BUCA BABY TURNS 2!

It was a wonderful CELEBRATION

LAYLA TURNING 2!!!

A CARNIVAL of sorts!

And a DARLING birthday girl with a BALLOON HAT made just for her

 A party isn't a party without POPCORN

 And CAKE, with elephants balancing on top!

 BEST FRIENDS arrived

Layla couldn't be HAPPIER!

GAMES were played

SWIMMING was a definite

SO MANY people to celebrate such a ANGEL!

She MADE A WISH with the blow of the candle

And DEVOURED the yumminess of the whole party.

New BABY DOLLS were gifted

A PINATA for tradition

Full of CANDY and CLOWN NOSES 

It TASTED so good!

She couldn't RESIST!

She seamed so GROWN UP

ANYTHING for LAYLA

We LOVE her so much!

 And don't forget your PEANUTS!

ONE THOUSAND..... BLESSINGS

They say: "A picture speaks a thousand words"

A thousand pictures say:

"That our photographer for Lady's Birthday party is the super raddest picture taker ever."

Those were my favorites... believe it or not - It was hard to narrow it down to just those few photos.

BOOK THE PHOTOGRAPHER BY CLICKING HERE

20 DAYS

Invitations done: ready to mail this weekend
Decorations: planned
Food: planned
Excitement level: through the roof

Lady is having a birthday in 20 days. It's over the top, everyone is telling that I'm "sooo stupid" for wasting my time and money. But I'm not just throwing a birthday party for a 1 year old. We are CELEBRATING the past WONDERFUL year of LAYLA DAY. We're partying to show the world how grateful we are that she is a part of our lives and that adoption is a bigger than life miracle and it's over and a part of our past.
Love it love it love it. Can't wait for you all to celebrate with us.

Here's a little picture of Lady's 11 month pictures in her rocking chair. She wanted nothing of it and I LOVE that her feisty italian attitude is showing the best of her in this moment.

I'm sorry but sometimes her meltdowns are so fun to watch because she just absolutely falls apart.... just like her mother. I'm sure if I sifted through some old photo's of myself we'd see me making having this same exact fit.

She hated the other chair, but loves this one like crazy.

EXHALE AND EXCHANGE

Last week I realized I no longer had a need for the fifty gazillion burp rags in the cupboard, or the teensy tinesy hooded baby towels folded nicely in the closet... and all the other "baby paraphernalia" laying around the house. The first time I earned the right to enter the baby isle and not feel like an obvious outsider, I was in seventh heaven. I waited so so long to stock a nursery and pick out every detail and make it perfect. Well, now all that stuff is headed to storage. Wow that came fast. I was totally unprepared for the time to come to pack all that stuff up and move into toddlerhood. Duh shan, what did you think happens after an entire year of infancy!?
So after the cupboards were cleaned out, wiped down and re-stocked with new "big girl" items... I was having "baby product" withdrawals. So I bought this -

Layla's new ride --- Moo.

I've been avoiding the change from tiny snuggly baby to crawling wiggling child, from sleeping anywhere to whining everywhere, and doll size diapers to just dolls. Tonight after Lady woke up from her afternoon nap (another change... little to no morning nap - but an awesomely long pm nap) we just sat and played together. The Big Guy Upstairs continues to nudge my heart and remind me to STOP RESISTING and enjoy my ride with Lady. Oh, it's so so rad when I stop resisting her feisty-ness and I remind myself to live in the moment and at the very moment I stop... we totally connect. She'll look up at me and smile and the sparkle in her eyes speaks to me. It's like our spirits hugging and I need to always remember that sensation. 

So the baby rattles have been exchanged for "little people" circus trains and teething toys for doll houses. I'm excited for the change but a part of me aches with wonderment of whether those baby items will ever be extracted from storage and washed, folded and snuggled again... 

33:01:17

33 Days: 1 Hour: 17 Minutes until Lady's BDay Bash.....
Here's another hint!

Enjoy

Ahhhh.

Grandpa flew us to St George on Friday...

We were in search of this...

And to meet Great Grandma R. 

One of my most favorite years of my life was 2008 when I spent my Thursdays and Fridays taking care of G.G.R. She lived with my parents for a short while and due to her advanced Alzheimer's Disease she is a lot of work. With less than 20 second memory, aggitation, confusion and anxiety, she struggles to find joy in life now. But babies always help her revert back to the natural instinct of a mother and she relaxes and enjoys life for a few moments.

She sang Lady a few ditties...

Then, we put on this (and I snacked on those thighs) and we took a dip...

Loved it...

Lady showed me how to relax and enjoy...

Then we hopped back on this...

 

And did this...

And couldn't wait to get back to Kday.

WELL WORTH THE WAIT...

Mothers Day.

Used to dread it, hate it, feel sorry for myself. (which this year I wondered why? It's just 1 day a year that we "celebrate" mother's... I don't get mad when we celebrate Veterans day because I'm not a Vet. Or Memorial day because I'm not dead. So why did I always get so upset over it?)

This year was perfection. I didn't feel silly at church when they handed out gifts, I completely expected the breakfast that was prepared for me. I was in 7th heaven. Kday even commented on how much more enjoyable this holiday is now. Poor guy, used to get the wrath of an infertile woman. Walking on eggshells on Mother's Day is a thing of the past for that sweet man of mine.

This year we celebrated. We didn't celebrate me. We celebrated the chance that we've been given to be parents. We focused on all the crazy little things about motherhood that I adore. No it's not always rainbows and cupcakes... but those MAMA moments, that is what I celebrated this year.

I couldn't take my hands or lips or eyes off Lady all day. She was smothered in kisses, dressed to a T and down right obsessed over all day. She is the strongest person I know. She stood before the Lord and said, "yes, I will leave my fate on Earth to someone else's free agency to decide. I will count on you God to guide and prompt my birth mother to give me an eternal family. But if she choses not to, I will still go and be valiant." Layla took a risk. And I reaped the reward.

Oh how words can not describe how I cherish her. It's as if our hearts beat for each other.

We celebrated with this beautiful print that Kday made for Lady's room. To remind us of how far we've come.

Her signature bird was included... as always.

Kday's oldest sister hosted a superb gathering of food and mingling

Then we enjoyed our Lady love...

Thank you Lady's Birth Angel for sacrificing your own desires for the love and welfare of your beautiful child. You have walked in the footsteps of Christ and your humility and charity are the most precious gifts you have given your angel baby. I will forever celebrate the chance I have to be a mother, but it was because of your willingness to listen to the still small voice of the Lord, who guided you to us. I remember you and Him everyday when I pick up Lady with her arms outstretched for me... I am her Mama. I am in love.