Live from NY, it's Christmas!

T'was the night before Christmas . And all through the house not a creature was stirring not even a mouse! (Except the person who swore it would be a simple Christmas and ended up staying up till 2 am to wrap the blasted presents!)

The Stockings were hung by the chimney with care (okay, we have no chimney so they hang on the stair!)


When what to my wondering eyes should appear? A child whose crying "I want sleep here!" (in mommy's bed - where she proceeds to toss and turn for the remainder of the night ensuring that not all or any had a good night)


Hey.. who ate the cookies, drank the milk and munched on the carrots??? I wonder????



Thank You - Aunt Col & Cousin T! Just what I need - little plastic things... YAY!

Ballet anyone? Yes, EFP is doing ballet to the music from Leo's Baton!! Thank you Cousin TR!!!!



One real tree: $50.00
New lights: $25.00
Hours spent shoppng: 40
Presents: $500.00
Hearing: "Oh Mommy!! This is just what I wanted!" PRICELESS!!!


Even the Kitties are having fun!!! Thanks Sissy!!

Surprise!

Here are some bonus pictures - some days are too perfect to last. One day in October we had the best time. EFP got to ride her first (real live) pony and she was so happy. She also got to play in a ball pit all alone and first - which frankly, is the only way I could stand to have her play in what I consider a kid-sized petri dish of putrescence. Anyway - I managed to capture some really great shots of my darling girl! We are otherwise spending a quiet holiday. Much of the family is down with some nasty virus - so we are keeping to the house. EFP has been sick and so we are not having the house of company we had planned and it looks like Christmas dinner will be en familigia..... I am making lasagna! I will post some cute holiday pixs on Christmas.. but for now isn't she cute!?

Cuz - someone complained the pix are too old!

Go Elf Yourself!!

Seriously! Go Elf yourself, your family, your pets etc. It is just nice to laugh out loud for no other reason than this:

Elf Me Family

Typical Toddler Morning or Why I am never on time for anything anymore!

7:00 AM

EFP: TV on please? (limited to one hour of TV per day)

DH: Okay let me get your milk

EFP: TV on please?

DH: Yes, I hear you

EFP: I want TV on please. No milk, juice! (running battle – the kid is positively juice crazy – actually 50% white grape and 50% water)

EFP: TV on please

EFP: I want TV on please!!

EFP: (shouting) TV ON PLEASE!!!!!

DH: OK! TV goes on (actually Little Einsteins DVD - talk about TV on DEMAND!)

7:02 AM

EFP: I have an ice-pop please? (note: see juice note – this is then poured into pop mold and frozen)

DH: Daddy is fixing some cheerios and milk.

EFP: I have an ice-pop please?

DH: EFP, I am fixing your cereal – would you like peanut butter on toast instead?

EFP: I have an ice-pop!

DH: EFP, you can not have an ice-pop for breakfast!

EFP: I want an ice-pop.

EFP: I want an ice-pop

EFP: I want an ice-pop

EFP: Have ice-pop please

DH: EFP, here is your cereal (toast w/pb, waffles, French toast sticks, eggs, etc.)

EFP: Thank you Daddy – have an ice-pop please.

DH: Here! Have the *$^@*^$@&#@) ice-pop (whisper: don’t tell Mommy!)

7:04 AM

Mom: Good morning boogie!! What’s that?

EFP: Daddy have me ice-pop!

Mom: Hmmmm

Mom: Can you eat your toast w/pb too?

EFP: Yes Mommy. I have an Ice-pop?

Mom: Please eat your toast – you just had an ice-pop!

EFP: I have an ice-pop please?

Mom: EFP, Daddy gave you an ice-pop, you need to eat your toast!

EFP: I want Daddy!

EFP: I want Daddy!

EFP: I want Daddy!

EFP: I want Daddy!

EFP: I want Daddy!

EFP: Daddy give me ice-pop!!

Mom: Of course he did!

(Mutter rude things to self while walking away)

7:06 AM

Mom: Come here baby so I can change your diapie

EFP: No, No change diapie today!

Mom: Yes, it is time for clean diapie – come here so mommy can change it.

Dream Sequence

EFP: Right away mommy! I know you only want me to be clean and healthy and that you live to change my stinky diapie - so I will be right there!

Reality

EFP: NO!! No change diapie now!

Mom: OK – goes and gets baby deposits on changing pad (engage in tickling and funny voice)

EFP: Here my ‘raffes! (EFP-speak for her little family of Giraffes – Mommy, Daddy, Baby)

Mom: Love the ‘raffes!

EFP: I no go to school (childcare) today. I go work with Mommy!

Mom: I wish! Work has no crayons, paint or snacks!

(dressing of child continues – clothes, shoes making style choice can take 5 minutes, hair)

EFP: I bring mine crayons, paint and snacks – plus Elmos, ‘raffes and kitties (our two formerly feral totally house-bound cats who each weigh at least 15 lbs!)

Mom: That does sound like a lot of fun! I think the kitties need to stay home and you need to go to school.

EFP: Yea, I play with Kayee!!

7:30 AM

Mom: OK, let’s get a snack to share at school!

EFP: I bring Elmos (Mommy, Daddy, Baby and Big Bro (AAW))

Mom: One Elmo can go to school

EFP: No! Bring daddy Elmo, mommy Elmo, baby Elmo – bro Elmo stay home (figures!)

Mom: EFP –lets get your snack and pick one Elmo to bring

EFP: I want ice-pop

Repeat x10

7:45 AM

Arrive at Childcare center

EFP: I need yellow leaf

Mom: Hmm… I am not sure I can reach the leaves that are left!

EFP: I need yellow leaf

Mom: Yes, I know you want a yellow leaf, but they are all so high!

EFP: I need yellow leaf

Mom: (Trudges through mud in work shoes and jumps to tear two yellow leafs off tree) Here you go Boogie!

EFP: I need red leaf!

Mom: I will race you into school!!!!!!

EFP: I no race I need red leaf….

Mom: Decides to send EFP to work and attend daycare herself!!!!!!

In a nutshell this is a small slice of my life. When we return from anywhere EFP will absolutely insist about a 100 times that her “coat needs to be off” before I have even removed the key from the door, got second foot over threshold or even managed to put the ton-o-mommy-bags down!! No joke – this part about toddlers is not that much fun – except for the laughs later! I wish I knew more ways to distract her from the endless repetition! DH just gives up and in immediately (now wonder they love their daddies so!)

Happy Thanksgiving!!

From our family to yours - enjoy great food, family & friends, and the joy of being together! We are so incredibly thankful to be where we are. Today we give thanks for a happy marriage, a gorgeous (smart, funny but most of all healthy and happy) baby girl, the love we have for a boy who is still halfway across the world - who waits for us to love him in person, our families, our incredible circle of friends and most of all being here - today right now celebrating another amazing holiday!

Live from 60 miles east of the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade:

Project Runway - Our Way

The Combined wealth of several small nation-states in plastic are on my kid! (psst check out her dance moves!!)

I swear she picked out that heart necklace on her own - because she wanted one like mine. (note: mine is small tasteful platinum 1ct diamond heart that DH gave me for a birthday a few years prior to her Imperial Highness's arrival and usurpation of the royal jewel budget for her own jewel needs).

At least this is what I am saying about this whole episode! I have been home sick a few days now, EFP has been under the weather (I will have to post about the rush to the MD and the drama - but be assured there is nothing wrong with my darling that an ice pop couldn't cure immediately!) She came home with a slight fever and as we had been scheduled home anyway I kept her in and watched - she seemed better, she went back to childcare - I had some back to back events and a lot of sturm und drang at work (foolishly I keep thinking I have an actual career - then I wake up) and I felt under the weather myself - by Friday I knew I had lost the battle. Surrendered and spent the whole long weekend alternately trying to get well and keep toddler from running amok and staying well. Well, she is coughing and although there is no fever - just a runny nose and cough. Then today - with a tiny bit of energy she decided to...well the pics speak for themselves!

Waiting Family.............

Log In Date (for China) 12/15/05


Happy Halloween!

SPOOKTACULAR!

Halloween Spooktacular yesterday with FCC - I don't think we were in Kansas anymore.

There is no place like home - there' s no place like home! This morning.

EFP in the Bouncy House - Pumpkin Picking this afternoon.

Tonight having a bite - of Daddy's nose and a snuggle with Mommy!

Autumnal Musings....

We drove up to Vermont to do the weekender leaf peeping required of all Northeast region inhabitants. We had a great time and EFP got to spend some quality time with her Nana & Papa. We went we saw we photographed! So without much further ado... here it is! Also here is your free preview of the custom-made, one-of-a-kind, Dorothy of Oz costume!! We received this after our little excursion and it will make its debut on Saturday the 13th for the Halloween extravaganza we are attending!

I will have a longer post about our newest resident - AKA THE HORSEY! Shortly!

What's up with the fundraiser?

We have decided to raise enough funds for about 10 children to receive Cleft surgery while still in China in the hopes that families will be more able to match with them. Children need families and sometimes the families are reluctant to adopt a child who has needs they may not be able to meet. There are several organizations who are already working in China to provide these surgeries. How amazing will it be to be able to change the smile on a child's face - both by surgical AND magical means! Surgery means restored health and family means a whole new life and more love!! It is darn near breaking my heart that our son has been on multiple lists and not had anyone ask about him - simply because he has a cleft lip/palate. Now he is 6 and people might be even more reluctant to adopt... till we came along. Naturally - we KNOW that he was only waiting for us to see his handsome (and he is trust me!) face and know that with love all things are possible. We already love our baby tiger and now I hope that many other beautiful children will benefit from this effort. We will continue to raise funds till our trip - when we return with our son we hope to establish a fund to provide surgeries both in China and then once families are home with their children. No child should have to live in an orphanange because a loving family is unable to afford the surgery the child may need.

You deserve some new pics of my darling girl!

Daddy Love & Jello - Life is Good!!

Beast of Burden - No, It's Elmo Goes for a Ride on Daddy's Head with EFP!
Crossing the finish line...

Riding in the lap of luxury - who doesn't love that little face!!!


These are the most recent pics.. taken before bed tonight and the other day before School, and at the diner after the horrible chicken incident (don't ask)!!!! Fresh off the camera.