Tomorrow I have to go back to work and I am accepting pity e-hugs...THANKS!!

Yes, it is true. Tomorrow I need to wake up to an alarm clock. The last time I used an ACTUAL alarm clock was November 10th, 2006. That is really crazy! That was the day we set our alarm and had the front desk wake us up by phone so we could catch the plane from Guatemala to bring our daughter home forever.

I fear my alarm clock!!!

Anyhow, today it hit me that I went back to work with Bryan when he was four months old. I have been with Maya almost four months...although she is older, that made me feel better in a way ...

My belly is better but not great and I hope it is great by tomorrow because the hospital bathrooms are not so hot!

I just finally got up the strength to look at the loot Maya got and wow! Thank you so much everyone!!!!

She will be very well dressed!

Now, I owe everyone more pics!!

The morning of Maya's first birthday

Maya wore this last week and was so cute!

Bryan hugging Maya

This is cute, right?

JC Penneys failed us with Maya's First Birthday Pics...so Mommy did a shoot at home

This is the winner...some of you will get a copy soon:)

Maya's First Birthday was Saturday...

...can you believe our baby is one???

Anyhow, it went very well!!! Unfortunately, I got sick that night and it is still going on...the dreaded stomach virus.

I will post a few pictures for everyone before I take my next nap...Just pics for now because I really do not feel well...sorry!!

GIA is a BIG SISTER!!! YEA!!!!!!!

I just had post to direct everyone's attention to Holly's Blog....Massimo(MAX) has been born!!

A BIG CONGRATULATIONS GOES OUT TO OUR FRIENDS, HOLLY, ZO AND GIA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It is hard to imagine adopting again, but they are doing it and I hope everyone reading this that saw what we went through can take a second and hope that their adoption goes very smooth!!!

She is walking!!!

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MAYA GRACE WILL BE TURNING ONE ON SATURDAY!!!

That's right, she will be one on Saturday. We will be celebrating in Sesame Street style as she seems to have a thing for Elmo. Maya will be joined by some close family and friends. It will also be a playdate for Bryan and all his little friends. We are looking forward to it!!!

We are hoping to be healthy for the big day. We have been very busy giving Maya some TLC since last Tuesday when she came down with some major gas/diarrhea problems. We had introduced milk so we thought it was that, but even off milk it continued...and so maybe it was a virus. For now, we will be going back to formula for awhile, straight up.

BRYAN INSISTED ON HELPING MOMMY BRING IN GROCERIES, AND THESE ARE DADDY'S SHOES THAT HE INSISTED ON WEARING

THESE PICTIRES WERE TAKEN THURSDAY WHEN I THOUGHT MAYA WAS FEELING WELL...LITTLE DID I KNOW...

THAT THIS OUTFIT WOULD BE IN THE WASH HOURS LATER

CUTE EVEN WHEN NOT 100%

WE WENT TO MCDONALDS PLAYLAND YESTERDAY & BRYAN MADE FRIENDS(WHAT ELSE IS NEW??)

DADDY, WHEN CAN I CLIMB THAT SLIDE?

Momma's going back to work...

That's right, I have a job at the same hospital I have been at since 1999. I will be starting in what is called "Special Procedures". The unit does everything that the Cardiac Cath Lab and OR does not. I will be assisting in a lot of procedures and it will take quite a bit of training and testing. I will be working 2 days per week 8am-8:30pm. I will see very little of the children awake(if at all) on those 2 days. The job will require an occasional weekend and on call responsibilities. I am stressed about it as those close to me know!

But, this is life and we need the money. I will also be forced to talk to adults 2 days/week and maybe that will be healthy for me.

I enrolled both kids in a new daycare program George and I found over the last week. Bryan's current daycare could not accept Maya at the present time, so we looked elsewhere and we found a place we like that is actually less expensive than where he goes now!

We will be taking it day by day, but Maya did very well at the daycare(we will call it "school") this morning. I left her in the classroom without me for what is called "circle time" and she did very well. She did not cry for me until she saw me come back for her, then she wanted me, but all and all, we may survive this time in our lives.

Other than, that, I revieved awesome news from one of my friends today that she is pregnant(through in-vitro). I wont tell you who until I clear it with her, but just be thrilled that it worked and pray that it is a successful pregnancy!

Here are some pictures:

Tuesday we played with my friend Sue and her 3 kids, along with our friend Melissa. Erin is Bryan's princess. Laugh, but it is true! Bryan is still talking about his princess.

If we could arrange a marriage, Erin would be a top contender for our Prince.

Maya finally meets Melissa!!! Melissa was in California for the past 3 months doing traveling nursing so she has a VERY good excuse for not meeting Maya yet!

It finally snowed!!!

Riley and Mayita

Seriously??? How cute is she???

Bryan was on the go, loving every second of the freezing cold snow.

Daddy and Bryan

This last picture was sent to me by my Mom. They got at least 17 inches! My brother and mother had a wild time shoveling yesterday while my Dad was stuck at work(he is a mailman, excuse me, letter carrier, Dad:)

Happy Valentine's Week!!!!!!!

What's new with us???? Well, not too much. We are finally having winter here in NJ and it is very cold and very depressing. We would love to get out and play in the snow and maybe even break out our skis, but for now it has just been cold...no snow...barren trees...and a lot of work to dress two kids to go out. We are due to get a lot of snow tomorrow night into Wednesday, so maybe it we will have a day of it "looking pretty" even though driving in the snow is no fun!

The good news is that we did get out to Gia's birthday party on Saturday and it was fun!

I have posted some pictures below. Hope everyone enjoys:)

Maya's hair pre-haircut

Last Thursday I did get out with Maya. We went shopping at the Woodbridge Center Mall. I really love that mall!!! I do not remember ever walking the whole thing but I did this time, and it was nice. Maya loves to shop(so far). We were in Gymboree and we got a cute outfit for Gia. Maya tried on a bunch of sunglasses and was truly cracking herself up. She is a hoot!

Below is the bathing suit we bought for Maya. You can see Gia's presents on her blog. We got the one that has yellow shorts, yellow sunglasses and blogger t-shirts for her and baby Max.

I love it and cannot wait to see her little butt in this.

I got her the matching sunglasses but then I stopped because she has a birthday coming up and she may possibly get clothes.....

George, Bryan and I have had our haircut by Heather many times, but this was Maya's first time. Heather let us come to her house and Bryan was thrilled with all of Heather's son's toys.

Maya was really good for her haircut!

I was in shock of how short it became but I totally trust Heather. She deals with my mop of hair, so that says something.




Calm down, Mommy. It is not that short. It looks clean and will grow in nice now, and my mullet is all gone so be happy Mommy!

Before we went to Gia's party, God came into our home and made a miracle occur. Bryan took a nap. I took a picture so everyone believes me.



Maya sporting her H&M dress she got from Sue's mom. Could she model or is it just because I am her Mommy that I think she is so cute?



I gave her puffs so I could get ready...Yummy!

Maya, Bryan and Olivia

Olivia was also adopted from Guatemala and lives nearby. She is really cute!!!!

This came out dark but looks better on Holly's site...it's the Guatemommas...

Holly, Nikki and Me

Holly and the Birthday Girl herself

This is Miss Gia eating her cake. Lucky girl....

Speaking of lucky.....I am still hearing comments about our adoption that go a little something like this:

"Wow, you adopted, what a wonderful thing you did for that poor baby"

I know when people say this that they mean well . They are saying that Maya and Gia and Olivia and all the other internationally adopted children are lucky and that is true, but I want everyone to know that we, the parents, are really the lucky ones. It is a wonderful two sided coin.

Thanks for having us at the party, Holly and Happy Birthday Gia!!!!

Let's try on my dresses Mommy!

I can wave, watch me!

This little piggy went the market...

Did you buy me payless shoes, Mommy?

Thanks, Mom and I look foward to many more shoes in my lifetime!!!!





Holly's Mom made Bryan this scrub hat




Thank you so much!!!!

It is really nice!!! She sells them. If anyone is interested, check out Holly and Gia's blog and you can get the link:)