~ WE'RE OFF ~

"Bye, Bye!"

"Gotta Run!"

I'm off on my first family vacation!

TO STALK OR NOT TO STALK . . . ?

Let me explain the title of my post - I want to let you know it's my son I'm stalking; I haven't completely lost it. You see "A" has been in baseball camp this week from 9am-12 noon. Most moms drop their kids off and come back at 11:55am. This mom is having a hard time leaving the baseball park. . . it's not that I don't trust Anthony, he is a smart, reliable, level-headed kid. . . it's all the other crazy people out there I'm worried about.

I usually circle the ball fields to see which "stadium" he's at and then we (yes, I've turned Eddie & Mia in stalkers too) park the car and watch for a while. The little ones do get antzy, but I put Barney on or Elmo or the radio. . . they play in the car. It gets old real quick.I spot him through the fence!

Do you see him??

It's almost noon and I'm happy another mom is stalking,

I mean watching too!

I have gotten better as the week wore on, I would leave to shop at a store up the block,then come back to the field to "find' my boy. Then, I would go home real quick (potty break) and come back to the field. One time, however, I went back to the field and couldn't find "A"!! My heart was racing and I was kicking myself for leaving! I must have circled the fields about 4 times until I saw his team walking out of a gate - but all was o.k. "ahhhh"

Camp is over for the week and we all survived.

However, "A" ran up to me when they were dismissed -

he had a flyer for summer camp!

Here we go again!

Does the worry ever end?

~ MIA'S FIRST HAIRCUT ~

The other day I was bringing the boys for their haircut and I mentioned to them, "maybe we should get Mia's hair trimmed too?" and I heard, in unison "no, please! She's going to cry!!" Mia does have an extremely loud cry ~ so you can't blame them. But, the more I looked at the mullet and those little stringy hairs in the back, I had to do it!

No, she didn't cry one bit (big surprise), but she did

EAT the entire time (not a surprise)!!

Oooooo, look at that cheek!!

And that adorable neck!!

I could have done without the veggie stick

in the picture, but you get the point!

I love it and it looks much healthier!

The hair stylist pointed out all the new baby hairs she's growing. It is so cute, they are growing under the back of her hair and up by her forehead ~ someday they may look like a bang!

Back at home, Mia enjoys pushing her baby around!

This is just another example of how Mia is more comfortable and more trusting. It was a major breakthrough for her to sit still and not cry while someone was so close to her - touching her and her hair!

I'm not looking forward to our next vaccine appt though - it may ruin our progress...

~ A FEW BIRTHDAY MOMENTS ~

Eddie on his big boy bike

The girls are back in town!!

Mia and grandma

Frankie

Eddie & Joey

Mia was feeling much more comfortable with

her cousins this time!

Giving her new dolly a hug :)

Eddie really enjoyed every present.

It was such a sweet birthday.

Poppy & Eddie

Remember "Cats Cradle"??

Well, I had a hard time remembering how to do it,

but grandma remembered!?

Make a wish honey!

Mia & Aunt Mary

The cousins

The kids really got a kick out of this

bubble BBQ

Mia mainly liked dunking her hand in the "water"

HAPPY 5TH BIRTHDAY EDDIE!!

WE LOVE YOU!

~ HAPPY BIRTHDAY EDDIE ~

Today at 10:31am my little boy will be 5 years old! It seems like yesterday that we kissed Anthony good-bye and left for my scheduled c-section at the hospital. "E" was a "tiny" baby (6 lbs., 13 oz) compared to his big brother (8 lbs., 1 oz). He spent his first 48 hours in the NICU because of a rash and then we found out he had both VSD and ASD! It was a rough beginning, but he was the sweetest, most darling baby ever! He was such a quiet baby, always smiling and content. He was very different in appearance from his big brother, who had olive-skin, dark hair and eyes; Eddie was our blonde, blue eyed baby!! His blue eyes turned green around 1 1/2 years old!!

The following pictures are of Eddie opening an early present from his cousins Leandra and Kayla (thank you guys!). My boy loves tools, to build and to see how things are constructed. He was thrilled with his gifts and these photos are "so Eddie" !

We love and adore you Eddie - you keep us laughing, you keep us scratching our heads and you always amaze us!! Happy Birthday sweetheart!!

I found this poem on another blog and thought it was beautiful:

BUILD ME A SON

Build me a son, O Lord, who will be strong enough

to know when he is weak,

and brave enough to face you when he is afraid,

one who will be proud and unbending in honest defeat,

and humble and gentle in victory.

Build me a son whose wishes

will not take the place of deeds;

a son who will know Thee -

and that he know himself

is the foundation stone of knowledge.

Lead him, I pray, not in the path of ease and comfort,

but under the stress and spur of difficulties and challenge.

Here let him learn to stand up in the storm,

here let him learn compassion for those who fail.

Build me a son whose heart will be clear,

whose goals will be high;

a son who will master himself

before he seeks to master other men;

one who will reach into the future,

yet never forget the past.

And after all these things are his,

add, I pray, enough sense of humor,

so that he may always be serious,

yet never take himself too seriously.

Give him humility, so that he may always remember

the simplicity of true greatness,

the open mind of true wisdom,

and the weakness of true strength.

Then I, his father, will dare to whisper,

"I have not lived in vain."

~ General Douglas MacArthur

~ A BIRTHDAY, A SCIENCE FAIR & OPENING DAY ~

HAPPY 3RD BIRTHDAY TO MY LOVABLE, BEAUTIFUL PENNY GIRL!

She loved her present :)

SCIENCE FAIR:

Anthony had his annual science fair the other night. The kids all worked so hard on their projects and were so proud. I asked "A" to stand by his project so I could take a picture ~ as you can see they ALL came to pose!! Why doesn't this happen when I ask??

"A's" project was on 'Which juice cleans pennies best?' He concluded that lemon juice cleaned his pennies the best out of apple, lime, grape and fruit punch (?);

incase you have time to clean your change:)

When Anthony started his project and had all the juices lined up ready to be cleaned. Eddie was sitting on the floor with our dog Penny, petting her and talking to her. Right before "A" starting dipping his toothbrush into the first juice, Eddie said "can I still pet Penny after you clean her?" We were on the floor laughing - it was SO cute:)

BASEBALL'S OPENING DAY:

Helping out his bro!

Friends may come and go, but a brother is forever. . .

I say this to Anthony and Eddie all the time.

I'm so glad I captured this moment :)

Proud daddy

She's still carrying around the pocketbook!

That's my boy!

We had a surprisingly warm opening day ~

usually I'm wearing about 3 layers!

I just had to add this next picture. Mia (and mommy) were putting jewels and accessories on Anthony. He was such a good sport and is such a wonderful big brother :) You have to see the way Mia is looking at him (he, he)

"What happened to 'nah nah' ?"

HOPE EVERYONE IS HAVING A NICE WEEKEND!

~ LOOKING GOOD ~

Yes, Mia's heart is doing just fine! The VSD (hole) is still about the same size, but at least it hasn't "reopened" and probably won't. We are due back for our next check up around February (her 3rd birthday) and for now he just wants us to enjoy her ~ now that's an easy assignment! I am relieved and happy, but I, of course, just wish it would have closed completly.

Poor Mia was so thrown off by going into the exam room that she didn't stop screaming and crying until we walked out of the office. Before we left for the doctor's office I told her the doctor would be taking pictures of her heart ~ I figured since I'm always taking pictures (or so I'm told) it would be a familiar concept. No such luck.

Of course, I have a few pictures from our day. After our appt we headed over to our weekly playdate. It was a gorgeous spring day out and the kids jumped, ran and played to their hearts content:

Bubbles in the sun

I'm a happy girl

"Meg, you wouldn't believe my morning!

They can even take pictures of your heart!"

~ MUCH ABOUT MIA ~

My little princess has been growing and changing in so many ways lately. I am so proud of her and all that she's accomplished; she loves to name the members of her family (Anthony is "nah nah" and Eddie is "ed, ed, ed" and Penny is just a growling sound - poor Penny, she rarely if ever growls, but this is what Mia associates with Penny!) and she is "calming" down a bit with her food obsession. I always have to have food with me; however, for example we can walk Eddie into school without a bag of cereal or goldfish. Before, she would get upset if she asked for food and I didn't have any on me - never let that happen again! Food shopping isn't quiet as difficult as it had been either - she will only have me open one or two bags of food!

Also, you know from reading my last post that Mia has been opening up her heart more. She has approached the dance teacher and even held her hands. It makes this mommy so very happy to see her girl accept and give affection more easily. If you read Meaghan Grace's blog, or more specifically her post from March 29th, you can see Mia leaning in to give hugs to Meg. My heart just about leaped out of my chest, my smile was bigger than ever ~ Mia is comfortable, content and I think she can feel how much we all love her and that we will always be around for her. . . always.

When I have time to really sit and think about why Mia has some of these issues, it is almost too much to bare. Did she spend much time alone in her crib without being touched? How often did she ache for some attention and wait to have her needs met? Did she go hungry sometimes? often? I have so many questions, being her mommy and spending so much time with her, I think I know the answers to these questions. Being her mommy and loving her as I do, I can assure her from now on that that will never happen again. It is just those "feelings" that she will have, for how long I don't know. . . I hope not forever.

But, Mia has been home for about 7 months and look at her progress ~ it is amazing!

Thursday, Mia has her ped. cardiologist appointment. Most likely her VSD is still closing, but those words the doctor said "a chance it could reopen" have stuck with me. There are no signs to indicate this; however, I'm her mom and I worry. I'll be happy when the appt. is over and we have our good news again.

Mia's ready to dance!

Is someone's hair growing a bit too??

~ MIA'S BABY SHOWER ~

Yes, yes I know my baby shower was a few months ago and I apologize for not posting pictures sooner. I just happened to be in my "China " drawer (this is where I had ALL of our paperwork for Mia's adoption) and found the CD with all the pictures from my shower which was on August 23, 2007. I truly apologize to my family and friends for not posting pictures of this momentous day sooner ~ this day they surrounded Mia and I with love, support and memories that I will treasure forever.

O.k., as you are viewing my slide show, you will notice that I am not a very expressive person and keep my emotions to myself ~ HA! even I cannot believe the expressions that are going on!

I often reflect on this special day. I am still in awe of all the preparations, how every single detail was perfect, how everyone pulled together to make Mia's shower incredibly special. I will NEVER forget driving up to the shower and seeing everyone standing outside on the lawn, wearing pink and holding pink balloons! It was an amazing sight.

It is so nice to post this now, after Mia has played with and worn and used all of these special gifts. Her book shelf in her room is filled to the brim ~ what a great idea, instead of cards! The last picture, to refresh your memory: Michelle, Meaghan Grace's mommy, secretly sent out Mia's 100 Good Wishes Quilt letter to all of my family and friends. She collected as many as she could and placed the good wishes in a gorgeous scrapbook. Michelle's aunt will sew the quilt and actually at this moment has all of my quilt squares and keeps Michelle updated as to her progress! This is Meaghan's gift to Mia. . . what a gift!

THANK YOU AGAIN, FROM THE BOTTOM OF OUR HEARTS!