potential career paths...

vanna white or pizza delivery girl.


contortionist.


spy.


plumber.


college student. (ha ha!)


??? (now it's your turn- give me some ideas for this one & we'll pick a winner...)

felines & flat eva...

Hey guys! I'm back! I'm still fighting a cold AND getting more teeth at the same time, but that's no reason to frown, right?


Today on the news, they showed a kitty cat up for adoption at the animal shelter, and I instantly started smiling & laughing at the cat! Mommy kept rewinding those two minutes so that I could see the cat again and again! I LOVED it! (sigh) Alas... had our Jackie made the trip from Texas to Virginia with us, cats on tv probably wouldn't be THIS exciting...


In other news, we were so excited when my 2nd cousin(?), Eva, sent us a "flat Eva" in the mail the other day! (those of you with school-aged children probably know what geography assignment I'm talking about) Well, our poor flat Eva. It's too bad she came to visit Virginia while I'm sick with a cold and not getting out much. We were supposed to take her to some fun & interesting place.


Well, I don't know that it was all that INTERESTING for her, but it sure was fun eating my snack with you today, flat Eva! Be sure and tell the kids what a fantastic time we had! Off to North Carolina you go!

adoption awkwardness...

You know, as AWESOME as adoption is, sometimes there are just some awkward and uncomfortable moments! I (Amy) know Megan (Caroline's birthmother) has faced them this past year, and every now and then we do, too. I don't think Megan will mind me sharing this one with you guys because Megan & I say all the time how people just do NOT understand the kind of relationship we have and the positive situation surrounding Caroline's adoption. So thought I'd give you guys a snapshot into tonight's awkward conversation at a Wendy's... hope it gives you a chuckle, Megan...

So, we're running low on time before RUF tonight, so we head to Wendy's for a quick meal. Of course, Caroline is smiling at everyone that will even look her way in the restaurant, and ironically, she started waving "hello" to another mom next to us who had obviously adopted her son from another country. (the waving at a stranger was a first! kinda funny!)

Along comes a Wendy's worker (who is obviously a high school age girl) wiping tables nearby and Caroline begins to REALLY put on the charm, showing every last pearly white tooth she has!

Girl: She is SOOO cute!
Me: Thanks.
Girl: She takes after her Mommy.
Me: Yeah.

Now, so far we're good. I'm quite proud of the fact that I have perfected the art of just saying "thank you" or "uh-huh" when people say Caroline looks like me. (mind you, it required much self-control when she was 5 weeks old & people were telling me, "wow-- you look GREAT for just having a baby!" not to just blurt out, "SHE'S ADOPTED!") :) So I've gotten used to the inevitable comments that people will make because they automatically assume she's my biological child. No problem there.

But then the conversation took a turn towards awkward....

Girl: I can't wait until I have my first child.
Me: (oh no, here it comes!) Yeah?
Girl: Yeah. (pause.) How was it for you? I mean, was it hard giving birth?

AAAGGGHHH! NOT the labor & delivery questions!! What do I say?! Seriously- it's not like I've got an hour to sit down with this girl and tell her all the wonders of adoption and how God orchestrated such a beautiful plan for us, for Megan, and for Caroline! So a few options race through my head in the following seconds:

Option #1: LIE THROUGH MY TEETH. Should I just say what it was like from Megan's point of view? I mean, I WAS in the room at Caroline's birth, but I don't want to lie, and this option could potentially lead to more awkward questions about pregnancy that I WOULDN'T be able to answer. (I've had to field FAR too many pregnancy questions in random public places already, and I still don't have a good, easy "comeback" for them yet.)

Option #2: JUST THINK OF SOMETHING TO MUMBLE and get out of there. As I'm packing up Caroline's dishes, bottle, and the millions of napkins we have just gone through to eat a single meal, why can't I just think of SOMETHING quick & easy to divert the question? Like I said, it's not like I need to give a dissertation to the girl wiping up tables at Wendy's, right? So this seems like a great option, but OF COURSE nothing comes to my mind in the awkwardness of the moment, so I revert to my default option by blurting out...

"WELL, SHE'S ADOPTED." (kicking myself as soon as the words leave my mouth, just KNOWING what lies ahead. The adoptive mother that was sitting next to us has since left the restaurant.)
Girl: Oh... (pausing) really?
Me: (smiling awkwardly & packing things up faster) So, I wouldn't be the one to tell you about delivery... but I WAS in the room when she was born.

WHAT, AMY?!? Now, why do I feel the need to say that to this girl?!? Why couldn't I just leave it at the first part and leave the restaurant?!?! Somehow I guess I want everyone to know how unique and amazing our adoption was-- that I've been with Caroline since the beginning, and that her birthmother and I have a great enough relationship that Megan would allow Marc & I to share in that awesome event. But seriously- why the need to say that right now, Amy? :)

(I brace myself.)
Girl: Well, did she scream?
Me: (thinking "what kind of a question is that?!") Who? Caroline or her birthmother?
Girl: the birthmom.
Me: Nope, she was great. Of course she had lots of drugs, so that helped.
Girl: (stops talking, looks down & wipes the table faster with an interesting look on her face. I then realize this girl probably isn't thinking what I was thinking when I said the word "drugs" with all the horrible stereotypes of birthmothers. But she must have figured out what I meant.) Oh, you mean, she had an epidural?
Me: (whew.) Yes.
Girl: Well, when I have my first child, I want to try to have it all natural without anything.
Me: (politely laughing and somewhat skeptical) Good luck!

Okay, conversation's over, right? Right? Nope. As I'm taking Caroline's bib off, putting her coat on, and trying to wipe off her face covered in carrots, banana, and a TON of snot everywhere, the girl continues.

Girl: So how old was her birthmom?
Me: (ugh. here we go.) 21.
Girl: And she didn't want her?

(She did NOT just say that, did she? ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!?!?! At this point I'm getting upset inside and feeling incredibly defensive for Megan. Again, why do I care what this random teenage girl at Wendy's says, but nevertheless I still want to scream, LISTEN UP, KID. DO YOU EVEN REALIZE THE TERRIBLE, AGONIZING PROCESS THAT MEGAN WENT THROUGH OVER THIS, ULTIMATELY DECIDING TO SACRIFICE HER OWN DESIRES IN ORDER TO GIVE HER DAUGHTER A LIFE THAT SHE COULDN'T PROVIDE FOR HER AT THE TIME?!?!?!?)

Me: (keeping my cool) No, she definitely wanted her. It was heartbreaking for her, but she wanted what was best for her daughter. (There. I said it. Leave Megan alone, alright? I've got a TON of respect for her and the Mama Bear claws will come out if I feel like you are disrespectful.)
Girl: Well, I thought she'd be a teenager. I can't believe she was 21. Did she have other children?
Me: (OKAY, enough questions!!) Yes.
Girl: another girl?
Me: (WHY DOES IT MATTER?) No, a boy.
Girl: Does she (motioning to Caroline) get to visit her?
Me: (yay! Here's my chance to tell this girl how wonderful it all is!) Yes! She lives in Texas, so we go there on holidays and see her whenever we visit my parents in Dallas.
Girl: huh. (her expression shows she is slightly relieved, but still confused.)

Me: (holding Caroline in one arm & my diaper bag on the other arm) Well, have a nice night!
Girl: You, too.

watch out, smoltz...

With another day of ice outside today, it was time for more indoor activities. (would you believe on top of all this teething, I've now come down with yet ANOTHER runny nose/cold-thing. Geez, we are ready for winter to end!) But all of that didn't stop Mommy & me from playing some ball together today. I'm learning how to roll it and throw it!


Mommy is impressed that I know to look for the ball when it rolls under the couch now.


(she even caught me taking a brave step or two during our game!!)


Eat your heart out, John Smoltz!

baby burrito...

When there's freezing rain outside & all the schools are canceled due to weather, we are stuck inside where it's warm! And I can't think of anything better to do on a "snow" day (with no snow) than to take some good long naps...


read through some books...


take a nice warm bath...


and wrap up like a baby burrito!

teething round... 12?...

I've lost count at this point. All I know is that my mouth is hurting AGAIN. Sometimes it seems like Mommy & Daddy are keeping the makers of Baby Ibuprofin in business! Oh, when does it end?!?


But through it all, I'm still smiling, especially when Mommy really starts cracking me up...


or when Daddy holds me in his arms and dances with me. (now that Daddy's back at work all day, I go CRAZY when he gets home!)


Speaking of teeth, Mommy, let's have a look...

hey, mama, & a YEAH!...

my parents have gone crazy, pt. 2...

Whew! I finally understand! Mommy & Daddy wanted to bring a little "flavor" of Texas out to Virginia! We had a RUF party at our house where we watched an awesome documentary called "Hands on a Hardbody" (not what it might seem, trust us...) It's a documentary about some good ol' East Texan folks standing for DAYS with their hands on a hardbody pick-up truck, and the last person standing wins the truck!)


So to TRULY enjoy this rare, hard-to-find documentary, we dressed up to celebrate... um... what we'll call "americana." :) Every student got to pick a character in the film to cheer for, and the person/character that wons the truck got a prize! (which happened to be a poster of the Nascar favorite, Dale Earnhart, Jr....) :)


The costume winner finalists... (Margaret ended up taking the prize)


Okay, so now I understand the costumes, but seriously, Mom & Dad... can someone PLEASE get me out of this?!

my parents have gone crazy pt. 1...

Help! My parents have gone crazy!


See what I mean?!


What exactly is going on here?!


Trust me... they really used to be nice people. Can someone please explain this to me?!

first steps!...

Can you believe it?! I hit THE big milestone today! With MUCH coaxing from Nanny & Mommy, I did it! I took my first 3 steps! (sorry we didn't have cameras in hand for that moment, but I'm sure there will be many more to come)


Mommy & Nanny were SOOOO proud of me! Poor Daddy... he was making a quick run to the bank when it happened! But after Mommy & Nanny stopped screaming and celebrating, (which I liked at first, but then it scared me a little) she called Daddy to let him know!


So, those of you who took our just-for-fun poll & answered "at 11 months" (like Mommy guessed!), you WIN!


(yawn) All of this walking has got me beat!

workin' on walkin'...

My Nanny & Papa came up from South Carolina today to see me!


And the first thing Nanny wanted to do was help me work on my walking!

(maybe it's mean of Mommy, but she hasn't worked with me one bit on my walking. I think Mommy knows she'll have the rest of my life to chase after me, so she hasn't been in any hurry to get to that stage!)


So Nanny & I practiced for awhile...


and would you believe that I was walking perfectly holding onto one hand?!?

buttons, buttons, buttons...

These days, I LOVE pushing buttons! Whether it's the animal buttons on my kitty phone...


or on a musical book...


or on a toy that makes sounds, I LOVE to press buttons! (especially on Mommy & Daddy's remote!) :)


Nanny & Papa, I'm headed to bed now so that when you come tomorrow, I won't push any of YOUR buttons. :)