Shhh...

... it's NAP TIME!


G'night Emma...

G'night Abi...


G'night Sam...


G'night Ruby...


G'night Ebenezer...

Time to pick up what's left of my little apartment,
it kinda looks like a WAR ZONE! ;)
But I don't mind, they all had a GREAT MORNING!!!

More later!

*smile*

Somebody PINCH ME!

Cuz I KNOW I'm dreaming!!

MY BABIES ARE HERE TODAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


YIPPEE!!!!

I LOVE YOU ABI!


I LOVE YOU EMMA!


I LOVE YOU SAM!


AND I LOVE YOU RUBY~!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



THE FOUR CHILDREN WHO I LOVE MOST ON THE PLANET ARE ALL HERE TOGETHER UNDER MY ROOF AND HAVING A BLAST!!!!!!!!!!!!

Man, am I LUCKY or WHAT?? I FEEL LIKE MY HEART IS GOING TO BURST RIGHT OUT OF MY CHEST I JUST LOVE ALL THESE KIDS SO MUCH MUCH MUCH!!!!

What a difference a year makes...

Sept 7th, 2004: Ruby is born in Jiangxi province-Nanchang, China
Sept 7th, 2005: I receive her Referral and fell HEAD OVER HEELS IN LOVE!

Jan 31st, 2005: My Official LID
Jan 31st, 2006: Ruby is officially WALKING ALL BY HERSELF!

It's amazing to me the difference a year makes...

Sometimes milestones can come sooner than a year; for instance... when Ruby was handed to me in China on Nov 20th, 2005, she could barely crawl, she merely dragged her lower body with her hands scratching & clawing at the floor in desperation to become mobile. Poor thing, she looked like a soldier on maneuvers...

Within the first few weeks, I taught her to crawl... then within the next few weeks, to pull herself up and 'cruize' holding onto things... baby steps, right?

Then, just yesterday, my girl decided it was high time to just take off & get shit done, so off she went!
No more holding Momma's hand out of necessity, now it's out of desire & love, not desperation or fear.
She's walking ALL OVER MY HOUSE & I'm BEYOND THRILLED! I have baby gates & live in a small but cozy 5 room apartment, so no worries about her newfound mobility, just a gate here & some toys there & we're good to go!

It's just amazing to me to think about all that's happened in my life in a matter of a year, & when I start to think about all these things, my thoughts turn to my friends who are currently in the midst of the 'process' and are either paperchasing or brown envelope waiting, or DTC or LID, and are either waiting for or have just received their Referral and or TA etc...

I wonder what they'll be able to say one year from this date... will they too be celebrating a milestone of their own? Most likely... and all I can hope for is that I can be there to share in their joy!

HERE'S TO ALL OF YOU WHO ARE STILL WAITING TO PUT YOUR ARMS AROUND YOUR PRECIOUS CHILDREN! YOU ARE ALL IN OUR PRAYERS EVERY NIGHT!

*BIG GROUP HUG*

-Amy & Ruby (& Bear too...)

Music & Treats make for a VERY GOOD MORNING!

So, a few days ago my good friend Krista mentioned to me that our local Great Harvest Bread Co. not only has the most SINFULLY DELICIOUS BREADS & TREATS ON THE PLANET, but also has music for the kids every Wed & Fri mornings from 10am to 10:30am. A local musician named Brian Doser comes & plays accoustic guitar & sings for the kids and as you can imagine, the kids go NUTS!

You don't have to pay to get in & enjoy the music & fun but they do ask that you buy a little something while there, whether it be a coffee or a muffin or whater. ARE YOU KIDDING ME? OF COURSE I'M GONNA BUY SOMETHING, I WALK INTO THIS PLACE & AM NEARLY BOWLED OVER BY THE FANTASTIC SMELL OF FRESHLY BAKED BREADS & ROLLS & MUFFINS & CAKES ETC... IT'S A RECOVERING FAT GIRL'S PARADISE!
*Ok Amy, breath in, breath out...*

Ok, I'm kewl now... so, back to my story...

I go in, & buy a cinnamon chip loaf & a seperate piece for little miss Ruby to snack on. We then grab the diaper bag, our good friend Bear and our water sippies, and we wait.
Moments later, in comes Brian with his guitar & the FUN BEGINS!
Ruby was a little overwhelmed at first with all the kids & the noise but once she realized that "HEY, IT'S MUSIC AND I LOVE MUSIC," she was GOOD TO GO! ;)

The first song he played was the theme song to Peep and the Big Wide World, which was GREAT FOR ME SINCE I KNOW ALL THE WORDS!!!
(sad but true)

ALL the kids jumped up & started dancing, it was adorable to watch...


Well, maybe not 'all' the kids...


Hmm, ok maybe this 'dancing' stuff isn't so bad, I could do that... they look like they're having fun, c'mon Bear, let's give this a try.

Check me out! All by myself on the dance floor with Bear!!
(psst, I'm officially WALKING now...)

Brian was GREAT with the kids!! (This Momma was impressed to say the least!)



After all the dancing & fun, we headed home but not before stopping by Nonno's work to give him a much needed SURPRISE RUBY KISS which he HAPPILY accepted, and then stole SEVERAL DOZEN MORE! ;)


Ah... then it was home for lunch & right after lunch & a diaper change, Bear & little miss Ruby were ready for a nap. God bless the PLAY PEN & NOGGIN on tv!


Within minutes both Ruby and Bear were sound asleep & snoring...

Shh... Zzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Time machine...

... Say hello to my 'little brother Adam' REINCARNATED as his daughter, miss Isabella Grace (aka: my Niecie Doo) I hold her & I feel like I've gone back in time & am holding Adam as a baby, WEIRD STUFF PEOPLE!!!

Truth is: I LOVE HER SO MUCH, I THINK I'M GONNA KEEP HER! (Sorry Adam, you can visit whenever you want...) LOL

'Tea'...

... party of 4.

(By the by... today marks 2 months since we arrived home from China on Nov 30th... man how TIME FLIES when you're hangin' out with the sweetest little girl this side of the Great Wall!)
hee hee

MOMMA LOVES YOU RUBY!

*UPDATE W/CNY PICS!* Mish Mosh of PICS & HAPPY CHINESE NEW YEAR!!!

Ok, this post will have no rhyme or reason persay... it's just some pictures really. Some that I have been wanting to post but hadn't gotten around to uploading, some were from today, and others I had meant to add to previous posts but again, life happens. (other mothers will back me up on this!) So, I'll explain each pic as it's posted but figured if I didn't do it now, I'd never get around to it, so here goes...

Recently I had posted a photo of my CPK collection & mentioned that I also had an entire wardrobe of clothing for them, and I wasn't kidding... Yes, I know... I'm still a kid! ;)

Last week, little Miss Ruby tried her hands at 'FINGER PAINTING' for the FIRST TIME EVER as Bear looked on in AMAZEMENT! (My kid's TALENTED! *grin* )

A little swirl here...

... and a swish there,


(Man this is MESSY... I LOVE IT!!!)

Above is the finished product, and that bad boy is HANGING ON MY FRIDGE AS WE SPEAK!
( and you know I'm insane cuz I'll FRAME IT SOONER OR LATER and it'll be hanging on my LIVING ROOM WALL! *grin*)

Next up: PLAY-DOH!!! In Momma's most favorite color ever, RED!!!

Ok, this looks kewl but just FEELS STRANGE, Momma!
What does it DO??

Hmmm... it's not moving, so it doesn't do tricks??

Here baby, let Momma help you... see?

LOOK WHAT YOU MADE BABY!!! A BEAUTIFUL HANDPRINT!!!


Today Momma and I went to Babies R Us to get me some more socks!!!
Even Bear wore his sweater too since it was chilly today... hee hee *grin*

Awww Bear, I love you too!

Then when I got home, Nonno played Play-Doh with me, I think I'm getting the hang of this!!



Notice my ADORABLE SHIRT, I JUST LOVE IT!!! (thanks again Donna!)



oooh, this feels SQUISHY!! I LOVE IT!


Hmm... let's get a closer look...


Hmmm... Momma, I was just wondering, are you going to take pictures of me ALL night?


Nonno, thank you for helping me with my Play-Doh, I had fun!



Gimmie a Kiss!

Ti Amo Nonno, per sempre!

And lastly, today is CHINESE NEW YEAR! Last night, Ruby and I went to a lovely party to celebrate at my friend Lisa's house! Her and her husband were WONDERFUL and we met LOTS OF REALLY FRIENDLY COUPLES! All of whom are adopting from China! Ruby was showing off at first with Lisa's husband but once everyone arrived she got a little creeped out & wouldn't let me put her down at all, not even in HER OWN carriage!
It didn't occur to me until today that the last time she was in a situation where she found herself in a place she didn't recognize surrounded by people she didn't know all paying attention to HER, was 'GOTCHA DAY'!
So, I'm pretty sure the reason she was freaking out & crying (which is SO UNLIKE HER) is because she was terrified that it was a repeat of that day & that she'd never see ME again!
So sad, when I realized that on the way home I was sad for her, my poor little doodle thought I was going to pass her on to someone new...
...NO WAY BABY! MOMMA LOVES YOU SO MUCH AND YOU'RE STUCK WTIH ME KIDDO!

I DID bring my camera last night but because she was so clingy, I was unable to take even ONE pic! However, Lisa did take one of my snickerdoodle with her Hubby and as soon as she emails it to me I'll be happy to SHARE IT! =) Trust me, she looked ADORABLE! Dressed to the 9's in a GORGEOUS SILK DRESS with tights, white squeaky shoes and a fancy sweater with a fuzzy collar!

You're gonna just have to take my word for it until I can post a pic!

CAN I BE TRUSTED OR WHAT??? Here, as PROMISED, are pictures of my little doodle bug from last night's CNY party! Did she look adorable or WHAT?


Look Momma, I've got myself a NEW BOYFRIEND! ( he's shy, so you just get to see his hands & BOOTS for now! )


Hee hee, hay Momma, is it wrong that his hand is bigger than my head? LOL



Until then... goodnight for now, Bear & I are WIPED OUT!

Still SINGLE...?

Yep, that's me, STILL SINGLE AT 33!
BUT WHY? Check me OUT! I'm CUTE DAMNIT!
You know, it's funny... I think to myself " Amy, you're cute, I'd date you if I were a guy..."
but unfortunately for me, I'm ME and not some guy who thinks I'm cute...
So, the question remains, WHERE ARE ALL THE GUYS WHO THINK I'M CUTE?!?!!!
And don't say MARRIED cuz they can't ALL be taken!
I don't get it... anyone? anyone? anyone? Bueller?
SOMEONE TELL ME WHY THIS PRETTY GIRL IS STILL SOLO?!!

Or even better... INTRODUCE ME TO YOUR NICE SINGLE GUY FRIENDS and/or RELATIVES!

There, I've just put myself out there now SOMEONE'S GOTTA BITE! (please?)

TiVo & the power of WORDS...

... every day I TiVo Oprah, I sometimes watch & sometimes I think 'eh, I can do without that today..." However, I had forgotten that Heath Ledger was due to appear to talk about his new movie Brokeback Mountain...

Oprah asked them (Heath & Jake Gyllenhaal) how they felt about it & Heath's response was one that I cannot let go of in my mind... his words spoke out loud to everyone watching, the entire nation of viewers tuned in to check out Oprah got an ear full of TRUTH!

Said Heath at one point during the interview...

" I dunno, I still find it personally disappointing that people kind of go out of their way to voice their disgust or their opinions against the ways in which two people choose to love one another... I think that's really unfortunate."

AMEN to that!

Thanks Heath for showing me that I'm not the only person in the world who believes that Love is Love is Love... it has no gender, no color, no age, it just is pure & honest & wonderful no matter how you slice it. HEATH LEDGER FOR PRESIDENT! (hell, he can put his words together far better than good ole' W ever has! & THAT'S A FACT! -sadly- )

G'night... ZZZZzzzzzzzzzz

Cute is Cute- REGARDLESS!!

Ok, so it's Nanny Q&A day but I only got two questions & neither person wanted to be public so I emailed my replies & figured I could use this day to do something different.... So, I'm going to ask myself my OWN question, 'Is it possible to be cute even when your hair is short?"
I know, I know, sounds silly but- (work with me on this...) it's gonna make sense in a second.

My good friend Karen from NC recently found out that her Cancer is back. I was very sorry to hear this but told her if anyone can beat it, she can as she's the toughest chick I know besides her daughter Gwen. They're both fighters & cute as buttons!
(and for the record, buttons have NO hair, yet we constantly use that saying 'cute as a button'...)
She mentioned to me that she cut her hair off, 8 inches to be exact, because she'd rather cut it off herself then wait for it to slowly fall out due to chemo. I don't blame her & I told her that she looks ADORABLE in a silk scarf wrap cuz the one she wore on Gwen's Got'cha day was just PERFECT! I also said that short hair can be JUST AS CUTE as LONG HAIR! (If her Gwen's not proof positive then I don't know what is...)

So, to show our support I thought "well I could cut my hair off too" but then I remembered that I already have pretty short hair and then as I was contemplating all this, my daughter started to witch & moan and tug at hers cuz it's ALWAYS in her face! So *lightbulb moment* I thought, perhaps Ruby could use a nice short cut so that her hair won't bother her anymore and to show our support to Karen & for everyone to see that Cute is Cute regardless of what's happenin' on our bean! So I grabbed my scissors & comb (psst, for those of you who don't know this, I used to be a licenced hairdresser, so it's not like I'm just some silly person who grabs a tupperware bowl & goes to town on my kids' hair... I actually know what I'm doing) & plopped miss Ruby in a bath & a snip here & a comb there & voila!

SEE?? Even Bear Loves the new SHORT N' SASSY Ruby!

Karen, if this isn't proof that cute is cute regardless of what's happening with our hair, then I don't know what is! Bottom line: YOU my friend are ALWAYS GOING TO BE CUTE no matter what you got goin' on that bean of yours...
a wrap or those crazy ass pippy long stocking braids... DOESN'T MATTER! =)
WE LOVE YOU GIRL! KEEP UP THE GOOD FIGHT & KNOW THAT YOU'RE IN OUR PRAYERS EVERY DAY!!!

LOVE ALWAYS,

-Amy & Ruby Cate
*smile*
(who is LOVING THAT HER HAIR IS NO LONGER HANGING IN HER FACE!)

Do YOU believe?

Recently, our fellow blogger friend, Johnny commented on my Morning-Tea post with the following:

At 8:44 PM, Johnny said...

I just wanted to say that every time you post pictures of Ruby, I think of YOU. So, two questions:

1) did you believe in that whole face-matching-to-the-parents feng shui mumbo jumbo before you got Ruby?

2) If not, do you now?

We.....kinda do.

So, obviously I wanted to respond to him as I rather enjoy reading his Blog every day & find him humorous & quite adorable (shhh, don't tell his wife!) Anyhoo- I figured, rather than post a comment here, it would be nicer to maybe reply personally to him... and so I did.

He then wrote me back with the following:

Thanks for the explaination! You know...this really should be a post by you instead! (hint, hint)

So, Johnny, this post is for you & your 'hint hint' ;) I hope everyone enjoys reading it.

-Amy

Hey Johnny,

Just caught your comment on my blog and wanted to personally reply to you rather than just reply with yet another comment.
Yes, I always knew that Ruby would look exactly as she does and that we'd look similar... but it honestly wasn't because it's what 'everyone says' will happen, but because I knew it first in my heart & secondly in my dreams.
I knew Ruby way before she was ever born, before our 'red thread' was created over time & distance... Ruby was my daughter long before she ever existed on this earth. How do I know that you ask? Well, I'll tell you the following & then you tell me how I can NOT believe it...

December of 03... around Christmas time... I was 31, living on my own & knew that it was time to start thinking about becoming a mother. I called MARE (Massachusetts Adoption Resource Exchange) to ask for some information about possibly adopting an older child from the state of MA. I received a packet of info with a booklet of lots of photos of older children legally free & available for adoption. I read through them & fell in love with this little girl named Maria. (My late grandmother's name... I called her Nonna) Anyhoo, Maria was 12 and cute as can be, hispanic/mixed race & a sweet girl who loved dolls, arts & crafts, singing, school, reading, etc... she sounded adorable & I just wanted to give her a chance at a better life, SO I wanted to immediately call but it was sunday & they aren't open till monday, so I waited. That night I went to sleep & had a dream of Me and Ruby (yes, the little girl who is my Daughter now) walking through the mall and I glanced down at her full face & those big gorgeous cheeks and she smiled at me as she clung onto my finger walking happily by my side.
I woke up & knew immediately that my child was in China. I just knew...

So I called MARE & inquired about Maria & they told me that No, sorry she wasn't available as she had just been adopted a week earlier.

So, you ask if I believe in all that 'face-matching to the parents' stuff... Kinda, I mean obviously she DOES look like MY CHILD, however... I think regardless of what people say the process is & however it happens, whether it's because some woman in the matching room in China thought that Ruby & I looked alike or whether it was bigger powers at work here... the end result is the same; Ruby Looks like my Daughter because she IS my Daughter and was always destined to be my Daughter. I believe that like I believe that water is wet, like I believe that fire can burn and like I believe that I need air to breathe. I believe it with my entire being...

...and You should too. =)