A trip to the pumpkin patch

As you can see from the pictures, we went last Thursday to the pumpkin patch. There were tons of pumpkins to be had, and Alex had a few ideas in mind, even some she couldn't lift. But after about 30 minutes of searching we found Alex the perfect pumpkin. She was really excited about the pumpkin patch and we had fun. We went on a hay ride, went through a sunflower maze, had doughnuts and cider, and even stoped to play in a huge barn full of hay. Next on the agenda is getting the pumpkins carved.

Alex and Gracie

Here are some pictures with Alex and her China sister Gracie. We are fortunate to live close to a few of our China families and we have seen them a few times since coming home. I think it is important for these girls to know each other and see each other. Alex always has a great time with whoever she sees and so does Mommy and Daddy.

Gracie with her Mommy Kay and her Daddy Harold

Adventures in Potty Training

Well here is a cute picture of Mommy and Alex on a good day.

We recently had lunch with our Chinese family-- Harold, Kay, and little Gracie. (pictures to follow). Gracie is one month older than Alex and is using the potty pretty good so I asked Kay if Alex could watch Gracie use the potty. So the 4 of us piled in the big stall at Champps and we made a great fuss about Gracie using the potty figuring monkey see monkey do. So the next day I put Alex in big girl panties. We didn't have any luck in the potty but she told me when she had already peed in her panties and on the floor and on the carpet. So our babysitter has been working with her and the potty and in just a few days Alex has almost mastered the potty for her. She went all day yesterday with no accidents even during nap time. Well , of course, with Mommy it is a different story. She will sit on the potty but won't go and then last night she peed on the floor in Bob Evans. I was trying to decide if the right thing to do was slink on out of there and no one would know or ask for paper towels and clean it up. Of course I did the latter. When I asked for the paper towels the girl gave me a look like what do you mean she peed on the floor. I was like -- she's 2 she had an accident. Then we proceeded to go home and she basically had a temper tantrum for 2 hours. Yes-- you read that right-- 2 HOURS. She only does this for me most of the time. Right now she is at Nana and Pop Pops and will probably go on the potty for them. She is something else that's for sure. I am going to get my hair done today-- I need to cover the gray I've gotten in the past 2 days from temper tantums and peeing all over.

On a brighter note-- our girl is talking more. She is learning more words everyday. The other day she was eating with a fork and one of the tines broke and she said-- Mama bro (her version of broke) and pointed to the fork. I thought that was awesome. We were also at the store and she picked up an outfit and said -- Mom -- coot (her version of cute). I just laughed and laughed and am amazed that she uses words in the correct context. She is just growing up so fast.

Poser

We were at Longaberger just hanging out for a few minutes and Alex started making all these faces. I grabbed my camera really quick and she continued to pose and I just kept snapping shots. She had me laughing so hard. I especially love her silly face which is the one where she is pulling either side of her mouth. This was toward the end of the day with about a 20 min nap on board and I think she was thinking -- is this woman ever going to take me home.

Longaberger

My friend Stephanie and I and our girls recently went to the Longaberger Homestead with a big group of my family. We had a great time. Here are a few picture of Alex and Audrey. Aren't they just darling. They are so cute together. I love the hand holding when running.

Baltimore

Alex and Mommy recently went to Baltimore Maryland to visit Mommy's brother Uncle Scott and Aunt Tracey. They are having a baby and we went there for their baby shower. Here are a few pictures from the weekend. Alex traveled great. She had her own seat on the plane and stayed buckled in her seat belt the whole flight. It helps that she loves to play with and wear seat belts. She travels really well. We are so lucky in that department.

Log In Date

All right now for my input (Todd), Does anyone realize how kick ass this is??? I don't know if it is normal for you to send out your dossier on the 7th and have your LID on the 11th, but I think it is pretty kick ass. I know that doesn't do anything for the whole referral thing, but that was quick. Let's just call it something to get excited about, we could possibly have our 2nd child this time in 2009, It's not impossible you know. I think right now the wait from LID is about 18 months, and I honestly think that the wait may speed up just a teensy little bit, but you know how it is "expect the worst, hope for the best". So I will put in my best guess right now for a 15 month wait and we will see a December 2008 referral, just in time for my birthday. Call me crazy, but I just have this feeling. Well see..............Let the waiting begin.

Today we received our log in date for baby #2.
It is 9-11-2007. This is the date the Chinese
government will go by to give us a referral for our baby.
We know we have quite a wait but at least all the
paperwork is completed.

Our Little Ham

This is a favorite picture from vacation. Our little ham cracking us up

Not adoption Related, but FUNNY

I know that this has nothing to do with adoption, but man is Michigan's loss Saturday pretty funny. I bought this shirt a couple of years ago and I really thought that this would be a good time to share it with everyone. I will be surprised if Lloyd Carr has a job at the end of the season. NO BCS title this year. HAHA. #5 my ass!!!!

GO BUCKEYES!!!!!

Dossier #2 is on it's way

Believe it or not, #2 is on it's way to FTIA (Families Thru International Adoption) and hopefully will arrive Thursday. We are truly hoping that they get it Thursday and ship it to China on Friday. Faye seems to think that they ship them on Fridays to China. Everyone keep your fingers crossed that it goes this Friday and the process will speed up just a little. It doesn't hurt to hope does it? Faye and I were discussing the other night that the wait from our LID will be about 20 months (currently), wow that is a long time to wait. I keep hoping now that they have weeded out some of the potential adoptive parents that the process will speed up just a little. Now don't take that the wrong way, I don't agree with some of the reasons for some people being turned down, but I am hoping now that there are less applicants, maybe there will be more babies.

I cannot wait to be a dad again, Alex has been such a blessing and I cannot wait for her to have a sister. Someone to play with, someone to show the ropes to. I am curious as to how she will react to having someone to share all of her stuff with, right now she really doesn't like to share. But then again what 2 year old does? We are figuring that Alex will be about 4 when we get our referral, I hope she understands why she has to stay with Nana and Pop pop for a couple of weeks. I hope my parents will be able to handle it. Thanks in advance Mom and Dad. I also have a great babysitter, so she might be able to give mom and dad a break a couple of days a week.

We still haven't figured out a name for #2, we have a couple that we are leaning toward, but nothing official. We were going to go with Addison, but my brother in law snapped that up, so we have to come up with something else. Faye has a bunch of names that she likes, but I don't like many of them. We could do something crazy and auction off naming rights on E-bay (JUST KIDDING) I think that someone did that a couple of years ago if I'm not mistaken.

As you see from the pictures below, we just got back from the beach in the Outer Banks for North Carolina. It was a really good trip and Alex loved the water like usual. Alex is a water bug. Faye organized this big beach house full of people and we all had a good time. I cannot wait until all the kids are a little older so they can really enjoy the beach. Alex like usual showed no fear when it came to the pool. Sometimes it makes me nervous, but I am very careful when she is around the pool. I can't wait to do it again, hopefully next year.

Well that is about all for now, just thought I would update you on all the is happening around here and let you all know that we have sent the dossier. Todd>>>>

Alex and Isabel

This is my friend Denise and her daughter Isabel. Alex loved Isabel . They were very cute together

more Outer Banks

The house we stayed at in Corolla

Outer Banks

We just got back from vacation in the Outer Banks, NC. We had a great time. The above picture is the group of us that went. It was aweseme.

Outer Banks, North Carolina