To all my lovely friends on my flist, oh how I've been ignoring you! I am well over a month behind on all of your journals. So, I am trying to catch up. Hope all is well with you.

Life here is busy, Julia is growing like crazy. We celebrated one year as a family on the 8th of October. I doubt I'll start up blogging much on this blog again, but I think you all have my blogspot address.

Cheers!

Hmm, wow, yeah. Hi. It's me. The one who hasn't posted in over two months. But, you know, raising a kid and all that. There is also that little part about having not much to say... not that that's stopped me before. I officially live a life that's exciting to me, but probably not to anyone else. I blog Julia's progress on the blogspot blog, so there's no point in going over that here. So, why am I posting? I dunno. I got tired of seeing the post from February when I log in to check my friends page.

The restaurant is progressing well, hopes to be open in June. Lots of busy things planned for the summer. My sister is visiting next week. My parents and a couple of my aunts are likely visiting in June, the restuarant and the festival I help plan every year are also in June. KLB extravaganza in Chicago in July, woo hoo! Lots of other happenings. Life is good -- it just doesn't make for very exciting posting.

Current Mood: happy
Current Music: Julia playing

It's 3:45 and I'm awake. Meh. My throat is so sore, it keeps waking me up. It's been this way for over a week, but tonight it's worse. Yes, leave it to me to wait 6 weeks to update and then tell you about how sore my throat is. I guess middle-of-the-night ramblings are all I have in me these days.

Life is good, Julia was sick this past week but seems to be over it for the most part. Brad & I are trudging along with the sickness. I thought we might get off easy this year, but alas, no. Overall, it hasn't been too bad, though.

Work has been busy. Like I touched upon in my last entry, I have been working for a family that is bringing an upscale restaurant to town as their marketing consultant. It's been a lot of fun, I've been able to use my writer's brain again -- something that hasn't had much use in the last few years. I've been writing articles and press releases, sending preview dinner invites out, and going to lots of planning meetings. Gets me out of the house a couple nights a week, anyway. The biggest bonus is that Brad & I get to attend the monthly preview dinners. The food is amazing, and best of all... free. Well, for us, anyway. It's a monthly date night we don't have to pay for. I'm still working every other Sunday and one evening a week with my nursing clients. It's nice because Julia's in bed by the time I do to work, so I'm still essentially a SAHM.

Well, only three hours until Julia wakes up, I should probably try to sleep more. Night!

Current Mood: calm

This happened. It's been a blur ever since! Some days, it's still hard to believe we got through the process and it's all behind us.

I survived my first shift back at work last night. I have to admit it sucked coming home and not being able to zone out all day -- I had to be alert for Julia's sake. This was a shorter shift, though, and I was home by 5:30 am, so I did have the chance to nap for a couple hours before Brad had to go to work. Not sure if that made it better or worse! At any rate, I was sacked out by 9, and have been up since 3:30. Gotta love the return to the wacky hours. Ah well, at least I'm only working a true overnight shift once every couple of weeks.

Julia was so goofy yesterday. She's really started saying "Mama" a lot, and it's the sweetest sound I've ever heard. She also has started to kiss me on the lips, except she doesn't really "kiss" -- she just kind of fakes me out and ends up licking my mouth. Hee.

I've been working as the marketing consultant for this new restaurant that's opening in town. It's mostly been "planning meetings" up to this point, but now I've got some actual work to do. I think it's going to be a great opportunity as the opening draws closer. I can do most of the work from home, and the restaurant is only two blocks away. My hope is that by summer (when they open), I'll be able to phase out of nursing for a while. Ah, what a glorious thought that would be.

Hmm, 4:30. I should probably consider returning to bed.

Current Mood: sleepy

Wow, it's been a very long time since I've updated. The squirrel debacle ended well, we managed to get him out without too much difficulty. Well, I say "we" as if I had anything to do with it. Heh. No.

Life with Julia has been interesting -- mostly wonderful, sometimes overwhelming. Today was one of *those* days, but there's always tomorrow. She is sweet, funny, and has so much gusto and zest for life. She's happy and excited about everything that comes her way. Overall she sleeps very well, eats like there's no tomorrow, and has absolutely no fear. She even power-teethes, popping 6 out at once. The kid doesn't do anything halfway. Life as her Mama is tiring, but never dull. She really brightens our world, and will do so even more after she gets through the screeching phase. ;)

That does end, right?!?

Christmas was happy here, so happy. It was a whirlwind, but we had a great time with her. We're going to hunker down for a few days of quiet before I start work again next week. I'm going back verrry part time, but it's still going to be a big adjustment as I work nights primarily. Not looking forward to it, but it's gotta be done.

Hope 2006 is good to all of you! That is, if anyone is still reading my sadly neglected little blog. :) I do keep our travel blog updated with current pictures, so feel free to check them out.

Current Mood: busy
Current Music: Silence -- Julia napping...

Anyone want to come and meet our new pet? Up until this afternoon, I wasn't entirely sure what kind it was. I referred to it as The Creature. But now I have seen it clearly, and *it* is definitively a squirrel. Yes, we have a squirrel living in our house. And have for two days now. A couple of mornings ago, I heard a terrible scratching sound in our chimney. Well, our lovely friend the squirrel got into the house when I was out with Julia, I just didn't know it yet. That evening, I heard a bizarre squawk in the kitchen, but I couldn't pinpoint where it was. We checked the crawlspace -- nothing. Fast forward to last night, and I'm upstairs playing with Julia. I came downstairs to get something and there is this *creature* in my dining room, who promptly hauls ass back into the kitchen. It was dark, however... so I couldn't tell what it was. I had another run in with it this morning, but it moved so fast I didn't see. Brad found that it can squeeze itself into a tiny space underneath the cabinets, so that's where it stays until it feels safe enough to come out. It squawks at us several times a day, and we have a live trap out. He's managed to eat the peanut butter off of it twice, but neither time did the trap engage. Argh. Brad's re-rigged the trap and we're giving it one more night before calling in some backup. Can you believe the county did away with Animal Control? Oy.

More later. I'm off to talk Brad and our friend Scott out of some hair-brained squirrel extraction scenario...

Current Mood: aggravated

I had no idea there was such a thing as "Self Portrait Tuesday", but I'll take mrsfigby's word for it. Since we just so happened to take these pics tonight, here you go. And yes, I know my eyebrows are threatening world domination. Long overdue for a wax.

Current Mood: content
Current Music: BNL -- Gordon

How odd to leave for only 11 days and come back to a new season. I suppose it's appropriate, given all the changes in my life these days. Julia seems intrigued by Fall when we take walks, when she's not fighting the stroller or appearing completely bored. LOL. Life is good, but I am so tired and feeling sometimes like I will never sleep properly again. Yeah, I knew that was coming. I also have to admit that I miss a bit of my old life, though I know that's normal too. Having said all that, Julia is a joy... she is busy -- very busy -- all the time and happy. The night sleeping thing is our biggest issue, but I hope we're making some headway on that. We've only been back a few days. She is so close to walking. She is bright, beautiful, and sure of herself and what she wants. I'd better get used to being tired. ;)

Current Mood: sleepy

She's doing SO well, I am scared to even say so. ;) We've definitely had our moments of sadness to get through, but she's already smiling and so, so sweet. We love her. I mean, a lot. I knew I would, but it's so strong already. I thought I might feel as if I was babysitting for a while, but no. I definitely feel like Mama. :) Brad is wonderful with her like I knew he would be. She's taken quite a shine to him, too. The nice thing is that she really will go to either of us. She was a velcro baby to me a lot today, but once she went to Brad she was fine after a minute or so of fussing. Then at dinner, she wanted Brad big time and was so happy on his lap. Too cute. She's down now, hopefully for the night. I'm not far behind her. More on the travel blog, including many pictures.

Current Mood: grateful

Since some of you asked, and I don't have much time... I'll just post the link to the travel blog here. :) www.journeytojulia.blogspot.com

THREE HOURS UNTIL JULIA!!

Current Mood: ecstatic

We're here! It's been a whirlwind. I posted a lot on our travel blog, so proceed there for the pictures. :) Just under 36 hours until we meet Julia!

Current Mood: sleepy
Current Music: Chinese Idol

At last, we leave tomorrow. What a wild 15 months this has been, and now the wait is just about over. We're packed, the house is clean, and all I have to do tonight is try to get a good night's sleep. Heh. We'll see about that. Here we come, baby girl... here we come. :)

Current Mood: excited
Current Music: Beatles -- Abbey Road

We leave in a week! I can't believe it. I have a lot to do, and I'm hoping to finish it all with a clean house by the end of the week. We'll see. I work tomorrow and Friday, and That. Is. It. I am almost as excited about not working as I am about meeting Julia. Sad, really! etinterrapax made the comment that I am probably the only person she knows who is likely to get *more* sleep once becoming a parent. It's quite possible, though I'm sure I won't get much during the trip and transition home. My wacky work schedule experience will serve me well in that I'm used to functioning while sleep deprived.

Finished painting the nursery. Yeah, finally. I am consistently amazed by those who have their nurseries done before they're even DTC. Heh. No. Now I just have to hang everything up and finish packing. Packing = the current bane of my existence. I am still hoping to go carry-on only on the way over. So far I'd say there's a 50/50 shot of everything fitting into the limited space we've got. We're a traveling pharmacy, if nothing else. I hope I don't have a teething, flu-ridden, dehydrated, constipated-but-gassy, scabies-infected kid with a double ear infection... but if I do, I'm prepared, dammit!

I could get all sappy, but I'm not really up for it. It has been almost 15 months since I started this journal, and this experience. Overall, I can't complain too much about the process. I know the best -- and most stressful -- part is yet to come. Yet, I have faith in the ability Brad and I have to lean on each other and get through the tough stuff. He's the only one I would ever walk this journey with, and I'm so blessed to finally be able to bring a child into the family we've made together.

Ok, so a little sappy. But it's good. :)

Current Mood: grateful
Current Music: Patty Griffin -- Impossible Dream

Well, that's the day -- Julia day! I found out this past evening that we'll meet the babies the Saturday after we arrive in China. It was an emotional moment for me. Almost fifteen months of wondering and waiting all came into focus when I heard the date. I know the ride will be bumpy at times, and the transition is huge... but right now I just feel joy that we're so close.

Later on this morning I'll be stalking the FedEx guy for my travel package. Once it arrives, I'll have a phone travel meeting with CAWLI. After that, I'll probably take a long nap since it's 3:30 in the morning and I need to be up by 8 to begin my stalking. :) I was tired, but I got busy installing my digital camera software and have been tinkering around with pictures for the last 3+ hours. I posted quite a few pics of Julia's room to our travel blog -- go check them out if you have the link. If you don't and you'd like it, email me at pbhgirl@livejournal.com (or my regular email.)

Good night!

Current Mood: sleepy

I have three more weeks to obsess over my packing list, and I'm not sure that's long enough. What can I cut? What gets prioritized in case we have to check one of our bags? Yes, we're among the crazy people who hope to do carry-on only on the way over. Heh. We'll see how that pans out. I already have two versions of said packing list -- a master list and a color coded list of what goes into each bag. I'm also working off a couple other lists I found on the carry-on only group. Yeah. It's to the point that as I'm reading another family's travel blog, I'm taking notes off their posts.

Three weeks from today we will be hurtling across the world, en route to meet our daughter. It's surreal, and yet not... the reality of the experience is starting to hit me. We have plane tickets. We're flying from Madison to Detroit, to Tokyo, to Beijing. A combined flight time of eighteen hours, twenty-nine minutes.

I'm excited, I'm nauseous, I'm in disbelief. How can it be that we've finally reached this point? It is the most bittersweet feeling -- joy for us, and a little tinge of sadness for the child whose life is going to be turned upside down very soon. She won't know what hit her. Likely, we won't either, but at least we've had notice! Of course she'll adjust and so will we. I just wish she could know, wish she could understand.

I'm already protective of her.

Current Mood: pensive