Fashion Challenge Friday.

I saw this on Dawn's site and since I had just pulled out my camera to get a photo of another of Tia's gumboot/swimming cozzie outfits (the bottoms and they are inside out!) I had to join! Check out the other entries for some funny photos!

Have you ever noticed this site button on the sidebar? If you are interested in reading our adoption story it has just been added to the site. There are so many incredible stories and if you ever have time I encourage you to grab a cuppa and get ready to be inspired! If you wanted to adopt from China but have been scared away by the current wait times or if you logged in and are really discouraged, PLEASE read these stories and consider a special needs adoption. We honestly have never for a moment regretted our decision to adopt our "special needs" baby, and I don't think she's regretted adopting us either!

On a different subject: You know how I've been suffering photo library computer problems? I don't think the photos that I chose for our story (because those are the ones I could find!) are very good - what do you think? Should I send some different ones? This is really bugging me (I'm a bit OCD that way :) so please give me your feedback!

Gumboots & swimming cozzie.

Trying to get one great photo . . . I did get a lot of cute ones :) Tia is so funny, she loves to choose her outfits - and of course gumboots go with anything!

My photography blog.

I started a photography blog here. I am really trying to post daily to work on my skills. The link is on the blog listing so feel free to stop by and please feel free to comment on things I can do to improve! Enjoy!

New Gumboots!

A friend of mine dropped these gumboots (rainboots in America) off for Tia today. She doesn't want to take them off! She wore them on the trampoline which I would normally not allow but I wanted to take some photos!

My Princess Beam Walker . . .

We played with friends at the park yesterday. On the way to the potty (yes she's doing GREAT!) there were railroad ties along the path. My little Princess had to "walk a beam" all the long way there and the long way back . . .

Thanks to everyone who left a comment giving us advice about Tia's fringe. I will just let it grow (since that was unanimous!) in the meantime we need advice about how to get her to leave the clippies in her hair!

the fringe ? to cut or not to cut.

It is time to make a decision - the fringe is always in her face. What should we do?

Conversation with Bella.

Tia: "Whatchya doin'?"
Bella: "eating"
Tia: "Whatchya doin'?"
Bella: "eating breakfast"
Tia: "Whatchya doin'?"
Bella: Eating eggs & beans for breakfast
Tia: "Whatchya doin'?"
Bella: "Eating????"
Tia: "Whatchya doin'?"
Bella "ahhhhh . . . eating!" sigh . . .

Tia: "Knock Knock"

all of us crack up!

Panda Dress & Mia Hope

I put this dress on Tia yesterday to try to get some photos of her on her very first "Forever Family Day". (can you see how difficult it is for me to get good photos of her?) Once I put it on I realized that Robin, the woman that made the dress as a fundraiser for their adoption was in China getting Mia Hope. Sure enough when I checked their blog they have Mia! (same Forever Family Day as Tia's, just a year later!) Click on her name to go to her blog - they could use some prayers as Mia was in a loving foster family and is grieving for them. I'm so excited for Robin and her family as they worked so hard and waited so long to travel to finally meet their beautiful Mia.

One year ago today . . . .

we met and fell head over heels in love with this little peanut. She was 19 months old and weighed 17.5 pounds and was almost 29 inches tall. She could crawl a little but couldn't stand or walk without help.
Today she is 2 years 7 months old and is 27 pounds and 35 inches tall. That timid little girl has become our assertive and confident daughter (who it is almost impossible to get a good photo of :). Today she said sentences that included "I want some yours" (about my ice-cream - note the assertiveness!) & I want more ice-cream. She sang the ABC song from beginning to end getting all the letters in the correct order. She does somersaults and runs circles around our hearts :) What an amazing transformation! She is our Princess of Quite-A-Lot! We know we are incredibly blessed to have her in our family. Happy "Forever Family Day" to our sweet little Tia.