Photo Session 2012

Hello All,

Today Emily had her annual photo session, and as usual...the pictures turned out CUTE!!!!!!!

My girl is growing up so fast! Won't bore you with too many details, and let you enjoy her precious smile!

Love,

Kathy

Valentine's Day 2012

Hello All,

My girl loves Skittles...

Emily and Mommy had a good Happy Heart Day! This is what Emily has been calling today...cute huh?? Valentine's Day is a tad hard to say, plus I think Happy Heart Day is precious!

Emily awoke to her surprise from mommy...a nummy breakfast, a fun princess card, and her gift bag with new outfits, a little candy, and some toys! She was very appreciative and very excited that she got to watch Winnie the Pooh Valentine's Day video while she ate her heart breakfast.

At school, she took her cards for her friends, gifts for all of her teachers, and treat bags for her class. I heard from her teacher that they had a very active and fun party.

This evening JuJu came over to have dinner and give Emily her Valentine. She also helped Emily sign a card for mommy and gave me a new book to read. Thanks baby girl!

After dinner, we watched a new DVD that Emily got from school. Her teacher, Miss Laurel, who left as of January to do her student teaching, put together a DVD of still pictures and some video clips all put to music of Emily's class from August-December. It is SO COOL!!!!! JuJu and mommy teared up at some of the photos of Emily and her friends. It is so fun to be able to see what they do at school when their parents are at work.

Happy Heart Day to you all, and give your loved ones a HUGE kiss and hug!

Love,
Kathy

Happy Heart Day Breakfast

Happy girl

Sticker crazy

New puppy named Heart

All ready for school

Love you Mommy

A musical card from JuJu

Listening to Beauty and the Beast music

Love you JuJu

Valentine Buzz...

She is looking so much older...

Doggy had to get in on the action

Well, it started this weekend! All of the Valentine fun and goodies for Miss Emily.

On Friday night we went shopping for her cards for her friends at school. OF COURSE she picked out none other than DOGS...with a few cat cards thrown in! She also picked some boxes of chocolates for all of her teachers at school!

Saturday morning, Titi and Belen came over with cards and gifts for the darling and the girls had a grand time playing together. I just love that girl, my Sugarplum Belen. I am sure it is hard at times to play with a five year old when you're nine yourself!  It was a fun time opening cards and gifts.

Sunday at church, Emily took her card and some flowers for Nana, and what do you know...Nana had something for the wee one as well. Later Sunday morning, Grandpa and Grandma came over, and Emily gave them her card and flowers too. She loved her chocolate from them as well!

Overall, Emily has had a very blessed weekend. So many people love her and think of her. She truly is one lucky little ladybug!

More to come on Tuesday, as Emily calls it..."Happy Heart Day."

Love,

Kathy

The silly face pose...

The two Amiga's

New PJ's from Titi

Little Angel...chocolates

Fun new book from Belen, Titi and Uncle Larry

Doesn't get much sweeter than this

Happy Heart Day Nana

Card and candy from Nana

Emily and her friend Jaycee at church

JuJu and Emily

Lan Su Chinese Garden

Ni Hao,

Emily in her Chinese finery

Today we celebrated Chinese New Year with JuJu at the Lan Su Chinese Garden in Portland. Emily had a great time exploring the grounds, LOVED the fish in the lake, listened to a few minutes of a Chinese story, helped mommy make a lantern, and watched some preschool and Pre-K dancers from Northwest Chinese Academy. It seemed that what she loved the most was walking around and exploring. JuJu bought her a new panda from the gift shop, and then we headed off to lunch. We wanted to stay and watch the lion dance, but the wee girl had other plans and was "hungy."

PF Chang's here we came...Since it was a Sunday, and Super Bowl Sunday at that, the restaurant wasn't busy at all. Emily had a delicious lunch of chicken lettuce wraps, honey chicken, fried rice, and Mongolian beef.

We all had a very fun day spent with each other and enjoying a wonderful meal, and now the sweet girl is napping hoping to go outside on her swing set after she wakes up!

Gung Hay Fat Choy!!!

Love,
Kathy

Emily and JuJu

Beautiful gardens

Tea House

Mommy and Emily looking into the bright sun

Chinese Storytelling

Preschool dancers...too cute

Pre-K dancers

Another beautiful picture

Making a lantern

So serene

Interesting doorway

Waterfall

Quite the pose...

Yummy lettuce wraps

Emily and her JuJu

Mommy and her girl

Hearing Aid Appointment

Today Emily had her hearing aid appointment, and I had no idea how she would do, and like I have said on numerous past occasions, my girl rose to the challenge and did SO GREAT!!

Happy girl!

I had her teacher have her all ready in the big room for me to pick her up early, and she was crying when I got there as this was DIFFERENT from the norm. Many of you know that Miss Emily likes things on her regular, normal schedule. She was fine once she saw me, and off we went! Her teachers had been telling her today that she was going to go with mommy on an adventure...THANK YOU teachers!

I tried to calm her anxiety in the car while driving to the appointment. I had brought some snacks and a new toy to also help occupy her during the appointment.

She wasn't too sure upon arrival, but Rachel was GREAT with her.

Emily played with all of the toys in the room while mommy learned all about hearing aids, kinds of hearing aids, how Emily's will work, what they can do, the differences between brands, what sounds exactly Emily is missing, etc. A LOT of information to take in, BUT I must say Rachel was very sweet and would re-explain anytime I asked.

Emily will have many appointments with Rachel in her future, especially in the beginning while Emily is getting used to them. Emily did great having the molds made of her ears with her ears filled with pink silicone!

We even got a new story book written by a boy with hearing aids, and a new stuffed animal with hearing aids, so Emily can see how hers will be. :-)

Drum roll please...Emily picked pink with butterflies for the part over her ear, and red and white mixed together for the soft part that goes in the ear. Each time she needs new inner ear parts, she can choose from a multitude of colors! These she will need every time she has a growth spurt! YIKES!

Also, I was informed that hearing aid batteries only last about two weeks, and for the rest of her life will need to be replaced every two weeks!!!!!! Costco here we come!!! YIKES!!!

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Notice her new friend's hearing aids

Now for the good news! With my insurance coverage for hearing aids, my part will only be $65.00. Every time she will need new inner ear parts they are about $40.00 each. I am willing to do ANYTHING for my loveybug!!! I can't wait for her to get them and see how she adjusts to them!

I know this wee one is destined for GREATNESS!!!!!

Enjoy the pictures!

Love,

Kathy

P.S. Thank you Kira and Kayla for the Red Envelopes! We love you!