More Beach Pics

Just because we had such a great time...here are some more pictures from our trip to the beach...

10 Years

On November 4, 2001, Jeff and I walked down the aisle, promised to love each other forever and started our journey.

On November 4, 2011, we celebrated 10 years of that journey....which has led us to this....

A family

So this year, we stood on the beach and promised again to love each other forever. This time, it means something a little different. Our journey has led us here to the most special place we could have ever dreamed. It's easy to look at my husband and my amazing and beautiful child and see my future because they are my future. Loving them is just second nature.

As we poured sand in to the glass, a little for Jeff, a little for me and a little for Lily, I remembered the day that we were so nervous worrying about flowers and food for the reception, our song choices and would everyone show up. But this was simple...

Just us, me, Jeff, Lily, my parents and the preacher. It was a surprise that Jeff pulled together to celebrate our new lives and our fresh start.

Because we have so much more to love now than ever...

Lily's First Day on the Beach

We were so excited to take Lily to the beach for the first time...just to see her face when her toes touched the sand, see her splash in the indoor pool and just be able to spend some undistracted time with our sweet girl and family.

It appears we have a beach bum on our hands...

I'm not sure she likes the feeling of the sand on her toes, though. Or her fingers for that matter.

Mommy and Daddy had a good time too

Grandma bundled up on the beach

The water was surprisingly tolerable in temperature and our girl really liked the waves splashing against her tootsies.

I'm not sure who enjoyed it more...Grandpa or Lily?!?!

Love that face

Lily's first feel of the water on her toes

Sun in the face Splashing with Grandpa

They are twins....ohhhh!

Sweet curiosity. Experiencing things through her is just like having them all over again for the first time.

Sweetness.

Sand between our toes

This is where we've been for the last week....

More to come...

Lily is ONE

I have had NO time at all to blog but I am going to try to catch up a little bit. We have been so busy with things happening, work and life and the little one who refuses to let me type on the computer without her banging on the keyboard right along with me. On October 22nd, Lily turned one. What a day! I was a little emotional the day before thinking about Lily's birthmother and what she had gone through at this time last year, just hoping that she has a sense of peace and, as she remembered Lily this year, she could know in her heart just how happy her sacrifice has made our lives.

We had a great little family cook-out with both Jeff's family and mine celebrating with us. Jeff got a huge cake from Savage's which is where we got our wedding cake years and years ago.
Lily woke up happy and enjoyed some time with Mommy and Daddy.

Rode her new little zebra horsey thingamajing.

And then it was party time...

She stared down that cake like someone was going to pop out the top.

Until I finally forced her hand in to it. Her reaction was not one of joy. She just stared at her fingers wondering what in the world that goop was that was making her dirty. What a priss!

Mommy get this off of me NOW!!!

This was the final product. Not much damage and absolutely none in the mouth.

Happy Birthday my little dream-come-true!!!

A Day in the Life...

I tried to take pictures to highlight my day with Lily yesterday. It was one of my 2 weekdays off and, while not much happened, these days with my girl are always great. It started with some coffee from my brand new Keurig. Living without it for a few weeks was rough, I tell you.
Lily had some breakfast, rice cereal with some pears mixed in and her morning bottle and then had some time to play on the floor.

Then we took baths and got dressed and had some snuggle and play time on the couch.

Before taking our morning nap...

Then it was time to eat! Green beans are Lily's fave so she had the stage 2.5 version. Here she is before...

And after...

I'm still working on her Halloween costume and now have a base piece for her head. This is not the final product, trust me. But it's another hint...

Next we went to do a little shopping. Lily, Mommy and the Ergo strolled through Michaels, Bed, Bath and Beyond, TJ Maxx and Target.

Lily behaved so well but was pooped out by the end of our trip.

She took a little nap in the car but was wide awake when we got home so we practiced standing and pulling up. She can stand like nobody's business and last night, she pulled up completely independently for the first time. Watch out world.

We played for a while and then Lily wanted to play with my iPhone. She loves to turn the camera so she can look at herself. It makes her giggle and smooch on the phone.

Then time to eat again. Sweet potatoes for supper. She wasn't too interested. More interested in playing with the spoon and trying to feed Mommy.

See Mommy! I can stand up and look at you! More playing time.

Yay! Daddy's home. Daddy and Lily danced to the Fresh Beat Band for a little bit.

She surely knows how to shake her groove thang.

Lily plays with Daddy's shoelaces...they are the cheapest and most entertaining toy. Fortunately for us she doesn't put things in her mouth yet.

There is where my picture diary of our day ended. It wasn't the end of the day though. We had our 2nd of 3 post-placement visits with our social worker (we have them at 1 month, 6 months and 1 year home). She puts together a report along with pictures and captions that I have given her and sends it back to China to update them on how Lily is doing. It was so great to show her off and talk about how far she has come in the past several months. Of course, I can't even verbalize just how much every day is richer and fuller because of our little one. There is no way for me to express to China just how much I treasure the gift of our child...except to raise her to be the happiest child possible and to give her the world.

We ended our day as we usually do...with a change to PJ's, one last bottle for the night and snuggle time until we go to sleep.

It may not be the most exciting of days but it is these days that I live for. This is THE life. :)