The Royal Wedding

I woke up early this morning to watch the Royal event. I could not wait, I was a teenager when Will's parents were married and I felt just the same excitement then. The ceremony was beautiful. I had lost all hope of one of my children marrying a royal until Leah woke up! When she came out of the room and asked me what I was doing, I told her that I was watching Kate become a princess. As those that know Leah are well aware, she does not sit still for anything and does not watch TV, but she was glued to the TV during the Royal Wedding and kept asking when the Prince and Princess were going to dance. Then she tells me she wants to "go there with Mommy" and wants us to wear hats. I waited until the "kiss" to leave and take her to school. On the way to school she told me she was going to kiss a prince like Kate! Hope renewed!!!!

Later this afternoon, I was still watching coverage on TV ( I know, I'm obsessed). Her brother picked her up from preschool today and when she walked in the door and sees the coverage on TV, she started shouting "I saw that!" Then she sat with me and watched Oprah's coverage of the wedding.

I Love "Papa Diosh"

How amazing is it when you hear your 4 year old say that she loves God and he wants to go to church everyday! I have to, (although hate to) admit that we were all more active in church before Leah. There really is never an excuse not to go to church, so this isn't an excuse, but you see, being Catholic, our church does not have Sunday school, or a nursery where you can leave children while you worship. They are expected to sit there with you and listen, quietly. We all know Leah does not do "listen", and "quiet" is a foreign word to her. Our only option for our extremely hyper, loud, although cute as a button, 4 year old is to sit with her in the church or go to the baby cry room. The baby cry room has no air conditioning ( not good in Miami), smells really bad, and you can't hear the sermons, prayers, etc. because of the loud children and even louder parents. So we sit among the masses and work really hard at trying to keep her just a little still and just quiet enough so everyone around us can hear. She is quite the comedian.Yes, and then there was the booty dance to one of the hymns. So we try to go to the 8:00 am Mass because its not as crowded, if we miss that the 11:00 Mass is crazy so we have been not going every week. I know, BAD. However, Leah loves church and says, "I love Papa Diosh" everyday( in Spanish we say Papa Dios meaning Father God) with such emotion that it is a beautiful sight. What amazes me is that we have been distant from church, yet she gets it, feels God's love, and loves God! How awesome is that? She is learning to have some control, and that past 2 weeks she has been pretty good, so maybe my little is growing up!

Think You’re Too Old To Adopt?

Think You’re Too Old To Adopt?

I woke up early this morning unable to sleep anymore and since I finally got my computer back from the shop, decided to visit the sites I used to love, and missed.I found this link under "Adoption Stories" in my agency's website. Of course it caught my eye because we are one of those 40 somethings that "started over".

The truth is I have never, or at least not yet, felt old! I am also in a lot better shape physically, mentally, and financially than I was in my 20's. Raising our first 2 was awesome! We couldn't have asked for better kiddos! This time around, we are wiser, and look at the world differently and I am enjoying parenting the same way I did before but with some experience under my belt. My husband on the other hand regularly reminds me that he does feel old at times. Although he is only 1 year older. I also never even thought about age when we started the adoption process. Oddly enough the age question was brought up shortly after we came home and every once in a while by some within our family. (Mainly on my side!) Sometimes it was brought up by silly little comments like "Make sure you don't spoil her so people don't say she is like that because she has old parents".  (The spanish saying "Hijo de viejos", is the statement I heard but it gets lost in translation,lol). And then there is the one that whenever she sees pictures older parents, some of  who now make up my new circle of friends, only notices the age and has to always say " Oh they seem older" . I don't curse, but. WTF!?!?
I could go on and on, but I won't.

I am grateful that I have thick skin, and most grateful for the adoption community that has taught me so much. And when I read a post like that I am reminded that we did a good thing. I am also thankful for the old friends, no pun intended, that supported us through the process and encouraged us with positive actions and comments. And to the others, sorry we don't call so much anymore.

Disney, OLOL Fair and "A Day with Thomas the Train"

 It has been a busy, yet very stress-free month in some ways.  Work has calmed down some. although we are now preparing for re-accreditation. But we went to Disney World so that always fixes everything. We met up with friends from our China travel group and that was great. We had not seen them since China!

Leah loved the train that you can board at the entrance to Main Street and wouldn't get off. We must have gone around 12 times before we bribed her into trying another ride. She just loves trains.

 The we went to the Fair at OLOL after Mass one day. She loved it and now understands that you have to buy tickets to ride. She keeps asking me if we have tickets each time she sees a ride of any kind! Ha!

Riding with Mimi

 Then it was off to ride Thomas the Train! I can't begin to express how excited she was. She loves trains and when she found out we were going to ride Thomas, she nearly lost her mind. When she saw him coming down the tracks while we waited, she started screaming and waiving her arms up in the air as if she was at a rock concert. She started chanting "Thomas, Thomas". She and David were great, even without a nap! But it was hot! Poor baby drank a gallon of lemonade on the way home before falling asleep.

One by one.........

Leah, Ed and I went to Disney last weekend to meet up with travel mates from China. More on that later because on the way back, Leah vomited in the car while eating a banana. We thought she had gagged on the banana as she was fine the rest of the night. The next morning I drive her to school and get a call an hour later that she was vomiting. I went and picked her up assuming she picked up a bug in Disney, called the doctor and was nursing her with fluids.

Well, like dominoes every single person in the house got it a day or two from each other.  So this house became like a clinic for the past week with no time to do much else. It was awful but we are all finally healthy and I will pot pictures from Disney soon.

The Party!

Leah had a great time at her party. Family and friends made it for a fun and happy day. Leah looked forward to her "Bouncy House" and all of the kids jumped for hours. It was all we could do to get them out to eat or play with something else. I will let the pictures tell the story, but my baby looked so beautiful.

The party room 

Oh yes, it was an ice cream party

After pizza, they got to make their own sundaes 

Balloon lady made lots of different balloons 

We played pin the cherry on the sundae

Godmother and Sister

Pinata time

Beginnings of a conga line?

So, so cute

Loving my bounce house!

Yes, that is lipstick on the dog!

I have been meaning to post this for a year. I had left my purse in Leah's reach and she got into my make up case. She had lipstick all over her hands and clothes, after I washed her up, I went back to finish dinner. As I am cooking I am thinking how strange that it was everywhere but on her face. Suddenly I hear my husband laughing and he tells me to look at the dog. Well, at least she knows what part of the body it belongs on.

Strawberry Fields, Forever!

We had great weather this weekend so we decided to go pick strawberries. Leah calls it "pick up strawberries". She had so much fun and thought it was the best ting ever.

Until the moment I told her she couldn't eat them until we got home because we had to wash them! She gave me the look of disapproval.

So happy with her findings.

Happy Chinese New Year!

Happy 4th Birthday, Baby Girl!

My little is 4 years old. NO!!!! I am not ready for her to grow up! Boy was she excited "all day".  I did not get the chance to post yesterday because of all the excitement. What a cutie she was. We got up in the morning and she jumped out of bed shouting "Leah happy birday!" Eyes wide and big smile she ran around the house announcing it. We had a birthday breakfast and went to day care loaded with cupcakes and goody bags for her class party. I dropped them off and was to return at 2 for the party.Mimi and I returned as they were getting up from nap. . Her teacher says Leah was super excited all day reminding all it was her birthday and they didn't think they would get her down for nap.

The party was a lot of fun and then we left to the park to play and for a short photo shoot. On the way to the park she opened some presents in the car that we had decided not to give her in class. She was very excited with her Cinderella (Relly) and Wok with all stir-fry accessories. From there we went to the studio and had more cake with our studio family and friends. Once home we spent the evening eating pretend stir-fry prepared by Chef Leah.

 Me and my sister

 Yes, I am a nut!

 I am 4 fingers old!

Can we stop now?