HAPPY BIRTHDAY BRENNYN (and Canada too)

Happy Birthday little one. You are the cuddliest, lovable girl. You love to give kisses and great big hugs. You do everything your big sister does, much to her delight. You watch everything and everyone all the time, you do not miss a trick. You are a very, very curious girl, which does get you into trouble sometimes!
Your laugh is the best sound I have ever heard, and it was so worth the wait (it took awhile before you felt like laughing). It's such a deep belly laugh that can't be faked. You are so full of personality, it's the first thing anyone notices and comments on.

Mommy is trying to hold on to her baby, because even though you weigh almost 35 pounds, I don't want to stop picking you up anytime you ask (and even when you don't). You have caught on to this fact, and use it to your advantage (not that I mind).

Your birthday will always be full of fireworks and red and white, and a holiday. You share a birthday with Canada and that just makes it extra special!

EDIT:Posted one day early, too much to do on your special day to be blog posting.

In two days my little girl turns 3. It's her first birthday home in Canada and it's actually on Canada Day!
I decided to keep the day low key and have a family party with both sets of grandparents. I'm going to attempt to make a butterfly cake, wish me luck. Of course, Avery greatly overestimated my cake making abilities and thought I should make a hungry, hungry Caterpillar cake or a soccer ball cake (although she finally admitted that the soccer ball cake would be more suitable for herself).

I was looking at Brennyn's referral pictures yesterday and just can't believe how much she has changed in 9 months. She has been through so many changes in her 3 years. I am in awe of this little girl. I just love her so much.

Is the World cup over yet?

Listen, I like soccer, honest I do. What I'm not enjoying is my husband watching soccer for 8 hours a day. Oh sure, he does work between games and says hi to the kids every now and then.
I believe he's actually annoyed he has to go to work (his two week vacation has come to an end), it's interrupting his game watching. Luckily for him, he is on nights and the games are on during the day. Next weekend, it's day shift so I think he may go into withdrawal. Actually, he'll just watch the games on the Internet when he gets home. Heaven forbid if someone tells him the score.

Anyway, the girls and I are taking off for the afternoon today. We are going to surprise a friend I haven't seen in years. I can't wait!!!

Fun times at the trailer again. First, we celebrated Grandpa's big day with a lunch, complete with a cake purchased by Grandpa himself. He had the lady write: Happy Birthday to Me. That's my Dad for you (I did offer to bring a cake, honest)!
The girls love their cake, does it show?

The girls loved the beach and promptly jumped into the water the first second they could. I swear, that water was so cold, or maybe I'm just getting old??
Before I knew it, 3 hours had passed.
Grandpa had to go home, apparently someone has to make a living around here. Grandma stayed up to visit with some of her "lady friends" as Avery called them.

At one point Avery was laughing and splashing Grandma's legs with water. While her back was turned, Brennyn (who doesn't miss a trick) quickly caught on to the water game and tried to soak Avery.

The Father's Day breakfast. I didn't get a picture of the mini chocolates and wine gums that were included with the meal.

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY

To my husband, Happy Father's Day. Hope you enjoy your breakfast in bed this morning, cookies to dip in your tea, strawberries and bananas. I'm breaking my fear of crumbs in the bed just for you!
We love you!!

Test results are in. It's a match, 99.99%. The pictures told the story way before the test results.
Never in a million years did I think this would be possible. I feel so lucky to have some answers for one of my daughters.
At least she won't always wonder "what did they look like"? Maybe that would not have been a question in her mind, but it was always in the back of mine as I grew up.

Time

Time is such a funny concept. I feel it slipping through my fingers, so quickly life passes us by. Yet, sometimes, especially when you are waiting for something life changing it feels like the clock is going backwards.

My baby is turning 3 in 2 weeks. We have been a family of 4 for almost 9 months. Last year at this time we were waiting anxiously for our LOA/LSC, while in China our file sat on some one's desk (because no-one called our agency to ask a simple little question). We have the distinction of having the longest wait time for a LSC at our agency (although we are tied with another family) ever. I really don't want to have to hand that title to another family, trust me!

Yet, here we are a year later, with time once again racing along. My oldest starts kindergarten in the fall. My youngest will go to preschool.

Can't we slow down the clock just a little?

Avery graduated from Teddy Bear School. Next stop, Jr. Kindergarten. Can't believe my little girl will be getting on a bus and heading to "big girl" school in September. She would have been good to go this year, except she was too young. Avery can count to 30, has the alphabet mastered, can even write a few words. I can't take the credit, that teddy bear school was great. It was a lab for high school students basically (kids who would like to be teachers or work with children). Each little child gets assigned a big buddy (the high school student). There is also 1 teacher and a ECE in the class.
Brennyn is signed up for September. Should be interesting since she is the polar opposite of Avery.

Anyway, there was a little graduation party at the school, caps and gowns included. The kids sang a few songs and said a sad goodbye to their buddies. Okay, Avery wasn't sad, she was too excited that her one buddy gave her a Mrs. Potato head (because that was Avery's favourite toy at school).

I also recruited Blair to bring the ambulance to school next year for the kids, nice of me wasn't it!

Picture by Avery

Conversations with Avery again:
Let me set the scene, Brennyn is at the bottom of the stairs crying. I ran into the room to see what's wrong.
"Arey hurt Bwennyn". Avery is trying to look busy reading her book.
"Avery, I said you would go to your room if you hurt your sister again".
"no mom, you said I would go to my room if I hit Brennyn. I stepped on her stomach I didn't hit her".

I did ask why she hurt her sister and her response was "because Mom, I'm still a little bit jealous".
That's the new excuse. Oh, and be sure that when you are talking about your children they hear everything you say (for example when you mention a little bit about sibling jealousy).

Picture time again

Playing in the rain, doing some crazy hair, and Avery's first soccer game all in one week!
Oh, and a children's store in town had all these World Cup shirts on sale for
$2,97. I could not believe the price and grabbed a couple. I was limited on what teams I could purchase since Daddy is such a fanatic about football (and some teams are a no-no).
My husband has booked his summer holidays around the world cup, I am not exaggerating on his fanaticism.
EDIT: I should mention that I would have bought a Canada shirt, but I believe that Canada has only made it to the World Cup once (don't quote me on that). Therefore, Canada World Cup shirts don't seem to exist.

I had a post in my edit section and have finally hit publish. Of course, I forgot that blogger publishes posts by the original date so my new post is now a few posts below. Is that a record for the number of times the word post is in a sentence??
Anyway, it is just me thinking out loud again, but I do feel that it is something that needs to be discussed. Although, I did hesitate on posting it.