Happy Halloween Great Pumpkin

Halloween has been Liv's favorite topic these past few weeks. She loves to see all the Halloween decorations on the houses even the scary ones. This morning we went to the library and they had a Halloween story time and sing along, then the kids went to different parts of the library to go trick or treating. Olivia loved it.



Getting a treat from Bert, no Ernie was there, just Bert.

Trick or Treating in the library.

Olivia and her friend Milania after story time.

Olivia posing in her costume the day we bought it.

Liv posing at my Mom's house.

Happy Halloween everyone!!!

"Scool" bus or a future Chickenbus

One thing Liv loves is school buses. Every time she sees one on the road, she screams in delight and yells "scool". My uncle owns a used car dealership, and finally got in some new buses so I let Liv play around in them. My Uncle actually sells the buses to guys from Guatemala and they then drive them back and resells them in the country. Yes these are future chickenbuses!!!



Don't worry none of the buses were running!!!

Mommy I'm on a real bus!!!

Mom, this way to the open road!!!

Before




After

The man behind the whole operation

Since Liv came into our lives, our lives have revolved around her. I am always bad about letting Liv take all my attention, and then when she is in bed, just being mentally and physically exhausted so there is nothing left of me for Vinay.

Every once in awhile a date comes up that makes me remember where it all started and how we came to be this wonderful family. 13 years ago today in my dorm room, while watching the movie "Speed", a skinny, 21 year old boy, kissed me and changed my life forever. I didn't initially want to start a relationship, because I didn't want to ruin our friendship. I thank God everyday that I took that chance and started dating my best friend.

Vinay you are the most honest, trustworthy, considerate man I have ever met. When I need someone to lead, you walk in front of me, when I need my space, you walk behind me, but most importantly you walk beside me and hold my hand through wherever life takes us. I love you.

Now just for laughs lets take a walk down memory lane.


My sorority formal, just a month after we started dating. (Love that earring Vinay)

Ahh so young, (this picture makes me miss my Sara Palin bangs)

Fun times at the shore house Summer of 98

My favorite wedding picture of us. July 20 2008

Our Indian Wedding Ceremony was so much fun. Thanks for putting up with my Bridezillaness!!

Aruba, and all our fun travels in the early years of our marriage.

Waiting for our miracle to make us a family.

Finally a family!!!! Vinay you really are the man behind this whole operation!!!!

Love

Nik and Liv

Both of us working hard and a question

Both Liv and I have been hard at work on separate projects

Here is Liv, hard at work on her drawing and writing skills. This desk is my latest trash to treasure. The best part of the desk is that the top flips up and then there are magnetic letters to work with.

Don't bother me with that camera when I'm working. Yes this sweet little girl can give some dirty looks.

OK I'll just ignore you and keep writing.


Now for the project I have been working on, everyone knows how I've been trying to get healthy food in my daughter who refuses to eat. Well over the summer Liv really got into eating ice cream and ice pops, so I had to come up with a way to make that a healthy snack/meal for her. What I started to do was make up yogurt connections and freezing them to make it look like ice cream cups.

Here is my latest recipe
1 small container of fiber 1 yogurt. Only use this brand if your kid is constipated, otherwise use plain yogurt
1 small cup of any flavor applesauce. Here I used the berry blend from Motts, no sugar added
2 tablespoons of pedisure for the vitamins.
2 tablespoons of baby cereal, yes I still buy this.
Mix all ingredients in small bowl by hand or use a handheld mixer for it to become frothy.
Pour into small cups
Top with a few sprinkles or nonpareils
Freeze and serve.

Now here is a question, if you saw something like this for sale in a supermarket or healthfood store would you buy it for your kids.

I've been experimenting with different desserts that are actually good for you, and just wondering if there is a market out there for it?
Please be honest!!!!!!!!!!

Joining in this year and Liv's list

This year's Livapalooza has been so fun because Liv can help with the celebration.


Helping me make a cake. This is the first time I ever really let her cook with me, she loved it. I didn't love the clean up, but it was worth it.
Here she is exactly 2 years ago today. My little peanut, she was only about 10 pounds.



Every once in a while I like to do a Liv's List, and write about the things she likes and is doing at this stage in her life.

Liv's List:

She loves...
Any kind of candy,
Diego, any animal she sees she relates to one she saw on Diego,
Miso soup, seaweed, tofu and all,
Holding hands,
Group hugs with mommy and daddy,
The song, "All Summer Long (Sweet Home Alabama), by Kid Rock.

She thinks...
That everyone is either a "baby", "Daddy", "Momma", or a "Pop pop", She is confused about Grandmothers since hers don't have grey hair and are young.
That her Daddy can fix everything, even though Vinay is not that handy, I think little girls should believe their dad can fix anything.
That every time she goes to sleep Mommy is sleeping too, sometimes she's right.
That people only have two emotions mad or happy, and she will tell you which one she is.

She doesn't like...
When a song she likes goes off the radio.
To go to bed at night, this is a new thing.
Having to wear socks and shoes.
The noise of the vacuum, she will tell me "NO" even if she just spots it in the closet.
Any costume I pick out for her, she did like the spiderman costume she saw in the store.

Livapalooza 2008 (Second forever family day)

Well yesterday began our second Livapalooza celebration. Liv has been home 2 years, some days it feels like yesterday she came home, some days it feels like we have never been without her.

We were suppose to start off the celebration with Apple picking, sorry John, Jenene, and Tyler for not making it. But with Vinay's travel schedule so hectic, Daddy really needed a day to just relax on the couch and pack for this weeks trip. So today was just a quiet day at home, followed by Liv's favorite meal edamama and miso soup!!!

This week will be full of fun things to celebrate the next five days!!!!







Minutes after she was placed in our arms forever!!!

Such a wonderful little girl she is, yet she has an old soul!!

Will work for candy

The weather has been so great here. So today I wanted to take some outside pic of Liv.
This is what this girl will do if you promise her candy!!!







Happy Friday everyone!!!!!!!!!

Prayers for a friend

Please keep Julia and her dear family in your thoughts and prayers as Julia's father unexpectedly passed away last night.

Julia is a loving, caring, generous, supportive, precious member of our blog family . Julia is always everyone's biggest cheerleader and a shoulder to lean on when needed. We now need to be her shoulder to lean on.
Please consider donating to Global Orphan Team in honor of her hero, her daddy. He was passionate and proud of his amazing daughter and the life-changing work GOT is successfully accomplishing in Guatemala.
Julia, our hearts and tears are with you.

First day of school (yes I know we're a month late)

"Hey it was my first day of school!!!"
A little yogurt drink, and an episode of Diego before school.
Still a sleepy head

Hamming it up outside of school!!!!!

Today was Liv's first day of school. I had started looking into schools in August, but then with my trip, I didn't want to send her as soon as I got back. So we waited. We visited a few, and had a hard time finding one that fit our schedule, did not cost the equivalent of a college tuition, and that was close to home. So the search came to a close and I brought myself to enroll her.

Now to say that Olivia and I are attached is an understatement. From the moment we get up till we go to bed we are always doing things together. If I'm vacuuming, she's pretending to vacuum.

When I'm doing laundry, she's opening and closing the dryer for me. You get the picture.

So separation will be good for both of us. But I knew it was not going to be easy.

We have been practicing with her dolls. One doll is the Mom and the other is the "baby" as Liv calls her. So I was making the Mom leave the baby at school and showing her that the Mommy always comes back. Liv would usually make the baby doll cry while waiting for the Mom. But I tried to reassure her that the mommy always comes back.

On Monday we tested out the theory. We went into school for a little while, and I left the classroom to go sign the rest of the paperwork. I came back after a few minutes and stood at the classroom door. She was sitting down to lunch, and her eyes were all puffy from crying. Then they put a big scoop of carrots in front of her and I saw her little lower lip start to quiver. My heart broke. On the car ride home I cried, she was fine and said she had fun at school.

Today Vinay and I both took her to school, when we pulled up, Liv right away knew, and said "Momma bye", I said yea but it will be ok, your gonna have fun and I tried to talk it up. In the class she would not let go of my hand, and I said "remember, just like with your dolls, Momma goes bye, but she will come back." Liv just looked at me. After a minute she went to go see what some kids were playing with. There are only 6 other kids in the class, so Vinay and I slipped out.

From outside the window I could see that the teacher was consoling her. I felt like the worst mother.

Was I sending her to school for her or for me. Yes she needs it to help build her vocal skills, yes she needs to be with someone other than mommy, and kids her own age. But yesterday when we were in Target, and she had thrown herself on the floor at the checkout, because I would not buy her candy, for a moment I could not wait to use my 2 1/2 hours twice a week to just get things done solo. I know, horrible mother I am!!!!!!!!

I only made it 2 hours before I was back in the parking lot, trying to see inside the classroom. Finally I went in, and there she was sitting chatting to a friend holding a cup of milk, no tears, no puffy eyes, just my sweet Liv. The teacher said she cried for about 15 minutes, then came up to her and said, "Momma and Dad go bye" The teacher said yes but they will be back later. And that was it no more crying, and she enjoyed herself the rest of the time. I was so proud of her I almost gave her a cupcake for lunch.

I drove home knowing that she could do it, that I could do it, and maybe this will all work out ok.

Then I started crying!!!