Happy Birthday Ladybug!

Elizabeth & Grandpa

Elizabeth and Grandaddy having birthday cake

She was only interested in cutting her cake with the spoon and never ate a bit! What is the matter with her???

Her "boyfriend" Pablo-Pablo got alot of kisses that day!! If you notice, Pablo is bigger than she is-Ha!

Helping Daddy carry one of my presents!

Hello to everyone! Today is a momentous occassion around the MacDonald household!!! Elizabeth is 2 years old today!!! I can not believe our little girl has been in our lives for a whole year and is now celebrating her 2nd birthday with us. We were fortunate enough to have had her 1 week last year when her birthday rolled around. She didn't really get into her birthday last year, but is fully enjoying all of her new toys, new table and chairs, new Kitty cat stool, Play-doh, new Crayola Wonder Fingerpaints, Fisher Price cash register, Disney Princess phone, new Mickey Mouse DVD's, Bat n Ball Penguin, Backyardigans lunch box and many, many, more things and last but not least, a huge ballon of Pablo from the Backyardigans!!!

As you can tell, she got alot of gifts, LOVES, everything, and rotates toys frequently throughout the day. She also loves all the cards that came with each gift and carries them around in the Backyardigans lunch box and takes them out several times a day and "reads" them. It is too cute!

Happy Birthday baby girl, we love you very much!

Another memory from one year ago

I have to admit I have been very emotional today thinking back to one year ago that we became a forever family. I have had tears in my eyes off and on throughout the day as I think back to that momentous occassion! I look back on the videos and photos and realize what a tiny little peanut we actually received! Patrick said to me today "do you know where her outfit is that she was wearing when we got her?" Of course, I know where this outfit is!!!!

Here is a photo exactly one year later of our precious angel! It fits her now, and she is 3-4 inches taller than she was then and weighs about 5 to 5.5 lbs more than she did back then.

Pay attention to the diaper hanging out in the center of the pants. These are called split pants and this is what kids in China wear instead of diapers! They start potty training at a very young age?!?!

Life has never been so good!!! We love our little girl to pieces!

Until next time..............................................

One year ago today-we became a forever family

The first picture we ever saw of her!

One year later!-Can you believe it????

One year ago today we became a forever family! Can you believe it has been one year already since our precious baby girl was placed in our arms?!?!?! Here is a photo montage of how our baby girl has evolved into a toddler.

Dear Elizabeth,

One year ago today, in a very hot room, in Changsha, Hunan Province, People's Republic of China, you were placed in our arms and became our daughter. Daddy and I love you so very much and just can not imagine our lives without you. You have blessed us in ways that only a parent can know.

You have evolved into a funny, spicy, imaginative little girl, and now looking back on the pictures and videos from one year ago, I think you had all those qualities then, but Daddy and I just didn't understand it or recognize it! We are first time parents you know!!!

We promised then to feed you, cloth you, provide you with the best education and most of all, love you forever and ever. We pledged that then, and we continue to pledge that now. You are the greatest gift ever and God picked just the right little girl to complete our family.

We love you so much, Ladybug!

Mama and Daddy

China sister reunion!!

Hello all! We have just returned from a fantastic trip to Gatlinburg, Tennessee where we had a reunion with 4 other families that traveled with us to China. If you can believe it, we are approaching the one year anniversary of when we received our babies?!?!?! We have been talking back and forth for awhile about getting together for a reunion, and finally, were able to work out the details.

We all arrived on either Wednesday or Thursday and stayed until Sunday. We were fortunate enough to find a nice condo complex (thanks Tonya!) that had enough rooms for all of us. The condos all had 1 or 2 bedrooms and the same number of baths as the bedrooms, small kitchens and family rooms and best of all-views of the Smokey Mountains that were probably some of the best I have ever seen, seriously!!! Our particular condo looked out right over the valley into Gatlinburg and the tram that takes you up the mountain floated by many times a day right outside our patio. We saw 2 weddings while we were there right on the lawn outside our condo. And we heard both ministers say to the couples-this is the view everyone wants!

Each nite we had a potluck dinner in a meeting room on the property and each family brought a dish for the nite. The kids got to run around and play, the grownups finally got a chance to really talk. We didn't get to do too much of that in China because we were all overwhelmed with new babies at that time!!! Then each day we wandered into Gatlinburg, drove around the area, and then as a big group we all went to the aquarium on Saturday. We really had a great time and feel like we packed alot into 4 days. We are ready to do it again, and seriously hope we can make this an annual event. We missed the 2 families that were not able to be with us this year, but I sure hope they know they were spoken of fondly, and they were really, really missed.

Here are the pics, which I know is the only thing anyone really cares about! Ha! Stay tuned for the next post here on the blog as it will be about our 1 year anniversary for Gotcha Day!!! Can you believe it, one whole year with our beautiful baby girl, where does the time go?!?!

Until next time..................

Can you see the view of the mountains behind us?? Gorgeous!!!!

Lia and Elizabeth-does anyone else think these 2 girls look alike???

Kelly enjoying some time outside on the lawn

Beautiful Bella-looking like she is getting a little tired of all the picture taking!!!!

Amanda and her mom, Jamie-do you think these 2 look a little happy????

Molly, the greatest big sister ever!!!! She is really Kelly's big sister, but let me tell you-she can be Elizabeth's big sister-ANYTIME!!! This kid rocks!

Ok, so don't tell Elizabeth's daddy, but Elizabeth has a SERIOUS crush on Lia's little brother-Jackson!!

A re-creation of the famous red couch photo taken in China almost one year ago!!! We think we even have them lined up in the order they were on the original photo. Please reference the post on this blog dated around July 29th or 30th for the original pic and see how much these girls have changed!!! Here is their names in the order they are seated from left to right: Kelly, Elizabeth, Bella, Amanda, Lia

Eating Lunch (1 photo), by Jennifer MacDonald

I'd like to share my Snapfish photos with you. Once you have checked out my photos you can order prints and upload your own photos to share.
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Little jealousy.....Grady and Elizabeth (1 photo), by Jennifer MacDonald

I'd like to share my Snapfish photos with you. Once you have checked out my photos you can order prints and upload your own photos to share.
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Aunt Janet reading me a bedtime story.... (1 photo), by Jennifer MacDonald

I'd like to share my Snapfish photos with you. Once you have checked out my photos you can order prints and upload your own photos to share.
Click here to view photos

First all day adventures with the babysitters!!!!

Well, does this give you any idea on how Elizabeth's day went when my sister and her husband babysat for the day??????

We had a busy Saturday with a baby shower for Jennifer and then a wedding later in the day for both Jennifer & Patrick to attend.

My sister and her husband graciously accepted the request to babysit so we could attend these events, thanks Janet and Randy!! I have to admit I was a little apprehensive about leaving Elizabeth, and actually had a nervous stomach most of Saturday morning. This is really the first time we have left her for any big chunk of time. We did go to a movie in November for a couple of hours, and our neighbor across the street watched her on Good Friday for about 6 hours. But this was the first time we were literally away all day. We left at 12 noon, and returned home around 11 pm. Elizabeth did not miss us at all, and we kept very entertained and busy with her aunt and uncle.

I think Janet and Randy also had a great time, but I know they were exhausted by the time they got home!!! However, we appreciate the babysitting services and hope they are up for another day in the future. If you are wondering-Elizabeth never cried, grumped or whined for us. She ate her meals like a champ, went to bed without a fuss and let Aunt Janet wash her hair too!!! Patrick and I have decided she hates us now, and wants to live with Aunt Janet and Uncle Randy full time!!! That will never happen but she clearly enjoyed herself and didn't miss us a bit!!

We are gearing up for the 4th of July. Jennifer has to work for the weekend and Monday-boo hiss! Oh well, as Nike says-Just do it!!!

Until next time............................