Halloween Fun!

Ashley was crying and way over it. She was a bit dramatic hanging her head.

Thank the good Lord for Cheerios!

Jake just looks a little too sweet to pull off a vampire:-)

The kids and I had a fun, but exhausting day! Bob is out of town unfortunately.  Jake and I carved the pumpkin while Ashley was napping today since we hadn't gotten to it all week. Then all the neighbors started our Halloween get-together at 4:00 for a chili party. Then we started trick-or-treating about 6:30. (Trying to get two kids ready to go by myself was a task!) The neighborhood kids have gotten together to trick-or-treat for the past 5 years or so and they LOVE it!

Jake wanted to be a vampire this year. This is his first year wanting to be something scary and it was fun. Ashley was a ladybug. She was not feeling the best from her cold and just being plain exhausted, so I didn't get any upright photos of her in her costume. She really didn't want much to do with it at all, but she was fine once we got outside with some Cheerios. :-) It was a chilly night and windy, but she was a trooper! She is one tough cookie from being carted around since she was born.

Ashley's Birthday Party

I asked Ashley where her tongue was. This is what she did!

This is what Ashley does when her baby cries.....so empathetic, huh?

Singing Happy Birthday.

Ashley was WAY too busy to pose for a picture with her brother.

.....and here goes the cake.

We had Ashley's birthday party tonight with our awesome neighbors. We are truly blessed to have such great neighbors (and friends) who have supported us and given us so much encouragement throughout Ashley's adoption. I really wanted them to be a part of her 1st year birthday celebration. Ashley is truly loved by all of them! One day I will be able to take out her birthday pictures (thanks to Cheryl who took them for me) and tell her all about the people we lived next to who prayed for her and loved her so much!

On a side note, this was my first attempt at making a fondant cake. I was pretty pleased with how it turned out. It was really fun planning for Ashley's birthday. I LOVE pink and brown, therefore I made that her "theme" for the party....along with her monogram. Hope you enjoy the pictures of our sweet girl!

Happy Birthday Ashley!

Today was Ashley's first birthday. We had a good day enjoying Ashley and all the memories she has brought to our family. She actually stood up a lot today on her own which was fun. She had a blast opening up presents, especially since "Bubba" was helping her.....that's what she calls Jake. She loved her babies the best, as you can see from the look on her face. She wouldn't let them go and tried to figure out how to hold them and push her stroller at the same time. She didn't want them IN the stroller. She always points to their eyes too. Then she points to their other body parts and then the same parts on her. (Most of the time she gets them right unless she is trying to be silly and points to her ear for every body part we mention and then cracks up laughing.) She is a ham for sure. She LOVES to be the center of attention and make people laugh. I will post more pictures on Sunday after her birthday party!

Opening up a birthday card.

Listening to the baby cry. She is learning to put the pacifier back in to make the baby stop crying.....or mommy hits the off button:-)

Pointing at the baby's eye.

Listening to the animal sounds. Maybe we can learn new ones besides the dog and cow:-)

How can I hold my baby AND rip that paper?

I still have her, even if it's by her foot:-)

Awesome, baby and paper!

How sweet is that?

Poking her eye:-)

Trying to push her stroller.

She LOVES to upack things!

Tomorrow's the Big Day!

Tomorrow is Ashley's first birthday! Today and tomorrow are so exciting for us and full of so many memories. This day last year, my mom and dad were up here to take care of Jake, and Bob and I were driving up to Boston to get our baby girl. It still makes me bawl just to think of it. I think I'm all done with the emotions of it and then I sit down to try and write something like this and I get all worked up again. I can remember it all like it was yesterday.

The drive was BEAUTIFUL! If you haven't ever been in the NE during Fall, you should go some time. We were both so full of emotions. So excited about seeing Ashley for the first time and yet nervous and wanting to be sensitive to her birthmom and the whole situation. So hopeful too that everything would go smoothly, yet not in control at all and nervous her birthparents would change their minds. We weren't sure if Ashley would be born the next day or in two days, because the doctor hadn't decided the induction date yet. Either day was great though, because Oct. 22nd is Bob's grandma's birthday and the 23rd is my grandma's birthday, so we knew that either day would be special. We checked in to the Marriot Residence Inn where we knew we would be staying for a couple weeks. We went into Foxborough by the Patriot's stadium that night and ate at a sports bar for dinner. We received the phone call from the social worker while eating that Ashley's birthmom would be induced in the morning at 8:00AM. There was NO sleep that night!

As excited and blessed as we feel, our hearts go out to her birthparents these next couple of days as I'm sure they remember back like we do, both with a peace in their hearts that Ashley is loved beyond measure, and with sadness that they had to give her up. After spending time with them throughout the adoption, it is impossible not to think of them. They are both great people. They are deeply loved by us and will always hold a special place in our hearts.

My Stylin' Girl

Home from Jake's baseball game.

What a cute little booty!

I had to post Ashley's cute little outfit today, courtesy of her Aunt Kimmy. Kim bought her pink baby Ugg boots and Joe's jeans for her first birthday. Outrageous I know, but SO CUTE!!! That's what happens when she is the only girl. (Out of all the grandkids!) She gets totally spoiled. I told Kim she is creating a nightmare (ok a few others have helped too) but later when Ashley is addicted to designer jeans.....she will have to go to her Aunt Kimmy to get a fix!

Bob in Action

Here are a few pictures of Bob in action. He was recently in Ohio and walked a parade with Biden. I know all about what he does, but I rarely get to see him at work. I love to see pictures of him when I can. These pictures were taken by a photographer in Ohio. It's so funny to see him being serious because he and many of his friends that are agents are NEVER serious! They are funny goofballs....and I mean that in the sweetest way:-)