Come & Gone

Here is the new "do!" Not too different at all.

June 1st has come & gone. I've made it. I have survived 46 years, 6 weeks by 4 days.

I'm still worried but I don't think I'm as scared as I have been. David has been edge & asked me about how I was feeling. Actually, I feel fine. A little stressed, but other than that nothing is bothering me.

Yay me!

So what did I do to celebrate? I cut off my hair. Actually, I didn't cut it all off - just 6 inches. I still have enough hair to put into a decent pony tail. I spent the last 2 days trying to find a place to go. I have some clients who wanted to work with my hair, & I thought about it. Then I realized that being as picky as I am with my hair, I didn't want to worry about "What if I don't like what they do?" I ended up walking into a Hair Cuttery telling the stylist to cut my hair to just below my shoulders. I didn't even flinch!

The Infamous Jump Split

Photo Sharing - Video Sharing - Photo Printing

David wasn't able to be in class when Erin got her gold star for a perfect split. This is what he missed.

It Happened So Quickly! (Saturday, 2/21/09)

During Saturday's karate class, so much was going on that I didn't think to have my camera out & ready to snap away. (Bad scrapbooker! Bad scrapbooker!)

One of the goals that each student has is to achieve a full split. When this is accomplished, the student gets a gold star for their gi. Erin jumped in the air & landed in a split! Sifu & Mrs. Crisman were in shock. And Erin? She just kept doing it! With the biggest smile on her face.

Daddy will be sewing her gold star onto her gi this evening so she can show it off in class next week.

From Orange to Purple in an Hour (Monday, 2/23/09)

First you sit & wait to be told to get onto the mat.

Then you kick with all your might.

(And a whole bunch of other stuff that didn't come out on mommy's camera.)

Then you get this!

Your purple belt.

Congratulations Erin!

Mama & Dada are so darn proud of you!

They Heard Us! They Heard Us! Our Vote Rocked the World!

I couldn't stay awake last night. By 10:30 I was exhausted. It had been a full day at the bank with work & talk of the election. David & I had planned on ordering dinner in so that we could concentrate on the election coverage. I spent the evening watching the coverage & IMing with my friend Lisa. Like so many Americans, we were waiting to see what would happen. Well, I couldn't handle it anymore & went to bed.

Sometime around midnight, David came in to wake me up with the news. We have a new President - Barack Obama. I went back to sleep. And at 3:00 am I woke up & asked David if I had heard him correctly. He wasn't happy at being woken up but sleepily said yes.

When I woke up this morning, it was with a smile. Of course I am also crying here.

The People have been heard. The country has realized that it really is time for change. No longer do we have to listen to someone telling us that there are no problems with the economy. We have an incoming president who understands that there are problems - and not just with our economy.

History has been made. Congratulations President Elect Obama!

She Eats Peas!

Woo hoo!!! She ate them!! David & I walked away from the dinner table while Erin was still sitting there eating. (She takes forever!) When David turned around, she was eating peas by the forkful, & I mean a real forkful not 1 or 2 peas on the fork.

He looked at her like she'd grown a 2nd head or something & the conversation went like this:

David: Are you eating peas Erin?

Erin: Yes (smiling with huge grin on her face)

David: Since when?

Erin: I don't know.

Me? I'm happy. Now she can't look at me & say "I don't do green!" By George, I think we've made progess. Yay!

Kindergarten Graduation (6/5/08)

Ready to go! I didn't even have to bribe her to wear the dress. She was just thrilled to have the headband from Jolene.

The graduating Kindergarten of 2007-2008

Getting ready to walk.


Erin's friend Lauren

Walking

Finally! The proud graduate! She worked so hard this year. We couldn't be prouder of her.

I don't think I could say anything else to convey how proud we are of you Erin Chelsie!

She reads! She reads! Holy cow! She reads!

Erin has a very extensive library of books. When I had my baby shower, the girl who gave it for me asked everyone to bring a book so Erin could have a library. Jenn knew that both David & I are avid readers & wanted to intill a love of the written word in Erin as young as possible. Before Erin's first birthday, she had about 50 books. Unfortunately, she never liked to have either David or me read to her. She preferred to "read" her books herself. This usually meant that she would look at the pictures, tell us a story that she saw & turned the pages.

This evening Erin asked me if she could read a book to me. Of course I said yes. I was prepared for her to stumble through the book & get frustrated with the words she doesn't know. One of my favorite books that I've been waiting for her to read is Green Eggs and Ham. It's also one of her favorites. There was a week that I had to read that book to her about 5 times a day every day. She just really got it.

Well. My girl can read! Erin read Green Eggs and Ham to me tonight. She did a great job! I am so proud of my little reader! May she continue to read & develop the same love of books that her daddy & I have!

You Go Girl! Again!

She's done it again! Erin has amazed me beyond words today. I don't know why I'm shocked though.

Last night Erin decided that she doesn't want to have a nightlight on in her room anymore. I thought for sure that she'd change her mind, get up in the middle of the night & turn it on. Nope. Not only did she leave it off, but she also fell asleep & stayed asleep till this morning. BTW, she's trying it again tonight. I wonder if this will be it. Will she fall asleep easier? Will she stay asleep? I hope so.

This morning Erin told me in the car that she was going to do something special for her daddy's birthday. She wanted to make a birthday card for him so I told her that he would love to get a special card just from his little girl. When she came home tonight, she gave him a birthday card that she made in aftercare. She must have told her friends because one little girl who she's really friendly with made David a card also.

Tonight we ordered dinner in for David's birthday. He worked late & then had to pick Erin up because I was supposed to have a meeting which would last until 6:15 - 6:30. (Yay! We got out early!) Anyway, I was going to stop off at the grocery store & pick up birthday subs (yes we have made subs a weekday birthday tradition) but when I say it was pouring, I mean the heavens above opened up & just let it all come down. And, of course, the lightening was pretty nifty too. That said, we ordered in. Erin asked for miso soup again along with her shrimp tempura roll. While she didn't finish either the roll or the soup, we're pretty impressed.

Okay Erin. Here's your "High 5!"

Mama Can I . . .

. . . please take a shower!?

Are you picturing me falling down in utter shock? You should. Something seems to have clicked for Erin in the last 2 weeks. This child who looks at a bathtub with fear in her eyes & screams when it comes to putting her head in the water, has become a shower loving person.

Last week, Erin asked me if she could take a shower. I thought about it & said sure. After all, she'd never asked for any contact with water before so why not give it a try. I turned the water on, & she walked into the shower like nothing had ever happened before. My little girl sang to herself & danced all around the shower while scrubbing herself. She shampooed & conditioned her hair with no assistance, turned the water off, got out & toweled off on her own.

Erin has been asking to take showers every day twice a day now. Does that mean her terror of water is over? Or is it only with showers? Who knows? Who cares? My little girl is happy. Yay!

School Pic - Fall 2007

Do you know what I had to do to get Erin to wear a skirt!? BRIBE her! For a week before her school pictures were taken, I told Erin every day that she would have to wear a skirt for the pictures. That morning she thought she'd outsmart me & got out her normal shorts. Ha! Momma still has some tricks up her sleeve though. I told her she could wear the shorts, but then she wouldn't get a special dessert that night - a chocolate sundae. Erin will do anything (except eat veggies) for a chocolate sundae. Mind you she's never finished more than half of her serving, but still the chocolate runs through this child's veins.

Qualifying for the Yellow Belt

Erin started taking karate at school just under 3 months ago. I wasn't sure we should that we should attend the ceremony but in the end David & I decided that it would be okay. Mr. Richard, the instructor, told us that although Erin had only started a few short months ago, he was amazed by how much she really wanted this & how focused she is. Huh!? Who is he talking about? Surely not my daughter! Boy was I wrong. Erin made us so proud today when she qualified for & received her yellow belt.

Erin Graduates Pre-K at Temple Beth Am

Last night my beautiful girl graduated Pre-K! We had to be there with the children by 6:00pm. The program was supposed to start at 6:30 but didn't get going till 6:45. While we were outside wondering where Erin was supposed to be, her teacher the marvelous Miss Ethel came & took Erin with her to get ready. I cannot sing Miss Ethel's & Miss Monica's praises loud enough. They are 2 amazing women who are totally dedicated to teaching young children - not just their ABCs & 123s but also how to be good people.

As we waited outside, I got to talking with the mother of a girl who will be in Erin's camp bunk this summer & Kindergarten class come August. Michelle & I met last week at my office & got to talking. Anyway, it was nice to have someone to chat with while we waited since if it was only David & myself, a box of tissues wouldn't have been enough.

As we were seated in the sanctuary, I thought back to the day we received Erin's referral. That picture showed me a glimpse of the child who I had been waiting for all of my life - Erin. As I thought back, I realized that Erin was like a blank slate, a blackboard with no writing. Then I remembered the day we were joined as a family. Erin still didn't have a clue what was in store for her - a loving, supportive family & many friends.

Each year that Erin has been with us, I am always amazed by her. She is a beautiful, caring, loving child. If there is a baby around, she zeroes in on that baby. Her only concern is that the baby isn't lonely or doesn't need anything. In school, if a classmate needs assistance, I am told by Miss Ethel & Miss Monica that Erin is the first one up to help out.

David & I are so proud of Erin's accomplishments. The baby who couldn't sit up when we adopted her, now is on her way to flying through life.

Mazal Tov Chuchie! Mama & Dada love you - a whole big bunch, always & forever, no matter what!