A Belated Happy 4th of July!

Just an Update

We have been making the absolute most of summer and are having a blast. Most days, I am off running to some beach or park with the kids. We have spent a lot of time playing, and both kids are doing great!

Soon, I will be back to teaching, Sam will be in First Grade, and Luciana will be in childcare. That day is coming quickly for us, so we are just filling up our time doing all the amazing things you are supposed to do in the summer in Maine! Most recently, we had a great time catching crabs in tidal pools and making a dam in a stream heading to the ocean. These simplest of moments are what I love about living in Maine with children. Luciana is a total beach babe and relishes in splashing and crawling all over the beach... and eating sand a rocks, of course!

Lucy is on the go for sure! She crawls and climbs everywhere. Last Saturday she took her first steps! Fittingly, we were at a picnic for adopting families. How cool! Her mobility just recently lead to her first "shiner" as she fell near our treadmill and took a hit to her sweet little face! Ugh! I still shudder thinking about it. I was tempted to snap a pic, but I couldn't do it... which is why we have yet to document those first steps! We will soon when she's really going!

Otherwise, it's pretty ho-hum, lazy days of summer around here. We play hard and sleep well! Sam's 2nd tooth and aproaching birthday have been hot topics around our house, and Luciana's first words and steps keep us totally amazed. First words: Dada, thank you, uh-oh, yay, and finally Mama! She is on the brink of more... she clearly has lots to say!

Pics soon... I hope.
Much love.

1st Birthday Pics

Better late than never.

We celebrated Luciana's 1st birthday twice! Our first celebration was on Lucy's true birthday and was shared with the children and families in our neighborhood. All the kids enjoyed taking turns bouncing in the giant, cake shaped bouncy house. It was a blast. Keith and I even got in on the fun when he arrived home from work. It was such a fun day. That night, Lucy had her first taste of birthday cake. She was tentative at first, but, with a little help from Sam, she was into it in no time! Once she had a taste, she dove face first in! Good girl!

Our second celebration was with family and close friends. We had a BBQ at the house. Luciana spent most of the day in one loving set of arms or another! She was all smiles and everyone had a great day. By the end of the two parties, we felt we had really made the most of her special day... and we were wiped out!

Enjoy the pics... this girl knows how to work the camera!

One Year Ago...

I love these "one year ago" posts... it is so amazing to me that we are at that one year mark for these memories.

One year ago today we officially accepted our referal of baby girl! I don't know why it was so long after receiving her referal... I think we just assumed that it was known that we accepted her! Ha! She was ours from the first moment we knew she was born. Still, it was on this day that we made the official call to our agency, and that moment changed our lives forever.

As I type this, that same sweet baby I could only imagine in my heart is yelling at the top of her lungs and pulling her bow out of her hair... perhaps she thinks feeding her dinner ranks higher than some sentimental memory post! Ok- moment done!

Updates Coming Soon!!

I just love this kid!

Ahhhhhhhhhhh! We are coming up for air after the whirlwind month of June! I am working on getting 1st Birthday and 1st Camping trip pics up... better late than never!