Halloween was here!

AnnaLeisa was quite clear that she did not want Halloween and we decided we were going to "skip it...." Like we do bad music on the radio! But as the day came closer and I told AnnaLeisa there was a sign outside saying "No monsters allowed!" she became more half heartedly enthused. Daycare had a very low key party and she enjoyed the fun of dress up for about 5 minutes. When we arrived home from work and had 30 minutes for supper and then a possible quick stop at our neighbours I persevered with coaxing her to dress up. So off we went as some semblance of a "bear dog - named Yoyo". Well I could literally see the light bulb go off above her head when we stopped at our neighbors and she said "trick or treat" for the first time. You see AnnaLeisa had no association with Halloween and candy. Well I could not get her home. "Let's go to another one Mama!". So we did.. and the neighbours were so generous she was getting 5 at a stop. Sheeesh. So you can see from the pics she enjoyed her stash..... And was she excited about being out in the dark..... P.S. Note Lola in the last pic.

there is nothing like cake and ice cream

AnnaLeisa and I were invited to a friend's pool birthday party! Bao is eleven years old so we had fun with the older kids in the pool and then consumed energy in the form of cake and ice cream. Yahhh... good ole sugar. AnnaLeisa looks wonderful in these fully engrossed photos consuming cake with her eyes and anticipating the ice cream with fully devouring looks. She scrambled right in there to the front of the line and I loved watching her. She is not what one would consider shy.....

snippet

As a prelude one needs to know that Annaleisa loves loves loves tatooing her body. It can be with marker, stickers, paint or actual tatoos that wash off. In any event her favorite passtime is to color her body, or yours. The other day AnnaLeisa and I were going to daycare and work... it was after a long hiatus without seeing the moon. It was dark out and she saw the moon in the early dark hours of the day. She stood in the backyard with her arms outstretched and proclaimed loudly "moon! moon! I missed you so much, I am soo happy to see you, come on down and I will give you a big tatoo".....

made my day.

Brett's Visit

AnnaLeisa's cousin Brett was here for a week in the summer... boy did we have fun. It was great to have such a beautiful young man here to play and enjoy our home. thanks Brett.....
considering he is used to daily surfing the Atlantic ocean with his brother's he was somewhat landlocked here in the prairies. All I could do on a hot day was offer him the Legislature fountains for water while he was here.... Truly a different land for a fellow who is part fish.... or should I say dolphin?

Calendar pics

I have been creating a 2009 calendar for our travel group who all met in China in Oct of 06. It has been really fun to see the pics arrive and to compile a calendar including all of the girls. I have yet to see the final product but in the meantime I took oodles of pictures of AnnaLeisa .... here are some.

Autumn New Moon Festival

The New Moon Festival was on Sept 14th this year and a group of us went for Dim Sum to a local favorite. It was nice to have some noodles, dumplings and chat. We also remembered the spirit of the holiday through a Chinese connection who was able to send AnnaLeisa's orphanage some New Moon Cakes. It seemed a nice idea to let the nannies know that we think of them highly and are grateful. Also that we consider them AnnaLeisa's ancestors. The orphanage then sent us back a photo; I was excited as I thought it would be a photo of them but it was a photo of our present. I was pleased to hear back and surprised. We included a picture of AnnaLeisa and myself so they could see us in our joy.
Again we thank them.....

Fog and friends

Nice to beach it at the places Derek and Colin were Lifeguarding. We felt quite cared for. The water was remarkably warm for this coast and time of year so we could jump in and play for lengths of time. AnnaLeisa was too frightened to go near the water and fair enough. Interesting to see all the other children who are so accustomed to the surf play in the vigorous waves. Maybe next year? I love the coast and the sea and the intensity. It is the place to be for me in the summer. And we had some time with AnnaLeisa on Grandpa's boat. The one of many many lakes in the metro area.

A Very Belated Post -

Gosh we are Late with this post and it is so worthy of putting online. We had a marvelous time in Nova Scotia for 3 weeks this summer. Mom and Dad arranged for us to spend some wonderful family time in a cottage on the South Shore near Peggy's Cove. You can see the glorious rocks and stones .... and for those of you that know AnnaLeisa that is truly her medium.

I will post a series of shots so you can see family and how much AnnaLeisa had grown and changed from the previous summer. We love going 'home' and spending time in Nova Scotia with family. Thanks everyone!

And another little party for all of AnnaLeisa's adult friends

So Sunday morning I invited many of my friends who were at AnnaLeisa's welcoming to come for her birthday. All of her aunties and uncles who have loved her in so many ways. She knows each of them intimately and she sees them often. We love what each of you brings to our life. AnnaLeisa firstly played with her Dora Car and then we were outside again. Coffee and watermelon.

It is not complete to finish our birthday postings without remembering and acknowledging all of AnnaLeisa's China birth family. I was in bed at night with great gratitude and of course with much poignancy.

Birthday Party!

AnnaLeisa had a wonderful birthday.... and I think I can do the birthday Mom thing?! It all came together when the weather was 28 degrees and a little pool for the 4 Three year olds was a success. We decorated little chocolate cupcakes and all in just played and chatted with the parents. For all that AnnaLeisa knew of birthdays I am sure we could have had very little and she would have been happy but the celebration and the "making of special" was important. There were no major meltdowns or problems with sharing ... just three children playing and playing... as they should.

AnnaLeisa's Third Birthday week end......

AnnaLeisa's birthday events started at Daycare where the party happened with all her friends at snack time. It was so fun to see her excitement and most of it was about the candles. Not just blowing them out by herself but also licking the bottom too!!!
After daycare everyday AnnaLeisa wants to "run in the field". Here you can see her long legs as she truly grows and grows in so many ways.

Paint Porfolios

AnnaLeisa has been immersed in paint. Daycare comments frequently at her art and we now have walls covered in out little home. I love watching her total body involvement and her concentration. I don't remember playing like that with color and with such imagination. Of course it does involve some cleaning and some bathing and the pillowcases are smeared in the morning but it is worth it! So we posted our recent images and can only kiss those little cheeks and smile in admiration... or is it adoration?

Make a Smilebox postcard