A New Season of Life

                             In one of her new pairs of pajamas sent by my sweet friend Quynh

See above picture.  We are all put here with special talents.  I have a friend who has a two year old who can name all the planets.  I have another friend with a child Hannah's age who can write words.  Hannah can put her feet behind her ears.  Yes, the talent runs deep in this household...

After literally MONTHS of rain, I went outside last week and say a strange orange ball in the sky. What was it? The Sun.  Oh hello Sun, I had forgotten you existed :-)  The sun made its appearance just in time, as we finally got Hannie's playset up in the backyard.  She loves it, the swings, the slide, but especially the little "cafe" where she serves up grilled hot dogs and artichokes (her choice).  We had an unofficial "Pool's Open" party with the neighbors last weekend and decided to make it a "fry night."  **My apologies to all the healthy eating friends out there***   Garry, my neighbor, has a huge deep fryer and we deep fried chicken wings, fish, mushrooms, sweet potato fries, hush puppies, onion rings, mozarella sticks, Oreos, etc.  It was delicious, but it's a good thing we don't do Fry Night very often or I would weigh a TON!!!

Hannie and I also started our first (patio) garden.  We planted tomatoes, strawberries, peppers, and watermelon. Hannah gets very excited about watering them every day, so I guess that is her first official chore.  I am starting to make some plans for the summer; I have a teenage neighbor who is a certified lifeguard coming over 3x a week to give Hannie swim lessons.  We are taking a trip to Chicago in June to visit with some wonderful friends, and we have a tentative date set for our trip up to Sesame Place as well.  We had a wonderful offer to attend REECA in Colorado with a great friend and future Kaz (hopefully) adoptive mom, but it doesn't look like this is going to be the year for that. We may, however, be able to squeeze in a trip here in Ohio to stay overnight in a yurt.... Check this out!  Who knew?!


Wildlife Center Offers Sleepovers in a Yurt!

Hannie is doing well.  This month I find myself looking at her and continually thinking in the same manta of how-can-she-be almost-two-time-flies-by so-fast.  Her best little friend is starting preschool this week.  I thought about enrolling Hannie, but after some soul searching and long conversations with those much wiser than myself, I have decided we are going to wait at least another year. That's not to say she isn't learning at home.  We work on development every day and she is age appropriate or above in every area.  I try to continue the cycle of high expectations, hard work, lots of love, and gratitude for every milestone each she makes. 

This season of life has been a medley of firsts, and unfortunately not all good ones.  She had her first real cold, complete with a hacking cough, runny nose, and fever.  We are grateful it only lasted a few days.  But there are happy firsts to come as well.  Her first pedicure, first pair of flip flops, first trip to Disney World, first time at the beach...  Her new favorite expression is "Mama, Hannah DO IT!!"  It makes me smile and at the same time tugs at my heart with the bittersweet recognition that my baby girl is, in fact, growing up..... 

And it's a wonder to behold.


"There is an instinct in a woman to love most her own child - and an instinct to make any child who needs her love, her own." ~Robert Brault