Just a few cute pictures

Remi and Mommy

Hot stuff in her shades

Remi and Cooper

Pulling herself up

Off looking for new adventures!

11 months old!

Remi has started doing so many new things in the past month!  She is such a big girl!  She waves bye-bye, although it's sometimes a delayed reaction, and she has 8 teeth! She is also now crawling and trying to pull herself up on everything that is at her eye level.  She is exploring and finding all kinds of new things...some things she shouldn't be touching, but she REALLY wants to!  Fortunately, she's pretty good about listening when we say no.  She has also picked up a new word: "stop."  She says it and I can't help but laugh; her little voice is so cute!  In fact, she said it this morning: as she was getting too close to the hot stove, I said, "Remi, stop" and she said it back to me!!  She learned it from the babysitter's son while he was telling the dog to stop.  Here is a video of her doing it...you'll hear Colby saying it first, and then Remi does.  So funny!

Likes:

*Being on the move: crawling or walking while we hold her hands

*Touch and feel books, especially soft things

*Cruising in her walker

*Shoes (playing with them, not wearing them!)

*Exploring new things

*Throwing toys out of her crib

Doesn't like:

*Changing clothes

*Food that's too thick or chunky

*Juice

Happy Easter!

 Remi loved her Easter basket full of veggies, a football, and flap book! 

Happy Easter, everyone!

10 months old!

It's getting harder to get her to sit still for pictures!

 

 

It seems impossible to believe that Remi is 10 months old...but she sure is!  That means she's almost a year old!  She's just growing up so fast and doing so many things.  She isn't crawling yet; she has decided she would rather scoot along on her bottom.  In fact, she wants to walk and goes like crazy while we hold her hands or when she's in her walker.  And she doesn't sit still for long.  She ends up on her tummy and then rolls to her back, and then her tummy, and then her back, and so on...  Her 4th tooth is coming through, but VERY slowly.  I'm not sure if maybe another one is trying to come in too.  Her love of books has intensified.  No matter how grumpy or restless she might be, she will sit and listen to us read to her and she very deliberately turns the pages for us!  She is curious about everything and is talking more and more every day.  Remi has also been very clingy to me since I started working again.  As soon as I get home from work, she has the best smile and laughs for me, but she will start crying if I don't get to her fast enough.  And after that, she gets very upset if I leave the room for any reason!

Cruisin'

Messy Marvin

After our walk :)

Likes:

*Green beans (still her favorite) and chicken with veggies

*Going for walks

*Peep (as soon as she hears the theme song, she stops whatever she is doing to watch)

*Standing up

*Reading books

Doesn't like:

*When Mommy leaves the room

*Kramer getting too close

*Changing clothes

9 months old and healthy!

Remi had her 9 month check-up today and Dr. Emily was very pleased with her progress.  She is very healthy and growing, growing, growing!  She now weighs 18.9 pounds (59%) and is 28.5 inches long (74%).  I think she just went through a growth spurt; she's been eating a lot more, enjoying some new foods and taking better naps.  I think her 4th tooth will be popping through anytime now.  She was quite miserable for several days while teething this time.  I hope this is the worst one and her other teeth won't cause her so much trouble. 

She can wear some 12 month clothes now.  She's been able to wear bigger shirts for a couple of months, but now her little legs are finally catching up!  Her new thing is to immediately roll onto her tummy when we put her down on her back.  Then she gets on her hands and knees and pushes herself backwards.  Maybe she'll figure out how to go forward soon!

My birthmom rocks!

I'm feeling very grateful lately...like overwhelmingly so.  I had a moment the other day while I was feeding Remi.  I looked down into her little face and realized (for the umpteen millionth time) how blessed we are to have her in our lives and how she came to be our daughter was definitely the most perfect plan God could've created.  I know, of course, we wouldn't be a family without Rachael, our birthmom.  I keep trying to think of ways to let her know how awesome she is and how important she is, and just how often I think of her...at least 20 times a day!  I love the fact that we still talk and that she loves to see pictures of Remi. 

When we first decided to adopt, one of the many things we had to decide was if we wanted an open adoption.  I have to tell you being open was a terrifying thought.  After meeting Rachael our feelings changed and I can't tell you how happy I am that our adoption is so open.  There is a picture of Remi as a newborn with her mommy, daddy, and birthmom on her dresser.  She has children's books about adoption that we read to her.  She will know from the time she can understand such things that she is adopted and will know how cool her birthmom is.  A lot of adopted children don't have that chance. 

I don't know a better word than thank you, so I'll go with that for now.  Thank you, Rachael, for thinking we were good enough people to be Remi's parents, and thank you for still being involved!

9 months old!!

I can't believe Remi is 9 months old already!  Can it really be true?  She is showing us her little personality as she continues to grow.  Her third tooth has appeared and she is so very close to learning how to crawl.  She gets up on her hands and knees, but hasn't figured out what to do next.

She has also had a major change as I have gone back to work four days a week.  I am very, very thankful for how well she has adjusted and how much she enjoys being with her amazing babysitter, Nicole, and her doggies!

Nicole and Remi with Daisy and Roxie

It is certainly hard to imagine that Remi will be a year old in a few short months, but we are loving every minute with her!

Likes:

*Every vegetable she has tried...green beans are her absolute favorite

*Watching and petting/grabbing dogs

*Cartoons

*Remotes and cell phones

*Standing up

*Being on her tummy (for short periods of time)

*Listening to the radio while she naps

*Talking (she says ma ma now, but only every once in a while!)

*Spitting her cereal out at Mommy

Doesn't like:

*Getting dressed

*Having her nails clipped

*Bananas