My sad attempt at photography

I am always so bad at taking pictures, but I take them anyway. So I don't know what made me think that I could take some wonderful professional pictures this week. At the park by our houose they have a beautiful rose garden. I had read in the paper that the roses were in full bloom, so tried to do Liv's hair all nice and put her in some halfway decent clothes, she still prefers PJ's, and we headed out at sunset.
Well once we got there half the roses were dead, and Olivia would not cooperate.
Here's what I came up with.

I like the shadows in this picture.

Stopping to smell the roses.

The only picture of her looking at the camera

One of the few roses not dead from all the heat.

And so it begins

We have been toying with the idea of potty training since May,She gone on the big potty a few times with success, but last week we finally got her potty and started serious training. I have to admit Liv was very excited at first to have her own potty. I've read a few books on potty training, and I think we are ready to go. Just wondering if anyone can offer up advice from the trenches?





I know Miss Liv will be very mad one day that I posted this picture!!!














Cuddled up after a bath!!!!

A letter to Liv

Dear Olivia,
Exactly two years ago today I held you in my arms for the very first time. Oh how you looked up at me with those huge brown eyes. You just stared at me and you melted my heart. At that moment you made me a mother. I had no idea what you had in store for us as a family, all I could do was watch you. I watched you sleep, watched you drink a bottle. You could finish a bottle in 4 minutes, no burp brakes, just chugging, and then you were full and happy. It took you 4 whole days to give me a smile. I was pretending to bite your toes, and there it was, your little gift to us, a crooked little smile. How is wished those 5 days would never end, but they did, and I had to hand you back. The hardest thing I ever had to do. Daddy was so strong he didn't cry, but as soon as you were out of sight, I cried harder than I ever have before. All your Daddy kept saying was, "She'll be home soon".
And he was right 4 months later we were on our way back to pick you up. Those 4 months seemed like an eternity at the time, now I see how really short a wait that was.
Now hear we are 2 years later, and I don't remember what life was like without you. I admire how you navigate thru your toddler world. You are so giving to other children, even now that you are in the "It's mine" stage. You are so caring, you point out every baby that you hear cry until I say "His mommy's there she will help him". You try so hard to be just like mommy and daddy. You want to do everything that we do. You have an amazing memory. Everyday you surprise us with all the things you remember. That is why I am writing you this letter my sweet Liv, so that I can always remember that first day when we started this journey together. How happy you made us, and how you changed our lives forever.

Love Always and Forever,
Your Mommy

Sometimes you just need good news!!

With the state of the world today, it's easy to just get caught up in all the bad news. Isn't that all that is reported anyway. Well something happened yesterday that made me remember the good.

A baby was born yesterday, yes babies are born everyday, but this baby was extra special. Our friends Dennis and Sara have prayed and longed for this baby for a very very long time. I wish I could tell their story but it is not mine to tell. I can tell you that God had such a hand in this baby, and it is so evident when you look at him.

Liv and I had the honor of going to the hospital today and visiting with
baby John and momma Sara. He is just too precious. The calm
and peace that was in the room was so unlike our scatter brain Sara,
and I say that with all love Sara. But they say a baby changes you and I
definitely saw that in Sara. I could not think of two more deserving
people to be parents.
Congratulations Dennis and Sara!!!!
We all couldn't be happier for you!!!!














Baby John 6pounds 9ounces
Just look at all that hair!!!

Happy Fathers Day

Happy Father's Day Daddy
Love Olivia

Everything but the kitchen sink frappuccino

Olivia loves frappuccino's from Starbucks, it is one of the few things she will eat, yes she is still a picky eater, although it has gotten better. So the other morning instead of giving her the same old thing, drinkable yogurt spiked with baby food fruit, sometimes that's the only way I can get fruit in her. I made my own and Miss Liv could not get enough of it. I think I might make it once a week so she doesn't get board with it.

Sipping while watching Sesame Street

Not too much of a mess making it.

The trick it to put it in a Starbucks cup!!!!


My ingredients
1 bottle of drinkable yogurt, any flavor, I used strawberry.
1 cup of ice
1 container of baby food, I use apples and blueberries.
1 container of yogurt with added fiber, this is only used if someone is blocked up.
2 tablespoons of applesauce
2 tablespoons of baby oatmeal cereal, makes it nice and thick, and adds substance.
dash of milk if it looks to thick.

Blend all together until ice is crushed!!!
Makes 2 servings, one for the morning, and freeze another cup for afternoon snack.

Heavy hearted

A few days ago I came across this blog http://casadesion.blogspot.com/
It is by a woman who runs an orphanage in Guatemala. I haven't heard too too much about what is happening to the now unadoptable children, but this woman's blog does tell some of what is going on.


An excerpt from May 26
Sat. a gringo man, who works with handicapped children, came by our house to speak with us. He said he comes across children all the time who are handicapped ; don't have parents who can deal with it and need a place to go. Some are at death's door from malnourishment. There is a big orphanage that used to take the kids, but they have reported they can take no more until someone dies. Plus even tho this orphanage is very clean and the kids are well fed, they are left in cribs for 22 hours a day.

Today, the Pensa Libre--the big newspaper for the country--had a one page article on how the children are being abandoned and there is no where for them to go. With adoptions ended many orphanages are closing and are refusing to take the children. It is causing major problems in the cities. Especially no one wants the newborns. They, btw, are my favorites.

I am willing to take any and all of these kids, but need money and supplies and volunteers.It breaks my heart to see the pictures in the paper of the firefighters holding the infants and toddlers that no one wants. Or to think about the handicapped kids in their cribs 22 hours a day or starving to death in a hammock behind their family's shack. My heart is so sorrowful as I write this because I know I am just one person who can only do so much.


An excerpt from Feb 16
We have heard that there are many abandoned babies in the hospitals now that adoptions have closed down in Guatemala. We verified this from several sources. Our social worker will be talking with some of the hospital social workers on Mon. The orphanages that used to take them won't any more as they can not make money off adoption. We have also heard stories that some of the smaller orphanages are turning their kids into the government as they can not afford to keep going.


Gee Hillary Clinton, think of what 212 Million Dollars could have done for these children, instead of waisting it on a bid for the democratic nomination, which you knew you were going to loose anyway!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Firecracker

Miss Liv has always had a bit of a temper, but no one warned me that from the exact moment she turned two, that it would get sooooooo much worse. What happened do all kids recieve some type of memo on their second birthday.

Attention two year old toddler:

Your Mother knows nothing, you no longer need to listen to her. You do things your way now. If they try to negotiate with you, do one of 2 things. Scream and throw your yourself on the floor, or completely ignore them. From now on when they put you in time out just laugh and get up. Remember you are in charge now!!!!

PS you will receive this notice again as a reminder on your thirteenth birthday.

Here is my little firecracker ignoring me asking her to help pick up her toys!!!
Please tell me the three's are easier!!!

How much does it cost to help?

As we all know the American economy is in a slump, to put it nicely. On every news station we hear over and over how much gas is, how retail sales are down, unemployment is up. You basically have to live under a rock to not know we are in a recession. But yet as I look around I still see so much excess in our country. I still had to wait in a long line for my decaf vanilla latte. I could not find a parking spot at the mall the other day, so somebody must be shopping.

Yes our economy is bad however, how much are we really doing without. As people complain about the cost of everything from fuel to food, I still feel that we, as a country, have so much to give. And so much more than other poor countries.
So here is a list of ways to help for under 25 dollars. That's it the cost of 2 movie tickets and a soda and popcorn, can help those less fortunate than us.

1) Give someone a Kiva Gift Certificate.
http://www.kiva.org/app.php?page=gift&action=giftPromotion
Great for teachers gifts, graduation gifts, or even Father's Day. This is a Micro lending website that helps people in impoverished countries to achieve economic Independence.

2) Buy 2 bags of coffee from http://www.saintscoffee.com/products.html
This can make another great gift, or just enjoy it yourself at home and save gas not having to drive to get a coffee. Saints Coffee gives 1/3 of it's net profits to organizations that improve the life of orphans.

3) Buy a shirt from http://www.tinyrockstar.com/
Some really cool designs, buy one for your kids or for a birthday gift.
For every shirt you buy they will donate enough to feed an orphan for a month.

4) Bid on an item from this cool ebay seller http://search.ebay.com/_W0QQsassZcraftforchina
100% of the money goes to supporting orphans in China.
The jewelery on here is really nice and all handmade.

5) Donate to http://www.malarianomore.org/
Donate a bed net for 10 dollars. You can donate in someones name and send them an e card.
This was featured on American Idol.

If anyone has any other ideas please chime in.

On the Road, fun in the sun, and lots of pictures

Vinay has been traveling allot lately, just about every week. So Liv and I have been spending time at my Mom's. Then for memorial weekend we were down the shore. We are finally home and it is nice to not be living out of a suitcase. I feel like we have been on the run for weeks now. Luckily Vinay's travel schedule should slow down for the summer!!!
Here are some pictures from Memorial weekend at the Jersey shore.



Our Friends Vic and Tara, and their kids Ava and Luca spent the weekend with us, and of course we had to sing happy birthday to Liv one more time.
"Mommy can't we celebrate my birthday into June?"

Ready for the beach. Liv hates wearing a bathing suit, it was a fight to get one on her.
Bathing beauty
Dancing on the beach, as her Mommy and Daddy ate dinner. Just give this girl sand and she is happy for at least an hour.
Ava and Liv dancing on the deck.
Love the girls in their hats

Ava, Liv, and Tyler waiting to go on rides at the boardwalk.
Liv loves all rides especially the carousel.
Daddy took her on the Dumbo ride
Then we had ice cream.
This is Liv doing her new thing in this picture. She hold up her one finger and then she does the sign for more. Here she is asking for one more ice cream cone.