finding a pair of lightweight, breathable outdoor shoes. I was letting her run around barefoot most of the time, but she had a couple incidents involving bloodied stubbed toes, so that had to change. But as a relatively new walker, she was a little off balance with clunky shoes on. I spent more money than I care to admit trying to find "cheap" but good shoes and finally ended up with the Crocs -- had I just bought them in the first place I'm sure I would have saved money (I don't even own a pair for myself!).

Emmerson is obsessed with the car (SUV) right now. She repeats the word "car" constantly, and usually along with that the word "guk," and I have no idea what she's referring to. When we're outside, she always makes a beeline for the SUV and wants to touch it. She is again saying "geedah" (some relatives will remember that, however it's spelled) when she's happy or likes something. She loves lounging on poor Sophie Dog. She still enjoys eating fish of all kinds and adores meatballs. And she loves her wagon rides in the park, reading books, pretending to feed her baby dolls, pretending to talk on the phone, grabbing whatever electronic gadgets she can get her hands on in the blink of an eye, Dan & Cindy's wedding music/picture DVD that Pops made, getting a reaction out of me, stairs, tot-sized chairs, her bear chair, bear rug and her beanbag chair, and ... George, of course.

Here are some recent pictures of Emme.

We went to the zoo recently with friends.

We've been having playground playdates.

And we've been enjoying quality time at home, both indoors and out.

Wordless Wednesday: Me And My Shadow

2009-06-17T09:20:00.001-05:00

"Who Is She Supposed To Be With?"

2009-06-11T21:45:00.004-05:00

After dinner this evening, I took Emmerson to a large, popular local playground to meet up with friends for a little playdate. As I held Emmerson's hand and we walked around the playground waiting for our friends, a little boy about 7 or 8 years old came up to us and asked me a question. "Who is she looking for?" he asked. "Pardon me?" I said, because I wasn't sure what he meant or if I had heard him correctly. "Who is she supposed to be with?" he asked.

And then it dawned on me. Here I was, a white lady holding the hand of an African-American baby at a playground with quite a few black families (as well as Asian, Indian, etc.). He just thought she was lost. "She's with me," I told him. "I'm her mom." "Oh," he said and trotted off, completely satisfied with the answer. The little boy was also African-American.

Our exchange is interesting for so many different reasons! What do you think?

15 Months!

2009-06-11T12:08:00.003-05:00

My sweet "little" baby Emmerson is 15 months old today!

She had her 15-month checkup a couple days ago and weighed in at 22 pounds, 9 ounces (48%) and measured 31.5 inches long (82%).

The baby who once never put anything in her mouth, including toys, is now putting everything in her mouth (including dirt). The baby who had a rocky start feeding herself is now learning to eat with a spoon and fork (and counts all kinds of fish among her very favorite foods). The baby who rolled over late is figuring out ways to scale furniture (and just this morning tried to climb into her crib to fetch a favorite blankie). The baby who was the queen of the crab crawl is now walking all over (but still avoiding grass on bare skin if possible). The baby who has always talked nonstop is continuing to talk nonstop (and now with many real words).

In other words, Emmerson is perfect as who she is, exactly the way all babies are.

Wordless Wednesday: "Say Cheese!"

2009-06-10T09:06:00.001-05:00

Off And Running

2009-06-06T21:09:00.004-05:00

Hopefully soon we'll see the end of this:

Yep, holes in one knee, thanks to Emmerson's crab-style crawl. Now that she's outdoors so much, she can wear a hole in the knee of a pair of pants in just one day.

But now that she's serious about learning to walk, maybe we won't be going through so many pants anymore!

Emmerson has been working on her walking for quite a while now, and she could walk but for two things: 1) Lack of confidence, and 2) Mainly she tries to run and not walk! If she'd slow down, she could nail it. This is what's really holding her back -- she's like a horse out of the gate. In the last week, she has finally started walking without being lured in to it by the TV remote (so special to have) or some other highly desirable object waved in front of her. Now she just does it because she knows she can.

As her mom, I find this series of three videos just so funny and cute.

Off And Running

Wordless Wednesday

2009-06-03T11:13:00.001-05:00

Favorite Photo Friday: Exploring With Gramma

2009-05-29T22:22:00.002-05:00

It'SNOT Funny, Mom!

2009-05-26T22:00:00.004-05:00

We've invented a new facial rejuvenation product. You rub it all over your face at night, then sleep on it. Let it harden to an impenetrable shell. Scrub off in the morning. (Discard the washcloth promptly.) Enjoy smooth, silky skin. Repeat nightly as long as you have a steady stream of product. It'SNOT something we'd mislead you about.

Happy Memorial Day Weekend!

2009-05-25T07:05:00.001-05:00

(At a Memorial Day parade, Emme's first parade.)

Fountain Of Youth

2009-05-23T09:15:00.003-05:00

Fountain Of Youth

Outdoor Fun (Picture Round-Up)

2009-05-21T21:11:00.008-05:00

Some pictures from the last several week:

We had a barbecue with several other local adoptive families in early May, with a total of 9 babies under about 2.5 years old. Group shots are no longer as easy as they were when we could plop the babies down next to each other and they wouldn't (couldn't, that is) move. Can you pick out Emmerson? (We'll be adding to this group of babies very soon!)

My little toughie!

What do you do when the temperature reaches an unseasonably high 95 degrees (and hopefully the last time we'll see the 90s all summer!). Break out the water table ...

... and peel off the clothes

And then you buy the baby a picnic table with a water play area:

You go for wagon rides with your little friends, like almost-10-month-old Nora:

You just chill out.

You steal a quiet moment with a cherished friend.

You catch the breeze in your new swing!

And you stay outside until the sun sets on another wonderful evening.

Wordless Wednesday: My Beautiful Girl

2009-05-13T21:19:00.003-05:00

14 Months!

2009-05-11T22:12:00.003-05:00

This series is back by popular demand!

Nine days:

Four weeks:

Eight weeks:

12 weeks:

Four months:

Five months:

Six months:

7 months (and a few extra days to grow on):

8 months:

9 months:

10 months:

11 months:

12 months:

14 months:

Mother's Day 2009

2009-05-10T20:41:00.004-05:00

Emmerson and I enjoyed a low-key second Mother's Day together, following the departure of my own mom after her ~~extended~~ short visit. We played in the yard, tooled around in her wagon, walked holding hands, chatted up the great-grandparently neighbors (who obviously didn't realize how big Emme is getting when they each had to lift her up, and then took a few steps backward to regain their balance, as if they'd just lifted a 40-pound sack of mulch), and simply enjoyed a casual, albeit quiet, day.

The poem below epitomizes the relationships created through adoption:

Once there were two women who never knew each other.
One you do not remember, the other you call Mother.
Two different lives shaped to make you one.
One became your guiding star; the other became your sun.
The first one gave you life, and the second taught you to live it.
The first gave you a need for love. The second was there to give it.
One gave you a nationality. The other gave you a name.
One gave you a talent. The other gave you aim.
One gave you emotions. The other calmed your fears.
One saw your first sweet smile. The other dried your tears.
One sought for you a home that she could not provide.
The other prayed for a child and her hope was not denied.
And now you ask me, through your tears,
The age-old question unanswered through the years.
Heredity or environment, which are you a product of?
Neither, my darling. Neither. Just two different kinds of Love.

-Anonymous

Emme in her wagon:

Ewwww ... grass

Check out the hole in the jeans! (Result of "crab crawling.")

I would argue that Emmerson gave me life and taught me how to live it.

In Honor Of Birthmother's Day

2009-05-09T22:09:00.002-05:00

A Few Steps Forward

2009-05-07T21:28:00.002-05:00

Emmerson Walking

Picture Update

2009-05-05T20:35:00.009-05:00

We've been very busy in recent weeks, and I've been particularly tied up by a major freelance project in addition to my regular job, so I haven't had much time to devote to the blogs -- mine or others. I'm just going to throw together a bunch of pictures, with a quick little update on Emmerson.

Emmerson is continuing to thrive, grow and change almost daily. Grandma is here on a 10-day or so visit, and Emmerson is just soaking up the attention and keeping poor Gramma hopping. Gramma is certain that she heard Emmerson say some new words today: tree and wagon. Emmerson literally babbles nonstop, talking as if she is telling stories, or jokes, or just making general commentary, and she's incredibly entertaining, although most of what she says is completely unintelligible. Emmerson also is making great progress on her eating challenges and is now able to feed herself right on target for her developmental range. I love this age. She is so much fun. She loves to cuddle, she loves to be outside, she loves to dance, she loves to read books to herself, and she loves to try out new expressions and vocals.

OK, on to a few pictures.

We had a "zoo" playdate with friend Sophia:

Emmerson loves her new cozy polar bear rug!

A local park sign:

Mealtime!

Emmerson also loves her new beanbag chair!

A hot air balloon passed right over our neighborhood.

Emmerson's new wagon (blogger keeps rotating the photo on me, despite all of my efforts to correct it).

Emmerson likes crawling all over poor SophieDog these days.

Enjoying a pleasant evening outside.

Favorite Photo Friday (Actually A Video)

2009-05-01T10:57:00.003-05:00

There's not much sweeter than belly laughs from a baby. In this case, Gramma was shooting "pop-it beads" at Emmerson.

"Hello, Mr. Operator?"

2009-04-27T21:55:00.003-05:00

*Who can come up with the best caption for this photo?

"One Small Step For A Baby; One Giant Step For Babykind"

2009-04-21T21:47:00.004-05:00

Yes, baby Emmerson has taken her first step. Yes, it was just one step. But it's the step that's going to launch a thousand steps. She did it of her own free will, without encouragement or luring or enticing. She just let go of the chair she was holding on to and took a step to me and promptly fell to her knees and grinned an enormous grin, with her four teeth and two incoming teeth. That rite of passage to toddlerhood is about to be conquered!

I've already heard a million comments about how hard it will be to keep up with her once she starts walking -- and then running. But I keep thinking about how happy she will be to get her sea legs.

She's at that awkward 'tween stage now: Not a baby, not a toddler. She is fighting over everything for her independence. Her dirty diaper must not be changed, her dirty top must not be changed, her jacket must not be put on or taken off, baby food must not be fed to her by spoon. She must not be touched, moved or manipulated without her say-so. Yet, she loves her hugs and cuddles, she loves her blankie, her George; she wants to eat with a fork but doesn't know how and flings it to the floor in frustration; and she clings to her last bottle of the night -- and yes, I'm very happy to oblige (almost) all of this.

Really, most of us are at some awkward 'tween stage or other for so much of our lives! And some of us are there permanently.

Adventures In Dining

2009-04-19T10:05:00.002-05:00

Favorite Photo Friday: Flashback Friday

2009-04-17T13:49:00.002-05:00

Off To Pasture

2009-04-16T12:23:00.003-05:00

I've been forced to retire a batch of SophieDog's tennis balls. They served us well, but now it's time to say goodbye and round up a fresh supply. Anyone care to guess how many were retired in this batch?

Today's Garden: Cleaning Up

2009-04-13T10:55:00.000-05:00

Gardening season has finally started here!

Early in the season last year, I had fooled myself into believing that I was on my way toward creating a low-maintainence, country-style garden that would require nothing more than routine weeding and that would grow lush and beautiful in a complementary rainbow of colors, textures and sizes. As the season wore on, I realized that it simply wasn't coming together as I'd envisioned -- my gardens didn't look like what I was seeing in the gardening magazines that kept crowding my mailbox.

Some of the mistakes I made:

Spontaneous buying without careful thought about where the new plants would fit

Not thinking far enough ahead about larger changes that I might someday want to make or be forced to make (such as someday adding a privacy fence or having to re-do the ungainly rock border the previous owners installed that has been steadily sinking into the earth)

Not mapping everything out on hard copy first

Believing big box center store employees who know nothing about gardening

So where do we stand today, this second (full) week of April? Let's look out front first, to the gardens along the front (east-facing) and north side of my house.

Pruned and sheared:

I took a knife to everything and pruned, pruned, pruned and sheared back to the ground. I'm not certain everything I pruned or sheared should have been pruned or sheared, but that's where we are today. I didn't realize just how many different plants and flowers I had, and for some of these I don't recall the exact variety (but when I find time, I can go through all of the plant information thingies (that's the scientific name) I saved):

Astilbe: Goatsbeard

Ferns, including ostrich ferns

Hostas: Gingko Craig lavender blue; sunpower

Gayfeather

Black-eyed Susan

Daisies, including Shasta

Heuchera coral bells

Sunrise coneflower

Mums

Hydrangea Limelight

Dwarf bee balm

Cat mint

Yucca, Adam's needle

Russian sage

Threadleaf coreopsis

Creeping phlox

Barberry golden nugget

Clematis

Left alone:

Dwarf burning bush

Rhododendron

Crabapple tree

Where's the color?

There's not much to show for all the hard work yet. Everything is still brown, for the most part. It doesn't help that we are actually quite short on rain. We've had only about 1.5 inches in the last 6 to 8 weeks, and none in the last couple weeks. I have already done some watering -- seems too early in the season for that, but the bulbs were thirsty!

Here's a pre-shearing glimpse of my Russian sage, which got quite leggy and woody last season:

At least my yard doesn't look like the local nature reserve, where a massive controlled burn was just done because of overgrowth from invasive species, like buckthorn.

What's blooming:
There are a couple spots of color besides brown out front, but they're so small that they really get lost, since they are simply planted in a circle around my crabapple trunk.

Lady Beatrix Stanley Iris:

Katherine Hodgkin Dwarf Iris

What's starting to poke through:

Mix of tulips

Winter aconite

Here's a sneak peek of the winter aconite:

Where are my:

Early snowdrops

I don't know! Maybe they didn't survive this especially cold and snowy winter? I know I barely did.

Happy Easter!

2009-04-12T08:38:00.004-05:00

Uh-oh! Here comes ...

The real, live Easter bunny!

13 Months!

2009-04-11T20:39:00.003-05:00

I almost forgot that Emmerson turned 13 months old today! If I wasn't so tired as I write this, I'd talk about how much Emmerson continues to change on almost a daily basis and the estimates of some friends that she'll soon be walking. But I'm too tired so will only post a few pictures and save more for another day.

Wordless Wednesday: Got Yogurt?

2009-04-08T08:20:00.001-05:00

"What Does A Cow Say?"

2009-03-30T21:10:00.002-05:00

Distractable little Emmerson's version of "What does a cow say?" (You'll see that she does know it.)

Toxic Waste Dump & Other Misc. Items

2009-03-29T13:25:00.011-05:00

I've been super busy lately with a big project that's taking a lot of what free time I have, and I absolutely must have some down time at night -- no computer since I work on one all day long. Sometimes that down time isn't coming until 11 p.m., which is too late but still worth the R&R!

Anyway. On to the baby and other miscellaneous things. You'll have to wade through the whole thing (or skip ahead, I guess), to see Emmerson's exciting developments and the not-so-exciting news about the toxic waste dump.

The birthday girl!

We had a wonderful birthday party here at home for Emmerson, following the one at the grandparents' house. We had a sundae bar, and it was delicious -- lots of toppings, ice cream, cupcakes, and other fixin's. It was so nice to have some dear friends here to celebrate with us, including seven kids under about age 2.5 years. It was wild, but the after party was even more wild.

I didn't even bother to give the birthday girl ice cream or a cupcake, but she still managed to make quite a mess:

"Triplets:" Delaney, Miles, Sophia (not sure where Emmerson was to create the quads)

Braids!

As Emmerson's birthday after party was winding down, Shawna decided it was time to braid Emmerson's hair for the first time. Kudos to Shawna for doing a super job while the witching hour of 8 p.m. loomed and Emmerson got a little squirrely. But both of them held up well, and the braids were adorable. It took a surprising amount of time and work to comb through the braids several days later. Can't wait to see what Shawna does next! I never did get good shots of Emmerson's braids, so these will have to do:

Uh-oh!

Emmerson sustained her first (I say first as if there'll be more! Let's hope not!) bloodied lip this past week. It happened when she fell at "school" (our word for daycare). It was just a minor injury, thankfully, but she still has a scab on her lip. This picture is from the same day, when the injury actually looked better than it did in the following days.

Nature hike!

The weather has been decidedly un-spring-like, but since SophieDog and I were going stir crazy, I headed out for a nature hike with her one day. It's amazing how much joy a hike can bring a dog. We have certainly not gotten out much this winter, with lots of snow, ice and below-normal temperatures. Our average temperature in February was a miserable 8 degres. Yes. 8.

Pipsqueaks!

On Saturday morning, we met a couple friends for a little playdate at Pipsqueaks, a local indoor play ground. It was cute, and not overly crowded when we arrived. I think Emmerson enjoyed it but will like it better when she's walking. It's in a converted gym and has play areas for infants to kindergarten-age kids, with lots of soft climbing areas, slides, ride-on toys, and even a mini merry-go-round.

At first blush, it might seem like Sophia is just stretching here. But no, she was stuck. Not sure where her mama was, ahem! (Don't worry, I freed her after the photo op.)

Bear chair!

I couldn't resist getting Emmerson this Land's End chair, since it was marked down to half-price. It arrived Friday, and Emmerson absolutely loves it! When I showed it to her after school Friday, her eyes got so big and round.

A belated milestone

Emmerson is doing great and continues to thrive. But as the months marched on and her first birthday came and went, I became increasingly concerned about her inability to feed herself, and about her somewhat frequent choking and gagging problems when eating. I gave her lots of opportunities to self-feed at every meal, putting Cheerios and puffs and assorted other easy-to-grasp finger foods on her tray. All she did was sweep everything to the floor or crush the bits between her fingers. I and other family members showed her how to pick up the pieces and put them in her mouth and guided her hand, to no avail. She never put anything into her mouth.

In fact, she has never even put any hard toys or other objects into her mouth. Ever. Nothing. Except for her blankets and stuffed animals. She has never put toy keys into her mouth, cars, a rattle, or the other odds and ends that litter the floors. I was slightly concerned but at the same time grateful that I could perhaps worry less about choking hazards. But as time went on, Emmerson also made no effort to put food in her mouth. I began thinking she might have some sort of oral or sensory disorder.

I had a lengthy discussion with our pediatrician this past week at Emmerson's 12-month check-up. He encouraged me to do what we had been trying all along. He wasn't overly concerned, especially since she has been able to drink out of a straw for well over a month and loves drinking from a regular cup -- two things that are advanced for her age. But he did suggest contacting him within a month if Emmerson wasn't self-feeding yet and we'd get some speech/language or occupational therapy evaluations set up. It was a long doctor appointment, with five shots for Emmerson to boot! (As a result, I opted to skip the lead and iron blood screening.)

We got home at dinner time, and as usual, I plopped Emmerson in her booster chair and tossed some Cheerios on to her tray -- and she started feeding herself! Apparently the threat of more medical visits was enough to trigger her urge to self-feed. Granted, she wasn't very good at it initialy, and she grow very frustrated very quickly as more Cheerios fell on the floor than made it to her mouth. But over the last several days, her skills have continued to improve dramatically. Just this morning she fed herself scrambled eggs, bananas, Cheerios and toast!

I think, however, that I've created a monster, as Emmerson now is more demanding of feeding herself. Thankfully, she has always been a good eater and continues to be, and once she's had a chance to feed herself for a while, she gladly lets me take over. By the way, she weighed in at 21.5 pounds and measured 30.5 inches long.

Toxic waste dump!

Also at our doctor appointment, I talked to the doc about Emmerson's apparent allergy or sensitivity to carrots, squash, sweet potatoes and other possibly related vegetables (are there others??). I told him about Emmerson's last bout of near-diarrhea like diapers for 8 days and some others before that, and noted that when I cut out everything but bananas, rice cereal and formula, she got better. When I added back in the suspect vegetables, she got dramatically and quickly worse. Well, the good doctor told me it would be highly unusual to have an allergy to these particular foods and was likely coincidental. He convinced me that because they are such nutritious vegetables, I needed to add them back in to Emmerson's diet.

So for lunch today, I gave Emmerson some sweet potatoes mixed with mac 'n' cheese. About a teaspoon's worth, if that. Immediately after lunch, it was time for her nap, and I spent almost an hour trying to get her to sleep, which is highly unusual for my normally very good sleeper! I eventually got her out of her crib, gave her some milk and put her down again and went outside to do a little yardwork, checking on her periodically. An hour later, I could still hear her babbling and kicking her crib, so I went into her room to give her a stern lecture (kidding), and I almost keeled over from the stench. Yes, Emmerson had a toxic waste dump. And it had crept up her back, too. No wonder the poor thing couldn't sleep -- she had a toxic brew percolating in her gut for two and a half hours, and it finally exploded! I cleaned her up and decided to try once again to rock her to sleep. She was virtually unconcious within 30 seconds, feeling much better, no doubt.

So when your mom instinct is telling you one thing and the doctor is telling you another that doesn't sound quite right, go with your mom instinct! I wish I had. We don't need another toxic waste dump here. No more carrots, sweet potatoes or squash for Miss Emmerson!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

2009-03-17T16:03:00.005-05:00

"A Ladies Tea" Birthday Party

2009-03-16T09:29:00.007-05:00

Emmerson's first birthday party was "A Ladies Tea." My mom (and dad) hosted the tea party at their house and did a fantastic job. Other family who are visiting from out of town also pitched in to help make the party fun and memorable, including Gran Fran, Cousin Sarah and Aunt Ya-Ya. My mom spent hours embroidering what will become an heirloom tablecloth for Emmerson to celebrate all of her future birthdays with -- and everyone added their own touch by signing it!

We had a wonderful time with family and friends to celebrate this very special day with us! We wish all of our family could have been here but are grateful for those who were able to make it. We enjoyed punch, breads and spreads, "one" cookies, a delicious fruit platter, cupcakes, cream puffs, and, of course, tea, plus more. Emmerson was in a great mood and was such a ham. She basked in all of the attention and had us in stitches.

Here are some pictures from the special day.

My mom embroided this snapsuit for Emmerson. Adorable, isn't it? (This was actually taken on a different day but is too cute to not include here.)

The treat bags:

Part of the birthday spread:

Cookies in the shape of the number one:

Mints in tiny teacups:

The birthday cupcakes, made with help from Emmerson's cousin Sarah, who is soon to turn 8:

The delicious fruit platter:

Emmerson enjoying one of her gifts from Gramma and Pops, a tot-sized chair:

Emmerson's lovely entourage!

The baby cake!

Not a fan of the baby cake! This is the first time Emmerson has been offered anything sweet like this. And she didn't really care for it, despite encouragement from the "big girls," Gramma and others. That's OK by me. I'd prefer she not develop the sweet tooth that I have!

As the sun set on a beautiful day, Emmerson and I stole a quiet moment to enjoy swinging and reflect on our good fortune.

Thank you all for helping make this such a wonderful birthday -- and a wonderful first year!

The One-Year Update

2009-03-14T20:31:00.007-05:00

Just a little update on Miss Emmerson, mainly so that I can remember these days, since time is moving forward so quickly. I'm saving the best for last here.

Hangin' on the deck:

Birthday celebrations
We are sort of in the midst of a week-long celebration of Emmerson's first birthday, since we are fortunate to be spending time with family and some of our dearest friends. Emmerson does have two upcoming birthday parties, the first tomorrow afternoon, hosted by my mom, and the other in a couple weeks. I know they'll both be so much fun. Our bloggy friend Jenna designed Emmerson's elegant and charming invitations through her Etsy company, Ella Bella Designs. Jenna donates 20 percent of her proceeds to Operation Smile, so be sure to "tip" her well! We can't wait to celebrate with everyone!

Eating
Emmerson had been eating great, up until the past couple of days, that is. She likes just about everything. Including dill pickles, as I recently discovered when I let her try one. Lasagna is also a favorite. Unfortunately, she still doesn't feed herself. In fact, Emmerson rarely puts anything at all in her mouth, and I think the two must somehow be related. I'm just not sure what the issue is. She has been able to pick up small objects for quite a long time, so that's not it. She just doesn't put anything in her mouth, except for her soft blankets and stuffed animals. No food, and almost no toys or anything else. Not sure what to do about this, or if anything needs to be done. She learned to drink out of a straw the other week and loves it. She has been able to drink out of a cup for a while and also loves to do that. But a sippy? Not so much. I've thankfully discovered what I think has been the source of some tummy troubles -- carrots, squash, sweet potatoes and similar vegetables. So those are now banned! I began adding whole milk to some of Emmerson's bottles yesterday, but I'm in no rush, and given all her previous illnesses, we are going to go slow with the transition away from formula. That's OK by me. I don't want her growing up so fast!

Teething
I think Miss E is teething again. The drool has started again in earnest. The chewing on her blankies and her fingers has started again in earnest. And she's been a little bit crankier and not eating food well the past couple of days. She still has four teeth. I'm not sure which are going to be coming in next, but the next one seems imminent.

That drool!

Playing
Emmerson still loves whacking, pounding and banging objects. The more noise she can make, the better. She loves dancing, too, and music. She is often full of wild energy. She loves her ride-on toys and is now able to make them move, usually backward but she's learning that she can use her feet to move forward, too. She can climb off of them (she still needs helping getting on them) and can climb onto a little child's chair. She loves cords, my computer, the telephone, and oh, does she ever love, love, love the remote control. She also loves George and her little Elmo doll. She recently became fascinated with the hairless patch on Sophie Dog's tummy. She is a ham and looks around to make sure that all eyes are on her when she's screaming. She loves playing with her cousins Nick and Sarah. For a few days recently, she developed a dislike of her once treasured bath. Nothing ever happened, she just started intensely disliking it and screaming as if in terror of being in the tub. But with some distraction and fun, she got over that, thank goodness. She also loves having the shower turned on while in the tub.

Walking
No walking yet, at least not without holding on to someone's fingers. But Emmerson gets around very well and easily by crawling. Although she's mainly doing a normal crawl now, she does sometimes revert to her cute crab crawl.

Walking with Aunt Ya-Ya:

Talking
Emmerson has always been a huge babbler. She babbles nonstop and almost always has. She has a lot to say! But now - surprise - she's saying real words! She has said "mama" for a long, long time (not always to me, of course). Then, at 10 months, I thought I heard her say "baby" a few times, and this was soon confirmed by others. In the past couple of weeks, Emmerson has begun intently watching my mouth, and that of others, when talking to her. She started trying to imitate words, and although I could really only get a hint of what she was trying to say, the number of syllables was indeed correct. And then, by George, just the other day, clear as a bell, she said it - "George!" Given her love of Jockey bear George, it was a natural, of course. Only thing is, she loves to say George so much that she uses the word pretty indiscriminately right now -- although she does seem to apply it to her favorite people, including my dad and Aunt Fran, or favored objects. And then, holy cow - another word just yesterday: "Uh-oh." And she says it over and over and over, trying out all sorts of intonations. I know -- I need to get it on video.

12 Months!

2009-03-11T20:24:00.005-05:00

I've enjoyed documenting Emmerson's growth, but this update will mark the last of our month-by-month pictures with Sophie Dog. I may try for a yearly photo update. For now, we are going out with a bang. Emmerson has had a tremendous growth spurt lately, as you'll see when you scroll down. I just can't believe how much she has changed and grown lately!

Nine days:

Four weeks:

Eight weeks:

12 weeks:

Four months:

Five months:

Six months:

7 months (and a few extra days to grow on):

8 months:

9 months:

10 months:

11 months:

1 year:

OK, just kidding. Here's the real 1-year picture (she is still getting pretty big, isn't she!):

Look Who's 1

2009-03-11T08:33:00.004-05:00

(More to come)

Sneak Peak Of Birthday Photos

2009-03-10T20:10:00.005-05:00

In honor of her first birthday, Emmerson had a professional photo shoot a few days ago. Here are a couple sneak peaks of my beautiful little baby.

Our friend Shawna made the adorable tutu, and my mom made the adorable top.

Almost One!

2009-03-08T15:47:00.002-05:00

This Is Now

Problems With Adoption Tax Refunds

Exposing The Adoption Fraud In Vietnam

Privacy Act

1 To 2

Wordless Wednesday: Cozy

One Month Old!

"Sleeping On Bare Earth"

Wordless Wednesday: Loving Her New Computer

FDA Backpedals, Now Says To Limit Infants' Use of BPA Products

The Girls

Favorite Photo Friday

Sisters!

Wordless Wednesday: Heap O' Bacon

7 Days Old!

4 Days Old

It's A Girl!!!

******** WE BELIEVE!!! ********

Wordless Wednesday: Picture Postcard Pretty

Favorite Photo Friday

Like A Kid In A Candy Store

Snow Fun!

One Happy Puppy!

Favorite Photo Friday: Meeting The Jolly Old Elf

Variations On The Sit-N-Spin

Future DWTS Contestant?

Happy National Adoption Day

Celebration Time

20 Going On 24

Reading Buddies

This Could Be Interesting

Favorite Photo Friday

Not-Quite-Wordless Wednesday (H1N1 Strikes Again)

National Adoption Month 2009: Foster Care Adoption

Happy Halloween!

Jockey Celebrates National Adoption Month

So Tell Me ...

A Little Early Trick-Or-Treating

Tweet, Tweet

Wordless Wednesday

Fall Fun

The Looking Glass

Favorite Photo Friday

First Fall Hike As A 19 Month Old!

Time Keeps On Slippin' ...

Favorite Photo Friday

Little Miss Serious

What Do You Think?

18 Months!

Beach Scenes & More

More On The Beach

Life's A Beach!

Finally, More Pictures!

Review: Tiny Love Sort N' Learn Pelican

Emme Reads With Sophie Dog

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail

Wordless Wednesday: Best Friends

A Lovely Summer Day

New & Improved

The Morning After

Happy (?) Fourth!

Last June Update

Pool Party

Happy Father's Day, Pops!

Saturday Roundup

Wordless Wednesday: Me And My Shadow

"Who Is She Supposed To Be With?"

15 Months!

Wordless Wednesday: "Say Cheese!"

Off And Running

Wordless Wednesday

Favorite Photo Friday: Exploring With Gramma

It'SNOT Funny, Mom!

Happy Memorial Day Weekend!

Fountain Of Youth

Outdoor Fun (Picture Round-Up)

Wordless Wednesday: My Beautiful Girl

14 Months!

Mother's Day 2009

In Honor Of Birthmother's Day

WE BELIEVE!!!

Look Who's 1