30ish something b-day....

Last week I celebrated a 30ish something b-day.  Madalynn sent me flowers (she's brilliant for a 2 year old... although I have a sneaking suspicion my Mom had something to do with it!).

Today my Mom (aka Martha Stewart) hosted a family b-day party which was not necessary but was appreciated.  It was just so great to relax with my family, and see Madalynn running & laughing with her cousins.

This is before we left (notice how neat & tame her hair is).  The top she's wearing is a dress I had as a baby.  She was too big to wear it as a dress by the time she came home, but it made a cute top today w/ some leggings.

LICKING the plate her cake was on....

Helping herself to some more frosting...

Wanting to go down in the yard to play with the cousins...

Grandpa will take you....

She wants to take Tedy Bruschi's spot on the Patriots... she looks like she's ready to tackle someone...

Just a little puppy love because I LOOOVE this dog... she's such a sweetie...

Notice what happens to the hair as the day progresses...oyyyy...

 

These are just some pics that the exposure didn't come out right so I played with some special effects... I'm not sure how I feel about photo editing beyond changing to black & white or sepia, but I think I'm crossing over...

 

 

We've also enjoyed some end of summer activities I hope to post soon (although it goes against my nature to post out of order, but I'm feeling crazy today so I'm going to live on the edge).

 

2 Years

Another anniversary... My whole life I use dates as milemarkers of life.  I don't reflect on New Year's Day what has passed, and what is to come... I reflect at these milemarkers of life.  I tend to get much more reflective around my birthday vs New Year's.

Two years ago today I held a tiny sleeping peanut in my arms for the first time, and as my Mom said to me today 'None of our lives have been the same since'.  That's for sure.  I gave my heart to that baby girl that day, and she still has it.

Two years ago...

Last year...

 

Today... I COULD not get the camera to focus on her & I... I don't know what was going on... so after about 20 times of setting the self-timer running back to the chair, and waiting 12 seconds for the click... I gave up... this was the best we could do.... at least she's smiling this year.

 

Look at this face!!

I've just been scrapbooking from when Madalynn came home, and I came across this picture... just a few days after she came home.... look at that face, and the hair too...  there is a thought behind that face, that I still see manifested today...  it's so weird to think she could barely sit up alone when this picture was taken.

August...

Where did August go???  I can't believe it.  I'm trying to figure out how, now that I'm working from home I actually blog LESS?  My theory is that, before I was so exhausted from the rush, rush, rush, of pick up Madalynn, get home, sort the mail, figure out dinner, cook dinner, spend some time with Madalynn, bath Madalynn, get her ready for bed, get her milk, read her stories, and put her to bed.  After that I was too tired to do anything else (ie clean, laundry, etc), so it was just easier to sit down in front of the computer.    I think that's what I did before.  That's my theory anyway.

Here are just some random pictures from going out for ice cream with Ga-Ga & Grandpa

Also, Madalynn has started eating at the table in her booster instead of her high chair (I'm finding this much messier).  As you can see from the photos she's unimpressed.

Sunday will mark the 2 year anniversary of meeting my daughter face to face.  I hope to do a post about that on Sunday (I'm setting myself a goal to reach).  Anyway, I share that to say I thought we should have a 'Mommy & Me' day so Madalynn & I headed to the zoo.  I must admit I've never understood the appeal of the zoo.  I don't remember going to any growing up (sorry Mom & Dad, you may have taken me I just don't remember), I chaperoned one when I was a nanny, and all I remember was this zoo had a gorilla.  I honestly don't remember seeing any other animals there.  I have been to Disney's Animal Kingdom but it would hardly be fair to hold local, regional zoos to that standard.  I digress. 

This zoo has been advertised a lot lately on TV, and I figured it was a little over an hour from here, so we'd give it a shot.  Madalynn loves animals so I thought she'd enjoy it.  We had a good time.  I won't race back there, but it was something new to do.

As an aside, I'm not a huge radical animal lover, and animal rights activist, however, I do think it's so sad to see these beautiful animals cooped up.  Even in facilities that have nice habitat's for the animals, etc.  They should be out in the wild. (Again, Disney's Animal Kingdom is my exception to those feelings... that place is amazing).

OK... on to pictures. 

Madalynn... mapping out our route, and what highlights we want to hit!!

Looking at the enormous tortise....

The elephant show... this elephant is 35 years old, the gentleman at the bottom of this picture (and his wife), have been caring for her since she was 9 months old.  The gentleman on top of her (who reminded me of that guy from LOST the scientist guy from Oxford) is their son.  The MC of the show was the top gentleman's wife.  The four of them... Mom Dad, Son & Son's wife all take care of the elephant... things that make you go hmmmmm.

That white streak in this picture of Madalynn is the bengal tiger pacing about 4 feet away from her... it was just pacing back & forth at the edge of the fence (doesn't that pacing mean something??).

Unimpressed by the tiger....

 

I'm not sure what she's telling the Chimp in this picture....  I thought she was going to give him a kiss.

This baby giraffe was my favorite of the day... she was so sweet. 

Madalynn was more interested in her juice box.

This is the extent of the reptiles that I saw (that was by design... I'm not a fan of reptiles).

Then after a few hours of being outdoors, we headed to the outlet mall!!!  The Carter's sales are unbelievable!!!  Madalynn scored, including some adorable clogs I can't EVEN handle, and a winter vest... too cute, bring on the fall!!!!

 

Baby girls...

These were taken the day after Madalynn's b-day party a couple weeks ago.  She was having a tea party with 'Baby', 'Pooh', and 'Curious George'.  I LOVE being Mommy to a little girl.

 

Referralversary

One of the MANY things I love about adoption is all the special dates involved in the process, that are remembered year after year.  When your on the journey to bring your child home you have steps outlined for you that you know need to happen before he/she can come home (this is based on my knowledge of a Guatemala adoption, others of course may differ).  Anyway you live for that next step to be completed, so once it is the day sticks with you.

Today is one of those days.  Two years ago today I received a call from my caseworker saying "Terri, I have a baby girl I'd like to tell you about".  I'm tearing again just typing that, and remembering all the details of that phone call.  I officially began the paperwork in January 2007, was on the waiting list as of May 2007, and 12 weeks, 5 days later I got 'The Call'.  (If you want a synopsis history of 'the call' see THIS POST).  I'm still amazed that day there was a rainbow... God keeps his promises.  I still think so often of her birthmother, and wonder how often she thinks of Madalynn.  I pray she knows how much she is loved, and I wish I could thank her for this most precious gift.

Referral picture 2007

2008...She still wears these PJ's...

2009... we were puppysitting for Ga-Ga & Grandpa & I put the puppy in Madalynn's crib with her... she thought that was pretty awesome.

I know this picture is blurry but it sooooo captures their relationship, they are such great buddies.