LIFE with LEXIE

Then she decided to add another new toy to the mix....the bubble maker.

She was very serious about this when she started making bubble bridges and boats and in general bubble messes!

Earlier in the day I cut my hand. When Lexie saw it she took my hand and said in a very serious voice "Hello, I'm Dr Lexie. Please sit down patient and let me fix your hand. This shot won't hurt a bit. I'm very good you know. I promise." Clearly she's still re-living her time in the ER but at least she thinks the doctor is nice and that a shot won't hurt.

Here's my Dr. Lexie on her last day of school.....pre-school that is!

Interestingly enough today was also our last required post-adoption visit with the social worker. Kazakhstan requires reports from a social worker the first 3 years after adoption then from the parents every year after until they turn 18. And no, they can't take her away or in any way affect her adoption. We are a family forever!! But they have stopped allowing other families to move forward in their adoptions until adoptive families have sent in their reports. So if meeting with the social worker or sending in that annual report will mean one more child will find their family then I am more than happy to do my part. Besides, I'm very proud of my little Kazakh daughter and find it no hardship to brag about her. We actually traveled up to the social worker today who is north of Seattle. We met at a great park so Lexie could play while we talked and she observed how we interacted. Lexie got to play for a couple of hours and I got to share with someone how great Lexie is and she actually wrote it down instead of just rolled their eyes like most people. It was a wonderful way to spend our anniversary. And we took the ferry home which Lexie loved.

She had to explore every part of the boat. Sit in every type of seat.

She saw a guy taking a nap so she told me she HAD to take one too.

Like I said, it's the simple pleasures of life that I am enjoying so much now. Before Lexie I would have probably sat in my car and read or gone up to sit by the window but after a momentary glace outside I would have been on my phone calling clients. Thank you Lexie for helping Mommy see the wonders of this world through new eyes. And you are the best wonder of all!

Happy Born To Me Day Lexie!!

 Mommy loves you with all my heart!

At Montessori they ask parents to make a board with pictures of the child & their family and then write their accomplishments for each year. Since Lexie's first year was rather unusual they read about her first year at the baby house and my going to meet and adopt her. Then they sing this sweet song for every year they have been alive and at the end say what their accomplishment for the year was. Here is for Lexie's second year.

As you know she opened this from her cousins and had to do a show with it on (see earlier post for the dance.)

I gave her this special ballerina doll and she promptly called her Cinderella - don't ask me why. She had a very full day on her really birthday but second birthday celebration.

Saturday she woke up with a cold but we were both determined to open all her presents from Mommy and some of the family. She wanted to be Tinker Bell (one of her gifts from a friend at the party) and away we went.

Something I've been looking for a long time for her was a pink jewelry box with a dancing ballerina and music box like I had as a girl. I found this one on eBay and it was a big hit.

While Grandma was here I also picked her up a heart necklace with her name on it so that was in the "treasure box" as well. She is ALL girl!!

But what I knew would be the biggest hit of the day was the puppets. I found the coolest sets of puppets that aren't available here in the states on - you guessed it - EBay. These are hand puppets with the whole cast of The Little Mermaid and Cinderella even with Gus & Jac!

They are adorable and she couldn't wait to do a show. It came with this blow up "stage" for the Aerial show that was very cute.

Here is her first little show.

She was so pleased to wear her favorite pink crown and then when the photographer gave her the parasol she was in seventh heaven.

This even has a hoop in the skirt. You've got to love eBay!

This one is a keeper too.

We had to start at the Kids Zone which is just a great set up and it seems they are improving it all the time. Here is my little spider. Then she was eaten by a hippo...

Then she was a monkey on these incredible climbing structure.

She would have gladly stayed in the Kid Zone all day if I hadn't reminded her about the camels. We rode one during Zoo Lights at Christmas but that was at night and she insisted that an almost 4 year old needs to ride one by herself. It seems Mojave was waiting for her. She could hardly wait to jump right on.

Lexie was so cute. She talked to her the whole time. "Now Sarah, this is really good for you." "Sarah where is your Mommy. You should not walk away from your Mommy." (Do you think maybe I said that one too many times today?) "Okay sweetie bird do you want some more?" Man do I love this girl!

After Sarah flew off to her Mommy (or more accurately to someone else's stick) we went to visit the fish tanks which are always a big hit. But our favorite animals of the day were the giant walruses. They were amazing and way beyond huge!!

This beauty was clearly the king of the pack or is it herd or family? Anyway, he was the head honcho no matter what you called the group. He seemed to have something in his flipper because he keep coming to the side and putting it in his mouth. It was fascinating to watch.

He followed us up the stairs.

Unbelievably beautiful and certainly confident in himself too I might add.

We finally lost the bird and made it over to the carousel which is Lexie's favorite part of the zoo...or so it was for the moment.