Musician in the making?...

My mom is taking piano lessons on Thursday nights so last night when she was practicing Jocelyn came up behind her and started playing the high notes. She then ran in a circle through the kitchen and living room and played the low notes. She got such a smile on her face when she was playing. My mom decided to sit her on her lap and let her play the piano. As you can see by this picture she is so focused on the piano book and the notes. It's like she has been playing for years.




Now she is asking how did I do mom. Do I need more practice or am I done? I of course said she did great and clapped my hands together.

As you can maybe tell in the top picture we had just gotten done with our bath so her hair was actually laying down instead of standing straight up. Maybe soon it will lay down on its own.

Help! The Ticklemonster has invaded our house...

Jocelyn and I discovered a new and inexpensive game that is a lot of fun for her and I. We pretend that I am the "Ticklemonster" who is coming to tickle her silly. She lets out a big old belly laugh when the Ticklemonster finds her. Her favorite spots to tickle Jocelyn are the belly and the armpits. We can play this game for hours also and never get tired of it. The Ticklemonster can change colors depending upon the mood and fashion sense she wakes up with. I should patent this game I could make a fortune don't ya think.

Jocelyn will finish her antibiotics tomorrow (she takes medicine really well I must say) and I will be glad of that. She is doing so much better.

I am going to put the "Ticklemonster" back in her cage and I will let her out again soon. She needs her beauty sleep.

Thankful Tuesdays.....

Today I am thankful for Mrs. Dee. She is the lady who watches Jocelyn for me every day during the week. Jocelyn loves her and holds out her arms for Mrs. Dee to take and hold her every morning. She watches 2 other children and has a 1 year old son herself. She keeps busy. She is only a mile from my house and it only takes 3 minutes to get there in the morning so it is convenient and close. She has been a blessing to me in my journey into motherhood and I don't have to worry because I know that Jocelyn is being well taken care of.

What a cool toy. Can you show me how it works Mrs. Dee? Peez.

I was able to get one picture of Jocelyn in her costume. She was ok as long as she got to have her "blankie". The minute I tried to take her "blankie" and take a picture she threw a fit. I hope to get some more and better pictures on Halloween.

I LOVE ladybugs. Especially this one. LOTS.

Christmas shopping before Halloween??...

Yes we went Christmas shopping today. My mother wanted to get started as there were specific items she wanted to get Jocelyn. She wanted to make sure that she got them now and not later when they could be out of stock or hard to find. She got Jocelyn the Fisher Price 2 in 1 learning kitchen and the Fisher Price Little Super Star sound stage. She will love them. We have decided to concentrate on the reason for the season and not the materialism of the season. It is hard though because you want to give her everything she wants as this is the first Christmas she will be with us. We are going to keep some traditions that I had growing up such as we have to eat breakfast before we open presents (usually consisting of Pilsbury cinnamon rolls and hot choclate) and only one person at a time opens a present so that we can share in the joy of the person opening the gift. One new tradition that both my mom and I want to start with Jocelyn is to read the Christimas story from the Bible every year. My first Christmas as a mother (that still sounds strange to me).

Now on to Halloween. I have finally decided what costume Jocelyn is going to wear. Drumroll please. She is going to be a ladybug. We found the costume at a store that resells baby and toddler clothes, toys, etc. We got a black longsleeved t shirt and a pair of long black pants and black shoes today at Target/Walmart. She doesn't seem to like the "hooded feelers" and she keeps trying to pull them off. I hope that she will at least let me take pictures with the hood on. I will post them if I can get them.

Does this make me look cute mama ???

This coat was given to Jocelyn by one of my friends and a co-worker named Karen. She found it at Macy's and said she just had to pick it up for Jocelyn. I think that she looks adorable in it and its PURPLE which is my favorite color. She is not quite sure what to make of the coat though. We have only tried it on once as it is not quite cold enough for her to wear it outside yet but it will be soon I'm sure. Jocelyn's ear and sinus infections are continuing to improve so she is ready to play, play, play. I will post pictures of the first time she has to wear it outside in the snow (not to soon I hope).

Peez and Tank U

We are really working on Jocelyn saying please and Thank you when appropiate. She has said please or as she says "peez" for a couple of days now. Today she said thank you for the first time. Of course it came out "tank u" but we were excited. She is also trying to put her own shoes and socks on now. Of course the tries to put them on with the bottom of the shoe up. She then gets mad because she can't seem to get them on. Oh well at least she is trying to help mama save a little time in the morning. She now also likes to put my shoes on over hers and walk around the living room. She is so adorable when she does that. She now also dances as we watch "Dances with the Stars". Of course we always give her all 10's. She is becoming so independent.

Update on her ear infection and sinus infection...the cough has gone away and her runny nose has almost dried up too. She is well on her way to a full recovery. Thank you all for your prayers during her illness.

Thankful Tuesday's...

Today I am thankful for sleep. Both Jocelyn and I were able to get a good nights sleep last night and she is doing so much better today. She has been sleepy and tired today per Dee (her babysitter) and took some cat naps today. She is doing really well at taking her medicines and doesn' t fight me or Dee when we give it to her. Jocelyn is still running a low grade fever and I have been giving her Children's Tylenol to keep that down. Her runny nose has stopped but she still has the cough which is sounding better today also. Mama was able to sleep from 9:30 pm to 5 am this morning and then I said I can lay here for another thirty minutes and the next time I looked at the clock it read 6:10 am. I had fallen back asleep. I know other parents told me to be prepared to get little or no sleep when you get your daughter and I knew that was case with newborns as they need to be fed every few hours. I never realized how little sleep matters when your child is ill or in pain and just wants you to comfort them. I have learned and am learning many new things about myself in this journey. The one that stands out from all the rest is how much I LOVE being Jocelyn's mama.

First ER visit...

At around 12:30 am this morning Jocelyn woke up crying and screaming. When I went to get her she felt like she was on fire. I gave her a dose of Children's Motrin and took her temperature. It was 105 degrees. Yes 105 degrees. I called the nurseline at my work and was told to bring her into the emergency room. When we got there the triage nurse asked me questions and took her back to a room. When they did a rectal temp there it was down to 103 degrees. The doctor looked in her ear and her nose and she was diagnosed with a sinus infection and the very early stages of an ear infection. We then went to a 24 hr CVS Pharmacy and picked up the antiobiotic they prescribed. By the time we got home it was 2:30 am and we were TIRED. She was so good at the emergency room. She didn't fight when they took the rectal temp and didn't fuss when he looked in her ears and nose. She made mama proud. She slept in until 8 am which she NEVER does. She seems to feel better today and her temperature is continuing to go down. May this be the first of very few visits to an emergency room. Mama needs sleep !!!!!

Party Anyone....

The reason for the party is that Jocelyn only woke up once last night and it was for only about five minutes and then she went back to sleep so we were able to get a good nights sleep. Hallelujah, Hallelujah!!! Today has been a very busy day as we went to church and then out to lunch with some friends. We each took about an hour nap when we got home and then went back to church at 4:30 pm so that mom and grandma could go to choir and practice the Christmas Cantata and Jocelyn played in the church nursery with "Aunt" Betty and Mrs. Linda. We then went to the grocery store on the way home from church and picked up a few things. It was 7:15 pm when we got home and Jocelyn fell asleep next to grandma on the couch. I think that she is making up for the sleep she lost the last 4 nights. Mommy intends to catch up too.

7 Months Ago Today....

Today is the 7 month anniversary of Jocelyn's Gotcha Day. It is hard to believe that Jocelyn has been with me for 7 months already. In some ways it seems like yesterday and in other ways it seems that we have always been together. This is the one of the first pictures of Jocelyn that I received. I can't believe how much she has changed in just 7 months. I'm also amazed each day how much stronger my love for her grows.



I remember the first time I got to hold Jocelyn and smell her and touch her. It is a memory that I will never forget and I know that the other "Forever Families" made on that day will never forget it either.

Update on Jocelyn's cold. She has a very runny nose and is starting to cough so maybe the cold is starting to break up and go on its merry way.

Happy 7 Month Gotcha Day Anniversary to all in travel group 132.

So this is what sleep looks like....

So this is what sleep looks like. I wouldn't know as I have not had a lot of sleep the past couple of nights. Jocelyn has decided that she is supposed to get up between 11 pm and midnight and stay up till 1:30 am. She will ususally take her cuppie and may "guzzle" the whole thing or push it away and then she starts to cry and between her and I we calm her down and then she will grab her blankie and suck on it for a while and then fall back to sleep. I have tried to give her something to drink right before she goes to bed but it doesn't seem to help. She has done this for the past 3 nights. She is not feeling well and is on the road to recovery so maybe I can get some sleep tonight. I know that we would both feel better if we could get a good night sleep This picture was taken on "Gotcha Day" in China. (March 17, 2008). Doesn't she look like an angel when she sleeps?

Oh boy new snacks

Jocelyn has a snack when we get home from daycare to tide her over until dinner. Usually raisins, apple slices, granola bars, etc. She loves Teddy Grahams (honey flavor). Well when we went to the store last week they had banana flavored Teddy Grahams. She loves them. They are very tasty if I do say so myself. We are working on saying please and thank you and tonight at dinner she said please for the first time and my mom and I started clapping and cheering. Of course we were in a restaurant at the time and the other diners looked at us like we were losing it. Jocelyn's cold seems to be getting better and I am starting to see the dimples more and more.

Thankful Tuesday's

If my travel to China sister Jen D doesn't mind I would like to borrow one of her ideas to say what we are thankful for one day of the week. I think that I will use Tuesday's. So you may be wondering what I am thankful for and the answer is dimples. Why may you ask is the answer dimples? Because the only time that I see Jocelyn's dimples is when she has a full smile on her face or is having a good belly laugh. In other words she is happy and full of life and knows that she is loved and cherished. Unfortunately right now she is battling a cold and is not feeling well so we are seeing less of the dimples right now. But I know that soon they will come back full force and once again I will remember to thank God for dimples.

Is anyone missing some "hats"?

She has found that mixing bowls are great hard hats when you are playing real hard and don't want to get hurt. She has the same hat in many different sizes. Unfortunately they only come in white at the store she buys them at.

We are letting her try to feed herself and get used to holding a spoon and fork. In this picture she is eating rice with butter and was getting frustrated that she couldn't get the rice on the spoon. She decided that tipping the bowl over and letting the rice fall on the tray to her highchair was easier and finished the meal with her fingers. She also decided that the bowl is supposed to go on top of her head when you are closed to finished with the meal.

Growing Up and Jingle Jars

At church we have what we refer to as a Jingle Jar. It is a 5 gallon glass jug that we have sitting in a wooden stand that we put what "jingles" in our pockets namely quarters, dimes, nickels and pennies in there. We then use this money to buy what is needed for the church. Jocelyn's Sunday School class gives their offering via the jingle jar that is located in the foyer of our church. The kids form a single file line and take the money and put it in the jingle jar. Of course Jocelyn has to be lifted up to put her money in. If she sees me while they are in the foyer she will start crying and come to me to pick her up and hold her. Well, today for the first time when she saw me she ran to me and gave me a kiss (this is also new for her she was always the receiver and not the giver) and when I told her that she needed to go back to class with Mrs. Betty she walked to Mrs. Betty and gave her her hand and went to class. I was so proud and sad at the same time. She is growing up way too fast.

The Great Outdoors

Today we went to Carolyn's Pumpkin Patch in Liberty and we had a great time. The weather was perfect and it was a gorgeous day. She was so tired when we left that she fell asleep as soon as we put her in her car seat.

Jocelyn got to try a pumpkin donut for the first time today and she loved it and wanted more.


She got to ride a train for the first time today and was unsure of what to think. Of course it didn't help when the guide had everyone scream when as we went through the tunnel.

She got to feed and pet the animals.