Another FIRST - Brewer's Game

Steve was lucky enough to have a friend give him four season tickets for Saturday's game against the Giants. They also included passes to The .300 Club so Olivia's first baseball game was definitely in style. Even though they lost we had a lot of fun. We started off going to the .300 Club to have lunch before the game started. We sat outside and had some really good sandwiches out on their patio seating. Olivia sat and ate her own food and loved watching all the people.

After sitting there for a while we took some pictures before leaving the Club and then headed down to see where our seats were. The seats were great! Section 120 just 17 rows up from the field behind the Giants dugout. We could see home plate and straight up to first base. It was fun listening to everyone harass Bonds when he came up to bat.

Olivia was on my lap most of the time yelling at people and clapping when everyone else clapped. It was so much excitement though she couldn't take it anymore and had to take a nap from inning 3 through inning 5. She behaved really well the whole day and puts up with a lot. She also loves to flirt with anyone that will smile at her. She is always in a good mood so it is fun to take her with us everywhere.

4th Anniversary July 19th

Steve and I were married outside on the lawn of my parents home four years ago yesterday. Four years ago the weather was perfect and it was one of the happiest days of our lives. Little did we know how many more happy and exciting times we would have. And, we have many more years to look forward to. Four years ago if someone told me we would be back from China now with a one year old baby girl I would have thought they were crazy. But here we are. It is amazing to think of everything we have done and been through in this short time. We are very happy and look forward to each day to see what will happen next.

The kids and I spent the day with friends at Pike Lake State Park. Olivia is getting over the sniffles so she didn't go swimming this time. At night we all went out for dinner at the Elias Inn. We were all very tired by the time we got home after a very busy day.

Check It Out!

You can see Olivia on the Fuling website for a little while now. I was surprised to see her on the first page. The website is http://www.fulingkids.org. I sent a picture of her at home to them and I thought it would just go into the photo album page but she is right on the front page of their website. When another new picture comes along she will be replaced and then put in probably the last page of the "Fulingers at Home" album but she is out on the first page right now so go and check it out!

A Night Out

Two months ago Marilyn and I were handed our daughters. It feels like they have been with us from day one. Last night we got back together with Marilyn, Allen and Eleanor. We all met at The Fox & Hounds restaurant and had a great time. Nicer people you will not meet. Marilyn brought her niece, "Olivia", along too. We had fun talking about the trip to China, which seems so long ago even though we were just flying over there two short months ago. Also, comparing how the girls are pretty equal as far as their progress and personalities.

Allen and Marilyn were a little delayed getting there so Daddy had to walk Olivia all around the restaurant while we waited. She is happiest when she is walking. She still needs at least one finger and cannot get up by herself yet but is still getting stronger and steadier everyday.

Three hours at the restaurant flew by but both girls were getting pretty tired so we called it a night even though I could have visited longer. We will make it a point to get together as often as we can.

First Camping Trip

This past weekend the whole Manning family camped out at Grandma and Grandpa's. We try to do this at least once every summer. It is a lot of fun but this year was special with it being the first time in a long time that everyone had a baby to play with. Olivia, once again, did great. I was very prepared and expected to be taking her home when it came time to sleep in our tent. But, she surprised me once again and made no fuss at all about it. I had her playpen (which she has never slept in before) set up at one end of our tent and made sure all of her familiar things from her crib were in the there. I also had her CD player set up to play her "Sleep Sound in Jesus" CD that puts her to sleep every night.

Friday was so busy setting things up and then when all of her relatives got there it was constant playing and walking and eating until she fell asleep on me at about 9:00 pm. She was so tuckered out she barely woke up to have a new diaper and pj's put on. I laid her down in the playpen and she went right to sleep. And, slept through the night until 6:15 Saturday morning. She did wake up crying. I think because it was a little chilly and she wasn't sure where she was.

Saturday it was more eating, playing and walking. When it came time for her afternoon nap, Steve took her for a gator ride but had to cut it short since she fell asleep on his lap. The two of them laid down for a nice long afternoon nap and she woke up happy. Once again it was time to party. Saturday night I laid her down with her bottle and she was still awake but made no fuss at all. She fell asleep with her bottle and woke up Sunday morning talking and cooing at about 7:15 am.

We all had a lot of fun with her and she proved again to be very easy going and just goes with the flow. She loves all of her Aunts, Uncles, cousins and Grandparents and they love to dote on her which is so great since she missed out on that the first 11 months of her life. She is really catching up fast.

Olivia is really getting stronger everyday and getting together with family helps her socialize and gets her to try new words. She knows how to say "HI" now. Sunday morning she was saying it and I thought it was a coincidence but she is still saying it so that has been our first conversation with her.

She is so much fun and everyday there is something new that she does or learns. I think she knows she is very loved.....

Together Again!

Olivia and Eleanor were back together again after seeing each other for the last time on our last night in China over a month ago. We met at Pike Lake State park and it was a beautiful summer afternoon. Marilyn and Eleanor met myself, Jenny and Olivia there. We visited for three hours and it seems more like one hour we had such a good time. Eleanor and her parents are doing great. Marilyn and I compared notes and the girls still seem very much on the same track. Olivia walks a little more but Eleanor has six teeth instead of four. They eat the same things, only say mama and dada and babble a lot. Both babies have grown and look so much healthier in every way since the first time we saw them on Gotcha Day.

They played with each others toys, handing them back and forth. We all went down to the beach for a little while. Both girls like the water. Olivia would rather stomp around in the water while Eleanor was more content to play with the sand at the edge of the beach. They were both so cute and I was able to get some great pictures and video that we can show the girls someday when they are older.

We will be getting back together with them for a night out for dinner next week. Then Steve and Allen will get in on the visiting also.

First Ponytail

Olivia's hair is finally long enough to get a very small ponytail in. It's hard to see in the picture but it is there on the top of her head. It was so cute I can't wait until her hair gets long and we can do more with it. She even sits very quietly while I'm struggling to get what hair I can into the ponytail. She is doing great. Everyday she babbles more but is starting to recognize certain words and what they stand for. She won't say any of them yet but that will come soon enough. Her coordination and walking improves everyday with her gaining strength in her muscles. She actually walks pretty well with just holding on to one hand and has already taken a few steps on her own going between Steve and I.

Today we are going to meet and visit with Marilyn and Eleanor. Marilyn and Allen travelled with us to China to adopt from the same orphanage and were the ones that let me use their laptop to update the blog while over there. Marilyn and I are getting Eleanor and Olivia back together today for the first time since leaving China. It will be interesting to compare notes and see the girls together again. Watch for pictures to come.....

This week we will also be preparing for our first camping trip with Olivia this coming weekend to celebrate the Fourth of July. We will only be a few minutes away from home at "Grandma & Grandpa's Campground" which is good in case things don't go well for sleeping in a tent. I know she will have a great time with all of her aunts, uncles and cousins and of course, Grandparents, but might have a hard time sleeping in a playpen, in a tent. We will just have to do our best.