quote

True Love: The feeling when you first look in your child's eyes, the tiny little hand gripping your finger, and you can't imagine your life without him or her.

Thursday, May 31, 2012

Pool Time Loving {Fav Foto Friday}

I swear I don't put them up to this!
This is all them, on their own.
I love them so much...
& then someone hits someone else 
(or pinches, pushes, pulls, yells at, whines to, argues with, {sigh} you know the drill)..
& we're back to reality again. 

but these moments
make it all worth it
This is what melts my heart
& lets me know we have got to be doing something right







I'm linking up with the Awesome Lisa!!
Check out her blog & the others that link up!!
the long road

Wednesday, May 30, 2012

You Are My Sunshine {Almost Wordless Wednesday}




Practicing both my back lighting
& sun flares.
They may not be professional,
but I still like them a lot!

Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Xandra's Last Day of Kindergarten

We've come to the end...
of Kindergarten. {sniff}
Apparently, I'm the only one who is a little emotional sentimental over this.
Class of 2024??!!!
We're counting down ALREADY??
There is no longer trepidation, like I'd seen that first day

And certainly no more thrill of seeing mom & dad waiting for her bus

Nope.
It's all old & routine now.
"Why are you taking my picture Mom?"
"You're embarassing me."
Just leave me with my memories of my little girl...

Cause this big kid is way too cool for me.

And way too grown up.

Excuse me... I think I have something in my eye...
Anyone have a tissue?

****************
I had a chance this morning to ask Xandra a few end-of-year questions about Kindergarten:

  • What was your favorite class? 
    • Writing numbers (math?)
  • What was the best part of the school day? 
    • Computer time & drawing rainbows
  • Who were some of your friends? 
    • Dillon (amusing because he bugged the heck out of her in the beginning of the school year), Catalina, & Neveah
  • What was something you learned in Math? 
    • Counting (she's known how to count for a while...)
  • What was your favorite book you read by yourself? 
    • Pete the Cat (I also love this book & plan to get more)
  • What was your favorite activity after school? 
    • Playing with the iPad 
  • What do you look forward to for summer? 
    • Playing!!!

Sunday, May 27, 2012

Scootin' Along {Sunday Snapshot}

Nikon D90
ISO 100, f2.8, SS 1/320
I don't know why this picture speaks to me so much.
But I love it.
It's just so...  Milo.
The scooter isn't the easiest thing for him to use - he loses balance easily since he can only hold on with his one arm.
But don't for a minute think that stops him. Ever.
He always figures out a way.
I love watching him learn something new.
He is so driven, focused.
He is a survivor.
It's what saved him in China.
It's why he was so loved in the orphanage.
And it's what makes him shine now, and will serve him so well later in life.
He does not, will not quit.

I've been thinking about how adoption has affected our family and our friends lately. 
At this point in our journey, for me at least, it is virtually identical to the feelings I had after Xandra was born.
I cannot remember our lives without our son.
Well... I can. But I don't want to.

An update on Milo's progress in speech:
We've transitioned out of the Help Me Grow program in our county (we hit a plateau with the current speech therapist, and decided to leave the program a little early).
We started moving Milo into the local school system.
He was reassessed on his speech, and the therapist told us he is just ever so slightly below average.
She actually told us that he is so close to "normal" that it was a real toss-up over whether she should qualify him or not.
But she, as with most people we meet, fell in love with him & really wanted to spend more time with him.
He's a charmer.
During this process, we met with multiple people (gotta love all the red tape).
Almost all of them were shocked that Milo did not qualify for physical or occupational therapy.
One woman in particular was just amazed with Milo's abilities - especially when he showed her how he could wash his hand by himself.
I think we blew her mind when we showed her the video of him peeling an orange by himself.
We decided not to send him to the school system's preschool.
We have thought about this decision well over a month.
Ultimately, though, we decided that his current daycare is exactly where he needs to be.
They love him there; we're not just familiar with his teachers, they are our friends.
I am so happy we have this decision behind us.
Now.... On with summer!!!

I'm linking up with Sunday Snapshot.
Click the link below to check out the wonderful
Stefanie (@ Ni Hao Y'all) & other great blogs!


Ni Hao Yall

Tuesday, May 22, 2012

More Water Works {Almost Wordless Wednesday}

Blowing Bubbles
My boy loves water - in any & all forms.



I just love his little gut so, so much!
Beyond adorable!
Xandra (my scared-y cat) needed Milo's assistance to get close to the sprinkler.


Saturday, May 19, 2012

Water! {Sunday Snapshot}


Nikon D90
50mm prime,  f3.5,  ISO 100, SS 1/1250














The start of our summer is coming soon. The kids' last day of school is this Friday. I however still have school 3 days a week until mid-July. This should prove to be an interesting couple of months for us. 


Click below for more great photography!!
Ni Hao Yall

Friday, May 18, 2012

Recapping Xandra's Birthday {Fav Foto Friday}

Before I get going on Xandra's birthday, I thought I'd throw in our newest family picture. As part of our LAST post-placement visit {happy dance!}, we had to get a picture with all of us in it. Out of 10 quick shots on our deck, this is the best one.

At least most of us were looking at the camera!
Please pay no attention to B*rbie legs next to Milo... 
After seeing the picture, though, I realize just how much weight I've put on with late-night studying & my insatiable sweet tooth. Ugh! So, I downloaded the couch to 5K app. Normally, I get an almost-instant migraine whenever I've tried to run before. But I managed the first day headache-free. So, I'm crossing my fingers that I'll be able to continue pain-free. I'm also hoping that by posting this, it will help push me not to stop.


Now, on to Xandra's party! We hit our local pottery-painting shop, and had a blast!




This is so my mellow-dramatic girl!! She knew exactly what she was getting (cause it was the only thing she's asked for for weeks), but she still managed to be totally shocked!
She got a B*rbie jet. I was dead-set against getting it, but Daddy won out on that one. I have a passionate hatred of pretty much all things B*rbie. The fact that this item is GINORMOUS (both in size & cost) did not help its case with me. Add in the 50 million minuscule pieces (seriously with the individual ice cubes that are like grains of sand???? --those got trashed before anyone saw them), and well... I still hate it. But it was nice to see Xandra so happy. I love my girl, so I suppose I'll put up with it. 


Milo missed his nap. So, he wasn't feeling so wonderful by the time we got to the party. I had originally scheduled the party to be 2 hours long. We've painted pottery before, and it's always taken quite a while. But this time (of course), the kids decided they were done within 30 minutes. Xandra opened presents, and we ate some cake pops... and we killed another 15 minutes. Yep... 45 minute party. It would have been a good thing (especially with Milo's crankiness), but one of the kids parents had dropped her off so she could run an errand. I didn't think it would be a big deal... until I realized that I didn't have the mom's cell phone, so I couldn't contact her. So we all sat around with nothing to do, trying to keep Milo from breaking a bunch of pottery, and listening to all the kids complain about being bored. Fun. Thankfully, the mom did come back a half hour early (well, early for the official end of the party). Lesson learned, I suppose.


the long road
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