Stupid War

Today my cousin Andie left England and headed to Iraq...............sigh. This war is horrendous, thank you very much President Bush for risking the lives of so many of our people and taking the lives of 1,000's more.
Andie will be caring for the wounded British soldiers over there and they will be so lucky to have her. We will miss her terribley. Lily is sad because Andie is going there not that she truly understands the gravity of it all but she does understand that Andie won't be here for the next few months and she won't be popping up on Skype on a weekly and sometimes daily basis.

Take Care AndieMin, and we can't wait to see you again really soon.
Tonnes of love
us
xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox

Weekend In Pictures

This weekend has just been so much fun.
Since it is still much to cold for us to get into the big pool Lily has been begging to put her little paddling pool in the backyard so yesterday the temperature was finally warm enough for us to do so.

Bathing Beauty. This is the smallest swimming costume I could find. It is all baggy on her. That is one of my pet peeves, little kids who have to wear swimming cossy's that will last them 5 yrs, they just look daft!


Photo Sharing - Video Sharing - Photo Printing - Photo Books


Photo Sharing - Video Sharing - Photo Printing - Photo Books

Little Imp

Photo Sharing - Video Sharing - Photo Printing - Photo Books

This morning they pushed their dollies around and around and around.

Photo Sharing - Video Sharing - Photo Printing - Photo Books


Photo Sharing - Video Sharing - Photo Printing - Photo Books

Today the weather was perfect for being outside.

Photo Sharing - Video Sharing - Photo Printing - Photo Books

She is just so flipping cute and she is all ours........we love her.

Photo Sharing - Video Sharing - Photo Printing - Photo Books

There is a reason why Rose is sitting on the liner from her pushchair!!! Ah ha, so there is something that Wild Child does not like!


Photo Sharing - Video Sharing - Photo Printing - Photo Books

After such a busy day we needed to eat so we headed to our favourite restaurant.We have been eating at Nunzios for twenty years. It is a small family owned and operated Italian eatery. Every year they close down for the summer and head back to the Old Country. We know all the family members and they know all our family members. Everyone that has visited eats at Nunzios. Lily had her first Italian there fed to her by one of the owners so it was only fitting to do the same with Rose.

Lily digging in.

Photo Sharing - Video Sharing - Photo Printing - Photo Books

Rosie getting her first taste.

Photo Sharing - Video Sharing - Photo Printing - Photo Books

Rosie getting serious

Photo Sharing - Video Sharing - Photo Printing - Photo Books

Taking things very seriously indeed

Photo Sharing - Video Sharing - Photo Printing - Photo Books

I think she liked it.

Photo Sharing - Video Sharing - Photo Printing - Photo Books

Life, As It Is Now!

Rosie is a wild child. She loves to be thrown in the air, she loves to swing so high that it makes me shudder, in the bath she puts her face under the water, electrical outlet covers are her forte, she can pop them out in a second and she believes that whatever Lily can do she can too. She loves life to the fullest and the only thing we have found that she doesn't like are shoes. Shoes? How can she be female and not like shoes? I cannot fathom this. When I put shoes on her she throws a fit. She tries everything to get them off and flat out refuses to stand up. Currently this is not a problem as she isn't walking but this is going to be a tad iffy shortly. Oh well.

Rosie and Lily Getting Their Groove on. At the end Rose is clapping but apparently standing and shaking her booty and clapping was to much so she is bent over. Too funny.


Photo Sharing - Video Sharing - Photo Printing - Photo Books

Helping Mama In The Kitchen

Photo Sharing - Video Sharing - Photo Printing - Photo Books

Rosie has Daddy just where she needs him.

Photo Sharing - Video Sharing - Photo Printing - Photo Books

Lily looking much to grown up!

Photo Sharing - Video Sharing - Photo Printing - Photo Books

pink!

Photo Sharing - Video Sharing - Photo Printing - Photo Books

Florida is flat, just plain old flat so this big hill at the park was a novelty to Lily and she ran up and down and up and down and up and down....repeat, repeat.

Photo Sharing - Video Sharing - Photo Printing - Photo Books

Both Our Kids Are Bonkers

With each passing day Rosie gets more and more confident. It now feel as if we have had her forever and Lily said the same thing a couple of days ago. She is a hoot. Lily and her have so much fun which not only thrills me but also amazes me considering the age difference.

Rose is trying very hard to walk. She is more inclined to do so when Lily is around and this evening was no exception. She tried and tried but only managed 2-3 steps at a time. I have to grab the video when it happens next but usually she is standing on tile floor and I am so worried that she is going to fall that I won't leave her side. Her concentration is palpable and quite frankly downright funny.

Here are the antics of today:
As I have mentioned many times, Rose loves to eat and if she likes something she lets you know.

Photo Sharing - Video Sharing - Photo Printing - Photo Books
And if by chance you are wondering why Lily sits in an office chair to eat it is because she feels that she is too big for a booster and this chair can be raised up so she reaches the table properly.

Just a few minutes later the broccoli had been annihilated.

Photo Sharing - Video Sharing - Photo Printing - Photo Books

After dinner the madness always starts. Tonight the 2 of them were a riot. Lily was teaching Kung Fu and Rose even practiced before getting in her bath tonight. She is now making the same sound as Lily and is very proud and very loud!

Photo Sharing - Video Sharing - Photo Printing - Photo Books

Easter Silly's

Without a doubt that today was the best Easter we have ever had. Rose wasn't really very impressed but seeing Lily show her the ropes was pure magic. The day started with the girls getting their Easter baskets. Unbeknown to me, Lily had woken up last night and come down stairs and seen that the Easter Bunny had already delivered the goods. Jacob wasn't quite sure what to do so he let her scout out a few eggs and then sent her packing back to bed. When she woke up this morning it was early and I told her she could go back to sleep. It was Rose giving her morning shrieks that woke Lily up but Lily said no way cos she knew the bunny had been.
As you can see Rose thought the fake grass was the best part!



Cute Little Bunnies






We went to our friends, Ed, Jen and Ebby's condo to do our annual Easter Egg Hunt. The condos are all built around a courtyard and it is the perfect place to hide eggs and have the kiddies find them. Evan, or as we call him, Ebby is just the cutest and funniest little chap you could ever meet. He is so sweet and spent the whole morning gently going up to Rose and planting a big kiss on her. That kind of stuff just melts a Mama's heart.

After the egg hunt we decided to take a photo of the kids. Guess who didn't cooperate one bit. Yes that is the correct answer!


Hunka hunka burnin' cuteness
If the chocolate hig I am on ever wears off I am heading to bed but I think I ate more chocolate today that any other day of my life and that is saying a lot.

Updates

Rose went back to the pediatrician yesterday for her 2 week check up and the Dr. was shocked at the changes in her. She has gained 8oz's which may not sound like much but if you were as tiny as her it would be like gaining 10lbs. Her skin tone has changed, she knows who she wants to be with and doesn't want to be with for that matter, she jabbered away to the doc' and even tried to walk across the office. Our pediatrician is completely on board with the cardiologists decision to not x-ray her chest until she goes for surgery and pointed out that now she has a little fat on her body it isn't as noticeable. She had to have 2 more shots which she found utterly disdainful but she is now 100% caught up and we don't have to go back for another 2 months unless something quirky shows up in her lab tests which is highly unlikely.

Off on a tangent here so bare with me: we give all the credit in the world to Rosies orphanage for raising such a healthy and happy little girl. Sure she is a tad little but that could be just her. She is incredibly healthy and is having no problems at all adjusting to her new life. She is a Half The Sky baby and it really shows. This is a truly incredible organisation and every year since we bought Lily home she has participated in a sponsored walk to raise money for them. Funny how things work out as some of the money she has raised could have gone to directly help her baby sister.

Tangent, part deux: When you choose your pediatrician make sure it is someone that you like. Someone who is personable and gives you answers and doesn't blow you off. They need to be familiar with adopted children and most importantly they need to have a bedside manner with the kids. I don't mean someone who sits and shots the breeze with you but someone who genuinely shows an interest. When I chose Lily's ped' I interviewed her and she seemed wonderful but when it came to dealing with Lily she was abrupt and downright stern. This doesn't help anyone. I put up with this until this year and all because I felt a sense of loyalty to her because she is married to a friend of mine but after talking to other parents I switched to a client of mine and her whole philosophy is different. In the beginning this person will be there for you as much as for you child so you have to click, so to speak. I love this new office and of course Barbara makes the biggest difference. I went to China with her cellphone number. Tangent over.

We have been up to our usual antics here in Casa Del Cope and I have pictures to prove it.
Decorating the Easter Eggs.



Photo Sharing - Video Sharing - Photo Printing - Photo Books

Lily's smile just brightens my day.


Photo Sharing - Video Sharing - Photo Printing - Photo Books

Rosie has the cheekiest smile I have ever encountered....we are in trouble.


Photo Sharing - Video Sharing - Photo Printing - Photo Books

After they were done decorating and in Rosies case, throwing eggs we went and played dress up.

Blondes appear to truly have more fun


Photo Sharing - Video Sharing - Photo Printing - Photo Books

Me looking alot like a hooker!


Photo Sharing - Video Sharing - Photo Printing - Photo Books

Now it is Rosies turn to be blond. She is under there somewhere, honest.


Photo Sharing - Video Sharing - Photo Printing - Photo Books

Rosie didn't like being blond but found brunette to be more she style.


Photo Sharing - Video Sharing - Photo Printing - Photo Books

Yes we are mad but don't bother calling our SW she is fully aware of it and actually reads our blog!


Photo Sharing - Video Sharing - Photo Printing - Photo Books

Bunny couldn't be left our either but he was not blonde material.


Photo Sharing - Video Sharing - Photo Printing - Photo Books

All that silliness makes you hot and sweaty so a much needed bath was in order. I think this is Rosies favourite time of day. I always put her on a little stool while I get Lily in and sorted out and then I put her in too. She looks so pathetically forlorn whilst she waits.



Photo Sharing - Video Sharing - Photo Printing - Photo Books

But things perk up once she hits the wet stuff!