"They know not what they say......"

Have to share this story, right after reading A Special Family's run-in with a tacky e-mail I had a run-in with a tacky lady. Yesterday we had the entire entourage together to go for a quick grocery stop. The girl's really enjoy the grocery store and love to name and identify all of the produce and grocery items. We ran into a beautiful elderly lady, who I knew immediately (Mommy radar), was itching to come over to say something or other to us. She approaches and starts off swimmingly by exclaiming how beautiful S+A are and asked what their names were etc. The usual bullshit stuff. Alyssa responds appropriately by crying. Nice, very nice comments yeah. This is the point where I always hold my breathe and wait for the "other" type of questions. If you have adopted internationally you know the kinda questions I mean. The kind you would NEVER think to ask another living creature but for some reason think it's okay to ask parents who have adopted internationally. So here comes the question, "where did you get them?" I walked off in efforts to secure a ripe luscious cantaloupe for our dinner and left hubby to deal with the nice, elderly lady's nosiness. Urghhhhhhh
After hooking back up with hubby and kids, DH informs me that the nice, elderly lady had said that we will be blessed. Whatever. Hubby believes that her tacky questions were well-intended and she was being sincere, hence, "she knows not what she says". Yes, I agree HOWEVER, what kind of effect are these types of questions going to have on Sophia and Alyssa? Yes, I can handle them, but what about them?
Should I quickly divulge all private information (read none-of-your- business) to spare my children from those questions?
So something like: "Yes, Sophia and Alyssa are beautiful, and their beauty comes all the way from China". Get my drift? I am at a loss...I just want to protect my kids from these nice, well-meaning people and what about the mean bitchy ones????

Just A Year

Sophia modelling her new swimsuit in 2006 (left), and today she is still able to wear it. (We do remove the pants before swimming )

Neighbourhood walks have a whole new meaning in 2007 (right picture) vs. 2006 (picture above).

Nonno can manage to hold only one the girls on his birthday in 2007, which in this case is Alyssa. In 2006 Alyssa uses a pacifer, today she uses her thumb.

When we were waiting for our girls, a year was an eternity. Now that we have our girls, a year was like the blink of an eye. This is absolutely the truth. If you are a family-in-waiting I encourage you to really enjoy those long luxurious baths, the walks with your husband after the sun sets, the romantic dinners, the uninterrupted "quiet" times with your spouse, spontaneous get-aways, and visits with friends. Maximize and relish those trips to the hairdressers, manicurists, pedicurists, unique gift shops and especially the MALL . Yes, even the visits to the doctors, dentists and other such appointments need to be appreciated. Because I am telling you that the word spontaneous as it relates in your present world will not be the same after you receive your little one. Double this if you are hoping for multiples. Your lovely child (ren) is /are going to be all consuming and you, who used to be first, will now somehow become last on the list. And when you get your child cherish every minute because they will grow up so fast right before your very eyes. If you can stay at home longer, (and that is your thing), do it. I did and I am not the SAHM type but I saw every little developmental milestone that S + A experienced. I don't regret it for one minute. I feel that I deserved to be a full-time SAHM longer as my justification for the rivers of tears I have cried trying to get to our two angels.

Our trip to Collingwood last year, precisely one year to the weekend this year...exemplified that time is clearly flying bye and just how quickly our girls are growing up.

Last year the girls were mainly crawling everywhere, standing up with assistive devices, taking a few baby steps, napping twice a day, not eating on their own and not talking. Fast forward to this year, the girls are walking, running, jumping, talking (2-3 word sentences), singing, eating on their own crawling out of their Pack N' Plays, napping only in the afternoon, drawing, colouring, blowing kisses, giving bear hugs, and the list goes on.

They are truly toddlers now, no longer babies and a part of me misses the babies I once had. This stage is also fantastically fun and entertaining but I just wish time would slow down, (sorry to all the waiting parents), just a wee bit for these little tykes Too much "growing up" for mommy to handle in "just a year".

Post Partum Depression

Post Partum Depression Forms, aka Post Adoption Placement Forms........the all too familiar 6 and 12 month PAPF are officially done and in the mail. Yipee....happy dance..........all paperwork is over!!!!!!!!!!! Think double paperwork for twins and then you can appreciate my exuberance...............I know, I know, the 6 month is WAY late...I'm blameless......social worker even included blame on herself in the report. Pre-adoptive moms and dads make note to self to get a FAMILY picture of ALL of you at the critical 6 and 12 month time. Not always on the list of priorities but important for your post partum depression forms.