7 Years Old

My little girl turned SEVEN today. We celebrated by having a "not quite spend the night" party last night. The girls were treated to an evening in their PJ's at the spa (aka our dining room) getting a manicure and facial. The facials were only good for a photo op, then off they came!

I can't believe she is already seven. The older my children get it seems the faster that time is flying. Alexia is a very sincere little girl that has been a free spirit since the day she was born. She loves her friends and stuffed animals dearly. She always likes to be where the action is and never wants to miss a beat. It cracks me up when she asks to "be the last one to leave" or to pick her up from school a little later so she can have more time to talk in carpool line!! She was the first blessing to our family and we are so grateful to God for her in our lives. Happy Birthday "baby girl!"

Natural Backyard

Look at what a sweet creature was caught drinking from our little birdbath the other night. There were actually two fawns and a doe just meandering through our back yard but I couldn't get a shot of them quick enough.

Just the other night Erik and I were deciding on how to term our backyard for a new listing...natural? (too wild sounding) private? (not in the winter) wooded? (some people can't take all the leaves in the fall). But, we have our fair share of the wild since our subdivision backs up to a national park. Imagine my surprise three weeks after we moved in, I was hosting a shower and a whole flock of wild turkey walk through my front yard!!! And we live in an older neighborhood!

But these little deer at our dinner time were so sweet to watch and provided table talk the rest of the evening.

21 and More

The count is now up to 21 months of waiting for our China girl. I am thankful that God's timing is not our own. I don't know how anyone could handle a pregnancy, adoption, a move and all of the other stuff going on in our lives right now that I don't discuss here.
So, what do you think of the new look? I am too cheap to pay to have a blogover even with all the great adoption oriented charities they donate to. I knew I could figure it all out one day, but my sister in law had a great site on her new blog that I went to and it was SO EASY! The link is at the top of mine. I will try a couple different looks out over the next few weeks for the fun of it. I do want to change my blog around a little with the coming of a new little one. I was thinking something along the lines of "tending our garden". So, calling all you creative types -give me some ideas, I am brain dead right now!!!

In other family news...

...the key word is girls, girls, girls! Erik's sister welcomed her fourth little girl Krisanna Grace safely to the world last week. Isn't she a cutie in her fancy dress?

I am plugging along with about 10 weeks to go with my little girl. This has definitely been the hardest pregnancy out of the three. Some major back pains and gestational diabetes are my latest foes. But, it's all good - we will push through it and come out with a beautiful new life.

And last but not least, we had exciting news today that my other sister in law found out they are having a girl as well. So, including my sister's little one, that will make 4 little girls in a year's time - wow - that's a lot of pink!!

Back to School

Alexia went back to school this week. She is in full day now which has had her coming home wiped out. She (and I) love her teacher who happens to go to our church as well. Alexia had her eyes wide open this past Sunday trying to locate her for an extra hug (is that considered brown- nosing?)
The splint that she has sported got to come off today - Yippee! However, there are still two more weeks of no running or jumping. I think my job of "knee monitor" will be even harder now that she is rid of her reminder!

Happy Birthday Buddy!

Our dear precious little boy turned 3 today. He is such a joy to our lives bringing many laughs and sharing his sweet hugs and "smacker" kisses to us all. Caleb has been such a blessing to our family and we are grateful for three wonderful years with him. Today he enjoyed a "Cars" birthday with great enthusiasm. He wanted to dig into his cake since I made it yesterday! We even had to place a candle in his waffles and sing "Happy Birthday" to start the day off right according to him. Happy 3rd Birthday buddy boy!

Birthday #2

One year birthday - what a blondie he was then!

His true "birth day"

Knee Update

Well, I didn't feel much like a nurse today. We get to the office and the PA explains that thankfully Alexia's fracture was vertical not horizontal therefore we don't need surgery and screws - WHAT??? We need a full leg cast. I wheled up in tears - how can my totally active little girl be in a cast her final days of summer? I guess I was so stunned b/c her knee never looked bad. No swelling or bruising and not a LOT of pain.
Well, option #2 was a no brainer. It was a removable splint that might take a little bit longer -about 4 weeks. Then the rules came - no jump rope, no bike, no scooter, no playground, no karate, no gymnastics, no swimming - well at least we can go IN the pool with another splint, just no jumping or actual swimming because she can't bend her leg. So what CAN we do I wonder. This is going to be a long 4 weeks.
When we got in the car, me and Alexia both let out our tears. I knew it would be a tough few weeks for her and she was already complaining how heavy and itchy the immobilizer was. With Caleb at my mom's we settled ourselves with some Chick-fil-A and a milkshake. But we were in "that mall" again - you know, the one with the American Girl store. Enter in - Moment of Weakness.
She didn't even want to go into the store because she said she would want a doll too bad (that's quite the self control). But I convinced her she had to chose ONE doll that she would want IF she was going to get one for her birthday. So we went and browsed. She finally settled on one - Nellie. Her face was brilliant when I informed her it was now her early b-day present from her grandparents. She forgot her leg irritation (for a while) and floated out the store carrying her beautiful new doll.
We let her sulk out her sorrows tonight, but, tomorrow is a new day. No more pity party!