Home ONE YEAR!!

Wow!! How have we been a family for an entire year? I know, that's cliche of me to say, but I really can't fathom where the last 12 months went. Well, actually I can. They were spent changing diapers, learning to color, playing outside, going to the allergy clinic, visiting Daddy at work, going to Grammy and Pawpaws house, trying to go to church, doing post-placement paperwork, and....the list goes on. Life fills in the spaces in between the "big" stuff happening and we (I) get caught up in the daily go-go-go. Sorry I haven't actually posted since July. Oops.

Emma will be 2 in another month....that is hard to believe as well. She is, if you don't mind the honesty and a little Mommy bias, growing into a beautiful and smart little girl. She is strong, more resilient than I will ever be, and will never have a problem telling you "how it is". She is going to become a strongwilled but compassionate woman as she grows up and I am so proud of her.

She has chores that she does around the house, with Mommy's help. She feeds the dogs and helps me take them out. She picks up their bowls after they eat. She wipes the table clean with WetOnes after she finishes eating, and she puts her drink cup in her sink. She is very willing to help and do things AS LONG as we let her do it her way and in her own time. What was that about strongwilled? Yeah I thought I was pretty accurate with that. Her speech has really flourished in the past two or three months, and she is speaking in mostly two-word sentences and occasionally she will string three together :) Her sentences go something like this: "Cup me". "Walk me". "Nap me". And the big one...."Go Car Seat". LOL

Lots of people are wondering how we are faring with her allergies, and all I can say is that it is hard work and time consuming but we feel as if we have a good handle on what works and what doesn't. She sees her allergist again in January, although I don't foresee him making any changes then or attempting to retest her so soon. Eating out mostly doesnt work for us, but when we *have to* we order her a plain baked potato and have them bring it to the table still in foil so that we can open it ourselves. Waitstaff are usually very accomodating and helpful and I am always grateful to them for that. Her favorite foods right now are rice cakes, baked potatoes, oatmeal, blueberries and bananas :) she could eat her weight and then some in blueberries.

The rest of our "family life" is pretty uneventful. I stay home with her full time, and we just sort of do whatever works for us that day, and I always try to teach her something new every day. Javier is still full-time at LSU, and studying for his specialty boards that he takes in October. We are all praying he is successful :)

I have tossed around the idea of letting Emma go to preschool one day a week, but I can't make a decision yet. I think she would enjoy it eventually but I am scared of the initial struggle. Plus, I won't have her this age at home for very long....and I'm not sure I am ready to let her go. I know that sounds selfish, and I'll try to leave myself out of the decision but it's so hard.

Well I am sure you are well on your way to sleep after this long and boring post :) I'll try to get a few updated pictures on soon.