Update Coming Soon!

I have been asked more than once where our holiday update is. Well, my lap top blew up! I have no computer set up at home, ( long story, construction, etc) and since the office is closed for the holidays, I haven't even been there. My son's lap top is a mac and I HATE IT! I can't figure it out. Boy do I miss my VAIO! The only other computer at home that is connected is in my son's room and going in there is hazardous to my health. So, I promise to update before the week is over with pictures, but I will tell you this, IT WAS THE BEST CHRISTMAS EVER! It was slow paced even though we went to Disney, and quite restful. The kids seemed to really enjoy the time together and their carefully thought out presents from Santa this year. Stay tuned.......

Happy Birthday, Mimi

Twenty-two years ago today, we were rushing to the hospital as I went into labor early. Everything went so fast but I remember arriving at the hospital and being told there was no time for an epidural or drugs of any sort as this baby wanted out! Then without another word and only one push Michelle Nicole entered this world. Oh my goodness what a beautiful baby she was. She had no hair. a round, beautiful little face and i remember long slender fingers. From that moment on we were attached at the hip. Wherever one of us was, there was the other. I went nowhere without her. Mimi, as we have always called her, was the perfect child. Sweet, kind, beautiful, a good student, teachers' pet, well you name it, Mimi was it. Achievement became her norm, and because we were so used to it, we often forget to tell her just how very proud we are of her.  All through her life she has worked hard at everything, but dance was always her passion, and just as she was in a hurry to be born, she has been in a hurry to accomplish her goals. Mimi was not yet 21 years old when she opened her own dance studio. And although we always knew what she was capable of, I am still amazed at times of her ability to create. She is so talented that I often just stare at her in amazement, but her talent is equaled by her determination. Isn't she just the most beautiful daughter ever?

Happy Birthday Mimikins, we are so proud to be your parents and thank God everyday for blessing us with the gift of you.

Computer Virus!

Well folks, this post was supposed to be titled "Happy Thanksgiving". Got as far as the title and I decided to google an image for the post. Guess what? I got a virus. This is what I get for being lazy and not taking my own picture and downloading from the camera. Needless to say it ended rather abruptly and I decided to forget the computer until Danny could fix it. Of course this had to wait while I got a piece of glass out of his foot! Yes, the boy stepped on a piece of glass while he was cleaning out his room. He dropped a glass jar earlier and thought he had swept out all the pieces.

So, to recap Thanksgiving. It was probably the most relaxing I have ever had. I opted out of leaving my house or cramming way too many people in it and was able to enjoy my children and a few friends. It was great to be able to sit around the table, eat and enjoy actual conversation. I don't think this has ever happened. I have never been able to do this. Usually there are so many people, whether here or at my sister's that no one really eats together because there is no room. Usually you serve yourself buffet style and find a space to uncomfortably eat. Not to say that we have not enjoyed previous years, but this year I needed peace. Besides, I was planning on doing Black Friday before the sun came up! (I bet you're thinking, "I thought she said she wanted, needed peace?")

Well, I did venture into the stores. Went to the big toy store first. They were opening at 10 PM on Thanksgiving and advertised major deals. I figured bow hard can it be, there aren't that many small kiddos to shop for and Santa had already taken care of most of Leah's requests except for the Weeble Tree House and a toy cash register.  Lets just say I would have decided to stand in the endless, zig-zag of a line that was going through every isle in the toddler and preschool section of the store, there was no room to walk these very isles because this is where the line started and people and all of their purchases were crowding. Some lady tells me she had already been in line for almost 2 hours. What!!@#$%!!!!!!  So after walking around not finding what I was looking for, I left empty-handed. Later in the day, Mimi and I took Leah and went to a couple of places that people must have forgotten because there were no lines and we were able to get really nice deals for some of the children in the family. We picked up out Advent candles, new Christmas coloring book for Leah ad well as a DVD and bought all the holiday crafting stuff we needed. Then we sealed the day by meeting Ed at the tree lot and got our tree. While he was getting that ready I started dinner. It was a great day!

Pumpkins, Candy, Silliness and Fear!

We visited the Pumpkin Patch a few times this year. Leah loved running around and carrying as many pumpkins as she could. She loved the scarecrows and took a picture with one of them. We went with our friends Lidi and David on one occassion but David was not in the mood for pictures. Who could blame him, this year the patch had so many fun things for them to do and play with. But we managed to get a couple.

                                                    Hamming it up after school one afternoon

                       Then it was finallly time to wear our Minnie costume to school. This was pure excitement because we purchased this costume during 4th of July weekend in  Disney World and she has been wanting to wear it to school. I finally told her she could wear it on Halloween because she had to wear her uniform. I was hoping it would still fit. On the way out Leah wanted a "peeeeshur" with the scarecrows.

                                         She really did not like trick-or-treating. We went to 2 houses, she hated kids in any type of mask and this is the face I got when I was asked to take her home. So we went home and handed out candy instead. We had more trick-or-treaters than usual. She really didn't like the masks coming to our house either. But it was just Leah and Mommy and we had lots of fun playing on the living room floor with all of her Zhu Zhu Pets and their gear. Can't beat that!

Labor Day Weekend

We had a very nice weekend in Marco Island and Ft. Myers hanging out on the beach and visiting friends, old and new.  This was a very nice ending to an exhausting summer. I hope not to ever have a summer like this ever again. I am usually optimistic and usually say "it could have been worse"; and yes, it could have been, but I can't even imagine. We all had so much work it was hard to even breathe. But it is thankfully over and we celebrated with a much needed break.
This was the first time that the big kids did not go with us so reality was hitting me hard! Yes, they are grown up and have independent lives. : (  They had other plans, so Danny watched the home front and Michelle was out of town with friends.
So, for Ed, Leah and I  the highlights included lots and lots of beach time, spent times with friends and met a bloggy friend, Trish, and her family in person for the first time. What fun that was! The three most precious little girls and their wonderful family, Mom, Dad, and big brother, made for the perfect ending to our trip before the drive home.

Loving the beach!

But I wanna go this way. Daddy

Cuteness!

Leah loves her new friends Hannah, Hailey and Taylor

BIG Catch-Up Post

You will be happy to learn that I have loaded the pictures to the computer without the help of my big kids!  This is very exciting, but I am still trying to figure out how to load only a couple at a time. But that is for a different post. Today we will cover our summer!
Leah Says:

We went to the park a lot and I made Daddy do all kinds of stuff! I went to swimming lessons all summer long with my friends David, Alan and Brian. I really liked swimming and waved to Mommy when I spotted her watching me through a window! I also visited the Miami Children's Museum.  Then we went to Orlando; there we went to Medieval Times. That was so much fun! I cheered for our knight the entire show. And guess what? I think he won because of the cheers from my family! Then off to Disney! I finally got to ride Dumbo with my Mommy! She has been looking forward to this for a long time but the line was always too long or broken. I guess since it was pouring there was only a 30 minute line! After Dumbo I danced through the entire It's A Small World ride. I took a picture with Mulan! She is the first "Character" I allow anywhere near me without complete terror. Maybe next time I will come close to Cinderelly, as I call her. Then I dressed up like Minnie.

When we came back from Disney it was time for Hannah's birthday party. She had monkeys! I wouldn't touch one those. Although they are Hanna's favorite animal, she almost didn't touch one either! Hannah's birthday always marks the last week before school starts again!

 

Then I went back to school! Now I am in the 3 year-old class. Look what Mommy made me for lunch!

He is 23 Today......Where has the time gone?

Twenty-three years ago today has to have been the most exciting day of my life. I had my first child and only son. I had to be induced so I was nervous (more like petrified) but Danny was the most wanted, planned and anticipated baby of the century. First grandchild, great-grandchild, nephew, well you get the picture. I was in labor for 11 hours and then Dr. Leon exclaimed, "Its a Boy", and placed the most perfect little person in my arms. When they took him from me to clean him up, my husband disappeared. He glued himself to his new baby and forgot about me! Needless to say our world centered around this perfect little person. What a great baby he was. He ate well, slept well and made parenting him very easy and fun. Ed took a month off of work to be home with us and it was great. We both lived with a camera around our necks and got pictures of "everything", including middle of the night feedings.

Fast forward to today. I can't say everyday was a walk in the park, we did go through the teen years where everything I said he disagreed with, but we are very lucky parents as that was the worst of it.  Danny is sensitive, brilliant, extremely well spoken,  always sees the best in people and  is always willing to help others. Needless to say we are very proud parents.

Happy Birthday, Monkey!

Where's Leah?

Two Years Ago Today...................

.......we received our third bundle of joy that we call "The Munchkin".  We experienced so many emotions in the tear-filled room at the Civil Affairs office in Nanjing. When we first entered the room some of the children from our travel group and other agencies were already there. It was a moment that everyone in the room had waited for and dreamed about for a very long time. Part of me felt like I was having and out of body experience, almost like I was watching this happen to someone else. Leah was the last child to arrive from our travel group so we were able to keep busy taking pictures and video for the other families. Finally, after a while, our guide gets a phone call that the van carrying our Leah was pulling into the parking lot. We ran to the window and saw the head nanny and director of the SWI carry her into the building. I will never forget the moment I saw her. She was so perfect and so beautiful. When they entered the room the other families had already received their children so we were all just waiting for Leah. The second they walked into the room I went up to the director, who was holding her, and I took her from him. She cried and cried but was easily distracted. She very quickly realized we were her mommy, daddy and sister.  She would not go anyone but us very early on. The rest of the time in China was magical, everywhere we went, people could not get over just how beautiful Leah is. Although we all missed home, we now miss China and are looking forward to taking Leah to visit one day.

In the past 2 years Leah has grown so much. She is wearing a size 5 and is just 3 years old. Sometimes I forget she is just 3 because she looks so much older. She is hilarious and keeps us laughing all day long. She is a bundle of energy, loves music and dance and everything Dora. She is also stubborn and determined and doesn't give up until she accomplishes what she wants. Leah is loving and very expressive and hugs, kisses and says I love you all day long. The dogs are still trying to get used to all the running around and chasing, but we have already explained to them  she is just trying to play with them!  She still uses her fake cry when she deems necessary and still gets us every time.

She is now enrolled in group swimming lessons and loves the water. She wants to go in the pool everyday. She is basically able to speak and understand both English and Spanish and I catch her translating words back and forth all the time. She continues to take ballet and can show you every ballet position when named. She loves to play the drums and/or dance while daddy plays the guitar. Her musical ability stuns us regularly. She can clap or stomp to the beat of any song all the way through and not miss a beat. She is remarkable.

We feel so blessed to be your parents, Leah, we love you very much and thank God everyday that He chose us to be your parents. 

Marco Island

We went to Marco Island one day over Memorial Day weekend. I don't even remember which day.Life has been sooooooo hectic. I have had so much work that I never know what day it is. I am training a new secretary at the day care, the studio started summer camp this week, have had lots of doctor appointments, and lots of work being done at the house(outdoors). As soon as i have a moment I have to order our new kitchen cabinets so the new kitchen can be started. I have so much to catch up. Today was Leah's last day of school. Summer camp starts on Monday. I won't be sending her all summer but I think that if I keep her home too long, it will be tough for her when school starts again in the fall. On Friday she starts swimming lessons again. I am looking forward to that. Our pool is being resurfaced this week and I expect to use it a lot this summer. It has been so hot I can barely stand to be outside. One day last week as Leah and I walked to our car across her school parking lot, she says "Mucho hot, Mommy". (Yes, she is now using spanglish, love it!)

Two Years Ago

How is it possible to love this much? Two years ago today we saw our baby's face for the same time. It was like giving birth. On April 17, 2008, I received a call that would forever change the lives of every member of our family. It was bigger than winning the lottery and only the birth of Leah's 2 siblings can compare. On that day, God decided that we would be the parents of the most perfect baby, Leah Mei. To describe Leah is not easy. There are so many aspects of her personality that make her so special. She is so loving and sweet and at the same time so strong and resilient; she is smart, can dance like I have never seen some so small dance; she is FUNNY, she keeps us laughing with her silliness. She is also very tough and can "play" rough and keep up with the boys, she is observant even when you think she is not listening. She has so many interests and is so well-rounded and we could not be prouder to be her parents. She is ACTIVE and tirelessly is on the go every minute of every day and we love it. And love her. Happy referral day baby girl, we love you more than words could EVER describe.

First Week of New Preschool

All I have to do is get the camera and say "pose".

First day of school

Second day of school

Third day of school

Bentos have been a hit. She loves them!

This last picture is of Leah's first "homework". The teacher sent home a sheet of red construction paper and since it was the week of Valentine's day, we were to make a Valentine's Day card for Leah that would be displayed in the hallway and the children were to search for their cards. Mimi picked her up from school that day and they searched for the masterpiece for a picture. It is now on the refrigerator at home and Leah loves pointing to the pictures and naming Mommy, Daddy, Mimi and Danny.