Daddy's Little Shadow

Tony got back into town during the wee hours of Saturday morning. Lily (and Mommy) were fast asleep.

Before Lily went to sleep Friday night she was SOOOO excited to know that Daddy would be home when she woke up. Lily and I had been talking all week about "how many more sleeps" there would be before Daddy came home...and here it was...the last sleep!

Lily had big plans for the two of us to make waffles for Daddy in the morning and then she would wake Daddy up and "he'll be so happy to see me." Lily could hardly wait!

Well, apparently while Lily was sleeping she had a change of heart and decided she and Daddy should make breakfast and let Mommy sleep in. Who am I to argue with that kind of logic???

Lily wasn't really interested in letting me sleep...what she was REALLY interested in was making up for lost time with Daddy! It was so, so, sweet!!

Not only did Lily and Daddy make breakfast together, Lily also went with Daddy to get his haircut and then the two of them went out to lunch. What a fun Daddy and Daughter day!

I'm so happy Daddy's home I could just flip!

Mid-Winter Thaw

Lily and I have been trying to make the most of the mild weather by spending as much time as possible outside.

While it hasn't exactly been balmy, any temperature above freezing Lily considers playground weather!



PS - Daddy, if you're checking in on us...we're doing fine. We miss you and love you!! Hurry home!

Ponies, Pizza, Promenade, And Playgrounds

Yesterday Lily and I spent a wonderful day with friends. Jim, Wendy, and two of their children, Jay and Julia, were part of our travel group to China. They were united with their daughter, Amanda, on the same day Tony and I were united with Lily.

On Saturday, Jim and Wendy planned a fun day for us complete with horseback riding, a pizza lunch, a walk along the promenade, and time on the playground.

Lily loves, loves, loves horses. Seriously. See the smile on Lily's face?



It never left Lily's face the entire time she was riding. Honestly, I'm not sure which was beaming more...Lily or the sun!





Julia also loves riding horses and looks like a pro in the saddle!



Not one to miss out on the fun, Amanda also got in on the action!



After the girls had walked the legs off of Cassidy, No No, and Tilly it was off to lunch, a walk along the promenade, and more fun at the playground. Julia, Amanda, and Lily had a great time playing together and Jim, Wendy, and I had fun catching up.

While the girls were playing on the playground we were able to get them to stop long enough to get a group photo. Look how much they've grown since we took our "red couch" photos in China!



Jim and Wendy, thanks so much for planning such a fun day!

She's Both - Or Excuse Me - Part 3

Okay, it's been a while since I did a post about all the questions/comments we get on a weekly basis about being an adoptive family. Truth be told, most of the time it doesn't bother me...but sometimes...it bothers me A LOT!

Before Christmas Lily and I were in line at Target. There was a friendly woman in line behind us and we struck up a conversation. Everything was going along smoothly until the woman said to me, "She's so cute. Is she yours or is she adopted?"

With a smile on my face I very politely answered, "She's both!"

I have to tell you I felt like saying a whole lot more than that! Like...come on! Are you kidding me??? Please think before you open your mouth! Especially in front of my very sensitive, intuitive, and sharp little sweetie!

When we got in the car Lily asked me, "What did that lady mean...is she yours or is she adopted?"

Try answering that question on the spot!

I put on my best game face and told Lily that some people are just curious about adoptive families and that's why they ask questions. To which Lily said, "Like when people ask where I was born?"

Yikes! Lily really doesn't miss a thing. She is extremely perceptive.

The important thing for me to remember is that Lily is not only hearing the questions people ask, but also how I answer...or don't answer them.

Don't get me wrong, I don't ignore people if they ask me a question I feel is inappropriate. I do, however, sometimes choose to answer "Why do you ask?" or "Wow. I'm surprised you would ask that."

Several adoptive parents have told me that's how they answer intrusive questions. I was nervous to try it, but so far that approach has been pretty effective in either stopping the conversation or steering it in another direction.

I know the vast majority of people are not trying to be rude or intrusive...they're just curious. So, I do my best to handle these interactions politely. It's just that some days it's a lot harder than others.

On a lighter note, here are some very sweet pictures my friend's husband took of Lily late this fall.

I'll Remind Her When She's 13

Yesterday Lily said to me, "Mommy, when I'm a big girl and I go to school every day I want you to be my bus driver and my teacher. Okay?"

How sweet is that?!?

I'll have to remind Lily of that some day when she asks me to drive her to school but drop her off around the corner so her friends don't see me.

Sorry, I just have to share one more Christmas picture.

Ginger-rific

As I was preparing to throw away Lily's gingerbread house today I realized I hadn't posted about Lily's gingerbread fun. Since I use this blog as a kind of baby book for Lily I wanted to make sure I included a Christmas activity that Lily thoroughly enjoyed this year.

Last year Lily put together a gingerbread train and had so much fun doing it. This year Lily made gingerbread man pops (thanks to Aunt Barbie) and a gingerbread house (thanks to a woman in my stay at home parent's group). Lily had so much fun with both of these activities.

My friend, Barbra, gave Lily a gingerbread man cookie pop kit a few weeks before Christmas. Lily positively couldn't wait to open the box! I'm not sure what she had more fun doing...decorating the pops...or deciding who she would give them to. It truly is life's simple pleasures!



Speaking of simple pleasures, one of the moms in my stay at home parent's group was crazy...I mean sweet...enough to make 24 gingerbread houses from scratch for our children to decorate. That's right 24 houses...and icing, too!

You have never seen 24 little boys and girls so engrossed in a project. It was amazing. Do you think it might of had something to do with all the candy??? Nah.

Van Gogh And Picasso

Over the Christmas break we were able to have an Aunt T, Lily, and Beanie Day. We had a blast!

First, we met Dad Dad for breakfast. Let's face it, any day that starts with breakfast with Dad Dad is a good day!



After breakfast the girls painted pottery. I did too...but I had much more fun watching Van Gogh and Picasso at work! Lily and Beanie worked on their pieces contentedly for hours. Literally.


It was so sweet to listen to them confer about colors, technique, etc. I think we definitely have two budding artists on our hands.

Christina is AMAZINGLY kind and patient with Lily...and Lily pretty much thinks Christina walks on water! It's a magical combination.

Once their masterpieces were ready to be fired we went out for a late lunch and then headed home to play, play, play.

Because we just hadn't eaten enough that day, we also had a "blanket tea party". Lily LOVES picnics and tea parties. When it's too cold for Lily and I to eat outside we have "blanket picnics" or "blanket tea parties" on the Living Room or Family Room floor. It was great to have Beanie join in on the fun!

Celebrating New Year's Eve And New Year's Birthdays

All three of us have been battling a nasty cold/sinus thing. So, we spent a quiet New Year's Eve at home. We ate fondue and toasted the New Year with sparkling cider.

To put it mildly the sparkling cider was NOT a hit! Lily took one sip and said, "Mommy, do I HAVE to drink this???" Looks like next year I'll have to spring for the Dom Perignon!





On New Year's Day we had a low key birthday celebration for Baby New Year (aka Tony).

Lily and I let Tony sleep in while we cooked breakfast. When Tony came downstairs for his birthday breakfast he said, "Wow! This looks like a breakfast fit for a king." To which Lily responded, "Daddy, you're not a king...you're a daddy!" So much for being 'King for a day'.

One Last Christmas Picture

I know, I know, Christmas is long over but I just had to share one more picture.

This picture is kind of blurry, but I LOVE it. Something about it reminds me of a Norman Rockwell painting. I took it at the B & O Railroad Museum the weekend after Christmas.



Lily may not be crazy about Santa, but Frosty The Snowman is a okay in her book!