Almost a year!

Can you believe that Brody has been home for almost a year? Next Sunday is 1 year - August 24th!!! WOW.
So much has happened over this year!
Brody...
.... learned a whole new world!
.... graduated from Preschool!
.... knows all his ABC's & 123's up to 100!!!
.... is learning how to swim - and is pretty good at it!
.... does gymnastics, and had a show back in June where he showed off his strength!
.... loves playing with his 3 cousins!
.... loves his 2 pugs (but who doesn't)
.... is constantly learning new words.
....went on his first big summer vacation to Yosemite with family & friends.
.... went river rafting down the Merced (while in Yosemite).
....only had training wheels on his bike for 5 months before they were taken off!
.... is super fast on his razor scooter.
....tries new food all the time!
.... had his first Halloween - he was Superman!!
.... had his first Christmas!
... .didn't like ice-cream at first, but now he loves it. His favorite is Orange Sherbert!
.... will be joining his first soccer team in Sept!
.... will be going to Kindergarten in 1 week!
.... had so much fun at all the summer camps he went to!
.... went to his first wedding in May for Cousin Damian & Lauren (now Cousin Lauren).
.... while at the wedding laid under the cabana with his sunglasses on eating and drinking!!!!

Unfortunately this year Brody also experienced what it was like to loose someone. When Brody came home in August last year, it took him awhile to open up to everyone (mostly the adults)... then by October Papa (my daddy) was already sick again with Cancer (3rd time). He had surgery in mid October, and never gained his full strength. In April (4/16) Papa passed away! Brody was sad, he didn't really understand it. But his sadness was for Donca (grandma) & me. He knew that we were very sad. So it's been a rough year! He's been putting up with a mother that has been going through a lot! He's had to accept all of this as his world now too! Then one of our dogs, Butch, got sick. We thought we were going to loose him a few weeks ago. Butch has cancer too. When Brody asked if Butch was going to die like Papa, I had to tell him, probably. He asked me why? I told him that maybe Papa missed Butch and wanted him to be in heaven with him as a Pug-Angel. I had told Brody back in April that Papa was an angel now, and he could watch over us all the time! It makes me so sad that Brody will never know Papa, and what an amazing man he was! I will always tell him stories about him!

So what does Brody like to do?
Brody likes to.....
... watch movies
... ride his bike
... ride his scooter
...play with his cousins
.... go swimming
.... EAT
.... sing & dance, but he won't admit that!
.... color & do crafts
... read stories (well listen while we read)
... tell stories. He is the big story teller!
... talk on the phone, sometimes!

So it's been a crazy year! And I'm sure next year will be the same.
Here are some photo's of activities we've done!
























Hopefully you have enjoyed checking
out our photo's through the year!!!

LOVE,
Julie, Scott, Brody, Butch & Bella

First Sleep Over

Last night Brody, his cousin Conor & of course, me :-) headed out to see a San Jose SaberCats Arena Football Game. It was a lot of fun. The boys had a blast. Arena football was very interesting! Not really what I expected, it was fun!!!
We left the HP Pavilion around 10:15, got home, got ready for bed, brushed our teeth :-) Called Conor's Mommy & Daddy to say goodnight. Yes, it was Brody's first sleepover. It was fun. The boys were up until after 11 PM, good grief. But they had fun. Brody thought it was the coolest thing ever. He didn't understand why Conor couldn't stay tonight again. This morning, I made the boys eggs, turkey sausage, and Croissants. Then we were heading up to Church, to drop Conor off, and see Donca (Brody's Grandma, my Mom, her nickname was Donca). We picked Donca up, and went to Church. Papa didn't come today, he didn't sleep well. Papa needs his energy, he's flying to England on Thursday with Conor and Anthony (my brother). They are heading out to see a Manchester United Football Match in Manchester, and then flying over to Ireland to surprise Grandma Maggie (my grandma, Papa's mom). It will be Grandma Maggie's 87th birthday on Easter Sunday. So on Easter Brody and I are taking Donca out to brunch. It is going to be a lot of fun.

Well we are getting ready to decorate our easter eggs.

Cheers & Love,

Julz. Scott, Brody, Butch & Bella
XO

WOW, I look at this last posting and can't believe it's been since December since I posted. I am just so busy all the time, that it just get's away from me.
Brody is doing so awesome. He really has changed so much.
When we brought him home from Ghana in August 2007, he was wearing a size 3T, and the pants had to be adjustable waist, because even a 3T was too big in the waste. NOW, he's in a 5T. Amazing what a change in conditions will do, food that has all the nutrients he needs, vitamins, and the list goes on and on. While pants still must have the adjustable waist, it's only a few button holes now :-)
He looks so different. It is so funny to look at photo's from when he first came home, to a photo of last weekend.

This is Brody on August 25th, 2007


And look at him now!!! 2/23/08

Can you believe the difference?
Brody has adapted very well to his new environment. We do try and talk about Ghana to him, but he "pretends" not to remember any of it. But when you say something about it that is wrong, he'll correct you :-) I think that sometimes he doesn't want to remember it, and we hope that is only a phase. That some day, he'll want to remember where he is from, and what his roots are.
I have as many photo's as I could get my hands on from the time he was 3ish to current. I want him to have those to see. He very much remembers Jeremiah & Maria (or as he still calls them Felix & Paulina). They had such a bond, and I hope that never fades.

Brody's 5th birthday was awesome. We had a Scooby Doo themed party with his cousins over. and of course Papa & Donca.

It was such a great party, we played pin the dog tag on Scooby, we opened presents, and got some awesome stuff. We even got our first baseball glove & ball. Brody didn't understand why he only had 1 glove, he thought he should have 2 :-) But he's slowly learning that.

On Saturdays we are very busy. We have Little Gym every Saturday afternoon, and then we have our Sholin Kung Fu class. Brody is new to the Sholin Kung Fu, but boy did he pick it up. I'll take some photo's once we have our full uniform, it's so cute!

We are in the process of planning our summer vacation. It will be Brody's first real vacation. We went to Monterey for an over night, and we will soon go for a weekend for my cousin's wedding, but a real vacation!!! This will be a first. We are going to Yosemite again. BUT we are so excited that our friends will be coming out from CT to go with us. I just booked the cabin today - it's going to be awesome. Our friends have 2 boys, one about 7, the other about 3.5 so it will be great. I've bought a few games for them to play outdoors, while we are around the cabin. Ring Toss & Bowling. Of course Butch & Bella will be coming with us! They'll love it, getting to lay around in the woods for a week, oh what fun. I showed Brody photo's of our trip to Yosemite last year, he loved the pictures. and is very interested in the rafting trip.

Anyways,

I've gone on enough for one night, I'll try and post more regularly.

Cheer ~
Julz, Scott, Brody, Butch & Bella

Happy Christmas

Happy Christmas everyone!!!
Wishing you a very beautiful holiday!!!!

Brody had fun at the Holiday of Lights - and learned to Ice Skate.....

LinkedIn Christmas

Picture Updates

Thought I'd put a few new pictures of Brody out for all to see.
He's such a beautiful boy. He's got the best laugh - on night I'll have to record him just laughing - and post for you all :-) it's really uplifting. Makes me really think of how innocent kids really are.


Brody getting ready to go to Donca & Papa's
house (Donca is Brody's grandma).














Brody with cousin Ellie and some
other friends for trick-or-treating















Brody on Halloween - SUPERMAN


Family Photo Anyone?
Our visit to the Monterey Bay Aquarium (Oct '07)


We are truly so blessed to have this amazing little boy in our lives! Every night as he sleeps I just watch him...... he's so peaceful :-)

what have I been doing?

I can't believe I haven't posted since Oct 9th. I'm so bad...... BUT the truth is:

I'm a new mom - never had a child before - and OMG it's so much. Brody has been home for just over 3 months now - and it's amazing. He was amazing when we first "met" him ~ but to "meet" him today - he's totally different. Really out of his shell. Not as many challenges now as we use to have. He's just really cool (that's his favorite descriptive word).

I'm a full time working mother. So I have 2 jobs. That's right everyone 2!!! I work at the most awesome Internet company in the WORLD. LinkedIn!! www.linkedin.com So I work there M-F from 8 (or before) until 5 (or later).
What is a "typical" day? Is there such a thing?

5:30 AM: wake, shower, dress
6:10 AM: feed Butch and Bella
6:15 AM: wake Brody & start his breakfast. While breakfast is cooking, make lunch for Brody.
6:30 AM: dry hair
6:45 AM: take pugs for their morning walk.
7:15 AM: do make up - finish getting Brody ready.
7:20 AM: out the door to school (sometimes this could be earlier if everyone is quick)
7:35 AM: at the school for drop off.
7:40 AM: in car on way to work
8:00 AM : at work. Did I mention the best Internet Company in the WORLD www.linkedin.com
work work
work work
work work
5:00 PMish: leave work to pick up Brody
5:30 PM: at school for pick up
6:00 PM: home - feed Butch & Bella
6:05 PM: start the dinner
6:15 PM: walk the pugs (with Brody)
6:35 PM: home - Brody in the shower (still making dinner too)
6:45 PM: dinner
7:00 PM: Brody watches TV- I clean up from dinner and shower
7:30 PM: Brody to bed - read story
8:00 PM: Brody is asleep - I take care of the pugs some more, straighten up around the house
9:00 PM: sit and read or watch TV or catch up on emails (Christmas shopping online)
10:00 PM: get clothes out for work tomorrow
11:00 PM: go to bed to watch tv (news)
(so down probably 6 hours of possible sleep - I might get 4)

So where is the hubby during all this? around :-) LOL. Just kidding. For those of you that are new to the blog :) hubby is an amazing police officer. He works hard to keep our communities safe, for our children to grow up in. He is currently working 3 PM to 3 AM - so on his first day off, he'll pick Brody up from school early, around 3 PM. Then he's on duty that night with Brody, and the pugs. So I tend to stay at the office longer those nights (like tonight as an example - stayed until 6, went to the store, etc). Tomorrow morning, I'll sleep in until 6:30 AM - as Scott will take Brody to school. When Scott works weekends - it's long for me, because you must entertain a 4 year old pretty much at all times.
Thanks to my family, and some great friends, it's becoming easier. On weekends - Brody will sleep until almost 9, because I let him stay up until after 9 :-) so I get up around 7:30, clean, laundry, nice long walk with the pugs, etc.

So I'll try and make more posts - but bare with me :-)

Love,

Julz
Mom to Brody :-)