Birthdays and Mothers Days

Well, Alina turned two on April 30th...it's like that momentous date has started the next phase in officiating her toddlerhood. Until lately she has still been so babish even if she is the size of a 3 year old. But just in the last week I ask her, how old are you 'TWO' she happily and proudly announces at the top of her lungs. We have established the use of please and thank you.

Miss thing will now no longer allow me to help her into her car seat. She climbs in and then regally allows me to buckle her in. Her favorite phrase right now is 'I did it' or 'I got it'. She so proud of herself and she should be. She's such an awesome little kid. She's her Daddy's delight and her Momma joy.

Mothers Day this Sunday she would not take a nap so we spent the whole day with a loopy crazy little girl. But she's such a hoot and silly when she gets that way. By bedtime she's stumbling around. The bath immediately gets her into bedtime book and snuggle mode.

Someone told me a year ago that it would take about 12 months to really really get her connected with us. They weren't lying. For every month in the orphanage it takes two months to recover. She was there 10 months of her little life and we're 1/2 of the way. If she's still got another 12 months to overcome any residuals from being in an orphanage I can't wait to see who this little girl is going to be. She's so amazing.

I got a present from Andy for Mother's Day, but that little energetic bundle on my lap that made it. Mothers day before 2009 meant I was sending my Mom flowers or doing something for my mother-in-law. Now, its a celebration of the life of my family which is a living breathing whole and the center for me.

Happy Mothers Day to all the Moms and Mom's to Be out there. You can be a Mother to someone in need everyday that needs one. Adoptions is AWESOME!