The Life Book

I've been so obsessed with reading blogs, FRUA, yahoo groups and staring at the Russian Database that I've decided to also focus and use my energy on getting something constructive done for Emily. So I visited Michael's craft store today and bought some fun new papers and dooh hickeys to use in Emily's lifebook. I'm so excited! I go through creative waves and hadn't scrapbooked in ages and this little venture really got my creative juices flowing!!

I spent all of the boys naptime scrapbooking. I'm going to try and think up layouts and scrap them ahead of time and then can later go back and plug in the photos and journaling.

So far I have come up with the following ideas for her book:
Intro page: early baby photo or referral photo and then birth info.
Birth Family page
Life at the orphanage: letters from caregivers, details of schedule, food, friends
Milestones or any relevant medical info, measurements, etc
The city she was born in: if we get a chance and have the info would love to see the town or hospital she was born in

What are some other pages/ideas that I can add that are about her story in Russia? Any and all suggestions are welcome.

Dreaming again!

Now that our dossier has been submitted, we have nothing to do but wait and finish up our education requirements. So... I've allowed myself to dream and play. Besides spending a lot of time on the Russian national database staring at the baby girls that are in our agency's regions and trying to imagine which child will be ours, I have allowed myself to buy things for her room. Fun things like bedding, curtains, books, clothes and a doll!! Oh...it is so fun!!

I have chosen a few very cute dresses and sweaters from Gap to be the first pieces of clothing I bought for Emily. I was guessing around 12-18 months. They arrived in the mail the other day!!! I was so excited!! After spending the past 4 years buying boy clothes in the colors; blue, red, green and orange it was so thrilling to add new colors like pinks, creams, tans, and browns. And tights! Dresses!! So cute!! They are so small!! I lovingly hung them up in her closet.

I have also started to think more about her bedroom. We are going to use the crib Bubba is currently using as his big boy bed. We are thinking in January we will get him a twin bed and put the crib away for a month or two and then bring it out and set it up in Emily's room. I already bought her bedding. I've been staring at this bedding for awhile and looked at it again last week and suddenly noticed it was on sale. I had to quickly buy it before it was gone!! Here is a photo of the bedding in Bubba's crib. The photo is from a catalog. Emily's room is pink.

I also ordered this sign to hang on her wall..of course it says Princess Emily. And here is her first doll!! Chances are by the time she comes home we will have missed her 1st birthday..so the doll is our gift for her 1st birthday!