Videos of our Boy

Here are some videos of Britton. We are missing our boy while we are in China, so thought I'd post a couple of videos we took in the last week or so.

China Here We Come ... Follow on Lia Kate's blog

The paperchase is over and we're headed to China today! This is so surreal. I cannot believe the day has finally come. There are so many people who have helped us along this journey, and we are so thankful to all of you. We plan on blogging every day on Lia Kate's blog while we're in China, so please check in there if you want to see more. We'll be back to this blog when we return home. (I am doing a separate blog for her so I can turn this journey into a book for her.) Thanks again, everyone!

This Guy

I sure will miss this guy when we leave tomorrow....

I have never spent a night away from him and I'm about to be gone for 18 days while we go to China! Please pray for all of us, but especially for our sweet boy during this extended time away from us.

Lia Kate's First Ornament

Our sweet friend, Liz Landgren, painted this ornament for Lia Kate! An angel carrying a baby girl ...


What a beautiful first ornament for our little girl?!



Thanks, Liz!

Getting a Little Christmas-y

Despite all the busy and exciting things we have going on this month, I wouldn't dream of not putting up a Christmas tree! So, one cold December morning, we went out to get a Christmas tree.

Britton learned how to use his hands with mittens on. It was super cold that morning. You would never know we live down South by some of the cold December days we've had.


Here is Britton racing through the Christmas trees.






We found the one.


We wanted to get a family picture with the tree on top of the car. However, that meant we had to get Britton out of the driver's seat of the car, which he beelines to whenever he sees an opportunity. Pretending to drive is his thing.


The hysterics continued at home. Yes, our little boy is every bit into the terrible twos these days, even though he is not quite two.


Later on, as we put lights and ornaments on the tree, I got some sweet hugs from my boy.






The tree. We are hoping it stays pretty until we get home on January 2 so we can share Christmas with Lia Kate!


Merry Christmas!

Travel Dates!

Our Travel Approval is finally in! We are leaving for China on Tuesday, December 15 (yes, that's in four-ish days!). We will fly to Hong Kong and have a couple of days there to adjust our bodies to the time change, then we will go to Guangzhou (an hour north of Hong Kong) where we will be for the duration of the trip. We will get Lia Kate on the 21st, have our U.S. Consulate Appointment on Dec. 29, and will fly home on January 1!!! We plan to update Lia Kate's blog daily while we're gone, so keep checking in. We are so excited!

EI EI OH

My talented friend, Julie, recently made this adorable smocked outfit for Britton. She smocked it (it's a little farm scene) and then put the outfit together ... I wish I were so talented! Just wanted to share these cute pics. Thanks, Julie!!!

Makes My Monday -- Christmas in China?

That's what it's looking like! If all goes as planned, we will have Lia Kate in our arms by Christmas. When I found this out, I promptly went downstairs and sewed her a Christmas shirt to go with her pink ruffle pants. We are still waiting on all the details to come together, so I'll post the information as it is firmed up.



We can't wait to celebrate Christmas with our girl!

Our San Fran Trip

I am finally posting pictures from our San Francisco trip over Halloween. We went there to visit one of my best friends from high school -- Emily -- and her husband and baby boy. I had not yet met her son, Ben, and the last time she had seen Britton was when he was 3 months old. We had so much being with together and watching the boys interact. Such a great trip ... only wish we could have stayed longer. Our time together always goes by too fast.


Here is beautiful Ben! He is so adorable and happy all the time. As we are already at the beginning of terrible twos with Britton, I had forgotten what it was like to be with such a content little thing. Love Ben's blue eyes and beautiful curls!


Me and Em! Friends since 9th grade.


Our first day there, we took the boys to the new California Academy of Sciences Museums, where they loved the aquariums. Britton, on the left, and Ben, 10 months at the time, on the right.






This is classic Britton. Notice his "oooh" face. A common sight as he "ooohs" at nearly everything.


Chasing fish.






Britton lives a charmed life.




Bathing our boys.


Ben and Britton gearing up for Halloween.


Finally ... the big moment. We got the boys dressed up in their costumes. Ben was a giant panda and Britton was a lion. Love that panda head!


Us and our boys at a Halloween party.


The crew including Em's husband, Brent.


Trick or treating in Em's hopping neighborhood. I've never seen so many trick or treaters.


Sweet Ben.




Notice the boys all up into the candy. Britton quickly learned that getting candy was fun. We wouldn't let him eat any b/c of his allergies, but he sure thought playing with the packages was fun. Don't think that will fly next Halloween.

When we got back to the house, Danny and Britton helped pass out candy. Britton was so cute "helping" out.


Two tired boys in their Halloween jammies.

Such a fun trip!!! We can't wait to go back!