Wednesday, December 31, 2008

Moving again!

I created this blog mainly to post information about our trip, Ema, and our progress once we returned home. I have had another blog created as our family blog. From this point on I will be posting on our family blog. You will find the link to this blog below! I cannot seem to make a direct link to it like I did on the other blog so you will have to copy and paste it into your browser to get to it. Sorry! Please continue to follow us in 2009 by visiting our blog. Don't forget to save it to your favorites!

Thanks and HAPPY NEW YEAR from the Richardson's!

http://thelifeoftherichardsons.blogspot.com/

Go Tigers!

Who would have ever thought that Ba would teach his baby girl to say Go Tigers! Well she doesn't actually say Go Tigers but she has the idea! It is so cute. Kirk and I decided that going to the Cincinatti game Monday night was pronbably not a good idea because it started so late and he is back at work now and misses her so bad. If we went he would not get to see her all day and she would be asleep when we got home. I knew that deep down in his heart he really wanted to go so Ema and I decorated the house with Memphis stuff and Ema and I got all dressed up in our Memphis attire. Earlier that morning we made Memphis cookies with tiger blue icing. (Yum Yum) Ema greeted Ba at the door with a pom pom saying Go TIGERS! It made his day! Here are some pictures from that night. Go Tigers!!!




Tuesday, December 23, 2008

Finally time to blog!

OK I know, I know, I have not posted anything in a while. I can hardly find time to do anything with an 18 month (going on 4 years old) running around. Ema requires our full attention 24/7. Two things that are not on her agenda are sleeping and mommy blogging! Everything is going well EXCEPT sleeping. She hates going to sleep and Kirk and are really missing it. Kirk is back at work and is really tired. I am at home alone with her and I am really tired. Ema probably slept 3 hours last night. She is tired but fights it so bad! I think she has adjusted really well except in this area. Sometimes I think she cries to get in our bed but once I think about it, she IS use to having a child in the bed with her and she did sleep in the bed with us for 12 nights in Vietnam. I think waking up in a crib alone is scary to her even if it is in our room. I know, I can hear you now - GET HER OUT OF YOUR BED, YOU ARE MAKING A HUGE MISTAKE BY LETTING HER GET INTO YOUR BED! I have heard these a million times. Kirk nor I like her to sleep with us but we also striving to make her feel completely comfortable with us and in our home. We want to make sure she knows that her world will never be turned upside down again and that we will never leave her. Please continue to pray for our sanity and for God to reveal answers to us on how to comfort her and make her feel comfortable in our home.

Saturday, December 20, 2008

Dee Dee and Pop's Christmas

This was such a special Christmas for us and for Ema. God has blessed Kirk and I with the most amazing child. Just having her here to hold, rock to sleep, watch cartoons with, play with, is the best gift we could ever ask for. To think that there was once a chance that we would not be getting her is all a blurr. God had it all planned out. He made this happen at the most perfect time. We find ourselves looking at her and saying, "Can you believe she is here?" We waited so long for her and she is acutally a real person. We never knew we could love something so much.


Here are some pictures from our Christmas at my Mom and Dad's (aka: Dee Dee and Pops). The wooden rocking horse was mine and the green rocking chair was my dad's. She loves to rock. This year everyone got Ema gifts instead of the adults. She is going to be sad when Christmas is over because she will not be getting a gift everyday. :)







Dee Dee and Pops could not stand for Ema to have an old rocking horse that did not make noise. They found her a rocking horse that looks real and makes real horse noises. Ema is so funny when riding this. She stops rocking when the horse stops click-clacking and while riding she will try to say YEE HAW!!



Thursday, December 18, 2008

My First Haircut

Ema got her first haircut today! She did great. Ms. Debbie did my first haircut so we thought it was great that she was able to do Ema's first.





Friday, December 12, 2008

Our First Doctors appt

Yesterday we had an appointment with Dr. Lana. I thought that Ema would do better because Dr. Lana is a woman and she really does better with women. I was right, she laughed and talked to Dr. Lana and in the end got a good report. Now don't get e wrong, she screamed when we had to get undressed to weigh and we won't even mention what it was like when they drew blood. Lets just say that it took me, Kirk, two lab people and a device that looked like a straight jacket to get her blood. I think that if Ema could have gotten loose she would have clawed all of our eye's out. She was so mad! It broke my heart because she was looking at me like, help me mommy, why are you letting them do this to me? Poor baby!!!Mot importantly, she got a good report and is a healthy baby!





Gimme 5

Ema is learning new things everyday. While waiting in the airport Kirk taught her "gimme 5". My dad came over to see her and she played this with him. I thought this picture was too cute. She has most everyone wrapped around her little finger, especially Pops.
Ema also LOVES a cell phone. Pops showed her his cell phone and she pretended that she was talking on it.

Thursday, December 11, 2008

Gift for Mommy

Ms Jennifer Daughtery stopped by yesterday and surprisingly brought mommy a gist. It was a beautiful bracelet with Ema on it. I love it!!! Thanks Jennifer and our family cannot wait until your your family is matched with a child. It is such a blessing. Hope you and your husband can stop by sometime.



More vistors

Last night we have several visitors. Mr. Moe, Ms. Loretta and Shaw and Ms. Donna Farmer came by and brought us dinner and a bucket filled with treats for Ema. Ms. Kristi, Raygen, and Kinley also stopped by. I am still shocked at how well Ema plays with other children. It takes her a minute or two to warm up but once she feels comfortable there is no stopping her. She is so funny. Kirk and I love the company because it seems to wear her out. She went to sleep last night at 8:00 PM and woke up at 5:00PM. It felt so good to sleep in this morning. Raygen and Kinley and Shawl you are welcome anytime. When you guys left she waved at the door saying "bye, bye, bye, bye" then threw a fit. Here are some pictures from last night. (oh yeah, Kristi I think one of you children is about to have a birthday...I owe you one for that stupid doll and drum that you bought.) Ema loves it :(







I had to post this picture. Kinley would sit in my lap while Ema would be playing and when she would notice she would immediately come over and park it. She LOVES her mommy so much!!

Tuesday, December 9, 2008

My new friends

Ema had more visitors tonight. Rob, Laura, Lane and Bo all came over to see Ema and brought her a gift. Lane colored Ema the prettiest card welcoming Ema and telling her how much they loved her. I could tell that she put a lot of work into this card! She was such a happy baby. She walked around laughing and playing. I loved watching her interact Lane and Bo.





Aunt Amy visits Ema

Yesterday Aunt Amy visited Ema. She brought her a building block set and her first coloring book and crayons. Ema was not in the best of moods yesterday but today she has colored and stacked her blocks all day. Thank you Aunt Amy for visiting us and for the gifts!



Thank you Ms Dana!

We have had several visitors since we have been home. Yesterday Ms. Dana brought us a gift yesterday! Ema LOVES to open presents so she was a happy camper! Thank you Naifeh family for the adorable Christmas PJ's.

What did we do before Ema?

Life will never be same! Kirk and I have already asked each other the famous question: What did we do before Ema? Our house was quite, we had a routine, we got a normal hours worth of sleep. Everything has changed. Ema is still struggling with Tennessee time. She finds herself being the happiest little girl at 2:30 AM every morning. She sits up in bed and wants to play! Very frustrating for mommy and daddy! We try to keep her busy during the day hoping that she will sleep like she did in Vietnam but that has yet to be accomplished.

Monday, December 8, 2008

Welcome Home

A pink ribbon and ballons means we are home. Welcome Home Ema!

Sunday, December 7, 2008

More Random Pics

Two of the prettiest girls I know!

Em and Ema sitting by the lake - Ema is napping.

Temple out in the middle of Turtle Lake for a giant turtle said to be 500+ years old

Em and Ema with the 2nd hotel staff at the Hanoi Elegance 3

Ema napping in the chair in the hotel lobby as we wait for Trinh to pick us up and take us to the airport.