Merry Christmas to All

12/23/2011 11:57:00 PM Edit This 3 Comments »
A very simple wish from our home to yours....
Peace, Love and Family.

Lexie is telling Santa that she only wants a Nutcracker like Clara in the ballet. Even Santa had to ask twice.
Blessings and a Merry Christmas to all!

Best Gift A Mommy Can Receive

11/28/2011 11:54:00 PM Edit This 0 Comments »
Lexie gave me the best gift tonight and she doesn't even know it.
Let me set the stage first. I picked her up after her first day back to kindergarten following our trip to Texas for Thanksgiving (yet another post I owe.) My girl had a busy day because on Monday's they learn Chinese from Ms Jenny and then after school she has Drama with Ms. Stephanie. I was picking her up to take her to her Tae Kwon Do class with Grand Master Yi.....yes, Lexie is one busy 5 year old.
So she tells me she won a sticker in school today because she called out the longest "V" word.....veterinarian. I told her how proud I was of her then off she went to kick some butt...in a respectful, disciplined way, of course. After we got home tonight, we were snuggling down to read a book with Kaboodle chewing on her bone by the bed. Lexie noticed there was a little blood on it and she was worried about Boo. I told her I'd take care of her. She said....

L-"Mommy are you a Veterinarian?"

M- "Nope, I'm just a mommy but I'm sure I can take care of this. But honey when you grow up you can be a veterinarian or doctor or teacher or anything else you want."

L- "I just want to be your daughter when I grow up Mommy."

Oh this girl melts my heart. I am the luckiest mommy in the world because she is my daughter.
Best gift ever!!

My Little "Peahawk"

11/02/2011 10:47:00 PM Edit This 3 Comments »
Some of you may remember on a couple of trips to the zoo Lexie was all but stalked by a peacock. So when I saw this costume I just knew it was the one for Lexie this year.
Lexie just loved it and she had a ball wearing it.
It was fun that it could be worn up or down and the hat was just adorable.
Of course Lexie's favorite part was the make-up. It turned out different every time I did it but Lexie didn't care. She drove me nuts all day asking when it was time to put it on.
We did lots of fun activities for Halloween but I'm sad to say I still don't have the time I need to get it all written down. So soon, very soon you'll see a LONG post with lots of pictures. But for now here is one last picture of Little Ms Peahawk.

According to my FIVE Year Old....

10/21/2011 11:55:00 PM Edit This 4 Comments »
I have been collecting these little pearls of wisdom since right after Lexie turned 5 (which was 6 months ago.) I have neglected her blog worse in the last 6 months than I did the first year she was home and I was adjusting to being a new mommy. When I realized how many amazing moments I've missed posting in the last 6 months it made me so sad and I vowed to post some of those events....but I don't have time tonight. So I'm posting these little Lexie tidbits and promise to do a big catch up post as soon as I possibly can. No really - I will. After all, Halloween is just two weeks away and her costume is way cute. In the mean time, I hope you enjoy these amazingly insightful observations by Lexie...

Now that Lexie is FIVE, she likes to inform me of things she can now do or things she now knows - with absolute certainty. Like tonight she was getting ready to brush her teeth. She must set out all her "equipment" first - the Ariel toothbrush, pink princess toothpaste, princess floss stick, big kid pink mouth wash (which she's told me is for princesses only,) princess washcloth and her check list and pen. Yup, all of this to brush her teeth at night. After applying the much coveted pink princess toothpaste on poor princess Ariel's hair (aka the bristles) she tells me "Mommy, five year olds hold the brush down at the bottom not at the top like babies." Good to know....

Another night as she was brushing (it seems to be a time when five year olds do their best thinking) she explained to me that "five year old princess ALWAYS floss their teeth starting on the top, in the middle." Another fascinating five year old fact.

As we were driving who knows where, I was informed that she is an EXPERT on cows, princesses and counting. How they connect I have no idea but I know where to go if I need any advise on these subjects (but the princesses where a no brainer.)

We went to register Lexie for her summer school and she was very excited to be moving up into the kindergarten room - even though she won't be a REAL kindergartener until the fall. She told me that we needed to celebrate this big event by going to her favorite Chinese restaurant. What bigger event is there to celebrate that signing up for pre-kindergarten?!
I took Lexie & my mom to see the Children's Theatre rendition of a musical Sleeping Beauty and we loved it. Great cast, terrific music, creative props & staging and the musical itself is way better than Disney's version. I bought the CD to play in the car and I'm so glad I did.Our favorite song is the hello song. It goes "Bonjour, that's hello or good day in French, buenos dias also good day in Spanish, Boker Tov is good morning in Hebrew, konnichiwa hello in Japanese." She/we sing it all the time (since it gets stuck in your head very easily) and the other day she told a friend of mine that she now speaks French, Spanish, Hebrew and Japanese and of course English too. I'm so relieved to know I just have to know how to say hello in a language to actually speak it.

A few mornings after seeing the show I wake up to hear a very sleepy "Boker Tov Mommy." So sweet.

I hear shouts of "Mommy, Mommy come quick" from Lexie in the bathroom. Expecting the worst (which as we all know it can be REALLY bad if shouts are coming from the bathroom) I run in to find her reclining on the pot. She says "Look Mommy because I am five I can sit all the way back on the toilet." What!!

She can also see into the silverware drawer without her step stool now so her big chore of putting the clean silverware away is way easier according to my five year old.
I wore a new shirt that was slightly lower cut than normal for me(which is not low cut at all) and Lexie says "Mommy don't show the line" as she pulled the neckline up almost choking me. Oh the modesty of a five year old.
 
One of her BIGGEST accomplishments as a five year old is snapping....as in her fingers. She can snap now which she'd been working on for what seemed like months. But as soon as she turned five - snap! Who knew I was wasting our time trying to teach her to snap when she was just four?!
 
Okay, enough wisdom from my then 5 but now 5 1/2 year old. I will do my very best to catch you up on all the excitement in our lives over the last six months in a big, picture filled post.....
COMING SOON

First Day of REAL Kindergarten

9/06/2011 11:32:00 AM Edit This 3 Comments »
I can't believe it's finally here. Lexie's first day of kindergarten or should I say REAL kindergarten!
I know all mom's of kindergartners feel the same way but I've got to say it. My baby is sure growing up fast!
She's so excited and proud of herself since this is REAL kindergarten no pre-kindergarten (which was the summer school program she was in for kids who would be in kindergarten in the fall.)
And here she is with some of her class. I believe there will be 20 students with 3 teachers - sweet.

 She just so happy to bet here and I couldn't be happier too! She really takes on every experience in life with a joy and excitement that leaves me humbled and challenged to look at life more like she does.
Thanks for being such a good teacher Lexie. Mommy promises to be a good student of life - just like you!
Happy First Day of REAL School!

Good-Bye Kit

8/26/2011 11:02:00 PM Edit This 4 Comments »
Five and a half years ago I brought this little guy home from the pound...
along with this fuzz ball. I named them Kit & Kaboodle and they've been together ever since.
That is until Monday when Lexie & I returned to the house after being gone for about 3 hours. Since it had been raining on and off that day I had keep them inside. So as soon as I pulled into the garage I went inside to let them out. They both greeted me at the gate and I got the usual lick on my hand from Kit as I let them go outside to do their business. I went back to the garage to help Lexie out of her car seat. It didn't take more than a minute. She ran upstairs and I told her I would let the dogs in then feed them before I joined her. As I was walking back towards the slider, I notice Kit was laying on the patio with his head against the slider..... as I got closer I noticed his tongue was hanging out and very blue. When I opened the door he didn't get up or move his body but his eyes followed me. I knelt down to hear him take a gasp of air....then nothing. I was talking to him and tried to see if he had something in his throat but he took another gasp of air and I knew he was in real trouble. I grabbed my phone to call the vet and told Kit to hang on . Sadly he couldn't. I called to Lexie to get back in the car as I pet him and I think he took his last breath. But I couldn't give up so I managed to get his limp 55 lb body into the back of the car for the 40 minute ride to the after hours vet. I knew it was too late. As I drove I told Lexie that I was pretty sure Kit had died and gone to heaven to play ball with Jet (my sisters dog who had just passed away a couple of months ago.) Lexie, God love her, turns to look at him in the back of the car and said "No Mommy, Kit's right here." Out of the mouths of babes.
Needless to say the vet couldn't help Kit. He thinks it was a heart attack or brain aneurysm because of how fast it was and the fact that he was fine literally a minute before he died. So we had to return home without Kit to a Kaboodle that was frantically looking for her brother, partner in crime and best buddy. She's still looking for him every time we come home and I have to admit, so am I.
I hadn't realized how much Kit was MY dog until he was gone. He was ALWAYS in the same room that I was in. I mean, I would find myself tripping over him at least once a day. I would get out fo the shower most mornings to find Kit curled up on the rug next to the tub. The dog followed me everywhere. Kaboodle is much more Lexie's dog. She lets Lexie put hats and crowns and bows on her but Kit would have none of that. He just wanted to be with me when I was home and with Kaboodle when we were gone.
Here is the last picture of him just before we went on vacation this month.
You will be missed Kit!

Introducing the Newest Member of the Family - Colton!

8/11/2011 11:16:00 AM Edit This 1 Comment »
That's right. My younger brother Todd and his wife Lori added to the family this week. Colton Todd made his way into the world on Aug 2 and we all couldn't be happier.
 Colton and Mommy just hours after his birth. Doesn't he look like he's smiling?!
 Daddy and his little man. It's been a LONG time since Todd held his infant son....22 years give or take. Todd now has the oldest and the youngest of the grandkids. Nice job bro.
 Just an hour old. Check out those cheeks.
 And here are the two brothers - just hanging out.
 Colton takes after his Daddy - he's a great sleeper!
 He's getting ready for his first car ride.
 Lori and Colton ready to break out of the hospital. Great job Lori!!
Now Lexie is going to drive me crazy until she gets to meet her new baby cousin. We both can hardly wait to hold the sweet little guy.
Welcome to the world Colton!

More on Lexie later. I'm behind - way behind!

A Lovely Sunday Afternoon

7/10/2011 09:48:00 PM Edit This 4 Comments »
Today was one of those days. Nothing special. No big plans or events. Just a beautiful sunny Sunday afternoon spent with my favorite person in the world.
Naturally Lexie rocked her Sunday best. So after church we did a nice brunch and instead of going home to clean out the garage like I desperately needed to do, we went to do a little shopping for our up coming trip down south. I'm sure it will come as a surprise to everyone but Lexie enjoys shopping just like her mommy. Then we played at a favorite playground and returned home in time for me to do a little cleaning while Lexie hit the road with a few neighborhood friends.
 She isn't the fastest (all the kids are ahead of her) but she is the best dressed!!
 Yup she's still in her Sunday best. I figured why not.
 She was too excited to wait to change. And it cracked me up!
Within an hour of this shot we had a late dinner, brushed her teeth, read her books and she was passed out....literally.
Just a lovely Sunday afternoon.

Four Years Ago on The Fourth

7/03/2011 11:15:00 PM Edit This 6 Comments »
That's right, it's our fourth anniversary. Four years ago on July 4th at 4:04pm I walked out of the baby house in Aktau Kazakhstan with Lexie in my arms as my daughter. Here she is in the director's office as we waited for the official word that we could leave. She was more than ready and so was I!
Cut to one year later. She was of course walking on her on. In fact she was driving! We hit the local July 4th carnival and she had a ball. Mom and I were both so amazed at how much she'd changed in that year. She was a typical happy, healthy just turned two year old. I couldn't have asked for more.
But a year later she turned three and was more amazing than ever. At least I thought so and so did the rest of the family. We were excited to spend the Independence Day (both the USA and Lexie's) with them down in Texas. Even my brother's kids were up from Mexico so there was lots to celebrate.
Then last year we went to a big festival with some friends, then came back for a picnic with other friends and then finally watched the fireworks at another friends house. It was a very full weekend but as you can see Lexie was having fun and growing up fast. Or so I thought.

This year I can no longer call her my baby. As a just turned five year old, she is definitely a little girl (and reminds me that she's FIVE daily...no hourly!) We'll have a quieter anniversary this year since she now has bronchitis (oh joy) and I don't want to share it with the friends we were going to get together with. But I can honestly say that any day with Lexie is a blessing and a day celebrating our officially becoming a family is a special day.
 
Happy Adoption Day Lexie.
And all the fireworks are from Mommy just for you!

And Here She Is...The Blue Fairy

6/30/2011 10:33:00 PM Edit This 3 Comments »
This is the first position she starts the dance in so she insisted this was how she wanted to take the picture. Lexie is all about the right and wrong way of doing things. She is my rule follower.
 Here's another position. And yes, she still has two legs. I'm just not sure where she tucked the other one.

 She was so excited and so serious about her part since she was THE Blue Fairy. That's right. Lexie had the lead for her dance. She is the fairy that puts all the other fairies to sleep with the magic wand as they wish upon the star.
By the end they all get a chance at the wand and it's a little funny how each girl has her own style.
This was just the dress rehearsal and they did great. None of them had any problems with the stage, lights or audience.
They were so proud of themselves.
 Little did I know that Lexie was fine partly because she had a 102 fever during this. The day before, I returned her to school following her rehearsal on the big stage and within an hour I got a call from the school to pick her up because she had 102.2 fever. I was so surprised since she'd had shown no signs of not feeling well. A dose of Motrin and a good night sleep and I thought she was just fine. But right after this before the finale practice I realized she was hot again so I call the doc and she took Lexie right away. Yup she's got an ear infection even though her tubes are still in. Lexie was crying because she wanted to do the finale practice (and the rule was if they missed this practice they couldn't be in it for performance) so while I was waiting for her prescription I brought her back for practice.
She had so much fun with her fairy friends.
 But as soon as her part was done she was fading fast.
And by the time she came off the stage I had to practically carry her to the car. This was Thursday. The antibiotics kicked in and by performance time on Sat she was good to go!
There were balloons, a fairy wand of her own, a blue fairy statue and a couple of other little things waiting for her when she woke up from the family and I. She felt very special and was so excited!
And she was back to her silly self. She was also thrilled to have make up on (even if it was just a little blush & lip gloss.)
We ended up having about a 45 minute wait so I'm glad we brought a few princesses along to keep the girls occupied.
How cute where the "little" girls who where on right before Lexie?
Then it was our turn to line up.
 Do you think they were excited?
And they did great!!! Lexie was very funny with several stage whispers when one of the girls would forget to do something. They were all thrilled with themselves and all us parents were so proud.
Only three of the girls stayed for finale (which was an hour & a half later) so our girls decided to be mermaids to pass the time.
After the finale of course my star got flowers both from me and Grammy.
 Funny thing was on Sunday for her second performance she asked if I could throw flowers on the stage at her like they do in Angelina Ballerina. Lexie was so sweet and gave each of her friends roses as well as her teachers. Mommy is so proud of her Blue Fairy both for her dancing skills and her generous heart!

Newer Posts
Older Posts