So Much For the High Chair

It's a nice night to be bloggin', so here we go. This missive is brought to you by the rock stylings of Neil Young and Pete Townsend (as Crow would say; "I now know how the world sounds to Pete Townsend" but I digress even before I get started).

Our little girl has straight-armed through another milestone in her short stint at Chez-Haynie. She made it clear that her days of sharing family meals in her high chair are a thing of the past. We knew that those days were numbered, as we had already resorted to keeping her in the chair with shoulder straps. She was strapped in so good that she could have been on a Nascar track making left-hand turns. The problem was that it took the two of us to get her in there. We gave up the fight. Her cousin Josh had given Emma a booster chair for just this occasion, and Emma was VERY pleased and thrilled to be sitting at the big table with us, as noted in the photo above. The dog must be disappointed because less food now hits the ground.

Denny took Emma to the Fairmont Aquatic Center today, and they both had a blast! Emma loves the water, and all of the accoutrements they have at the pool. It is going to be a regular stop in the future. Emma was so tired afterwards that she took a three-hour nap. We don't have any photos of the pool, but perhaps later. I think it wore out Mamma too, because she is asleep now as well.

With the weather warming up here (last week), we purchased one of those wading pools for the back porch. I have pictures of that, but have not been given permission to post any of those, and will not do so until such permission is granted(no dummy me!).

Our little Darlin' is growing up so fast. She looks older each week. We are just going to enjoy each day to the fullest and not look back. Her vocabulary is growing, and there are signs that she is trying to put more than two words together at a time. She will be able to call in sick for me in no time! OK then.

Sorry Mom, It Was an Eggsident

Uh-oh, guess these weren't hardboiled after all.Probably best to just keep moving.


We used to worry about the dog jumping up and getting food off the counter, but turns out Emma is just as crafty. Joe brought home a dozen eggs from the store and left them on the kitchen island...too close to the edge. Emma's been on a hardboiled egg kick lately and probably couldn't wait to unpeel them.

When we rounded the corner and saw the mess, all we could say was "Get the camera!"

Our 2-Year-Old Cutie

We took Emma to Kiddie Kandids the day after her birthday for her 2-year-old pix. Was hard to get her to stand still and smile for more than a millisecond, so we didn't get many smiley photos, but we think she still looks plenty cute. Aunt Julie got her the delectable jumper.

Emma had her 2-year check-up with the pediatrician this past week. She has gained 3 pounds and grown 2 inches in the last five months (she's now 24 pounds and 35 inches). That's 13th percentile for weight, 75th for height -- a tall and slender young lady. Emma opened every drawer and cupboard in Dr. Havlik's office, multiple times. I spent most of my time heading her off. She got her hands on some little packets of ointment where you have to peel back the wrapping, so she started picking away at it. Dr. Havlik said, "Well, I was going to ask about her fine motor skills but I can see they're very good; I have a hard time opening those myself." Dr. Havlik said she was very "busy." "Busier than most?" I asked. "Well, yes. I'm kind of exhausted watching her."

Emma's language skills are really starting to take off. I told the doctor I thought she could say about 50 words and he said "Five-oh?," kind of surprised. I said, "Well.....maybe 30." But then I went home and started listing all the words she says and got up to 41 in no time. Sometimes I'm the only one who knows what she means, but she's giving it the ol' college try and really doing well. Bright, bright little girl.

She loves "Goodnight Moon." We look at it every night. I never read this when I was a kid and when I first started looking through it, it seemed kind of boring -- same dang picture over and over again. But it really grows on you...it's kind of magical with the moon coming up and the stars getting brighter and the room getting darker. Plus, Emma likes pointing at all the little things in the room...kittens, mittens, comb, brush, bowl full o' mush, little old lady whispering hush, etc. I'm glad she's starting to pay attention to books.

Things are going great. Days are long, but the weeks fly by. Just like on a mission. I feel like I'm on a mission again, actually. Guess I am.

Thanks for checking in!

We Now Have a Two-Year-Old

Some Party Shots

Notice the jaunty angle of the party hat.

Last Thursday it became official. Emma turned two, and we had a party (since we missed out on her first birthday.) We may even have another one in a couple of weeks. We went to Grandma and Grandpa Hiatt's exclusive party room, and had cake and Caffiene-free Diet Coke floats. Mmmmmmm, floats. The cake was delicious, and made by Emma's mommy.

Many wonderful gifts were presented. I am hopeful the batteries will die soon. Have children's toys always been so noisy? I think the noisiest toy I ever had was a cap pistol, with the caps that came on a tape roll. They weren't that noisy, because only two out of every five lined up good enough to fire. I kinda liked the smell though. But I digress. Emma sure loves playing with her new toys.

With the weather warming a bit, Denny and Emma have been getting out a little each day. It helps to break up the day, and get them into the sun and pollen. One of our earlier posts showed Emma in a swing at the park. I think that is still her favorite activity. She will swing as long as somebody will push her. She likes the feel of the wind through her hair and 16 teeth. Can't blame her. Denny planned a trip to a local fire house with about 15 kids last week. They took a picture in front of the fire truck. I would post that too, but Emma would have nothing to do with the big red truck that made all of that racket. Nice picture, no Emma.

It's almost 10:00 PM, and she is asleep after a busy day. She is sleeping well in her own room, thanks to her mother, who has trained her well. If she wakes up at all, it is only for a short while, until she is asleep again in her own bed. I wish I did that good. Time to turn in. Thanks for tuning in!

An Eastery Update

Emma having a blast in Aunt Barbie's backyard (click to enlarge to see the great expression on her face)....

...and hunting for her purple Easter eggs

Emma in her Easter finery (she had blue and pink bows in the back of her hair to complete the ensemble).

Emma in the souvenir Baba brought her from his trip to Washington, D.C. This was about 10 minutes after his return. She was so happy to have Baba home, she curled up in his arms and went to sleep.

Hello...we're submitting our monthly blog report. Things are going well on Planet Emma, despite a bout of bad cold/flu the week before last. Emma's much better now and is adjusting to life sans crib (maybe it's more of an adjustment for us). After a couple of weeks of multiple gettings-up in the night, crying at the gate blocking her egress from the room, falling back to sleep curled up in a ball in the corner by her door, and general weeping/wailing/gnashingofteeth on the part of pretty much all family members, Emma slept the whooole night through, in her big girl bed, just last night. Oh joy and rapture unforeseen, as grandpa would say. So that's progress.

Emma had a happy Easter week. A high point was Aunt Barbie's splendid Easter party, complete with egg hunt, deluxe goody bag, fun games, and scrumptious warm cheese dip and crackers. Mmmm, warm cheese dip. It was fun for Emma to be with her Hallstrom and Sweat cousins. Thanks, Aunt Barbie.

On Easter Sunday Emma enjoyed an egg hunt in the living room and showed moderate interest in the contents of her Easter basket. She looked very pretty when she went to church, and just as pretty when Joe brought her home a half hour later (she hadn't had a nap...behavior was spiralling downward...I anticipated total meltdown by nursery time; this church thing---it's a problem).

Emma's saying a lot of words. She even said "purple," or a reasonable likeness of it, when she was hunting for her purple eggs at Aunt Barbie's. She can now say her complete name (and a more charming sound I've never heard). She's a bright little girl and is picking up new things every day.

Emma's current favorite thing in the whole wide world is to watch "Go Baby" on the Disney channel. It's a little quasi-animated 4-minute show featuring two babies and the hijinx in which they engage. We have about seven of them recorded and Emma would probably watch them continuously at the expense of food, drink, and sleep if she had her way. Grandpa and Grandma Hiatt took part in the whole "Go Baby" experience when they stayed with us a few days when Joe was gone. They probably couldn't wait to leave...

So things are going generally great. Emma's birthday is Thursday. As brother Andy said, she'll be the "big 02." Our goal is to make it a happy day for her.

That's it for now. Thanks for checking in!

Ride 'Em Emma!

Our good friends Lorana and Earl dropped by this week and presented Emma with her very own rocking horse. It rocks. Lorana and Earl rock! Earl has made too many horses to count. They are all collectors items. Emma climbed on and took off. She is a natural. She even ran into her room and got her blanket, and then proceeded to put the blanket on top of the seat to soften her ride. I told Earl the next horse should include "tuck and roll."

Since our last entry, Emma has graduated from her crib. Her commencement was punctuated by Emma performing an "Acapulco-style" cliff dive over the rail to the floor (I gave her an 8 out of 10). We are still working out the details of keeping a toddler in her own room at night with out the benefit of some solid, well placed bars. Cribs is wonderful.

Denny and Emma have both had a cold this past week. They are on the mend, but it made for some long nights. Emma reminded me of that actress who called Barney "doll" on Andy of Mayberry. Strange sounds from a two-year old.

I am in DC this week, at a business forum, and wish my girls we with me. They both travel so well. I have included a photo of the changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Great respect and precision!

OK then

The Quilt, Etc.

Debbie Solberg's glorious 100 Good Wishes quilt hanging above the fireplace. It is a thing of beauty and a joy forever. It is pleasant to lie on the couch and ponder it.

Emma enjoyed romping on the quilt before we hung it up.

More romping

We took Emma sledding at Sugar House park on Saturday. She liked it pretty well. She didn't squeal with delight, but patiently endured speeding down the hill on her saucer and didn't complain when we sent her on a couple more trips. I think she looks cool and tough in this photo.

Cool and tough, up close.

Things are going well chez Haynie. Emma is a scream and makes us laugh on a daily basis. She is beginning to say many words (dog, doll, bib, Annie, eye), raises her hand and says "me!" when we ask "Who's a cutie pie?", and will attempt to recreate pretty much any sound when it's repeated a few times. When we ask her what her name is she says "Em!" She still loves sign language, too, and has taken to signing "more" with tiny little movements as she fervently looks up at us with sad puppy dog eyes ("Oh pleeeaaaase give me more: crackers, cheese, gummy worms, carbonated beverage"). She likes to look at her books, slide down the stairs on her tummy, swing at the park if the weather's decent, ride in the big kid fake car shopping carts at the store, play in the bathtub, and dump out food on her highchair tray in order to examine it more closely. She's still a great sleeper, but I think it won't be long before she's out of the crib; she hoists herself up and perches precariously on the rail sometimes before realizing it's a long way down and backing off.

Emma increases in cuteness on an hourly basis and we're enjoying every day with her.

Where in the Heck Have We Been?

Man, we haven't posted since January 17Th. We've been very bad. Actually we've been very busy. Having a toddler around has the tendency to take what energy you have, and spread it over too many hours. I'm not complaining, however. Emma is a joy to have around. She is very healthy and happy. This past week, she seems to be teething. She had sixteen of her twenty teeth last November, and we think the "Final Four" is happening in February this year. Much drooling and discomfort has been had.

We took Emma to the temple and had her sealed to us last week. What a special experience that was! After the ceremony, everybody came back to the house for some mingling and Mexican food (Chinese food around here doesn't translate well for catering). As always, Emma was the hit of the party. It took a while to wind her down after everybody left. We hung up the large 100 Wishes quilt on the wall above the fireplace, and it seems to fit right in. We may leave it up there until we find something that we think fits better (which will be tough to beat).

This was the culmination of our two year odyssey, that took us from American Fork to Beijing, and many points in between. We made many new friends from different places, who hopefully we can keep in contact with. Many are still in the waiting stages, hoping to get their referrals sooner than later, and others have already been to China and picked up their baby. It will be great to see how Emma's travelmates progress through the years.

Thank you all for sharing our experiences with us. We had hoped to keep the blog updated more often, but our priorities are currently being dictated by our little whirlwind. So hang in there, and we will keep you posted whenever we get the chance.

45 Things....

We pause from our regularly scheduled Emma programming to jump on the "100 Things You Didn't Know You Wanted to Know About Me" bandwagon. I have enjoyed reading Andi's, Amy and Dave's, and Angie's lists, so I'm chiming in with my list of 45.

1. I was born on my mom’s 30th birthday.

2. Once in first grade the teacher asked what the capital of the United States was, and since we had recently visited Grandmother in Salt Lake and I had seen the capitol building, I eagerly raised my hand and said “Salt Lake City!” She snickered and said no.

3. I won an award in high school for being the year’s fastest typist. Got a certificate at the awards assembly for typing “102 gross words per minute,” presented by Betty McGlasson, the office practices teacher.

4. I also won $150 bucks in a typing contest sponsored by some temp agency in Portland. They were having the contest in the lobby of the building I worked in. I went down on my lunch hour, typed for 3 minutes, and won the pot.

5. I played electric bass in stage band for one semester my senior year in high school. The regular bass player quit and they needed someone fast, so I taught myself over Christmas vacation and played for the rest of the school year. Was not very good.

6. I played flute in band from 7th grade to 12th grade. Sometimes I played piccolo, too, and especially liked the piccolo part at the end of “Stars and Stripes Forever."

7. I attended 7th grade in Provo (Farrer Junior High) while dad was going to BYU for a year.

8. I like going to stake temple night at the Salt Lake temple because they have dinner beforehand in the cafeteria and serve one of my favorite dishes – chickeny gravy over rice. I love beige, squishy food.

9. I love the sound of someone typing on a computer keyboard.

10. I got all four of my wisdom teeth taken out at once before my mission. The dentist accidentally squirted Novocaine down my throat and I remember driving myself home on the freeway not being able to swallow.

11. I threw up my first day in the mission field – combination of jet lag, nerves, and car sickness from a wild ride from the airport. Got to the mission home and barfed discretely in a tiny little bathroom that just had a toilet and a sink.

12. I was Girls’ League President my senior year in high school and was in charge of periodic goofy assemblies. For one of them we did a take-off on the Dinah Shore talk show, but we called it the Shine-a Door show and started off with someone polishing a door.

13. I’ve never seen the movie “Grease” from beginning to end.

14. I was a bottle dancer in Dad’s production of “Fiddler on the Roof” when I was about 15. The bottle was glued to the hat and I wore a fake beard.

15. I like tomatoes only if they’re fresh from the garden, and never like them on sandwiches.

16. Once when I was on a date with someone at BYU we were playing arcade games in a movie theater lobby. I stuck my left ring finger all the way into a hole that was on the steering wheel of a race car game and then couldn’t get it out. The nice ladies behind the concession stand tried putting popcorn “butter” on it, but it wouldn’t budge. They finally called the paramedics, who had to saw off part of the steering wheel to get my finger loose. This drew quite a crowd. I told the paramedics I played the piano and to watch the finger. Fun date, huh?

17. I generally prefer the night before a holiday to the holiday itself.

18. During my last two years at BYU I worked in a funny little research center called the “Values Institute” (Institute for Studies in Values and Human Behavior). It was in a little house on the south edge of campus. My typewriter was in the former breakfast nook.

19. I went to Disneyland for the first time at the age of 36.

20. Watching good tap dancers brings tears to my eyes. That’s entertainment!

21. I took tap dancing for one semester at BYU and can still remember about four measures of the dance we learned to “Singin’ in the Rain.” I sometimes have the urge to tap dance in grocery store aisles, which are so wide and shiny and tappable.

22. I also took International Folk Dancing during one summer at BYU. I lost interest part way through and stopped going. I got an “E” (the nice way of saying “F”; it was only half a credit and I figured my GPA could take the hit.)

23. I was afraid of cyclopses when I was little.

24. On my flight home from my mission, leaving Copenhagen airport with mom and dad, the airplane lost an engine during our ascent. It was at that moment during liftoff when you think, “Gee, I hope the plane makes it all the way up.” Right at that moment there was a big “BOOM” and a shudder and the plane kinda…struggled for altitude. A girl across the aisle shouted, “There’s flames coming out of the engine!” Holy cats. We had to turn around and go back and get a different plane, after circling around the ocean a few times to dump fuel. I had large drops of sweat on my palms. Mom and dad seemed surprisingly calm.

25. Charlie Sheen bugs me bad.

26. On my first date with Joe (August 12, 1995) we did the following things: 1) Had dinner at a place called Bubba’s on 45th South and 9th East (it’s not there anymore); 2) drove up to Park City for the hot air balloon festival (it started to rain and we got soaked as we listened to the Oak Ridge Boys); 3) came back to Salt Lake and had pie at the J.B.’s across from the temple; 4) drove out to the airport and walked around the backroads in the dark; 5) went back to my apartment and chatted for a while.

27. Joe proposed to me during a walk at the airport (but not the same walk as in #4 above).

28. I am not a morning person.

29. Neither am I night person.

30. Joe and I had our first discussion about possibly adopting a child over dinner at Su Casa.

31. One of the funnest things I have ever done is march in three “Starlight Parades” when I was living in Portland with my friend Dinah. It was a nighttime parade held in connection with the Rose Festival. We were part of the local public radio station’s “radio marching band." We carried portable radios, all tuned to the same station, and did silly routines as we marched – in front of thousands of cheering people lining the streets. It was so dang goofy and fun.

32. When I moved to Portland when I was 23 I didn’t have a job or a place to live. Just packed up my car and moved. When I got to town I drove around until I saw a “For Rent” sign in a little apartment building – Rena Villa on Vista Avenue. Talked to the landlady, paid her a deposit, and moved in the same day.

33. I took three years of French in college, but most of it was pushed out of my head by Danish a few years later.

34. My Danish is now terrible.

35. I remember reading the word “prostitute” in the newspaper when I was little and asking dad what it meant. It sounded like it would be something bland and political. Imagine my surprise when he cleared his throat and actually gave me the definition.

36. I had a big crush on Freddie Prinze (Sr., of “Chico and the Man” fame) when I was a teenager and was quite upset when he died.

37. As much as I love music, I hardly ever listen to it. Like Barbie, I have plenty of “little tunes” playing in my head all by themselves.

38. I like chips and salsa.

39. I am not a good cook, but make pretty tasty lasagna. I have never cooked a turkey or a roast. Why bother when I’m married to Joe?

40. One of my favorite church callings has been teenage Sunday School teacher for 8 months in the Liberty Ward. Dallin Oaks dropped in on our ward once and came to our class. He even joined in reading a verse of scripture. I’m glad I was prepared that day.

41. The most frequently quoted movies at our house are “Ghostbusters,” “Young Frankenstein,” “So I Married an Axe Murderer,” “The Blues Brothers,” “Blazing Saddles,” “The Godfather,” and “Raising Arizona.” We can carry on most of our conversations just using lines from these movies.

42. I ate my first Big Mac on a stage band trip to Reno in 1975. I had never tasted anything so delicious (remember I grew up in La Grande).

43. I love the song “Long Way Home” by Supertramp.

44. I’ve had only one migraine headache in my life – a doozy in 1982.

45. I was the relief piano player for a show called "Angry Housewives" in Portland in 1986-87. It played at the old Storefront Theatre and at the time was the longest running play in Portland's history.

Emma's Blessing Day

Emma in her blessing attire

She knows she's cute

Emma and her handlers

Some of the family members in attendance (and how many askew wardrobe items do you count?)

Emma’s blessing day was last Sunday. It was a happy day and Emma looked so pretty in her white dress, new white shoes, and white headband (which didn’t stay on her head the whole time, but that’s okay). Emma squirmed around a good deal during the blessing (batting hands away from her, pulling on Baba’s tie, etc.), but made no untoward screeches and overall did a great job (as did her dad). We had a lot of family members there and it was really a wonderful day for us.

Emma is thriving and healthy and keeps us on our toes. We got a cute gift from a friend – a stuffed koala bear backpack (for Emma) that has a looong tail (some might call it a “leash”…but we’ll just keep telling Emma it’s a tail). She loves wearing her backpack around the house, handing me the tail and allowing me to follow her around. She hasn’t quite figured out why she suddenly stops short from time to time.

Emma has been catching up on her immunizations. She got four shots last Friday and did great (sure, some appropriate, indignant howling occurred, but she recovered quickly and was soon as cheery as could be – in contrast to a month ago when she got her first four shots and tantrumed on the doc’s floor for 15 minutes afterward).

We’re still having fun learning sign language and Emma knows signs for at least 20 words, I’d say. She often uses the signs for “dog,” “eat,” “sleepy,” “cracker,” “cold,” “baby,” “cheese,” “milk,” “bird,” “duck.” She babbles a lot, especially when she’s riding in the car, and I can hear her trying out many different sounds. I love hearing her little voice. I don’t think it’ll be long before the words start coming.

She’s still a great sleeper and usually doesn’t cry when she goes down for naps or to bed, although there is often a lengthy roaming around the crib period before sleep finally hits. And sometimes a limber little leg stretches over the top railing and I can see her starting to pull herself over. She’s not quite there yet, but oh man, she’s going to figure out how to climb out very soon.

The newlyweds, Andy and Kathryn, stayed with us for a couple of weeks post-wedding but were able to move into their married student housing apartment at the U yesterday. Sniff. It was so fun to have them here…we’ll miss ‘em. They claim they’ll be back to visit.

And I keep thinking I’m going to be a better blogger but I keep getting worse at posting….so again, apologies for the long delay between posts. It’s not like we don’t have good material!

Happy 2007 to everybody.

Emma's First Christmas

Andy and Kathryn after the ceremony
Emma lounging on the stairs on Christmas Eve

Grandma and Emma

Christmas morning

This has been a big week for us. Thursday was Kathryn and Andy's wedding, and many relatives were in town and saw Emma for the first time. The wedding went great, and Emma looked divine in her black and white gown. We didn't get any pictures of her at the reception, because I was standing in the line, and Denny was chasing her around the building for a couple of hours. She lasted until 8 o'clock, and I didn't get home until 10:00 PM.

The wedding breakfast turned out great, with just over 100 people in attendance. Emma stayed at home with her Aunt Barbie, to whom we owe a debt of gratitude. It was the first time we have left Emma with anybody, and from what I can tell, they both had a blast. Thanks again to Barbie.

Last night (Christmas Eve) we went to my folks house for the family party. Emma donned her Christmas dress and was an instant hit. It is probably the only time she will be able to wear that particular dress, but she made the most of it. It is totally different attending a party with a toddler. Emma was doing great for about 1 1/2 hours, and then the wheels came off. We made a hasty exit and got her home quickly. She had a rougher than usual time going to sleep last night, probably due to over-stimulation being around so many new people, and playing six rounds of bingo.

Christmas Day has been wonderful. We ate breakfast and opened presents with Denny's folks, and Kathryn and Andy who are living with us until their apartment is available next month. Emma took the prize for having the most gifts, because we wrapped up many of the gifts she received at her showers, and put them under the tree. What a wild time!

I'm sure that Emma doesn't grasp any of the Christmas concept. Hopefully she is not now expecting parties and gifts all the time. I don't think so. She is such a happy, busy little person, that she takes each day as it comes, and makes the most of each one. She and Denny are bonding more each day. Thanks to Denny's efforts, Emma is learning and showing great progress. I think they were MFEO. OK then.

"They're Gettin' Married in the Mornin'"

The countdown for Andy and Kathryn ends tomorrow at 9:00 a.m. after a 310-day engagement. Can't imagine a more fetching couple. I think they look alike (and that's a good thing). After the ceremony and photo snapping, we'll lunch at the Joseph Smith Building (I believe menu is green salad, chicken parmesan, and brownie a la mode), and the couple will receive well-wishers in North Salt Lake from 6 to 9. Apparently the cultural hall is adorned with 30 Christmas trees, which Andy has been helping decorate today.

Aunt Barbie is being kind enough to watch Emma at our house during the daytime activities, but Emma will sport her reception dress (see our "Need Sleep, Can't Focus" post for a photo) in the evening.

We're looking forward to tomorrow's big events. Let's hear it for Andy and Kathryn!

Ribs is Tasty!

Pretty good photos, eh? We were up at Uncle Matt's and Aunt Erin's place to partake of some baby back ribs from the Caja China, with three of Emma's cousins. We weren't sure what she would be able to eat, so Denny started spooning some of the potatoes into her mouth. Poor cousin Josh was sitting to Emma's right, and lost a rib off of his plate to some good old fashioned sleight of hand, and the next thing we knew, Emma was cleaning every scrap of meat off of that bone. That's my girl! The picture of Denny is of said bone after Emma went on to her next rib. Thanks to Matt for some great ribs.

I figured out why Emma is such a good sleeper. It takes a lot of rest to wear out two adults. As I am writing this, I can hear Emma singing to her mother, who has been lying down trying to get Emma to sleep for the last 25 minutes, from the dark confines of her crib. I was in there momentarily, but it seems that I am something of a comical diversion to her, and she keeps laughing, so I left.

Every night we give her some milk (which she has little interest in), brush her teeth (a two-adult chore while singing "This is the Way We Brush Our Teeth"), say prayers together, and then try putting her down around 9:00 PM. Somewhere between 8:30 and 8:45 she puts on the full-court press, trying everything she can to delay the inevitable. She drags out books, her favorite ball, blocks, the big bear, and even her special empty box for a ride across the room. Denny puts on a CD of children's tunes playing softly (I prefer the soft rock ballads) and Emma goes down for the evening. It's good to get her into a routine. After four weeks back, things is settling in to a nice monotony.

The doctor's office called back after some samples were left, and it seems our little girl picked up some kind of bug that requires medicine to be administered three times a day. Our process for squirting the pink goo into her mouth includes a full nelson with head-lock, while we are both singing the first chorus of "Bad Medicine" by Bon Jovi. It seems to work, because she keeps most of it in her mouth, and she is feeling better. I suppose we could sing "A Spoon Full of Sugar," but I have my limits, besides I don't know all of the words. OK then.

Alright Already....

Emma went out in the recent snow to play for...um...three minutes or so until she decided it was cold and wet and did not meet expectations.

This is Emma pre-snow experience when she had high expectations. Took longer to get bundled up than she spent in the snow.

Part of the group at the fun shower Joe's work threw for us.

And their message on the whiteboard....Thanks, Distribution Center!

High time we posted. Sorry it's been so ding dang long (in case you've been checking in...) Bad blogger form.

Things are going well in Emmaville. She's a happy little girl, except when she wants something she can't have. Then she's irked 'n' peeved. But mostly happy, chortling, cackling, running around, babbling. She's learning sign language from the "Signing Time" DVD's ("It's signing time with Alex and Leah....it's signing time with Alex and Leah....it's signing time with Alex and Leah..." Try getting that tune out of your head. You can't. ) Emma can sign "more," "dog," "eat," "cold," "hungry," "apple," "cheese," and a few others. And I think she knows what most of them mean, too, as she has started using them appropriately, rather than just mimicking them, in the last few days. Bright little girl. It's fascinating to see her pick up things. She says "baba" when Joe's around. She imitated me saying "uh-oh" the other day. She shakes her head "no" when she doesn't want something and sometimes says "Ni ni ni ni" (she'll get the right vowel sound one of these days...)

We've gone to a couple of fun showers in the last two weeks, one at Joe's work and one in our old ward. People are so nice. Emma has received many beautiful toys and clothes. She is going to be outstandingly well dressed between the ages of 2 and 2-1/2. Her closet is a sight to behold.

Annie the dog continues to be watchful, as Emma likes to pull fur, pat hard, and leap unexpectedly onto the dog's tummy as she reclines. Annie's been very patient and will go directly to dog heaven someday (hopefully not as a result of anything Emma does to her). I must confess that we mix up the names "Annie" and "Emma" sometimes.

Speaking of the dog....Joe cooked a chicken in the dutch oven on Sunday. We ate half of it for dinner and then made the mistake of leaving the other half on our kitchen island when we went out visiting later that evening. The island is high and our dog is short, but apparently Annie, when properly motivated, can leap high enough to grab half a chicken off a cutting board on the three-foot-high island and devour the whole thing...except for the breastbone, which was licked clean and then buried under our pillows in our bedroom. When I turned down the bed that night I got quite a fright--couldn't tell what that was in our bed. A dead bird? (well, sort of). Blech blechety blech yuck yuck. Then we figured out what had happened. Annie seemed fine until the next day when the whole sorry incident caught up with her in the form of all manner of gastrointestinal anomalies. Pooches. Can't trust 'em when you don't put your leftovers away.

Life is good and we love our little Emma. We are blessed. She is the most adorable little girl and every day is a new, fun adventure. We'll try to take more pix and post more often.

Random Observations

Liberty Park Swinger

- The degree to which we have had to adjust our environment to keep 19-month-old fingers out of drawers, cupboards, light sockets, toilet bowls, TP dispensers, dog food bowl, fireplace, computer keyboards, furnace vents, the pooch's nether regions, and potted plants is startling. Our child---does not stop. She's "exploring her world."
-I've never been so aware of those twangy doorstops on the bottoms of our doors. Previously happily oblivious to them, I now find myself in amusing daily power struggles with my youngster over how frequently and vigorously to twang them. And they do indeed twaaannnnggg. Two of them have been completely removed by our mighty daughter.
- Trying to get wiggling feet into footy pajamas, snap the 2nd and 3rd snaps on onesies (as Emma wriggles and giggles), get a fresh diaper on as Emma does revolutions on the bed, get the
head hole of a shirt over the head and one arm in before the shirt comes right back off the head again, or untangle the arm loops on carseat or stroller and get them somehow latched into their correct compartments before Emma decides to just get out and walk back in the house --all kind of remind me of dreams where you're trying to run through quicksand...or piano playing dreams where I'm trying to find the right page number of a hymn as the congregation waits...but the book's upside down, and then you knock it off the piano, and then you flip through the pages and still can't find it....
- But it's all so amazingly fun I can't stand it.
- Emma has a high-wattage, movie-star-worthy smile.
- She is also amazingly limber. She can do the splits, no problem.
- I owe a huge debt of gratitude to Emma's foster mom, who I believe had Emma on a firm schedule. Nap and bedtimes appear to be a familiar inevitability for her. Although Emma usually screeches with indignation when I put her down (and stands right back up again), after I place her in reclining mode the second time she realizes that resistance is futile and stands up no more. There may be a few minutes of resigned whimpering, but then....she's out.
- Emma yearns to have a hands-on experience with food. Being spoon-fed is for babies. She wants to hold the spoon herself (and then fling it away--it no longer amuses her). Better yet, she wants to hold the jar of applesauce and place her fist inside, then lick the applesauce off the fist. The most successful (shriek-free) method of feeding Emma is to place bite-size portions of food on her highchair tray and let her mix and match as she wishes.
- Emma says mama, baba, da da da, booya, gives a great Bronx cheer, rolls her tongue around loudly inside her mouth, cackles, growls, and occasionally grinds her teeth.
- Her favorite song is "Bandstand Boogie" (the incomparable Barry Manilow arrangement!). We played this for her on Napster every night when we were in China. She stands between Joe's knees, holding his hands, and runs back and forth in time to the music, chortling with glee. We believe she's got the music in 'er!
- We realized that Emma will completely skip a generation in learning about pop music from about the 1980s on...She'll grow up listening to classic country, Joni Mitchell, Neil Young, Mozart sonatas, show tunes, and the Carpenters' Christmas album.
- We're all having a great time -- wouldn't change a thing.

She's a Dunker!

It is now official. Emma is a member in good standing of the "Dunker's Club." Although considered a novice, she took to dunking like a politician to a fundraiser. With just one example, she pushed us aside and started dunking with both hands. She even had the "let one soak while I eat the other" system perfected. The doctor said to get whole vitamin D milk in her any way possible, and we have found this to be a fool-proof method.

Emma is sleeping very nicely, thank you very much. We put her down at 8 or 9 PM, and she doesn't wake up until 7:45 AM or so. At that time, she stands up and puts her arms out, ready for the lift-out. Not a cry or anything. She sure is a sweetheart.

She went to church Sunday, and made quite a splash. Everybody there was so nice and anxious to finally meet her. Denny and I traded trips to the foyer with her. Church sitting is not one of her strong suits (nor is it one of mine). She made it about 1 1/2 hours, which isn't bad. We will work on building that time up, and maybe even give her a shot at the nursery. Watch out nursery!

Another first. Emma was introduced to Hires Big H. What an eventful week we have had. She enjoyed "double dipping" her fries in the special sauce, and occasionally taking a bite of her grilled cheese sandwich. I guess the only other major "first" we are lacking is a trip to the Home Depot, which may happen some time this weekend. Kinda makes me cry to think of it.

In conclusion, just a couple of observations. First, you can never have enough spoons. I don't know how many we have, but it is not enough. Second, you cannot brush baklava out of a child's hair. It's too sticky. OK then.

Need sleep.......can't focus...

On an earlier post, we included a photo of the dress Emma is going to be wearing at Andy and Kathryn's wedding reception in December. We are proud to give an updated photo with Emma dancing in that very dress, It's a great fit, and Denise can't wait to accessorize with pumps, purse, tights, haircut, scarf, and a late-model vehicle.

We have been back for four days now, and need to give an update on Emma's progress for transitioning into her new world. I am sure she is wondering where all of the people, tall buildings, breakfast buffets, humidity, 90 degree temperatures, and the nice attendants outside the hotel room went. We have slipped into the alternate universe known as "The East Millcreek Zone."

Sleep is still up for grabs. Denny and I catch it when we can, which hasn't been real consistent. I was hoping to get a solid three hours straight Sunday, but I missed church. Emma seems to enjoy any kind of wheeled conveyence, stroller or car, because she has yet to arrive at any destination with her eyes open. The trouble comes on "the transfer." After a walk yesterday, we rolled the stroller into her room, propped up the front wheel, and let her sleep while she was still strapped in. That lasted about thirty minutes. She finally went down for a real nap yesterday about 2 PM, and when we tried to wake her up two hours later, she had trouble waking. We think she was in her nine-hour sleep phase, which would have her waking up about.....now. We still got her up, fed her, and walked her around four a couple of hours until she dropped off again. Denny just woke up again, so we are both in the can't-sleep-but-still-groggy waiting stage.
We have had trips to the pediatrician, and to the lab at the hospital, where much screaming was had. Once for a TB test, and the other to draw blood for a battery of other tests regularly given to adoptive children from other countries. The doc says she looks great, with no visible problems. After we get the blood work back, we will get started on her immunizations. All of those shots into those tiny arms and backside make me cringe.

Denise has promised to give a real update as soon as things settle down a little and she can type without wondering if Emma is chasing the dog, or the dog is chasing Emma (Annie is pleased to see that food is now being eaten at her level on a consistent basis). OK then.

The Emma Has Landed!

Emma looking for a diversion to get past me into the aisle
Denny trying to Explain to Emma about the "no more than 28 Cherios-at-a-time in your mouth" rule

We made it back. After a 12 1/2 hour flight from Guangzhou, a one-night layover in Los Angeles, and a 1 1/2 hour flight this morning, we arrive on time in Salt Lake at 12:35 PM. Our flight didn't leave Guangzhou until 9 PM on Friday night, so we had to hang out at the airport from 5 PM until we boarded the flight at 8:30 PM. Emma fell asleep in her stroller just before boarding, and we thought perhaps the flying gods were smiling down upon us. Just a fleeting thought. Although she woke up with the bright lights in the cabin, at least she wasn't upset about it. We almost had her asleep a hour into the flight, when the flight attendant shook a boney finger at us and said that babies sleeping on the floor were not allowed (we spoke with other parents after the flight, and they told us of the glorious feeling of having their kids sleep for hours on the floor). Give the Governor a harrumpf! Between Denny and I, we held Emma while she was sleeping for about seven hours.

We arrived in LA just after sunset, three hours before we left. There were five other adoptive parents on the flight, and it took just under two hours to get through immigration and customs. Not too bad. We had a room booked for the night at an airport hotel, so we made the transfer over and luxuriated with a large room, ice, diet Sprite, soft beds, Dominos Pizza, and Conan O'brien. Emma slept from 11 PM until 1:30 AM, and from 5 AM until we had to wake her up at 6 AM to get ready for our next leg. She was a trooper through the whole deal.

Upon our arrival in Salt Lake, there was a welcoming committee of Aunt Barbie and Uncle Dennis, Cousin Tony and his wife Cindy, and kids all over the place with balloons. Quite the welcoming comittee for us! We were also surprised by Denny's friend who had finished Emma's 100 good wishes quilt and presented it to us. It is beauty (there will be more on the quilt in a future post, with pictures)! Andy and Mac were there with a couple of vehicles to help us get ourselves and all of our stuff back home. Amazing how much room you loose with a carseat. What ever happened to rope? Anywho, when we turned the last corner into our block, we saw that our garage door was decorated with a welcome home sign, compliments of Kathryn and Andy. What a treat! I was hoping to lay low for a few days, but I guess that option is out the window.

Grandma and Grandpa came over with Boo, Alex, Jason and Allison, but they had to just look, as Emma fell asleep just before they got here. She woke up about 8 PM, but went back down at 11 PM, and is still sleeping. Denny and I are tag-teaming it, so she is now able to get some sleep. The next few days may be a little strange, but we got her, she's a beaut, and everything went as planned. Murdock of the "A-Team" couldn't have been more pleased.

Thanks to all for your interest in our China experience, and I assume the writings will continue when Denny can find a moment to collect her thoughts. OK then.

Guangzhou Gallery

We're getting geared up to leave tomorrow evening. Have a consulate appointment this afternoon to obtain Miss Em's visa and tomorrow morning will be spent doing some last-minute shopping and packing. This will probably be our last post from China, so wanted to leave you with some more photos (including a couple extra of 2-year-old Nathan, his dad Steve, and Steve's parents. Nathan's mom wasn't able to travel to China, so she's going to check our website to see some photos)

Nathan, Steve, and Grandparents

Steve and Nathan

Ladies doing their morning dance routine on Shamian Island

Joey, Denny, Emma

The amazing Judy Wu sitting on the famous red couch (where all babies staying at the White Swan must have their photos taken) and the five children in our travel group, from left: Alyssa, Nathan, Emma, Lydia and Anna Mae. The three other girls are all about a year old. Nathan just turned two (I think he and Emma have a crush on each other. We've planned for them to attend prom together some day; will have to arrange for travel to or from Minnesota). And yes, Kristen, we did get our complementary White Swan Barbie Doll (a curvey blonde holding a dark-haired little girl; Nathan's doll is holding a little boy).


The entire group: Paul, Staci, and Anna Mae; Joey, Denny, and Emma; Todd, Patty, and Alyssa; Steve and Nathan; John, Sheila and Lydia.

On our way to McDonald's yesterday, we walked through more "real China" and saw this collection of dried seahorses for sale, spread out on the street corner; take your pick.

Alley with laundry drying above.

Emma playing in the "Swan Room"; she's a pretty good speller!

We took Emma to the Guangzhou zoo Thursday morning. As you can see, she wasn't impressed. She decided to take her 1:00 nap at 10:30, just to mix things up a little; fell sound asleep five minutes into the zoo and woke up promptly as we were leaving. I think her cheeks have plumped up some after the last 10 days of abundant eating. In the last two days, though, she has decided she does not like some things as well as she used to. Watermelon, for example. She used to consume it in huge, lip-smacking mouthfuls. Now? Ack phooey!! Forget it.

The lovely Guangzhou zoo. This was one of our favorite outings of the whole trip. It was just beautiful -- so peaceful, with tall palm trees and a variety of exotic foliage. And there were surprisingly few people there (for a city with 12.5 million of 'em....)

The north end of a southbound Guangzhouvian elephant. Are they not the most unusual creatures??

Well, folks -- This will wrap up the China reporting. Thanks for joining us on the most wonderful, amazing, thrilling trip of our lives. We feel so blessed to be able to welcome Emma into our lives as our dear daughter -- and we are grateful for our family and friends who have been so supportive. We love you!!

See you soon,

Denny & Joe

PS. Our adoption agency writes a newletter every month, and this month's features Emma. If you would like to take a look, go to:

http://www.wiaa.org/Newsletter/china/chinanewslettercurrent.asp