Forever Family Day 2010!!!

Forever Family Day 2010

Wow how time flies by. It is so hard to believe that our little girl is now four and a half years old and that as of yesterday, she has been a member of our family for four years. This day is so special for us all on so many levels, it is the first time that we became a family, the first time that we met our daughter, the first time that the nanas got to meet their grand-daughter, and also the best birthday I have ever celebrated. Yes, as the fates would have it, my baby girl was handed to me on my birthday, the best present I have ever received in my life. Daddy even joked at one point during that first day while he was holding the Ladybug, "Little girl, you have now made it impossible for me to ever do anything extra special for your mother for her birthday, ever again. I will Never be able to top you!"

The Ladybug and her referral photo.

A Ladybug, then and now.

As with each previous year, we celebrated our special day by going to a wonderful Chinese restaurant. This year was different though, we are now a family of four! The Butterfly thoroughly enjoyed the evening. She loved the food, and enjoyed helping mommy open a couple presents (looks like she is going to have a Blast on Christmas!). Since the day is so special for the Ladybug, she also received a couple gifts, a new art kit for her never-ending love of all things artistic, and a Chinese dragon puppet that we brought home from China just four months ago. Her favorite gift was hands-down, the dragon. She walked all over the restaurant practicing her puppeteering skills with her new toy. My favorite gift... tickets to see the musical Grease next week when a touring Broadway production comes to town. Cannot wait!

The Butterfly at dinner.

The Ladybug getting ready to eat.

Silly faces!

After dinner I started to clean up the baby Bug so that we could open some presents.
I started by wiping her hands, her face, then lastly her bib.  As I was wiping it down, I came upon some things that had fallen into the pocket in the bottom.  This is a normal thing that I see whenever I clean her up, after all, she is a pretty voracious eater.  However, this evening there was something more... a spoon.  Apparently she was trying to take not only some left-overs home for later, but also a spoon to eat them with.  Hmmm, this story has a familiar ring to it... maybe Nana Shoo will remember!

Hmmm, leftovers and a spoon!

We did have another funny moment, this one was while we were waiting for our main meal to be brought to the table. The Ladybug was sipping her soup and savoring every slurp. Daddy leaned over to me and said, "Happy Birthday honey." I leaned toward him and gave him a really nice kiss. After a moment we kissed again, and while we were kissing the Ladybug looked up from her soup bowl and said, while rolling her eyes, "Mommy, since it is your birthday, you are allowed to kiss daddy. But only today!" Both Daddy and I laughed hysterically at the comment, then continued kissing. Apparently we just kiss too much! Oh well.

Forever Family Day, November 13, 2006

Forever Family Day, 2010

We took some photos after dinner of the family.  The photos above show my favorite original photo of us as a family in 2006.  I absolutely love how the Ladybug is looking at my necklace and gently touching me.  I also love how Daddy is so lovingly looking down at the Bug... finally a daddy, he could not stop looking at her.  The photo just below that one is the same pose, but taken last night after dinner.  Wow how things have changed, and yet how they have stayed the same.  Below you will see the transformation of our family over the last four years.

Forever Family Day, November 13, 2006

Forever Family Day, 2007

Forever Family Day 2008

Forever Family Day 2009

Forever Family Day 2010

When I look at my baby girl, I am amazed at how much she has changed.  The Ladybug is growing into creative, sassy, silly, intelligent little girl who lights up a room as soon as she walk in. She is caring, loving, and always concerned about how others are feeling.  I am so proud to call her my daughter, and I feel so lucky that I was the person chosen to be her mommy.  

Forever Family Day 2010

A Family of Four!

Thank you little girl for making me a mommy.

~~Aloha!