I think I've mentioned on here before that both Lilah and I attend a playgroup every Friday, here in the city, called the Open Door Society. It is an amazing playgroup that's for families that are formed through adoption. We absolutely love it, it's one of those environments that is very stress free and everyone has a mutual understanding of your journey to become a family.
Lilah and I love the people that make it up. And Lilah, over the past 2 and a half years has made some wonderful wonderful friends - they are definitely among her besties, her lifelong friends. And she's not the only one, I have met many wonderful friends as well. One of the things I appreciate about this playgroup is that when Lilah and I chat about adoption at home, we're able to talk about other families (from playgroup) that are 'like ours'. It's such an excellent resource for the adoption community in many ways.
Unfortunately, with Lilah starting school this September, unless it's a 'professional development day' for the school teachers (and she has the day off), we won't be able to attend playgroup. We're really really going to miss our Friday playgroup routine.
Anyway, I guess I should get to my point here! Last year we made a cake and Lilah celebrated her birthday with her playgroup besties and this year we did exactly that, again.
I don't know if she's ever been this excited before.
My little girl turns 4 on Sunday, oh my, this growing older business gets tougher (on Mama) every year!
Lilah was so thrilled to get a letter from her teacher in the mail today, inviting her to an open house at school next week. Meet the teacher, see her classroom and hopefully meet some new little friends that will also be in the same Junior Kindergarten class!
She was so thrilled that she spelled out every letter on the front of the envelope!
The day I signed her up for school I was not in the least bit excited about my baby girl heading to school in September, after all, she's just so young and I love spending my days with her. But so many things have changed since that day, just 3 months ago. I know, such a short space of time and so many changes. Lilah turns 4 in another 4 days and her social skills are just going crazy! She always wants to be around people in a social setting, she's definitely our social butterfly! She talks about friends friends friends, *my* friends, ALL THE TIME! She is more than ready for school. And because of that, I'm so excited for her too.
I'm heading back to work in September too, after I get Lilah settled into school. I'll have spent almost 3 years at home with my girl and am returning to work on a part-time schedule, 3 days a week - Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. I'm excited to be going back to work and excited to have the other 4 days off with my girl. We'll both get to enjoy the best of both worlds. I SO can't wait to volunteer in her classroom and enjoy this new stage in her life.
But for now, we're just going to enjoy the rest of our summer together!
Oh and speaking of spelling out her letters, she was eating her cheese at snacktime this morning and turned to me and said, "Oh look, I made the letter I".
“The miracles of nature do not seem miracles because they are so common.
If no one had ever seen a flower, even a dandelion would be the most startling event in the world.”
[ the flickr set is here ]
* Happy Birthday Baba Boy *
You know you're getting old when the candles cost more than the cake!
I have an incredible husband and I know Lilah would be the first to tell you how much she loves and adores her Baba Boy.
He never ceases to amaze me with his strength and devotion - to the Lord, to his family and to his friends.
“The secret of genius is to carry the spirit of the child into old age, which means, never losing your enthusiasm.” ~Aldous Huxley
Lilah: Mama, do all babies come out of a shell when they're born?
Me: No, not all babies sweetie...just some little chicks and penguins and birds and a few other things come out of a eggshell when they're born.
Lilah: Oh.
Me: Why, did you think you were born from a eggshell? Or do you think you were born from a tummy?
Lilah: Noooooo, all babies were born in China!
We bought Lilah a new bike on Monday past, for her birthday, which isn't for another 3 weeks.
She biked around and around the store on it and was so pleased with herself, that I had to buy it there and then. To be honest, I felt kinda bad putting it in the basement for three weeks - until her actual birthday. So what did I do? What any other parent in my position would do. I let her have it early.
The weather has been simply glorious all week, so yesterday we set out and she rode her fabulous 'big girl bike' the 4kms round trip from home to the Tulip Festival and back. And was she ever pleased with herself - I'm telling you, she would have rode it there and back again, given the chance.
It was me that needed the nap when we got home!
"Nothing like lying here watching the clouds on a sunny summer day... eh Mama?" ~ Lilah
I waited a long time to be a Mama. Looking back over our journey to become a family, I'm glad the Lord made us wait as long as we did. If we hadn't looked to the Lord and waited, we wouldn't have our little Lilah.
And I believe all that waiting has made me appreciate every single tiny little detail of being a mama.
Every single day is my day, another day with my beautiful girl. I couldn't be happier.
On a day like today, I could never forget the mother that carried my daughter for nine months and gave birth to her. And God, who entrusted her to us, to love and cherish.
Being a mother is one of the highest salaried jobs, the payment is pure love. ~Mildred B. Vermont
[ more pictures here ]
Our annual Canadian Tulip Festival starts here in Ottawa today! It runs from May 6th - 23rd. To be quite honest, our spring is so late this year that not too many of the Tulips have actually bloomed yet. Some of the Tulips are grown pretty close by where we live, so Lilah and I took a little run down to check them out yesterday!
And after begging for many days, that happened to be wet and soggy, Lilah finally got to fly the kite that she got for Easter.
It was the perfect breezy day for smelling the tulips and kite flying!
She came running into the kitchen to tell me she wrote a note for me. But I wasn't allowed to see it yet.
"How do you spell 'to'?" she asked. "T.O." I told her.
Off she disappeared for a few seconds. Then came running back in waving this piece of paper.
She handed it to me and said, "This is how much I love you."
I'm not sure how I held it together.
I love that girl of mine, as big as the world.
I think in her mind, the size of her love is due to the number of times she wrote Mom.
And I adore how she used the sticky tape to fix the tear that happened when she was pulling the paper out of her notebook.
"Baba, you should wear some perfume, because it's perfect for your wrist!"
"I'm starving for the restaurant! Are you a wee bit starving too?"
"No Mama, I'm not cold... in fact!"
After listening to me complain about the rain: "But Mama, the rain needs to come. To make the flowers and leaves grow."
While shopping: "Oh look! That manikin has the same dress as me!"
After explaining that Baba would be home late for supper: "Is he gonna be home late because he's a busy boy?"
Me: "Lilah, will you do me a wee job and run upstairs and get your jammies for the wash"
Lilah: "Oh, sure Mum...no problem. Is there anything else you'd like me to do for you?"
Me: "Lilah, if you want to play outside, you have to stay on the porch."
Lilah: "Why Mama?"
Me: "Because I don't want any bad people try and take you away."
Lilah (with the most serious face I've ever seen): "Oh. Same as Jesus?"
*She'd been learning the Easter story around that time.
Me: Lilah, I hope you're not going to fall asleep!
Lilah: Why?
Me: Because Baba's coming home and we need to make supper.
Lilah: Mama! Are YOU serious?!!
Lilah: "Mama, can I wear my shorts and short sleeve t-shirt when the weather is sunny?"
Me: "Sure you can, but the weather hasn't been nice to wear them."
Lilah: "Okay. But I wasn't talking about the weather today. I was talking about the summertime."
I couldn't be more blessed. I even have a daughter that can take my birthday picture now!
Lilah said to me this morning: "Mama, do you want to make a nice heart cake for your birthday? And I'll share it with you, because I don't want your belly to be sore!" - love that girl!
Birthdays are good for you. Statistics show that the people who have the most, live the longest.
Larry Lorenzoni
Lilah and I headed out to Rockcliffe Park yesterday to snap a few shots of the daffodils. As soon as I mentioned taking pictures of the daffodils, she said: "I want to take some pictures too!" - and off she ran to find her Tinkerbell camera.
She is quite the little photographer.
The first shot below that I captured of her, photographing the daffodils with her little Tinkerbell camera, is probably one of my all time favourites. She is definitely going to need a macro lens for those very close up shots she takes!
I processed all the photos, other than the first one, using the The Pioneer Woman's 'sunshine' action.
