On this day one year ago…

I left for Guatemala to pick up my sweet little Elizabeth and bring her home for good! The pictures of Elizabeth from April 30, 2007 bring tears to my eyes – I can just see so much in that little face – I see sadness and fear and hope and tenderness. At this point I kept telling her “you’re going to love me.” I think back to her foster mom, Julvia who lovingly cared for Elizabeth for 10 months. In preparation for this day she gave Elizabeth a haircut, a bath, put her in the outfit I bought, and some shiny new black patent leather shoes. I also think about Elizabeth’s birth mom, Dora, and the agonizing decision she made to give this precious little life away and trust to someone else. At the time of going through the process many of these things never really sunk in, and today as I look back and think about this past year I fully realize all that Dora gave up and so appreciate the love and care that Julvia and her family showed to Elizabeth.
Being Elizabeth’s Mom is a very special and wonderful thing and has changed me forever. I fall more deeply in love with her with each day. Recently while Elizabeth and I were playing with her toys, she flashed me a look that I have given her many times and I was so taken aback! I was not expecting my 21 month old adopted daughter to so accurately imitate my disapproving “no, no, no” look. That has made me realize the depth of the responsibility I have in raising Elizabeth, providing her with the right values, and opportunities, and experiences.
May 8 is what I have decided will be our official adoption day. That is the day Elizabeth landed in the US, became a citizen, and met her extended family. I am not sure how we will celebrate it this year – maybe a trip to the zoo or something fun!

Tia Sarita's Wedding

Best Wishes to Tia Sarita and Uncle Mike!

Wedding Preparations!

Here is Elizabeth trying on her pretty dress for Tia Sarita's wedding next month! Isn't she so cute! Looks like she isn't quite sure what to do with her arms.. but after a few moments she realized she could still watch the Little Einsteins (her most favorite show of all time - when she wants to watch it she pats her legs as they do on the show!) and play with her toys..

Hope Tia Sarita approves of the pretty dress.. kinda tricky because everyone is supposed to look at the bride but how you can look away from this precious little face!?! :)

Now if we can just get her to walk down the aisle without a push toy!

Day with Auntie Ki

Today is Washington's Birthday and Elizabeth's new school was closed... Chrissie still had to go to work, but thankfully Auntie Ki's office was closed too - so she and Elizabeth spent the day together.... they met up with one of Carrie's friends who has a 14-month old and they toured around the mall.. it was a gorgeous day so Elizabeth got to go to the playground where Auntie Ki snapped this adorable picture of her in the slide!

In the Garden!

Today Elizabeth went to check out the new children's garden with Auntie Ki, Aunt Jenny and Greg.. poor Mommy was home with a cold.. Elizabeth had fun fun fun walking around, playing in the fountains and smelling the flowers... what a fun day! And thankfully Chrissie got to take a good long nap, so that helped her recovery!

Fun in Grammy & Papi's Driveway

Grammy has done it again, captured a great series of pictures of Elizabeth playing with her car over at Grammy and Papi's yesterday... These are great - enjoy!

http://www.kodakgallery.com/I.jsp?c=8yc0xtfr.24han4f3&x=0&h=1&y=-86smc5

Merry Christmas!

Here's Elizabeth with her Mommy about to go to her first Christmas Eve service - she was all excited, and so good! After the 5pm service she came back to Grammy and Papi's, ate some dinner, got a bath and had the traditional "Night Before Christmas" read to her by her Papi. While her mommy and aunts loved hearing the story, she was more interested in opening and closing Papi's glasses case! She went to sleep while the rest of the fam enjoyed a yummy dinner. Then it was time to go home and she transferred wonderfully from her bed at Grammy's to the car and then to her own bed.

She awoke early on Christmas morning all giggles and smiles, and came over to Aunt Jenny's house for the traditional opening of the presents. We set up her pack 'n play in the middle of the living room and she was ok hanging out in there for awhile, but then wanted to be part of the action by helping to unwrap the packages. Nana got her the cutest little slippers from L L Bean - they are little pink bunnies, complete with a little tail on the heel! Elizabeth thought they went very well with her Christmas morning outfit! She was excited when Grammy got a red wagon - for gardening but mostly for playing with her granddaughter! :) She was really excited to see her new "shopping cart" - wheeling it around and around... Christmas afternoon she was reported to be pushing it around her 1st floor, throwing little peoples and other items out of the cart, while a patient Auntie Ki went along after her picking them all up - what fun!

She is definitely a toddler now, walking everywhere and getting more confident in her abilities. What a precious little girl she is, and we couldn't be happier to have her part of our family!

Grammy's Photolog

I think Grammy is a photojournalist - she does an amazing job sending out pictures to let us know what kind of day she had with Elizabeth - and her explanations that she puts on the pics are priceless! So rather than try to pick out a few photots, just click on this link to check out yourself.. Enjoy!

Marathoner!

Yesterday when Elizabeth was with Grammy and Papi she had another day of just taking off walking!

She went round and round their kitchen - they lost count after 6 or 8 times!

Each time she came out of the kitchen she'd giggle and grin.. then when she went into the kitchen she'd wave good-bye over her shoulder! aaww! sooo cute!






Then she started dancing to the Christmas music with Papi.. what a great time with her grandparents!

It's so great that my parents have been watching her on Tuesdays and Thursdays - gives them time to bond and she gets individualized attention, and then she still has her days of socialization with the other kids at daycare on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.. I think in January the Grammy Daycare is going to just one day a week - we'll see who misses it more - Grammy or Elizabeth! :)

First Steps!

Well, Elizabeth is starting to walk! In the past few weeks she has delighted herself and her ever-present audience with her standing abilities. It was funny to see her get all excited about being able to stand all by herself - she got so psyched that her hands would be in tight little fists and she'd wave them about in excitement! About a week ago she got tired of just standing and started adding steps to her routine. We are all, of course, thrilled beyond belief.

These pictures were taken last weekend - the Penn State cheerleader outfit is courtesy of one of Chrissie's coworkers who gave it to her at her shower last November - and look how perfectly it fits! She wore it on Wednesday night as she and her neighbors went trick or treating to a few homes on the street - but as it was chilly white tights and a turtleneck were added for warmth.. what a cutie! :)

Her other tricks include responding to the question "How big is Elizabeth?" by throwing her arms up in the air with abandon - which is where this picture came from.. She also answers the question "How old are you?" by holding up her index finger, correctly answering the question with the number one. This makes Aunt Jenny sure she's going to follow in her footsteps and be an accountant because she's already so good with numbers!