Merry Christmas!!!

Today was Sarae's first Christmas and the best one I've ever had. Family and friends were so incredibly generous, that at one point this morning she refused to open any more gifts. The pictures show the desk that Santa brought her and the "laptop" that I bought her. I'm hoping this keeps her off of my computer - we'll see! This year I decided to make Christmas dinner from scratch instead of doing my usual Boston Market run. Let's just say making Christmas dinner with a 1 year old and two dogs who refuse to leave the kitchen (due to the good smells coming from the oven)was a bit challenging. I am exhausted so I'll sign off here. We are hoping that you all had a wonderful Hanukah, Merry Christmas, Happy Kwanza or any other holiday you may celebrate!

Getting ready for the big day!!!

Sarae is starting to talk more and more. Dec. 11th she told me, "Mama, I wu yooouu" (translated - Mama, I love you)! Very exciting day for me. She also says "Ho-Ho-Ho nary ismis (translated - Ho-Ho-Ho Merry Christmas.) While she absolutely loves seeing pictures, ornaments, etc of Santa, she sobbed hysterically when we attempted to take a picture with him. She still cries when she initially sees men and as you all are aware - Santa is a man. : ) Hope everyone is managing to get ready for the holidays (if you celebrate Christmas) without getting too exhausted. Love to you all!

Hoping everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Sarae is thankful for her family and friends all doting on her, Cody- always letting her sit on him, Elmo, Barney, the Doodlebops and that one of her favorite people, Butch, Tia's boyfriend, came home from college for Thanksgiving. I am thankful for Sarae, Buddy, Cody, all of my family, all of the special people in my life and pecan pie (I think I ate a whole one myself!). After Thanksgiving, our friends, Angelo and Helena lent us their beach house so Sarae and I headed over. Butch and Tia spent the afternoon with us as you can see in the pictures. Hoping that you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving and will enjoy the remaining holidays. Love to all!

Back Home to Virginia

Sarae and I took our first trip(since coming home from China)together. She did great on the plane ride and we met lots of nice men in the airport who will always offering to help us with our luggage. Chivalry isn't dead after all! The weather was crisp, the leaves were turning and as always, the food is yummy! We stayed with my good friend from first grade, Michelle and her family, for the first three days. Sarae loved Megan and Jack (Michelle and Eric's children) and the feeling seemed to be mutual. Jack is already planning a trip to Florida within the next month : ) Next we headed down to the Durham's house where Mrs. Durham made Sarae's favorite dinner - spaghetti. Spaghetti on her face, in her hair, spaghetti everywhere! Saturday we had a Rolyart Road reunion. Sarae loved the animals at the Durhams and even had a little bit of a temper tantrum when I made her come inside (she was freezing). All the "girls" that grew up on Rolyart along with husbands and kids all got together on Saturday. It was so much fun. We also went over and visited Mr. Titus who is still cracking jokes at the age of 86. Duff, Lisa and Becca came over for Sunday dinner and I believe Sarae fell in love with Duff (don't we all though?!). Lisa made the most amazing Chocolate, Bourbon, Pecan Pie. I think her's is better than IndianField Tavern's was. Sarae loved everyone she met and at times, preferred their company to my own. Since I love them all I know how she feels. She slept the entire plane ride home to Orlando and was so tired last night she actually climbed into her crib herself and fell asleep - something she has never done before!

Happy Halloween!

Sarae's Halloween did not go quite as well as I had hoped. She had a doctor's appt and was given 3 shots, but she seemed to think the lollipop made up for it. While at daycare she also took a face dive and got a bloody nose. Luckily no damage done. I had to work late so we didn't get to meet Leslie and her kids for trick or treating. We did get to go see Tia at her work during her break. Tia gave her a Elmo basket filled with Sesame Street characters that she loves. We then rushed to Sea World for their Spooktacular. We got there at 7:15 and the park closed at 8:00 so I carried Sarae and ran/walk to the other side of the park where the trick or treating would occur, only to find out they had already stopped handing out candy. The good news is I got my aerobic and weight lifing work out and Sarae enjoyed seeing the other kids in costumes, listening to the music and dancing and seeing the baby dolphins. Hope everyone had a wonderful Halloween! Sarae was the cutest Elmo ever!!!

What a weekend!

Saturday we went to Green Meadows Farm with the local FCC (Families with Chinese Children). It was great. Sarae got to hold a baby duck and a baby chicken. We got to run with the pigs, goats and sheep, milk a cow, ride a pony, ride a train and go for a hayride. Sarae really got into it, she even decided to sit in the pens with the animals and stomp in the pee puddles (I guess she got them confused with mud puddles). At the end Sarae went to the pumpkin patch and got to pick out her own pumpkin, the only stipulation was that she had to be able to carry it herself. Sunday, we joined our friends Auntie Manal and her beautiful daughter Olivia. Olivia has the longest eyelashes I have ever seen! We went to the Character Breakfast at the Grand Floridian (hotel on Disney Property). We met Mary Poppins, Tigger, Winnie the Pooh, Alice in Wonderland and the Mad Hatter. Sarae liked everyone except the Mad Hatter. She has a tendency to cry whenever she sees men and that ran true for the Mad Hatter. All in all it was a fun-filled weekend!

I'm in a big girl bed!

The night Sarae turned 19 months, she celebrated by climbing out of her crib and landing spread eagle, face down on the carpet. Luckily she was not hurt, just scared I think and perhaps the wind got knocked out of her. I was hoping she had learned her lesson, but this weekend she tried to climb out again after naptime, but Tia was there to catch her. So I changed her crib to a toddler bed. She is delighted and so far hasn't tried to crawl out of it.

In the past month our friends Helena and Angelo invited us to their beach house so Sarae had her first visit to the beach. She loved it. She ran giggling into the water and even getting knocked down by a wave didn't dampen her enthusiasm. When she had enough of the water, she ran around chasing the seagulls and other birds.

Sarae said her first sentence, "Bye, bye birdie". Whenever she hears laughter she will join right in. She's beginning to talk and gesture with her hands and then will throw back her head and start laughing.

She's going to be Elmo (one of her all time favorite characters) for Halloween and I'll try to post those pics soon.

Hope everyone is having a great fall!

Look at my new boots!

My sister Lynne and her husband came to visit Sarae, bearing many gifts of course. Since they are from Texas, one of her gifts was a pair of pink cowgirl boots. Sarae loves the way they sound when she walks down the hallway. Sarae started daycare at a friend's house. There is one other little girl there all week with her and a 4 year old a couple of days and a baby one day. Although she cries when I drop her off, she seems to be adjusting well. She is definitely worn out from playing as she has been taking 3 hour naps there and even did the same here during the weekend. Before, I was lucky to get 1 and 1/2 hours from her. The last picture is Sarae vegging in front of the television. Sarae and I had a busy Labor Day weekend with chores around the house, working in the yard, washing the car and visiting our friend Coleen and her husband Ryan in Gainesville. Hope everyone had a wonderful Labor Day weekend!

It is HOT, HOT, HOT!!

I thought it was just me, getting older and not tolerating the heat as well, but according to the paper, we've actually broken some records. Some friends have been kind enough to invite Sarae and I over to swim in their pools and Sarae loves it.
Sarae also loves popcorn, thanks to Tia and Butch. She demands it for breakfast, lunch and dinner so I have to hide it in the cabinet so she can't see it. Cody, my black dog, continues to be her best pal. The picture of her and Cody watching T.V. is a daily occurance. The picture of all three of them on my bed is what happens whenever I go to change my sheets - suddenly everyone has to get on the bed and no one understands "Get down". I love the picture of Sarae in her bunny robe, reminds me of the pig hat her Aunt Heidi Ho gave her in China. Hope everyone is staying cool! Love, Sarae, Cody, Buddy and Colleen

Yes, I'm on the potty!

Exciting news- Sarae is starting to go potty on the potty! For those of us that change her diapers, this is very exciting. Sarae continues to do well, she has grown an inch and a half and gained about a pound and a half since we came home. She still loves fruit, veges and pasta. She loves animals and will squeal when she sees them. As you can see from the photos she is a great help around the house. Can't start them too young on their chores : ) Tia and Butch were nice enough to come over and put on a fireworks show for Sarae on the fourth of July. She loved them and clapped after each one. You can see Butch and Sarae in the last picture. She seems to have a little crush on him. When Tia, my mom or I ask her for a kiss, she will often shake her head no and laugh, but when Butch is around, she has no problem giving kisses. Smart girl!

AGHHH!! Back to work!

Well, I knew it had to end and I officially started back to work this past Monday. My niece Tia and my mother are watching Sarae for the summer and everything is going smoothly. By the end of the week, Sarae had adjusted fine to my being back to work. I'm amazed by how much she has learned in the past three months. She can now twirl around, say "Wow", point to her toes when you ask her where her toes are, will take keys to the front door in an attempt to open the door, give kisses, yells "hey" at the dogs when they start barking (I do this in an attempt to get them to quiet down) and sits on Cody (our black dog) when he lays down. It's already warm so we have spent some early afternoons playing in her water table. She has great upper body strength and can actually pull herself into it and pretends it is her pool. She also likes to crawl into the kitchen cupboards to pull out even more containers. I've always said that Sarae reminds me of a boy with her high energy level, climbing, running and bouncing. Don't know if you can tell, but in the last picture, she is sleeping with a remote in one hand and her drink in another - just like a man! : )

Baptism and Sea World

Sarae was baptised on April 22nd and didn't even cry when she was doused with water 3 times. Lots of friends and family were there to watch and then came over to shower her with more gifts at the house. Sarae also went to Sea World for the first time. I was worried she would be too young to enjoy it, but she loved it. She especially loved watching the dolphins in the underground viewing and made the other people laugh as she pointed and talked to them (the dolphins). She also kept calling them dada, still haven't gotten around to that talk : ) There's a new Sesame Street show and when she saw Elmo, Ernie, Cookie Monster, etc. she stood and screamed at the top of her lungs - very cute. Hope everyone is managing to stay cool - it's already in the high 80's here in Florida.

Take care!

Easter

Sarae attended her first Easter Egg Hunt last weekend. She was actually satisfied with just one since when she shook it, the candy made a rattling sound. She now mimics (or attempts to) what you say back to you. She holds up her phone (or the remote) to her ear and pretends she is talking on the phone. She is waving bye-bye and nodding yes (she shook her head no from the beginning!). She loves Buddy and Cody (the dogs) and is generally more excited to see them in the morning than me. As you can see from the picture, she and Cody tend to get in trouble together as well (they have torn up a pillow). Hope everyone is doing great!