Merry Christmas to all....

These photos were used as part of our Christmas cards this year. I should just scan our Christmas card but who has time for that? Look how late I am with this post. Bad, bad blogger.

Lily fell the day before these pictures were taken. Of course she had to have a big scab on her chin. She is still cute anyways!

Sophie and Gavin are getting so big so fast. Hard to believe they are 11 & 13.

Lily with one of her favorite presents on Christmas Eve. Thank you Chad & John!

Sophie curled both her & Lily's hair for Christmas Eve. Love the banana curls.

I was really lacking in the picture taking department this year. We hosted both Christmas Eve & Christmas day this year. Needless to say I was a little busy with hosting. Unfortunately the camera had a little rest this holiday.

Lily was so excited Santa brought her a "big" lollipop!

Shaking out all the stocking "loot". Don't you just love her Santa pjs?

A few pics of Christmas morning opening presents. The big guy did good this year.

Thanks Santa!

Merry belated Christmas & warm wishes for a happy New Year to all.

Overdue Halloween pictures

Butterfly Fairy Princess at the beach prior to a Halloween party for school. Not just a butterfly. Not just a fairy. Not just a princess. A Butterfly Fairy Princess! I stand corrected by a 3 year old.

Happy one year Family Day!!!!

We had a small celebration today after dinner to acknowledge this very special day. We are waiting to officially celebrate this weekend when Daddy comes home from Italy. Can't wait!

One year ago today...........

One year ago today 46 families were crowded in a sweltering hot, loud, chaotic room in Guangzhou, China waiting to meet their child for the first time.....

The nannies and children were waiting behind this curtained off room for their name to be called to come out and meet their families.....

We were all trying to catch a glimpse of our child in that room, waiting not so patiently.......

(Lily is in the back on the right).

Our stomachs were doing flip flops with butterflies until we finally got to have our moment.

Many tears were shed for different reasons. Us as parents, for the shear joy of holding and touching OUR child for the first time. Much like giving birth with the anticipation of first holding your child and looking into their eyes. Promising to love and protect forever.

Lily crying for a much different reason, fear. Not knowing who these people were holding and kissing her. Not knowing where she was. Not knowing where she was going. Not knowing where her Ayi (nanny) was going, leaving her behind. My heart breaks remembering that day. We were so happy to finally physically see and hold her. She was so sad leaving her life as she knew it behind.

Fast forward one year. This little girl melts my heart each and every day. I truly love her with all my being. Our love for her has come easy. She always felt like she was ours from the moment we laid eyes on her. If I had to choose one word to describe her it would be amazing. She is happy, silly, funny, thankful, easy, helpful, independent, cuddly, resilient, and best of all, ours!

She has come so far in the last year. We have had our share of struggles and know there will be more to come. We can't wait though to see our Lily blossom even more!

Lollipop, lollipop, oh la la lollipop.........

This photo shoot took a little bribery.........

Win win situation.

She was happy. I was happy.

A few licks here.

A few smiles there.

Couldn't be happier.

On top of the world.

Until..................

Oh boy!

Lollipop accidentally hits the counter.

So sad. Things were going so good..........

Just for laughs..........

Gavin is so goofy!!

Six Flags Fun

We ventured to Six Flags this past weekend with friends. The kids had fun. Lets just say I was at my wits end with the fighting between the older kids (that will be another post).

The kids and the Dads loved the roller coasters.

It was so hot in Springfield, we were all a little miserable. The kids had a ball in the water sprinklers.

Gavin was with us on this trip, of course. I have no pictures of him though. I feel like a bad mother for that one but in my defense he was with Anthony and George riding the rides while I was with Lily in the little kid area. Sophie joined me after a while to cool down once she had enough of the big rides.

Lily and Sarah waiting patiently for Gavin and Sophie to get their caricatures done.

Have I mentioned Lily HATES to be hot? I really am perplexed with this notion because she is from Southern China. Let me tell you it is hot, hot, hot there. Nothing compared to here. She spent 2.5 years there so one would guess the heat here would be a breeze compared to there. Maybe the heat just brings back miserable hot memories for her. I'm not sure but I do know she HATES to be hot! She is looking a little pissed off in this picture. She was hot and tired. It was at the end of the day and she had had enough. Time to go before the meltdowns start.

Screaming from the big shark. Appropriate with all the shark sitings around the Cape this year. Makes us a little uneasy with swimming this year at the beach. Always that thought in the back of our minds.

Cooling the feet at the sprinklers.

Lily is way up in the helicopter. You can see her ponytail through the window. She had a blast on the rides. The older kids did too. Me, well not so much. I was spent by the end of our trip. I couldn't wait to go to work the day after we got home to get away from all the bickering. I think I need a vacation away by myself. Hmmm...........

Hope you have the time....Long overdue update

Our beautiful Sophie turned 11 this past Friday. Unbelievable how time passes right by. In a blink of an eye...11 years old. Wow. We are so proud of her. We truly are blessed to have her as our daughter. We celebrated in style with a girls only night out. Pedicures and shopping. Lily even came along and enjoyed a mini pedicure too. Love being with my girly girls. Sophie then celebrated with family and friends at our house. Pedicures for her friends, scrap booking, pizza, cake, movies, popcorn and lots of girl talk. They had fun, I am exhausted. Wish I had half the energy they do.

Sophie's present this year was a Pandora bracelet. I have one too and love it! She was very excited to receive charms from her friends and family.

Relaxin' on the beach with friends. We haven't been to the beach as much as I would like this year. Every day life keeping us busy. Between work, tutoring, cheer leading, speech therapy, friends, and routine responsibilities our lives are pretty hectic. We try and enjoy those few moments at the beach. So fortunate to be so close to beautiful beaches.

Sunset in Barnstable.

Gavin, so handsome! 12 going on 20. My gray hair is multiplying just thinking of the years to come with two teenagers and a preschooler. Yikes.

Lily looking like she is enjoying these hermit crabs.

Not so much. Seeing them near her feet provokes this response.

Love this picture. Off like the wind........

Love this one too.

Super tight goggles that leave an indentation for an hour after they come off, doesn't that sound appealing? Lily insisted on wearing them like this. It hurt to just look at her. She could hardly see. The goggles were pulling her eyes shut. Ouch.

I could just eat her up, every day, all day long. I call Lily my Chinese dumpling and tell her I am going to eat her up. She giggles and laughs as I pretend to nibble on her. She will say to me "Mommy, eat me, I Chinese dumpling". She melts my heart.

My nephew, baby Carter, growing so fast. Already over six weeks old. He is starting to smile and coo. Lily LOVES him, as do all of us. There is never enough cuddle time with Carter. Love the double chin.

Lily is a "big girl" now, sleeping in a "big girl" bed like Sophie. A few weeks ago I was going through clothes and toys in Lily's room, trying to declutter and suggested to Lily that she could start sleeping in the big bed in her room if she wanted (thinking we could get rid of the crib). That afternoon she took a nap in her big bed and hasn't looked back. The crib is still up but being used for her babies to sleep, for now. There have been no issues at all with this transition, surprisingly. Well except for the other night when I was at work and Lily woke at midnight yelling "Daddy, Daddy". She was down the bottom of the bed, head first, under the covers and couldn't get out. Not bad for a spur of the moment change.

The babies are sleeping.

Every year we hang flowers from our front porch and without fail a nest is made in 1 or 2 of the hanging pots. Very neat to see the eggs laid, then kept warm by Momma bird, hatch then "fly the coop" when they are ready. I am not sure what kind of birds they are. I should do a little research and figure it out but haven't. The kids love to see them each year. We try to disturb them little as possible. The flowers have to be watered periodically though and Momma bird hates this. She dive bombs me to protect her little peeps. Gotta love a Momma protecting her peeps!

Watering the flowers. Lily loves this chore.

Lily in her tankini. Love it. Happy summer.