All about Elizabeth

Almost bedtime :)

2012-02-15T17:40:00.000-08:00

Busy weekend!

2012-02-12T19:05:00.000-08:00

We had a fun, but busy weekend here. On Saturday, Elizabeth's school held an open house for prospective new families. E and I helped out at that, which was a actually pretty enjoyable! And we had a great turn out, which was nice. In the afternoon, we hung out at Maria's and watched E's new favorite movie, E.T. That movie sure brings back memories for me, btw! It came out when I was in the 8th grade, and my friends and I must have gone to see it at least 5 times. And it still makes me cry watching it now!
Anyway...on Sunday, we went to Church, then to a birthday party for one of E's school friends. It was at a Bowling Ally/Arcade type place. Fun!!

After the party, we went for a play date at another friend's house, did laundry at my parents' house and finally got home way too late for a Sunday night. But we had a good time!

Jumping girl

2012-02-04T19:07:00.000-08:00

Today we went to a friend's birthday party. It was at one of those indoor jumping places. E had a fab time! I tried to get some decent pics of her, but it was almost impossible, since she was in constant motion :)

Have I mentioned...

2012-02-02T16:46:00.000-08:00

how much I love this kid?? :)

Hard to say good bye

2012-01-31T06:33:00.000-08:00

The other night we had a little impromptu playdate with A., our little downstairs neighbor and friend. Elizabeth was so happy to entertain her guest, but was very sad when it was time to say good bye. One thing about E that has always been, is she hates to end playdates. She is the one who is always crying when birthday parties are over, and has to be dragged out of people's houses crying, after hours of playing. She just hates when the party's over!

Swimming at the Y

2012-01-28T18:57:00.001-08:00

We love to go swimming at the Y, especially in the cold weather months when outdoor pools and beaches aren't an option. Today we met up with E's BFF's family at the Y and had a great time.

Random

2012-01-23T03:55:00.001-08:00

Just a few random pictures from Sunday.

In the afternoon, we went over to friends' house to play.

Patriots on in the background. Headed to the Supahbowl, woohoo!!!

Saturday recap

2012-01-21T18:08:00.000-08:00

Today would have been a good day for pictures, but I didn't take any. Mainly out of laziness, and also because Elizabeth has taken to sticking her tongue out when I try to take her picture. Lovely...Anyway, today we had a little snow (about 4-5 inches), and it was kind of pretty, actually. Elizabeth hung out at Maria's house this morning while I went to the library and worked on taxes (fun!!)...Then this afternoon, E and I met E's BFF and Mom at the Y and we went swimming. So fun! E has a little cold, so she crashed early tonight. I think I'm not too far behind her :)

Hair Salon

2012-01-19T03:37:00.001-08:00

Yesterday, I took Elizabeth to a much needed trip to the Hair Salon. The ladies were fabulous, and very patient with both of us :) Elizabeth had her moments of fussiness, but overall did great. I was very proud of her! At one point, the hair dresser asked if E had any allergies. I said no. Elizabeth piped up, "I'm allergic to combs!."

Finally a little snow!

2012-01-18T09:25:00.001-08:00

This picture was taken when we first went outside Tuesday morning. Elizabeth was very surprised and excited to see the snow. We haven't had any so far this year, except for that little freak snow storm just before Halloween. Then, last night, we went to a fundraiser for E's Day Care at a Pizza Place. E had a great time hanging out with her little school buddies :)

Martin Luther King - I Have A Dream Speech - August 28, 1963

2012-01-16T06:03:00.000-08:00

Another New Year's resolution

2012-01-15T15:53:00.000-08:00

I mentioned in a previous post that one of my New Year's resolutions was to blog more. So far that's going pretty well. I have missed 2 days in this month, but that's not too bad. Another resolution I have is to get healthier and lose some weight. Original, I know...not! But I really need to pay more attention to my health. Up until about 5-6 years ago, I never really had a weight issue. But once I went into premature menopause (thank you, Turner Syndrome), my metabolism ground to a screeching halt, and I could no longer get away with eating the same crap I always had. So the pounds starting piling on...Especially since becoming a mom (stress eating, anyone?)...But here's the thing...aside from hating that I'm so heavy now, my main concern is, I don't want to develop all kinds of health issues. I don't want Elizabeth to have a mother who is sick, low energy, etc. I don't want her to have to take care of me by the time I'm 60, is what I'm saying. And I want to feel good about how I look. I want my old clothes to fit again! So, I'm feeling like now is the time to "get healthy." For Elizabeth, and for me!

Nice day, but no pics...

2012-01-14T18:06:00.000-08:00

Today was such a fun day. We went for breakfast and a playdate at Elizabeth's BFF's house this morning. The girls play together so well, and I love hanging with the parents and their adorable new baby. We ended up staying for lunch, too! Lol... Then this afternoon, E and I went to the Y for a swim, which we both love. I actually really wanted to work out, too, but they only have babysitting on Saturday's in the morning, so I couldn't. Oh well...next time I'll plan better. That's about it for today!

Hugo

2012-01-12T20:04:00.000-08:00

Today, Elizabeth went with Maria to see the new movie "Hugo." Elizabeth seemed to like it, even though probably a lot of it went over her head. I think her favorite part was the huge tub of popcorn they shared. :) Here is a (not very good) pic of her playing afterward at M's when I came to pick her up.

Update at four and a half

2012-01-11T00:00:00.000-08:00

Today, my girl is 4.5. Hard to believe...Not to sound too cliche, but omg, they grow up fast. She is like a sponge, and picks up on everything. She is obsessed with her new favorite movie "The Wizard of Oz." She knows all the songs in it, and always acts out the movie with her bath dolls in the tub. Soooo cute...
She knows all her letters and enjoys books, and is getting more interested in "writing", but would still rather play ball or ride her bike. Her love of swimming continues, and I will be signing her up for swim lessons this February. She is a social butterfly, and makes new friends easily. She is alternately clingy and independent. In short, she is my amazing big girl. :) Happy 4.5 birthday, sweetie pie!

Mall rats

2012-01-10T18:43:00.000-08:00

Once in a while, Elizabeth and I like to go to a nearby mall to walk around, go up and down (and up and down..) the escalaters and have a slice of Pizza. One of E's favorite things also is to visit the Crocodile in front of The Ra*n F*rest C*fe. For some reason, I was not a able to get a decent shot of her here...

One cool thing about this mall is that they have an indoor play area, which E also likes. Oops, I notice she's not wearing socks here...

Oops, missed a day...

2012-01-09T13:41:00.000-08:00

Well, so much for blogging every day in January...I missed yesterday. I had every intention of blogging after Elizabeth went to bed, but I fell asleep along with her :) Oh well, I'll keep trying...

We had a great Sunday. Our friend Maria took E to Church, so I got a couple of hourse to myself :) The only problem was, Maria brought Elizabeth back about a half hour later than I was expecting. My mind automatically went into "worst possible case scenario" mode. Maria doesn't use a cell phone, so I couldn't call her. By the time they came back, I was convinced they were both unconscious in a hospital, with no way to identify E or how to reach me. Ugg...Let's just say, I was sooooo happy when I saw them pull up to Maria's house, where I was waiting.

Later, my mom and I took Elizabeth to a children's show that my mom had baught tickets for. It wasn't exactly what we expected, and was kind of slow, but E did ok, and it was fun to get out to do something different. Afterward, we went to my parents', where E got to ride her bike (still no snow here- amazing!!) and play with the neighbors' kids.

All in all, it was a great weekend!

It's fun to swim at the YMC*A...

2012-01-07T18:10:00.000-08:00

Elizabeth and I joined the Y*MCA near our house today- finally! Thanks to my sister and mom, who gave us a year's membership for Christmas (THANK YOU!!) We went this afternoon, and swam for about an hour, and then played in the gym for a bit. Sorry no pics...I plan to go regularly to work out and E can play in the Child Care.

Little chef :):

2012-01-06T23:22:00.000-08:00

Another link (sorry!)...

2012-01-05T10:07:00.000-08:00

This post is so spot on, I couldn't resist linking...

Why I won't read or watch "The Help"

2012-01-05T08:33:00.000-08:00

Today's blog post on www.racialicious.com says it perfectly.

Sh^t White Girls Say to Black Girls

2012-01-05T07:44:00.000-08:00

Found this video by Franchesca Ramsey on www.mybrownbaby.com. Wow...

Co sleeping

2012-01-04T23:18:00.000-08:00

So...Elizabeth still sleeps with me. Mostly I don't mind it, sometimes I actually like it. The drawbacks are:
-I can't read in bed before going to sleep
-How can such a small person take up an entire queen sized bed??
-some nights E tosses and turns a lot, and I get elbowed and kicked
-I worry sometimes that I'm not fostering her "independence" enough
But the fact is, we don't see each other all day, so it's kind of nice to share that overnight time together (even if we're both sleeping!)
I've heard/read both sides of the argument for/against co sleeping. The truth is, you can always find some book or article to support your way of parenting. I think in the end you just have to do what feels right for you and your family. And right now, co sleeping feels right for us.

Back to school

2012-01-03T22:56:00.000-08:00

Elizabeth had a great first day back at school after the holiday break. I know she missed her friends. I really do love her Day Care, and will miss it when we leave there in September. Hard to believe I will be soon registering my baby for Kindergarten...Yikes!! I have to admit, I'm pretty stressed about the thought of her entering real, actual school in the fall. I know she'll do fine, but it's going to be such a change from Preschool/Day Care. Logistically, too. I just envision myself always trying to patch together child care for her during the many days off, half days, vacations, etc. that the public schools seem to have. Ugg...But it's also kind of exciting to think she'll be learning to read, and all kinds of other cool things. Anyway, just my thoughts for today!

Fun, busy day

2012-01-02T18:10:00.000-08:00

Today was the last day of Elizabeth's school vacation (her Day Care was closed all last week and today), so I wanted to make it fun. We started out by having a nice lazy morning at home. I don't even think we were out of our jammies before 10! When we finally got going, we started out with a visit to Petco, so E could visit with all the animals there. She loves it there, and is lobbying heavily to get if not a dog, than a Hamster. I'm thinking more along the lines of maybe a goldfish...

Then we went to E's favorite playground, which is in the same town her Day Care is in. It was sunny, but kinda cold...E didn't mind at all, though. She was very happy when a few girls around her age showed up, and she played with them for a while.

Then, I decided to take E out for her favorite lunch- Pizza:)

After that, we ended up going to visit my parents' neighbors, where E played with her friends plus a couple more kids who showed up for a play date. That was great for me, since it gave me a break from being "entertainment director." :)

All in all, it was a tiring, but fun day, and holiday week. I think E will be glad to be back in school tomorrow. She was telling me this morning that she missed her school friends. Hope you all had a great holiday, too!

New Year's resolutions

2012-01-01T21:10:00.000-08:00

I'm usually not big on New Year's resolutions, but for some reason, this year I feel inspired to make a few, some of which I'll probably blog about in the coming weeks. But for right now, I want to say that one of my goals for 2012 is to be a better blogger, and to post more often. To start with, I'm trying to update my template, but I'm not too savvy about how to go about it, so I'm kind of figuring it out as I go along. I'm making a few tweaks to the blog design here and there, as you might notice. I may end up outsourcing, and getting someone else to do a complete blog makeover for me. It depends on how frustrated I get trying to do it myself :) The other thing I'm going to attempt to start the year is to post every day in January...I'm going to try!! Even if it's only a picture, I'm going to at least try to get something on here each day of this month. Wish me luck, lol! Ok, off to bed now...my cute little alarm clock goes off early in the morning :)

Welcome, 2012!!

2012-01-01T19:03:00.001-08:00

We had a fun New Year's Eve! Miss E and I went into Boston with our friends. Here are the kiddos, riding on "the T" (Boston's Subway system).
Below, my friend Misty holding Elizabeth to give E a better view of all the festivities (Misty is a lot taller than me!)

In Boston at First Night, we saw a couple of ice sculptors, ate some expensive junk food and saw cool fireworks! They have fireworks early, at 7pm, so kids can enjoy them.

Here are the kids on the train ride back home, sharing a rather huge bag of Cotton Candy :)

Neither Elizabeth or I made it til midnight, but we came pretty close- 11pm!

Today, New year's Day, was (relatively) warm and sunny. E and I lazed around the apt. a bit this am, then went to the mall for lunch and to play in the indoor playground (love it!). Afterward, we went to my parents' to do laundry and so Elizabeth could ride her bike.

hangin' out with Grandpa

Wishing all of you a Happy New Year, filled with peace, joy, and love.

Baby # 2? Nope, probably not...

2011-12-28T17:45:00.000-08:00

When I first began the adoption process, I always imiagined I would have at least 2 children. When Elizabeth came home, I thought I would probably adopt again when she was around 3 or 4. Well, here she is almost 4.5, and I in no way feel able to have another child. I wish I could. I know Elizabeth would love to have a sibling. She does have her bio sister, sweet little Baby B., but B. lives with her adoptive family back in San Diego, so obviously it's not like they are growing up together. When E and I are home together, E always wants me to play with her, or go to a friend's house to play. She is very social, and loves to be with other kids. So I feel really bad that she doesn't have a brother or sister to play with. But...I look at our situation financially, logistically, and there is just no way I can see making it (adding another child to our family)work. Not right now, anyway. To be really honest, the cost of full time Day Care is killing me, and I'm counting down the months til I don't have to pay that anymore. The thought of taking that on again with a new baby is just...not appealing. Part of me would would love another baby, for Elizabeth, and for me. But even beyond the financial aspect, I have to really fess up and say, I got my hands full with my one kiddo! I love my daughter more than life, but yeah, she can wear me out! So at this point, as a single parent, I somewhat sadly say that any plans for trying to adopt again are off the table...

The day after...

2011-12-26T18:05:00.000-08:00

Today was another fun day. E and I got together with our friends Misty and Paden, plus our friend Denise who Misty and I went to high school with. We went out for brunch (the kids look thrilled to be having their picture taken, don't they? lol)

After brunch, since it was a beautiful, sunny (but kinda cold!) day, we all went for a walk around Horn Pond (the kids ran, the grown ups walked :)

Paden is Misty's almost 7 year old son. Elizabeth and Paden usually have an awesome time together, when they aren't fighting, lol....They are a great little pair, cuties...:)

Christmas 2011 recap

2011-12-26T17:32:00.000-08:00

We had an awesome Christmas! Santa, and my family, were very good to us, as always :) On Christmas Eve, we went to a 4pm Church service with my Mom, my brother, and my nephews. My Dad stayed home to watch the Patriots game, lol, and my sister-in-law had a bad cold, so she stayed home to rest. After Church we all went to my parents' house and had a delicious dinner. Elizabeth and I went back to our apt, and E fell asleep around 9:30. Santa showed up around midnight. He made lots of unintentional noise, fumbling around in the dark, but luckily didn't wake Miss E up...:) In the morning, I actually woke up before E did, at about 6:45 (don't ask me why), and E got up around 7:30. She was very happy and relieved to see her stocking stuffed with presents, and that Santa had remembered her. She said, "Mommy, I didn't make the naughty list!" I didn't get any pictures from this part of the day (not sure why), but we had a nice, relaxing morning at home, just the two us while I enjoyed my coffee and watching Elizabeth play with her new toys. In the afternoon, we went to my parents', where Elizabeth got her most awesome present from my mom...her first big girl bike!!!

The rest of the day was spent hanging out with the family, eating lots of delicious food, playing with new toys...

and of course, riding her beautiful new bike!!! And check out her cool, hot pink new Dora Helmet to go with it...:)

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-25T03:57:00.000-08:00

One of my favorite things about the Holidays is getting all the photo Christmas cards in the mail. It's something I always knew I would do once I had kids. So I present to you our 2011 Christmas card...

Merry Christmas!!

Gingerbread House

2011-12-21T08:41:00.000-08:00

Sunday

2011-12-18T19:21:00.000-08:00

Today was a nice Sunday. Pretty relaxing considering it's only 1 week until Christmas (yikes!)...We went to Church this morning, then went over to my parents' to do laundry (one of these decades I WILL have my own *&^*% washer and dryer!!!). My parents' neighbors' have two little girls around Elizabeth's age, so we went over to play with them, and ended up staying for dinner.
Here's a pic of E with her buddies eatin' Pizza (this Pizza was much better than the Pizza we had yesterday at Chucky E. Cheese, btw...)

Losing my Chuck E. Cheese Virginity

2011-12-18T19:04:00.000-08:00

Well, it was bound to happen to some time...this weekend, it did. On Saturday, Elizabeth and I went to Chucky E. Cheese for the first time. A classmate of her's was having a birthday party there. It was pretty much what I expected: crowded, noisy, and did I mention NOISY??? But E is a party animal, so she had a great time, in between overstimulation-induced meltdowns...

Santa 2011!!!

2011-12-10T13:39:00.001-08:00

In keeping with annual tradition, Elizabeth and I went to the mall to visit Santa. This year was the closest we've gotten to getting a smile from her :) And, just for fun, here are E's visits with Santa in years past...My girl sure is growing up!

December 2010- 3 years old

December 2009 -2 years old

December 2008- 1 year old

December 2007 - 4 months old

X-mas at the Zoo

2011-12-04T17:49:00.001-08:00

This evening Elizabeth and I went out with our friends Misty and Paden. First we took the kiddos to a nearby Pizza joint. Both our kids luuuv Pizza :) Then we went to the Stone Zoo, very close to where we live. It was all decked out for Christmas, with lights, exhibits, and some rides. Soooo cool and fun!

4 Years ago today...

2011-11-30T00:00:00.000-08:00

Four years ago today, in San Diego, CA, I met my daughter for the first time. She was 4 months old. I remember rushing home from work at 11am that Friday morning after Elizabeth's social worker Martha called to tell me she was on her way to my apt with E. I got to my place about 5 minutes before they did. When they arrived, it was pouring rain out. Elizabeth was sound asleep in the car seat in the back of Martha's car. I was so worried about E getting wet. I gently took E out of the car seat and wrapped her up in a blanket and hurried up my apartment, where it was warm and dry. My sweet little girl woke up and just took everything in. By now, there were two social workers in my apt., Martha, plus my social worker, Ann. They talked a lot, and had me sign a bunch things, but I have no idea what they said, or what I signed. I could only pay attention to this incredible, sweet little baby who had been brought to me. It would take another year and a half for the adoption to be finalized, but this day, 11/30/07, is the day we became a family. I love you, my little Princess. Happy Anniversary!

Happy Thanksgiving!

2011-11-24T19:05:00.001-08:00

We had a great day at my parents'. And now I'm in a Turkey coma...I love Thanksgiving :)

my nephews helping Grandma in the Kitchen

Hello!

2011-11-20T10:20:00.001-08:00

Wow, it's been a little while...So...just to catch this blog up a bit...

* I went to to Texas for 5 days to visit my friend Chris, who I've known for 23 years, but haven't seen in over 9! Without Elizabeth! It was a great trip, very relaxing. It is seemed so easy to travel by myself! And I slept til 10:30 one morning...can't remember the last time I did that, it was pure heaven...As for Miss E, she did great with Maria. We spoke a couple of times each day on the phone, and she was fine. I missed her way more than I thought I would. We were very happy to see each other when I got home. :)

Chris & Me

*Elizabeth and I are going to San Diego in August!! I am sooooo excited! My brother had some award miles he passed on to my mom, who passed them on to me. Thanks Mom and John!! We are only going for a few days, but it will be such fun to see all our friends there, go to my favorite beach ever- La Jolla Shores- and see Elizabeth's little sister, I hope!

*I'm looking forward to a nice Thanksgiving with the fam at my parents' house. Love short work weeks :)

Not much else new at the moment. Here are just a few pics of Elizabeth in the playroom after Church this morning...Sorry they aren't the greatest...

This n that

2011-11-06T12:21:00.001-08:00

One cool thing that happened this past week was, I got a new Blackberry, for free! I was eligible for an upgrade, so I went to Best Buy. I picked out the Blackberry, thinking I'd pay $50 for it, but for some reason, it was free. Yay!! It's my first Blackberry, and I LOVE it...I was sooo tempted to get an IPhone (never had one), but couldn't really justify spending $100 that I don't actually have...lol...Doesn't mattter, I'm happy with my BB. It sure beats the crappy little $10 go phone I've been stuck with for the past 3 months since someone threw my smart phone in the pool in July...Oh, I didn't tell you about that? Yeah, Elizabeth and I were at the pool one evening in July, and she decided she didn't want me talking on my phone, so she grabbed the phone and chucked it- right into the pool...Oh yes, she did...yeah, this Mama was not happy...Of course the phone was totally wrecked, and I had no insurance on it. So I ended up having to buy a little go-phone until I was eligible for an upgrade, which was luckily this week...Yay!! needless to say, I purchased insurance on this one...
In other news...on Thursday (just 4 days away!!) I'm headed to Texas for a mini vacay. I'm visiting an old freiend of mine...sans Elizabeth....She'll be staying with Maria. I know she'll be fine, but it will be the longest I've ever been away from her, and the farthest!! I am so excited, but a little nervous too...
And, just because, here are a few pics...

Happy Halloween!

2011-10-31T20:20:00.000-07:00

My little skeleton with our friend Maria. We went trick or treating in Maria's neighborhood, then stopped by Grandma and Grandpa's. :)

Halloween Parade

2011-10-31T20:01:00.000-07:00

We went to the Halloween Parade in our town on Sunday 10/30. It was fun, but cold! Yes, that's snow in the background...

I believe

2011-10-17T09:00:00.000-07:00

I believe...

- that war is never the answer
-in the Occupy movement
-in Marriage Equality
-in a woman's right to choose
-that Racism still exists
-that quality child care is too expensive
-every one who works an honest full time job should be able to afford a decent place to live
-that adoption is COMPLICATED
-that no one is all good or all bad
-that family is the most important thing- however you define your family

Summer in October

2011-10-10T17:32:00.001-07:00

The weather this weekend was incrediable- sunny and in the 80's!! Of course, Elizabeth and I took full adventage and spent lots of time outdoors. On Sunday, we went to a farm with Misty and Paden, so beautiful and relaxing. And delicious homemade ice cream, too:)

Today, we had the day off for Columbus day, so E and I actually went to the beach!! It was awesome:) The water was quite chilly, but the weather felt like July.

This and that...

2011-10-08T09:38:00.000-07:00

Well, it's been a while...Trying to be a more consistant blogger, but honestly, there hasn't been too much blog worthy stuff going on lately. Just the usual routine of working, Day Care, cooking, cleaning, sleeping...with some fun stuff thrown in on the weekends...lather, rinse, repeat. I'm not complaining. I love our little family life. I do wish I could work just part time. I would love to have more time to keep our apt as clean as I would like, and cook the meals I'd like us to eat. Oh well...
I do have one exciting piece of news...I'm running away from home!! For 4 days, anyway...On 11/10, I'm going to Texas by myself (!!!) to visit a friend of mine who I've known for 23 years, but haven't seen for almost 10. I am sooo excited, but a little nervous too. Elizabeth will stay with our friend Maria while I'm gone. I know she'll be fine, but I've never been apart from her for so long, or so far away. So while I am counting down the days til my little vacay, I do feel some Mommy guilt about leaving her for 4 days. However, Elizabeth is very comfortable with Maria, so I know they'll have a great time together. I'll miss my girl...

Here's a picture E's teacher emailed from school. My preschooler hard at work :)

Fun with the fish :)

2011-09-25T17:23:00.001-07:00

Today Elizabeth and I met her BFF from school at The New England Aquarium, in Boston. I hadn't been there in years, it was so much fun! Elizabeth had never been, and loved it. BFF's face is blurred for privacy.

Day on the farm

2011-09-24T10:39:00.001-07:00

Last Sunday was a "family day" at a nearby farm,. They had Pony Rides, Hay rides, face painting, etc. It was so much fun!!!

10 years ago...

2011-09-11T00:00:00.000-07:00

So...on 9/11/01, I was living in Portland, Maine. I was working for an insurance company, processing long term disability claims (blech...)...On that Tuesday morning 10 years ago, I drove to work around 8am, thinking about all I was going to get done that day. I had many phone calls to make, faxes to send, files to update, etc. I remember it was a beautiful day, the sky was blue, the temperature was a perfect 70 something degrees. Everything was totally normal. I had been at my desk working for about 45 minutes when a coworker named Sherry arrived, walking in with a funny look on her face. Jan, in the cubicle across from me asked her what was wrong. Sherry replied that she was "just trying to process what (she'd) just heard on her car radio", that a plane had hit one of the World Trade Centers. I remember assuming it must have been an accident, but wondering how that possibly could have happened. A few seconds later, someone from a cube down the aisle shouted that the second tower had been hit. I realized, as did everyone else, that it was not an accident. Needless to say, no more work got done that day. A TV was set up in the lobby, and we all watched in horror as the Pentagon was hit, and the plane in Pennsylvania crashed. We all wondered, what was going to happen next? It seemed that nothing would ever would be the same again. I must have called my family at least 3 or 4 times that day, just because I needed to hear their voices, and feel connected to them. I remember standing outside our office building with my coworker Jan while she smoked a cigarette as we both tearfully tired to process what was going on that day. For the next two weeks, I could not sleep well, I kept having nightmares. I could not get the images of those planes crashing into the towers out of my mind. The weekend after 9/11, I cancelled plans with friends and drove to my parents', because I needed to be with my family. As I drove the 3 hours from Portland to Blue Hill, Maine, every newly raised American Flag I saw (and there were many) brought tears to my eyes.

I will never forget that day.

A walk to the Town landing (final Maine post)

2011-09-10T17:51:00.001-07:00

On our last afternoon in Maine last weekend, Elizabeth and I took a walk to the Town landing to see the boats.

I should just add that none of the boats belonged to my parents or me, and Elizabeth was NOT happy when I wouldn't agree to take her for a ride in any of them...

My little fish ( with video!)

2011-09-10T17:37:00.001-07:00

My parents' neightbor in Maine has a pool, so last weekend, Elizabeth and I took full advantage of it! I've said many times, my girl LOVES to swim!! Here are a couple pics...

She begged me to let her jump off the diving board (which she'd never done before). I was nervous about it and initially said no, but finally relented, and she did GREAT! Below is a quick clip of one of her jumps :)

Blue Hill Fair

2011-09-05T07:57:00.000-07:00

Trying to catch the blog up on our long weekend in Maine! We left Machias on Friday evening and went to my parents' place in Blue Hill. On Saturday, we went to the Blue Hill Fair, an annual Labor Day weekend event. We had a great time. E went on lots of rides, got to pet some animals (goats and sheep, mostly), and even got to ride a Pony! She loved the Fair for about two and a half hours, until she'd had enough.

Trip to Machias

2011-09-04T19:21:00.000-07:00

On Thursday, Elizabeth and I drove up to Machias, Maine on Thursday. It's a six hour drive, so we made a few stops on the way, including one for some yummy ice cream :) And near Machias, we stopped at a gift shop/mini golf course that was shaped like a giant blueberry!

We stayed in Machias with our friend Maria Thursday night. It was lots of fun, we walked in the woods and went to the rocky beach in Roque Bluffs. The water was cold!! No pics because I forgot to take my camera to the beach...:(

Our vacay so far

2011-08-30T18:17:00.001-07:00

Lots of hangin by the pool :)

We have just been staying close to home so far- pool, splash park, playgrounds...On Thursday we are heading up to Maine for the long weekend :)

Irene Sunday

2011-08-28T18:44:00.000-07:00

So by the time Hurricane Irene reached us today, it had been downgraded to a Tropical Storm. Really, it was just a blustery day, rainy and windy, but no damage or power outage, luckily! Miss E and I spent the day watching Nick Jr., playing some games, reading books, baking cookies, and even going for a couple quick walks outside. Elizabeth's Day Care is closed this coming week, so we are on vacation. I am excited that the weather is supposed to be good over the next few days. I am hoping to get in a beach day or two :) My girl and I love us some beach!!!

Our friend Julie from San Diego visited us for a couple of days, and we drove her down to her step mom's house in Rhode Island on Saturday. It felt like I barely got to see her, but we had a great visit. On Friday, while Elizabeth was at school, Julie and I went to a movie (Crazy, Stupid Love- cute), and out to lunch (Cheesecake factory- YUMMM!!), and did a little shopping. It felt very decadent to go to the movies and out to restaurant during the week. It was awesome!!!

Micellaneous stuff

2011-08-17T11:18:00.001-07:00

The above picture was from last month when we went camping in NH one weekend. Of course, I forgot to take my camera, but my friend who's camp we went to took this one. Gotta love s'mores!!

It feels like summer is going by at warped speed, as it always does. We have been busy working (me), playing (Elizabeth), and enjoying the pool and playing outside in the evenings.

Elizabeth went to her very first eye doctor appointment last week. I took her because a vision screening done at her Day Care showed she might be near sighted. But it turns out her vision is perfect. So no glasses, at least for now! Next up, the Dentist...

I guess that's all for now. Only 5 more work days til vacation! Yay!!!

My Girl :)

2011-08-14T11:38:00.001-07:00

Nothing new here. All is well. I wanted to post these pics of Miss E just because... :)

PS: Can't wait til vacation- two more weeks! And our friend Julie is coming to visit- yay!!

Stupid people can't be my friend on FB

2011-08-09T18:45:00.000-07:00

So, a few years back, I worked briefly with a woman in San Diego. We have been "friends" on Facebook, although IRL, we were never much more than acquaintances. Apparently, this week, she and her fiance have been driving across the country. So, this morning, I checked my FB, and her latest status update was, "Lock up yo kids, lock up yo wife...staying in a ghetto motel outside of...(a city in the south)...I think driving 20 hours straight would have been a safer option..."
Ok...anyone who knows me knows that I am not someone who takes things too seriously. I have a sense of humor. But this status update hit me really hard. Made me want to cry, actually. This person was not mocking a southern accent, or being a redneck, or whatever. She was clearly mocking what she thinks black people who live in "the ghetto" sound, and act like. I looked over at my beautiful daughter who was eating her breakfast, and I thought, how many people are going to look at her and make certain assumptions about her, just because of the color of her skin? It makes me sick that these stupid stereotypes are being perpetuated over and over again. In 2011.
Maybe you're thinking I'm making too much of this. In fact, I might have thought that 4 years ago, before I adopted my daughter. But I was so upset after reading that stupid status update. It just felt like a stab in my heart, because it was so offensive to my daughter, and to me. I'm probably not explaining myself very well. All I know is that I "unfriended" this person. And I felt better after.

Phew!!

2011-08-03T03:33:00.000-07:00

So, we went to the Cardiologist yesterday, and the news was great! Elizabeth does have a Heart Murmur, but it's nothing that will have any impact on her. It's called an Innocent Heart Murmur, which is very common in kids, and is totally harmless. There are no restrictions on E's activities, or any follow up to be done about it. Yay!!
On a side note, E was absolutely adorable at the Dr's office. Once she was assured that she would be getting NO SHOTS, she was her sweet, funny, cheerful self...At one point, she commented to me, "This Doctor is nice, it seems!" Funny girl :)

4 year check up

2011-08-01T07:11:00.000-07:00

So, Miss E had her 4 year check up last Thursday. She is growing like a weed, and is in the 45th-50th percentile for both weight and height. She also had to get a lead level test, and a couple of shots for Day Care, which my girl was none too happy about. But all in all the appt was going fine, no surprises, until...The doctor mentioned that she was making a referral for E to a Cardiologist. Huh??? Turns out that when the dr was checking E's heart, she detected a slight murmur. She says it is fairly common, and since E is growing and very healthy, she is not too concerned. But she wants her to to be looked at by a Cardiologist, just to be sure. Yikes, that was scary...I know it's probably not a big deal, but I defy you to have your child referred to a Cardiologist and not have at least a minor freak out!! Anyway, E's appt with the cardiologist is tomorrow afternoon...I will update after that.

Scenes from a summer weekend :)

2011-07-31T18:28:00.001-07:00

Elizabeth and I had a great weekend with friends, and a birthday party on Sunday at our apt. complex pool :) Have I mentioned how much we love summer? :)

Awesome Beach Day!

2011-07-24T18:23:00.000-07:00

Today we went to the beach (Salisbury State Park) with our friends Misty and Paden. It was such a fun day, the kids and grown ups all had a blast! I love summer :)

Four year old update

2011-07-18T09:43:00.001-07:00

Now that Miss E is 4 (!!!), I thought I'd give an update of what she is up to these days...

* she still loves the water more than life itself (needless to say, our apt comlex pool gets A LOT of use this summer!), and has no fear of jumping into the pool, or "swimming" under water...

* she is very social and outgoing, loves to meet new people (especially other kids) and makes friends easily

* she has a major sweet tooth, loves candy and chocolate

* she has a tendency to revert to baby talk and whining (grrr...) when tired

* she is about the funniest person I've ever met

* she loves music, and to sing and dance

* she would rather run around outside and play ball than sit and look at a book, but does like being read to at bedtime

* she has a mind of her own, for sure!!! She is defintely "strong willed", but has become increasingly able to be reasoned with (yay!!)

* she still refuses to sleep in her own bed (ok, so I haven't really pushed it...I sorta like this co-sleeping thing...)

* as of a couple of weeks ago, she weighed 35 lbs when she stepped on my scale. She has her 4 year check up next week, so I'll get her height then. But her legs are looking longer by the day to me!

Ok, there is so much more I could say about my girl, but I'll leave it for now...She continues to amaze me and make me laugh every day :)

The birthday bash

2011-07-16T18:07:00.001-07:00

Today I had a birthday party for Elizabeth at a splash park, with all her BFF's from school. The weather was perfect, and a great time was had by all :)

PS: A special shout out to one of MY BFF's Misty, for helping me shlep all the party goodies to the park and set up, and entertain!

Happy 4th Birthday!! :)

2011-07-11T06:03:00.001-07:00

Happy 4th of July from Maine!

2011-07-04T08:33:00.000-07:00

Elizabeth and I came up to my parents' place in Maine on Saturday morning. Elizabeth did great and we zipped up in just 5 hours:) We arrived at about 2pm, and E was very happy to get out of the car and run around! She enjoyed swinging on the rope swing Grandpa set up... and trying to catch butterflies with a net...

Then, that night we went to a party at a Country Club nearby. Elizabeth met some other kids and ran around on the grass for most of the time we were there.

She met another little girl F., who was adopted from Guatemala.

On Sunday morning, the weather was a little iffy, but warm enough, so I took E to the Lily Pond on Deer Isle to go swimming. We didn't stay too long, since we were almost the only ones there. Elizabeth much prefers to have other kids around to play with. Just Mom is pretty boring, I guess...:)

That night, we had my favorite Maine dinner- Lobster!!

And since my Dad's birthday was last week, and E's is next week, I made a little birthday cake for dessert...Elizabeth and Grandpa blew out the candles together (see pic at the top of this post...I could not move this picture down here...Does anyone know a good way to move images around on Blogger?? I can never do it!)

This morning, we went to the 4th of July Pardade. There was a band, balloons, dogs, and lots of candy!

In the car afterward, with her bag of loot :)

We have been having a great weekend! More to come next post. Too tired and annoyed with Blogger to post more right now...:)

Splashy Sunday!

2011-06-26T18:03:00.001-07:00

Today we went to Elizabeth's school friend's birthday party. It was held at a really cool park with sprinklers. Needless to say, E was in Heaven :)

Saturday at the Pond

2011-06-26T17:52:00.001-07:00

On Saturday we had a break from the rain, although it was still cool and cloudy. E and I went for a long walk around Horn Pond, which is very nearby. Sorry some of these pics are kind of blurry...

I gave up trying to keep her out of the rain puddles...trying to keep this kid away from the water (any water!)is...impossible!! :)

Summer is here!

2011-06-19T18:28:00.001-07:00

The pool at our apartment complex is open!! Yay!!! We had a great day today with our friends Misty and Paden, along with the other kiddos who live in our complex.

Party at the zoo!

2011-06-12T18:07:00.000-07:00

Today, Elizabeth and I went to the birthday party of a school friend at the Franklin Park Zoo in Boston. Even with the cool weather and rain, we all had a great time!

Boy do I feel old!

2011-06-11T18:28:00.000-07:00

Today, Elizabeth and I went to the high school graduation party of my old college friend's daughter. Looking back, I remember I was one of the very first people to know about Katie. In 1992, I was living with my friend Jen and her husband in Norfolk, VA. Jen's husband happened to be away (he was in the Navy) when Jen decided to buy a HPT. At 6:30am one morning she came running into my room, saying "Oh my God, guess what??!!" And about 8 months later, Katie arrived, while I waited out in the hospital waiting room:)

Play date at the park

2011-06-04T20:00:00.001-07:00

Today was a beautiful day, and we met a school friend of E's at a park for a play date this morning. So much fun!!

This park also has a pond next to it. I didn't think to bring a bathing suit for Elizabeth, but that didn't bother her in the least. Luckily I did bring a change of clothes. Have I mentioned that she loves, loves the water?

Memorial Day weekend

2011-06-04T19:40:00.000-07:00

We went up to our friend Maria's cabin in Machias, Maine for the long weekend. Note to self: never go up there again until Maria has "opened up" the cabin for the summer...She couldn't get the water turned on, so...no running water for three days...Good times!!! The fifty five degree weather did not deter Miss E from getting her beach time in this weekend...:)

The Enka Fair

2011-05-21T17:38:00.001-07:00

Every May, my hometown has a street fair to help raise money for the community. Elizabeth and I went with my Mom today and had a great time! E especially loved the Merry-Go-Round and the Train :)

Princess Elizabeth :)

2011-05-21T17:30:00.000-07:00

Rainy Sunday at the farm

2011-05-15T18:25:00.000-07:00

This afternoon after Church, Elizabeth and I went with my Mom to a local farm, where they had a small petting zoo. Even though it was a little drizzly out, we had a good time :)

Blogger ate my last post!

2011-05-13T13:20:00.000-07:00

Well, I did have a kind of "catch up" post up, I posted it on Wednesday. However, Blogger has had some problems over the last couple of days and so my last post has dissappeared. Hmmm...

Neglected Blog...

2011-05-11T18:32:00.000-07:00

This was taken on Mother's Day. It's very hard lately to get a decent picture of Elizabeth. She has become pretty resistant to having her picture taken, and refuses to smile...
Anyhoozles...to catch up....
- Easter was kind of quiet. Elizabeth had a stomach bug, so we spent much of the day at home cuddling on the couch and napping. That was actually nice, since she isn't usually still long enough to let me cuddle her! We did make it over to my parents' house late in the day for a little dinner :)
-Work has been a roller coaster ride of stress. The program I work for is funded by the state, which means that my job is only guarenteed until June 30, the last day of the Fiscal year. We found out a few weeks ago that the state is not going to renew our funding for fy 2011-2012, so our program will end June 30. So I spent a pretty icky couple of weeks thinking I was going to lose my job. However, last week, our program director was able to get enough funding for next year to keep our program open, just on a smaller scale. The good news is: I get to keep my job! Phew!!
-Mother's Day was nice, E and I went to my nephews' lacrosse game and she got to play on the playground and GET.AN.ICE.CREAM.FROM.THE.ICE.CREAM.TRUCK!! She picked her fave, the Sponge Bob ice cream pop. :) My mom was there, so we got to hang out with her for a while too, which was nice.
Not too much else going on. It's hard to believe my baby will be 4 in 2 months...!!

A fun day off

2011-04-18T18:54:00.000-07:00

Today was a state holiday, Patriots Day, so Elizabeth and I both had the day off :) We spent most of the afternoon at a really cool playground with our friends Misty and Paden. Enjoying some ice cream after an ice cream truck conveniently pulled up next to the park...

Later, after we got home, Miss E still wanted to be outside, so we went out back and she played with some of the kids in our apt. complex. She was not happy when we had to go inside finally for dinner.

Yay for Spring!!

2011-04-10T18:54:00.000-07:00

Today we went out to a friend's house, which was right next to a pond and a playground. The weather was beautiful today, so all the kids had a great time at the little beach and park. Spring comes slowly and reluctantly to New England, so this weekend was a real treat :)

It's finally playground weather!!!

2011-04-09T18:33:00.000-07:00

Catching up

2011-04-03T10:20:00.001-07:00

Elizabeth's first time bowling at a friend's birthday party a couple of weeks ago. She loved it!!

Things here are good. Elizabeth is at a children's concert right now with a friend, so I'm at the Starbucks enjoying a little free time:)

Love this girl :)

2011-03-28T07:12:00.000-07:00

A special visit :)

2011-03-19T19:10:00.000-07:00

Something I never mentioned before on this blog was that almost two years ago, Elizabeth's birth parents had another baby, a little girl "B." Right after B was born, the social worker called me and asked me if I wanted to take her. I did, but being a single parent, and with Elizabeth still being so little at the time, I just didn't see how I could do it. Logistically and financially. It was a such a hard decision. I hated separating E from her sibling. But I did what I felt was best for all three of us at the time. And so, little B was adopted by a very nice couple in San Diego. The girls met a couple of times in SD before we moved back east, when B was still a baby. Fast forward a year and a half later, and B and her parents have come to the east coast this week to visit family and friends. I was so happy that they were able to come by our place today for a visit, so the girls could get together. B is an adorable, sweet toddler now. E absolutely loved playing the big sister, and was very attentive and loving toward B. :) B in turn was fascinated by Elizabeth and followed her everywhere! It was a great visit.

Come back soon, B, we love you!!

My little Cheetah girl :)

2011-03-12T16:43:00.000-08:00

They did face painting at school yesterday. This is Elizabeth's "scary face." :)

Life is good

2011-02-27T12:56:00.000-08:00

Right now, I'm at Borders (by myself!) with a large coffee and my new (to me) laptop. Ahhh...Nice way to spend a snowy Sunday afternoon:) Elizabeth is at a music concert with our friend Maria, so I've got a couple of hours to myself. I'm loving this "new" laptop. It was my Dad's, he just bought himself a new one and gave his old one to me. I haven't had a laptop since Sept. '09 when mine got stolen :(...So it is AWESOME to have one again. Thanks Dad!!!!!!!!!!
Things are good with Miss E and me. She seems to be getting taller and more grown up by the minute. No new pictures right now, because I sent my camera in for repairs last week. The little orange tab that held in the battery broke. I'm very glad I purchased the warrenty! Anyway, I should be getting my camera back in the next week or so. Can't wait! I need some new pics of my wild child :)

What would you do?

2011-02-26T19:21:00.000-08:00

Watch this video. It's from ABC's "What Would You Do?" It shows a scenario where a woman in a restaurant is criticized by her "friend" for adopting a child of a different race. The two women and child in the video are actors. The idea of the show is to see how the other people in the restaurant will react to the situation, and what they will do/say, if anything.

Yeah, my favorite was the woman who said "blackbirds stay with blackbirds and doves stay with doves." Uggg....

About her birth certificate...

2011-02-22T19:33:00.000-08:00

So, Elizabeth's adoption was finalized almost 2 years ago, in March of '09. About 7-8 months after that, I recieved her new birth certificate in the mail. On it, it listed me as the mother, and under father, it was blank. When Elizabeth first came to me in 11/07, I was given a copy of her original birth certificate, which of course listed her birth parents J and K under mother and father. Now, I admit, I get a huge thrill out of looking at her new birth certificate and seeing my name listed under "mother." Because I AM her mother. But...I did not give birth to her. On Wednesday, July 11, 2007, I worked all day, and then went to an evening class I was taking at the time. I was not, however, in a hospital near downtown San Diego delivering a baby. It seems like they (whoever "they"is) could could/should come up with a better legal document. My opinion- they should keep they original birth certificate and attach an adendum denoting the adoption, and naming the adoptive parents. But it seems like a lie to list me as E's mother on 7/11/07. I wasn't her mother then. Why can't E's biological parents be kept on the birth certificate, instead of being erased like they never existed? They are part of Elizabeth, and always will be. I thank God every day for E's birthparents. Without them, this beautiful, smart funny little girl, my daughter, would not exist.
It's late, and I'm kind of tired, so I hope this made any sense. I feel like I'm rambling so I guess I'll say good night for now :)

Don't be shy!

2011-02-14T07:47:00.000-08:00

Love this blog, hate this blog, or totally bored by this blog, please feel free to comment! I love hearing from y'all:)
Happy Valentines Day!

Should I be more of a Tiger Mother?

2011-02-09T09:23:00.000-08:00

Ok, late to the party as always, but I wanted to write a little about "Tiger Mothers." By now, just about everyone has heard of Amy Chua, the so-called "Tiger Mother." If you haven't, you can read about her in this article. When I first read about Ms. Chua, I thought, omg, she is awful!! The meanest mother ever!! No play dates? No sleep overs? Forced piano or violin practice for

3 + hours every day?? Throwing away a birthday card that your child hand made for you because it wasn't "good enough"? Unbelievable. But...after reading a little more about her and her comments following that controversial WSJ article, I started thinking about her style of parenting versus "western" parenting. By "western parenting", Chua means heaping on the praise, not encouraging competiveness, not requiring straight A's or much of anything else from one's children.

Many aspects of Chua's parenting style are off putting to me. In many ways, as a parent, I am her polar opposite. I could no more be a "Tiger Mother" than I could grow another nose. It just isn't in me to be a drill sargeant, to deny my child play time with her friends or to refuse a card she's made me (even if I sensed she'd just "dashed it off").

However...I think I have to guard against going too far in the other direction with my daughter. Guard against being too much of that "western parent" that Chua maligns. I do have a tendency to over-praise Elizabeth (good job! good job!). I don't want to be a hard ass, but there is something to be said for saving the praise for when something really merits it. As Elizabeth gets older, I want her to be happy, of course. But I hope I won't forget also, to expect certain things of her. Things like trying her best at school, doing certain chores at home. I hope I won't be so laid back, or soft, that she won't ever learn to push herself, or to work hard at something. I want her to have high expectations of herself, and not settle for sliding by with C's at school if she can do better. I want my daughter to have a happy, fun childhood. So of course I will let her have play dates, and sleep overs, and be in the school play if she wants. But if she's going to be in that school play, I want her to be the best she can be in it.

(Another) snow day...:)

2011-02-02T19:00:00.000-08:00

Had fun at home today with my girl, making Play Dough cookies, playing "Dance Party", and watching some Dora :)

My little chef

2011-02-01T18:40:00.001-08:00

Helping me cook the rice for dinner :)

Elizabeth funnies

2011-02-01T18:22:00.000-08:00

Elizabeth is very talkative and is always coming out with things that crack me up. I want to make sure I write them down before I forget them. Here are a few that come to mind:

Upon getting into the car one morning: "Mommy, it smells kind of funky in here."

Elizabeth: Mommy, you are a poop!
Me: Oh, I don't like that, Elizabeth.
Elizabeth: Hey, I know what will cheer you up, Mama, a lollipop!

Me: Thank you for picking up your toys, sweetie
Elizabeth: It was my pleasure!

Me: Would you like a little piece of this Sni*ckers Bar, Elizabeth?
Elizabeth: Thank you, Mommy, that's very helpful!

Funny girl! :)

I'm supposed to be working but blogging is more fun...

2011-01-27T07:31:00.000-08:00

Last night and early this morning we got more snow (2 more months of winter and counting...San Diego, I miss you. Call me!!). Elizabeth's Day Care was closed, luckily our friend Maria was able to take her for the day. Between my parents and friends, E and I are so lucky to have a great support system.
Anyway, I wanted to write a little about cosleeping....Cosleeping, for me, falls under the category of one of those things I was NEVER going to do. And in fact, when E was a baby, I did all the "right" things to ensure that she would be an independent sleeper. I kept her on a good sleeping schedule, put her in her crib while she was tired, but still awake, all of it...And as a baby, E was a great sleeper. She almost never woke up during the night, and spent all night, every night, in her crib, in her own room. Which meant that I never had to wake up, and I got to sleep all night, every night in my bed, in my own room. I was actually smug. No sleeping issues with my kid. 'Cause I'm such an awesome mother, you know. All was right with the world.

Then she moved to a "big girl bed" and all Hell broke loose.

That happened last spring, and since then my "independent sleeper" is no more. I had to lie down with her in her bed for anywhere from 30 minutes to 2 hours before she'd fall asleep. I know, I was probably supposed to kiss her goodnight, shut the door and leave. And everytime she came out of her room, calmly but firmly escort her back to her bed. And in my defense, I did try this. But it got really tiring and annoying after the 50th time. So I decided it was just easier to lie down with her until she fell asleep. I should mention, too that since she was about 2.5, she would always wake up around 1 or 2am and come in to my bed for the rest of the night. I asked Day Care to keep her naps to only 45 minutes-1 hour, which helped a little. On the weekends, I usually don't have her nap at all, and she is out like a light by 8pm on Saturday and Sunday nights- love.it!! Anyway, sometime in October, my lying down with her in her bed somehow changed to her going to bed in my bed from the start, for the entire night, every night. So we are "cosleeping." And actually, I am surprised to say- I like it. The truth is, I miss her during the day when I'm at work. I love this extra time we get to spend together. I don't love it when she steals the covers, or kicks me in the face in her sleep, but over all it's good. Some people can look at this and say, you aren't letting her be independent, you'll never get her out of your bed... My thought? I think she isn't going to want to be sleeping with me when she's 12 or 13. I think she's going to be more independent that I'm going to want her to be, actually :) I sometimes do have some guilt about letting her sleep with me. Am I spoiling her? Taking the easy way out? Maybe so. But for now, it's ok. We're both getting enough sleep, and I know she's safe, snuggled right there next to me.

Cabin Fever

2011-01-22T10:55:00.000-08:00

Elizabeth has been begging me for weeks now to take her to the zoo, so I decided to take advantage of the sunny (but cold!) day today (between snow storms) and get out of the house.

We went to the Franklin Park Zoo in Boston. E even got to pet a huge snake (eeeek- I did not get a picture of that).

Something I wonder about...

2011-01-20T13:39:00.000-08:00

I wonder if Elizabeth's birthmom (who E hasn't seen she was about 7 months old) walked into the room, would Elizabeth "know" her? Would E feel instinctively connected to her, or would she just be a stranger?

My sister and brother-in-law

2011-01-18T19:21:00.000-08:00

My sister Betsy and her husband Don live in Colorado. This past October, Don was working in their garage and had a serious accident. He was burnt over 45% of his body. He survived it, thank God. But for Don and Betsy (for our whole family, but for D and B especially), this was one of those life changing events that come so unexpectedly. Don is working his way back so hard from the accident and is making huge progress every day. Burns are an especially insideous type of injury. They aren't straight forward- you "fix them" and that's it. Nope, they are the gift that that keeps on giving- with long lasting repercussions and possibilities for complications. In Don's case, another huge trauma to his body was where the Doctors took skin from (most of) his back to perform skin grafts on his most severe burns.

The reason I am writing about this is because my sister and brother-in-law are just...amazing people. And I want to "talk" here about them a little bit. In the past 4 + months since the accident, I have witnessed (long distance) my sister's unending devotion to her husband, just really being in this thing with him 1000%. She has always been a very determined, focused person, and her sole focus since that October day has been to help heal Don. It's been quite awe inspiring, actually. And Don...hard to really imagine the physical pain he's had to endure. But he has never lost motivation or drive. He pushes himself every day, and is regularly acheiving milestones way ahead of his Doctors' predictions. In this age of disposable relationships, Betsy and Don are a rare gem. I am so incrediably proud of them.

Elizabeth and I love you, Betsy and Don!

Don and Elizabeth, May 2010

Betsy and Elizabeth, May 2010

Catching up

2011-01-18T10:04:00.000-08:00

Wow- if anyone is still reading this (hi, Mom!)- so sorry about the unintended bloggy break! I just either haven't had the time, or when I have, I didn't feel inspired to blog. But I'm not ready to shut down this blog yet. So, I guess I'll give an update bullet style. Here is what's been going on around here for the last several weeks:

- We had a great Christmas, very relaxing with family. It was so much fun this year with Elizabeth because she was really able to understand what was going on and anticipate the big day :)

-Miss E is now 3 1/2. She is: smart, funny, stubborn (!!), sweet and FEISTY!! Sometimes that feistiness kicks my butt, but honestly- I wouldn't have her any other way...LOVE my little girl :)

-I had some minor surgery last week, so Elizabeth stayed with our friend Maria (who's house we used to live in) for 2 nights. It was the first time in our 3 + years together that we've ever been apart overnight. We both did fine :)

-We've been having lots of snow. It was nice at first, but now, I am SO done with it. And it's only mid January. Sigh...

-Elizabeth just moved up to the big kids' room at school- very exciting! She is doing great and seems to love it.

I guess that's it for now! One of my New Year's resolutions is to be abetter blogger!! I love, love, love reading other people's blogs. I just get lazy about keeping up with my own...

Santa through the years

2010-12-04T10:14:00.001-08:00

December 2010 December 2009

December 2008

December 2007

Our Little Tongginator: An Attitude of Openness

2010-11-09T12:37:00.000-08:00

I thought this was an interesting post an another "adoption blog." I really can't imagine not telling Elizabeth about her biological family. Our Little Tongginator: An Attitude of Openness

Fall fun at the park 10/30/10

2010-11-07T18:37:00.001-08:00

A bunch of the families from Elizabeth's Day Care got together and had a picnic at the park last weekend. So much fun! I love the other parents at E's school, they are sooo nice :)

All about Elizabeth

Almost bedtime :)

Busy weekend!

Jumping girl

Have I mentioned...

Hard to say good bye

Swimming at the Y

Random

Saturday recap

Hair Salon

Finally a little snow!

Martin Luther King - I Have A Dream Speech - August 28, 1963

Another New Year's resolution

Nice day, but no pics...

Hugo

Update at four and a half

Mall rats

Oops, missed a day...

It's fun to swim at the Y*M*C*A...

Little chef :):

Another link (sorry!)...

Why I won't read or watch "The Help"

Sh^t White Girls Say to Black Girls

Co sleeping

Back to school

Fun, busy day

New Year's resolutions

Welcome, 2012!!

Baby # 2? Nope, probably not...

The day after...

Christmas 2011 recap

Merry Christmas!

Gingerbread House

Sunday

Losing my Chuck E. Cheese Virginity

Santa 2011!!!

X-mas at the Zoo

4 Years ago today...

Happy Thanksgiving!

Hello!

This n that

Happy Halloween!

Halloween Parade

I believe

Summer in October

This and that...

Fun with the fish :)

Day on the farm

10 years ago...

A walk to the Town landing (final Maine post)

My little fish ( with video!)

Blue Hill Fair

Trip to Machias

Our vacay so far

Irene Sunday

Micellaneous stuff

My Girl :)

Stupid people can't be my friend on FB

Phew!!

4 year check up

Scenes from a summer weekend :)

Awesome Beach Day!

Four year old update

The birthday bash

Happy 4th Birthday!! :)

Happy 4th of July from Maine!

Splashy Sunday!

Saturday at the Pond

Summer is here!

Party at the zoo!

Boy do I feel old!

Play date at the park

Memorial Day weekend

The Enka Fair

Princess Elizabeth :)

Rainy Sunday at the farm

Blogger ate my last post!

Neglected Blog...

A fun day off

Yay for Spring!!

It's fun to swim at the YMC*A...