Ouch!!

Miss K got going a bit too fast and face-planted on the sidewalk yesterday while we were out for an evening stroll. Poor baby. Lots of blood and swelling, very little damage done, thank goodness. I immediately scooped her up, took her in the house, cleaned her up and gave her a popsicle to try and help with the pain, swelling, and to slow down the bleeding.

Poor baby.




In other news this week, do you happen to notice anything new and sparkly about Kerry's ears??




Take a closer look...

Yep, she got her ears pierced..and she did great.

Having a chat with a doll that my mom made ages ago for me.

Happy Anniversary

Doug and I were married thirteen years ago, today. I can't believe it's been that long, and I can't believe where we are now. Looking, back, I think we really enjoyed having all those years "just to ourselves" but we are soooo happy to finally be able to take that next step and become parents.... and I can't believe what an amazing little girl we are blessed to be parents to. We've always made a great "team" no matter what we're doing and it looks as if parenting is no different with us. We just work together well. We haven't been able to celebrate yet as today was also my first day back to work and Doug wen't back to work over the weekend =( . Happy Anniversary, Doug. I love you, and I'm amazed at what a great Daddy you've become in such a short time.

I think Kerry would agree

Miss K has had a busy few days! Saturday, we walked to the S*nics just outside our neighborhood for milkshakes. Kerry walked all the way to the end of our street, she loves going for walks these days.

If she came across a crack in the sidewalk that had too much grass growing in it, she would stop dead in her tracks and want one of us to pick her up and over it.






Waiting, glassy-eyed, for the next taste of milkshake-y goodness (this picture just cracks me up).





On Sunday she wore a hand-crocheted dress that was made by a sweet lady at our church.


She looked soooo sweet in it

Ten minutes later (that's my girl)
Some of our friends (hi Jess) have compared this one to Tom Cruise's famous "Risky Business" scene =)

Later that day we took a walk along the flood wall near us. She's really picking up the speed these days and every time I would crouch down to take a picture she would come jogging to me like this to be scooped up into a big hug. Love it!

She had her first bon-fire with our neighbors ( she loooves them) And spent some time out at Mamaw's
Still not liking the feel of grass under her feet
Pat-a-cake with Mamaw out on the front porch


Uncle Dale is learning to play the banjo

Looks like Kerry wants to try her hand at it, too.

Kerry's health

Kerry had her first visit with the pediatric cardioligist yesterday. He did an ultrasound and it appeaers she does still have a VSD but he said it is "tiny" and in a good location and that it is very "restrictive" which means that it allows very little blood through to the other side of the heart. He also seems to think that it is not affecting her health at all and that it should close on it's own. So good to hear, and an answer to many prayers. We also got results back on all of the bloodwork and stool samples (well, two of the three rounds of samples he wants to test) and said that everything was completely negative and that, as he suspected, we have "a perfectly healthy little girl". I knew that already, I wasn't really worried at all but it's still good to hear =). I know I keep saying that Kerry is doing great but every day she surprises and amazes me even more. She has been giving Doug and myself unsolicited hugs all day. She just runs up to us with this big smile on her little face and throws her arms around whatever part of us she can reach or just throws her arms up for us to hug her and when you do she squeezes you right back. I love it! She has finally started going to sleep and waking up more "gently". Before she would often suddenly start thrashing and throwing her head back and crying as she tried to fall asleep or if she woke up before she was ready to, which is really the only time she ever gets that upset. Now, I'm not saying that she doesn't have a bit of a temper because she does, but she really seemed to be dealing with something else when it came to falling asleep. But yesterday, and especially today, she fell asleep very easily and contentedly. She also learned two new words today. She learned to say "bubble" while blowing bubbles with my mom earlier this evening, but she says it like "bubbuh" and its so darn cute. She also tries to say "all gone" now but it kinda comes out sounding like " ahh guhhn".

She took her first trip to the Zoo today but I accidentally left my good camera at home and it was naptime so she slept through a good portion of it anyway, so here are some other pics from the last couple of days.

She's finally getting the hang of her "ride on" toys.

Demonstrating how crazy-flexible she is

Giggle-fest

Blowing bubbles with Mamaw

Buh-bye

This past weekend we took Kerry Lu for her first visit to Nana and Papaws place at the lake. She had a great time, for the most part. She really didn't like the annoying but necessary life vest and she wasn't sure about swimming in the lake at first. After we got in and just kinda floated around for a while, though, she relaxed, and nearly fell asleep in the water. She kept sucking on her lake-water soaked life vest (eww). Kerry seems to like to suck on fabric when she's sleepy, and usually falls asleep sucking on her crib sheet (so cute). Anyway, here are some pictures from her first lake visit.

Getting ready for a swim

She kept her little legs wrapped firmly around me and I had to have at least one hand on her the whole time or she wasn't happy.

Aunt Debbie, cousin Sydnie and Daddy(s arm) joined us.

I'm sure I'll like it better next time.

All of that floating was oddly relaxing

Sydnie likes to help Papaw drive the pontoon


And she swims like a little fish

Now this is my kind of fun! Walking laps around the fire-pit deck.

Sydnie is so good with Kerry

Yesterday evening Kerry got to meet Dougs cousin, Kim, her husband Mike and son, Chris. She had a blast and absolutely loved all of them, and I think they were pretty smitten with her,too.

Snoozing...



Just cuz' I looked so cute in my "pigtails" today.

Bath-time breakthrough!

Then...

This poor baby has HATED baths from the day we got her. Sink baths, tub baths it didn't matter. All the bath toys in the world couldn't get this girl happy taking a bath.

Chinese water torture?





Salem always checks on her if she's crying.

Now...

Last night this happened. A happy baby finally enjoying a bath. Seriously, she played in the tub with her toys for a good half hour and only gave a little shiver when I poured the water over her head to rinse her hair. Yay!!!

OH, and I have to share a funny little Kerry story. I was changing her diaper the other night and she decided she'd rather go without so she popped up and went toddling down the hall sans diaper. She stopped only after she slipped and fell in a..umm..little puddle of her own making (we have hardwood floors).

Psst... big post tomorrow about the overnite at the lake and meeting family.

Little Miss had her first checkup today with a pediatrician that I work for. She got four shots and a clean bill of health. Dr Hubbs was impressed with how well she is doing developmentally, cognitively, and just her general physical health. He couldn't hear a murmur but she has an appointment with a peds. cardiologist next week to see if she still has a hole in heart. She screamed bloody murder during the shots (can't blame her) but she recovered quickly. She weighs 22 1/2 pounds and is 30 1/2 inches tall, which puts her 50th percentile on the American growth charts, except for her head which is 75th percentile ( more room for that smart-cookie brain of hers). After that we had to make a trip to the local childrens hospital for bloodwork just to rule out some things due to her status as a "foreign adoptee". I had to hold the poor baby while they drew blood from her little arm AFTER he finally got the butterfly needle in right. I also had to...um..collect some stool samples. Yay me. I can't believe we've been home for a week now. Kerry really seems to be thriving and is such a special girl. We are head over heels for this kid. She is so smart and friendly and happy. She's tough, too, she recovers quickly from falls or head bumps... or medical procedures, like todays. She makes this cute squinty smiley face or does her "peek-a-boo"when she meets someone new, and it's an instant heart melter. They all fall for her hard. She still says "uh oh" about a thousand times a day (usually accompanied by a purposely dropped object) and has even said in her sleep or as she's waking up, which she did earlier (so cute). She loooves her glow worm and smiles and giggles and does her squinty face at it while she's in her crib going to sleep. She now wakes up smiling...when allowed to wake up on her own without prodding. Love it!

On another note I am having a blast with this new camera. I can't wait to learn more about what this baby is capable of.

Showing off her bandages and ID anklet

Trying to climb up onto the window sill

Made it!

If I stop feeding her to...say... take a bit of my own meal, I sometimes get this =)

She agreed to a few outdoor photos after dinner. Mama wanted to play with her new camera.

I love this smirky little grin