Eight Months With Molly

Hard to believe, but we have already had eight months with Molly. I don't know how time has a way of moving so slowly through the hard parts of life and so quickly through the good stuff.

In a blink of an eye, Molly has changed from a baby to a toddler. She has developed such a sweet, funny and compassionate personality. Watching her blossom has been the most amazing journey that I have ever been on. And to think, I get to watch this process for the rest of my life.

I thought this would be a great opportunity to once again document some of Molly's life. Here is a random list of some of the milestones and memories of Molly.

• Molly has 12 teeth--6 up top and 6 down below. We have had the pleasure (ha!) of seeing (and hearing the whines) each little tooth come in ...one...by...one. Poor Molly. Teething has not been easy on her. How many teeth do kids get? Wait, don't tell me. Ignorance is bliss.


• Molly's favorite toys: Her babies and doll carriage. She has logged more miles with that carriage that I have put on my car. She loves all of her babies and hugs and kisses them all of the time. I've got to admit that it is pretty cute. Every morning before she leaves her crib she has to make the rounds, giving all of her babies kisses.


• Molly is really into the kissing and hugging thing. In addition to her babies, she kisses and hugs all of the cute animals in her books. Yep, picks the book up and kisses and hugs the page. Let's hope she scales back a little on the kissing before she hits her teen years!


• Molly's favorite foods: Woo-woes (noodles), cauliflower, pretzels, and anything they are sampling at Costco. I can't tell you how many different things she has devoured in Costco, only to turn her nose up at them at home. I think that I will begin feeding her while standing behind a big stainless steel cart, wearing a hair net.


• Molly's favorite book: No More Monkeys Jumping on the Bed. She loves to act out the momma calling the doctor and the monkeys bumping their heads.


• Molly has perfected the whine. Of all the things to be good at, my child picks this one. Luckily she only does it when she is sick. But with 5 sinus infections under her belt, we have got to hear more whining than we would like. Here is what it is like on a sick day at our house: Molly starts out in the morning with a quite whimper, by midday she builds into a groan, and by evening she crescendos into full out, non-stop, fingernails-on-the-chalkboard whine. It is truly lovely. Thank God for antibiotics.


• Molly's favorite song: The Hoky Poky. She screams with delight whenever she hears it. She'll go running to the closest thing that she can use to balance herself so that she can lift her feet and shake them all about. Watching her do the complete dance never gets old. Completely adorable!


• Molly's favorite activity: Swimming. Another squeal with delight moment. She starts the squeal as soon as we drive into the YMCA parking lot and continues until she is in the water. This cracks up everyone at the Y. Nothing like being the center of attention while you are wearing a bathing suit. I guess that isn't a big deal to her, but hey, I am the one holding her. I'd rather not have all eyes on me while I am wearing anything made of spandex!


• New things Molly dislikes: Her car seat, coat and bib. I used to feel so lucky when I would see other people struggling with their kids on these issues. I now am feeling their pain. Is there anything more frustrating that having a kid go stiff as a board when you lift them up into their car seat?


• Molly's favorite holiday: It's gotta be Christmas. The whole Santa and present thing is over her head, but she loves all of the decorations. If we are having a bad day, I stop at the Home Depot and we walk up and down the Christmas decoration isle. Her eyes get a big a saucers as she points and squeals at each and every item. Does this mean that there is a giant inflatable snow globe in our future? Ack!!


• Molly loves her shoes. She can put on and take off her own shoes and socks. Just ask her, she'll gladly show you. She also shows off her shoes to anyone (and I mean anyone) she meets. The first thing she does whenever she sees someone new is to bend down and point to her shoes. Don't know what that's all about. Her absolute favorite shoes are her Crocs. She doesn't understand how I can be so mean when I don't let her wear them when it is 20 degrees outside.

There are many, many more things that I could write about Molly. It is the most incredible experience to watch her grow. We must have done something right, because we have been blessed with the most amazing child!

Giving Thanks

When you are adopting from China, you have plenty of time to sit around and think, imagine, fantasize, (and obsess) about everything. Each holiday while we were waiting for Molly, I would shed a few, okay--a lot, of tears because she wasn't with us. I would think about her being half way around the word laying in a crib without a celebration, without parents. It broke my heart. This holiday we have Molly and finally, all seems right with the world.

Because we are finally a family, I really wanted to spend the holiday at home; start our own holiday traditions; cook a big turkey dinner for my baby. Not that Molly would eat any of it of course (unless I found some way to make a Ramen noodle turkey). So this year, for the first time in my married life, I cooked a huge Thanksgiving feast. Cooking is one of my favorite hobbies so I was in Pre-indictment Martha Stewart heaven.












The day before Thanksgiving we found out that our next door neighbors were also staying home for Thanksgiving. They would be celebrating with their daughter later in the week. At the very last minute we invited them to share our meal with us. They accepted and we couldn't have been more thrilled. Somehow sharing a meal with friends turns food into a celebration. We thoroughly enjoyed their company. They are very special people and we are so glad that they are our neighbors and friends.













As a holiday surprise Molly even ate turkey! She sucked down piece after piece of dark meat like there was no tomorrow. Of course, she hasn't touched it since, but on Thanksgiving she ate my turkey. She made her mommy's day. She also managed to smile, laugh and play all evening, despite her sinus infection. What a trooper.

























The day after Thanksgiving, we had Tony's family over. We spent the early evening at the Zoolights exhibit. Molly was still sick, but we bundled Molly up, put the weather shield on the stroller and showed her the sights. She loved it, even though she was so bundled she couldn't move!















I had a big of Minestrone soup waiting on the stove for us when we returned from our cold outing. Mmmm...soup! Molly's cousins ran her ragged, and she loved every minute of it. She was laughing and screaming with joy all night long. The adults pretty much sat around the kitchen, talked, stuffed ourselves with soup, leftovers and pumpkin cheesecake and enjoyed each other's company.

Ahhh, the holidays! Ahhh, the memories! And to be able to share this special day with our daughter made it the best Thanksgiving we've ever had. We are truly thankful.

Happy Thanksgiving

What are we the most thankful for this Thanksgiving?

God is is great and we are incredibly blessed.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Tis the Season for Giving

Tony gave it to Molly. Molly got it and gave it to me. Now I've got it, too. Unfortunately the thing that everyone in our family is giving to each other is a cold.

I got a case of laryngitis with my cold. Tony got a chest full of congestion. Molly got another sinus infection. Well, that won't be diagnosed until we go to the doctor in about an hour, but look at her poor face. Her sinuses are so swollen it doesn't even look like her. Yikes!

We will be hunkering down at the ol' homestead for a few days, trying to recover before Thanksgiving. The pot of chicken soup is already on the stove.

Here's my question...Tony and I look like death warmed over now that we are sick. How can Molly still look so stinking cute? Ahhh, If only I could be young again.

The Things That You Don't Want Them to Learn

Why is it that the things you do want your kids to learn you can teach a bazillion times and they never seem to get it, and the things that you don't want them to learn they figure out on their own in about 5 seconds?

Hey look, Daddy's outside.

I think I'll join him. Now, how am I going to get out there?

Let's see... All I've got to do is pull this chair over to the door to stand on....

...flip the deadbolt....

...turn the knob and I am outta here!

Modeling Her New Fall Fashions

Here's Molly looking oh, so cute! in some of her new fall clothes. Although I couldn't abandon pink all together, I did manage to include some other colors this season!



No pink to be found at all...



Just a little pink here...



Now for some serious pink action!