Shelly the Sea Turtle

Daddy had a field trip today to an aquarium. He was in the gift shop and saw a stuffed sea turtle and he had to get it. Bella has a picture with a turtle in it in her room and she wakes up some mornings pointing out the turtle and saying "turtle". She points at turtles in her books, too.

Look at me - pushing my baby around in the stroller...how come she has more hair than me?

my first wedge

Thank you Grandma and Grandpa for a fun day at your house. I loved reading books with Grandma and blowing bubbles with Grandpa. Thank you for the animal book and the diapers! I La!

Splish Splash

Our daughter LOVES water. It doesn't matter if it is the dog's water bowls, a puddle at the bottom of a slide or the tub - she will splash in it. She loves going outside after it rains because there is a chance that her outdoor toys will have water in them to splash in. We have signed her up for toddler swimming this summer. It is basically a splash class but she will be in heaven.

This afternoon, we were playing in the backyard when I (Mommy) filled up one of Bella's sand pails with water to water a couple of things. Within seconds, Bella was standing at the spicket with three pails pointing at the spicket and saying "eh eh eh". She wanted me to put water in them for her. I quickly ran through the options we had here to put together a make shift pool. We use this purple tub to hold the outdoor toys and I quickly rinsed it out and put water in it and hauled it out to the yard. I grabbed Bella and headed for the house to put her suit on. She didn't want anything to do with going in the house, she wanted to splash in that water. I changed her in record time, sprayed on some more sunscreen, grabbed a hat and back out we went. She couldn't have been more thrilled to stand in this tub. She filled up her pails and dumped them out over and over and over. She played for quite a long time. She asked to get out and I got her out and she wanted to give me a hug. Gee, thanks...nothing like hugging someone who just got out of a tub of water. :) I think I need to add "get a real kiddie pool" to my errand list for next week. We have a neighborhood pool and kiddie pool but I have a feeling that unless I want to spend my summer down there, I best get one for regular dips around the house.

(Yes, Daddy did manage to mow the field we call a yard tonight)

Memorial Day

Memorial Day is a time of rememberance. Thank you to all who have fought for our freedom.

It is also a time for families to come together for the all American cookout. We will be having our 'dogs and burgers tomorrow with Grandma and Grandpa. As for today...we continue to work on our kitchen remodel...

Of course, you have to start your day without a healthy morning snack...graham crackers! Don't you just love my crazy hair?

Would you believe this is me smiling with a graham cracker stuffed in my mouth?

Earthquake

Thank you to everyone who has asked us about the earthquake in China. The death count is up to 34k people and the whole thing is extremely horrific. It is hard to say how it would have impacted Bella's life if she was still in China, if at all, at this young age. If you think of the layout of China in a similar form as the US, the earthquake was in the "Missouri area" while Bella was born in an area similar to where we live. We do know families who have adopted from this area and our hearts go out to them.

Me Being Me....Cute

Home from school...where I have a new best friend, Olivia, or "A Li La" if you ask me. Olivia and I are glued at the hip and we sit and read together. We also sit together at lunch. We have a lot in common - she is adopted from Guatemala.

We just finished learning about flowers and herbs. I can't wait to see what we learn this week.

Nana sent me a Cabbage Patch doll long before I ever got home, actually before I was even born. She has been sitting in my room all this time and I pulled her out last week. I like to point out her eyes/ears/nose/head/belly button and of course, toes. My favorite thing so far is taking her socks on and off.

I also give her hugs and kisses...

My Daddy is the best Daddy in the whole world...remember way back when when Mommy claimed to be stronger in the fashion department....well, this is what happens when Daddy is left to get me dressed in the morning (and brush my hair). Good thing I didn't leave the house all day. I'll give him this much, my shirt matches the pedi I insisted on yesterday.

Daddy had some time this weekend to work on our kitchen remodel. He brought in the first cabinet and I had to check it out.

One of my new favorite things is to wear the dogs' bowls on my head.

Our first cabinet...it doesn't look like much now but it is going to look great once it is all finished.

An Absolutely Perfect Day

Due to weather, Plans A & B got cancelled and Plan C included a trip to our local children's museum. We had a fabulous time. We started with a little dress up...a little kimono

Construction land with Daddy...

Lego land

The grocery store...

Love this smile

Life doesn't get any sweeter than this...

Happy Mother's Day

I have spent the last four Mother's Day thinking about the day that I would finally become a mother. To be able to take this picture and celebrate being a mom is a dream come true. Happy Mother's Day to mothers everywhere and our deepest gratitute to a very special woman in China who made the ultimate sacrifice. We are forever grateful and honor her this weekend for the wonderful gift that is our daughter.

A little something for the grandparents...

Thank you, Grandma and Grandpa for coming to visit me this weekend. I had a great time!

This and That

Check me out after ravioli with red sauce, peas and chocolate pudding.....all over my face and through my hair.

Look at me drinking from a cup all by myself.

Weeee......swinging with Mommy

A bath after my messy dinner!

Bella's first swimsuit

Mmm...I wonder if the pool is open yet?

Wait a minute, I don't know where the pool is...

The pool is by the clubhouse? Okay - let's go. What? I am just trying this on to see if it fits? Bummer...maybe tomorrow.

Sunny day

Me & mommy in our shades

Ahh...there is no escaping the paparazzi...

Marilyn Monroe of 2008


Some days you take the toys out of the basket, other days you get in the basket with the toys.