We Interrupt This Sabbatical...

...to let you know about a blog give-away (that I am hoping to win!!!)

Gift of Curiosity is one of my favorite pre-school blogs. If you subscribe to her emails she provides free printables that my girls LOVE.  We bought the do-a-dot markers and they have such fun with them!  She has amazing ideas and is a tremendous resource.  Now she's give me the best idea yet!

My ideal plan is to homeschool our girls all the way through.  Of course we'll take it year by year (semester by semester?!) and child by child.  But all things being equal, I hope home-schooling will best serve our family.  That being said, if I were to consider traditional school at all, it would be one year in a Montessori preschool!  I love Montessori and have seen how incredible it can be when taught accurately.  Many people (including Montessori schools) mistakenly believe the materials are the driving force of the Montessori Method.  In fact, it was the process of using the materials that was her true genius.  Students gather their trays, sit down, slowly and methodically lay out their materials and complete the activity, then they slowly and methodically clean up the materials before returning it to their proper place.

That doesn't happen in my home.

Perhaps it's their young age (2.5 and 3.5) or the many distractions in our home, but we are not even close to being so purposeful and careful with our materials.  So I feel the girls might truly benefit from exposure to the Montessori method.

However Gift of Curiosity's post today might be a game changer!  Katie described a 12 month on-line program designed to teach educators the Montessori method and even certify them!  Why did it never occur to me to look for such a course!  I've bought and read a couple of books, but they focus more on the materials, not the method or overall concept.  I'm so excited a course like this exists!  And to make it even MORE attractive, Katie is hosting a give-away of one course!  Not even kidding!   I sooooo hope I win!

Our Construction Unit Sensory Bin

TWO Sweet for Words!

Dear Gianna,

You are TWO YEARS OLD!  And you really are TWO sweet for words.  You have grown so much in the last six months.

Last day to be  ONE!

For starters, you are no longer in diapers!!!  You potty trained yourself at just 21 months.  And you truly did it yourself.  I was reluctant.  You'd ask to go all the time and I'd often discourage you!  But you persisted until I realized you were serious!  We took off those diapers and never looked back!  You like "privacy" in the bathroom though.  You attain this by pulling the sheer shower curtain in front of you.  Hey- whatever works!  One night, I went to check on you sleeping, and discovered you had removed your pants and pullup!  You were still dry, so I stuck you on the potty before redressing you.  Even in the middle of the night, half asleep, you maintained your "privacy" with the shower curtain!  You crack me up!

We also had our last nursing session.  This was very difficult!  We nursed until you were 23 months.  I really wanted to make it to two years, but it was time.  Nursing was your greatest comfort, which is why we kept going for so long, but you quickly adapted when it wasn't available anymore.  In fact, you now wake up ravenously hungry!  I have to have breakfast ready when you wake up or you just can't take it!

Nursing you was one of the hardest things I've ever done, but I'm so grateful I stuck with it and pushed through all the difficulties.  It added so much to our relationship.  Some of my favorite memories with you are looking into your eyes while you touched my face.  You're just so sweet and precious!  I treasure you, Gianna!

You're becoming more verbal, but you really know how to communicate.  We started watching Signing Time and you have picked up so much!  You have 75 signs, including helicopter, flower, Elmo, share, firefighter, color, and hungry.  (You sign "hungry" several hundred times a day!)  You even make jokes with signs.  You'll sign "Mama" (thumb on chin, fingers extended), "Dada" (thumb on forehead, fingers extended) (both accurate ASL signs), then "Abigail" by putting your thumb on your nose!  Haha!  It cracks you up!

You also have this fake laugh where you THROW your head back and kind of cackle!  It's so funny!

Many, many times a day, you review the members of our family.  "Mama, Dada, Abba, Gigi...all!" One time you left yourself out, and I reminded you.  Now it's your greatest joke.  "Mama, Dada, Abba...all!...GIGI!!!!!"  You're so funny!  And you love to make us laugh!  Here you are playing "PEEK-A-BOO" in the linen closet!

We turned your carseat around a few months ago!  Again, I tried to make it to two, but you were not having it!  Anytime longer than 10 minutes in the car and you were hollering!  You've loved facing forward.  And look how sweet- you and Abigail holding hands in the car!

In preschool we have been focused on colors- first color sorting and now color recognition.  It was so fun to see the light go on with color sorting.  It happened while sorting pom poms with the tubes taped on the door- see the top right picture.  For a while, you'd put them down any tube.  Then suddenly you realized there was more to it!  After that you always sorted colors correctly!  

From top left clockwise: 1) Painting (or eating piants!), 2) sorting toys by color, 3)sorting pompoms by color,
4) sorting pompoms using tongs in muffin pans for fine motor practice 5) autumn play dough
6) scooping and pouring popcorn kernels- your favorite thing to do is scoop and pour ANYTHING!

You are ON THE GO!  You keep up with your big sister, and that's no small feat!  You love soaring on the tire swing with under-dogs!  You dance and practice handstands!  You're learning to ride your tricycle, too!  And you learned how to jump AND gallop in the last 6 months!  You're especially proud of your gallop!  When you run, you kick your left leg out to the side.  It is SO cute and SO funny- but I am wondering if I should be concerned as you always do it!  And let's not forget your happy dance.  Several times a day, you bust out in this two step bounce/jump.  It's precious.

You're developing very strong opinions!  The ladybug outfit below was your outfit of choice for a few months.  I couldn't wash it fast enough!!!  You had a tiny ladybug barrette, too, but it fell down the drain sadly.  You'd always point to the 3 ladybugs on the front, then the big ladybug on your bottom, then, once acknowledged, do your happy dance.  

Here are some things that make you mad!  Grrrr!

1. I often don't do things fast enough and you're a little impatient with me.  For example, when I put your hair in pigtails, you start fussing at me to work on the second pigtail while I'm still on the first!  You're afraid I'll forget every time!  Grrrr!

2. When you feel a twinge of hunger and I don't respond fast enough.  However, this has led to trouble, as I've realized you only want grains when hungry.  Typically we eat at 8, 12, 3 and 6:30.  So when you start complaining hungry at 10, I'll offer you a piece of fruit, but what you really want is BREAD!  Grrrr!

3. When anyone throws off your routine or your sense of how things belong.  Only Daddy can sit in certain chairs and certain cups or prayer books are only Mommy's.  You make it perfectly clear how you feel about anyone deviating from these norms.  Grrrr!  

Cutest. Tiger.  Ever.

Other dislikes:

1. Fruit- until a few weeks ago (after you turned 2, actually) you wouldn't touch any fruit other than an avocado.  Suddenly you like bananas, apples and oranges!  
2. Taking baths.  You love the pool- but won't sit down in the bathtub.  Showers are okay, until it's time to wash your hair.  It's not pleasant.
3. Clearing your plate from the table. It was a battle 3 times a day until recently.  You're starting to cooperate!
4. Animals- you're scared of all animals- even our baby chicks- until one day you walked out back and picked up our full grown chicken!  After that you loved tormenting the chickens!

Wearing my old Strawberry Shortcake Raincoat!

Other likes!

1. BABIES!  You LOVE babies.  
2. Naked time (before pjs).  You ask to be naked several times a day!
3. The Melissa and Doug vegetable cutting set and the Fisher Price tea pot.  
4. Watching Mommy cook and looking for scraps to eat along the way!
5. Scooping and Pouring- especially water.  You're ALWAYS filling up cups or pots with water and pouring them back and forth and back and forth.  It makes such a mess!  
6. ABIGAIL!!!!
   
7. DADDY!!!
   

Other "Gianna-isms"

• You think every biracial girl in every commercial or advertisement is Abigail.
• You think it's hilarious to "wipe off" our kisses!
• You're cautious, even shy around new people.
• You don't like to perform- even for me!  I can rarely get you to echo a sound or word.  It makes practicing your speech very difficult!  
• You pat our backs when we hug you or pick you up.  It's so sweet!
• When I hold you on my shoulder, you lift up your head and insist I put a blanket down first.  Sorry my shoulders are so boney!
• But once the blanket is down, you lay down your head and tuck your arms in against my chest.  It melts my heart every time.  

You are our dream come true, Miss Gianna Lu, and we LOVE you!!!  We are so over-the-moon in love with you and incredibly grateful for you.  Thank you, God, for Gianna!!!!

Love,

Mommy

Jumpin' on the Advent Train!

Over the last few years, I have become more and more aware of my lack of Advent, but I have struggled with how to rectify this.  While living in Florida, we tried to avoid Christmas music and putting up the tree.  The problem was we would travel for the holidays, and end up not even getting the tree or ornaments down from the attic!  In fact, I haven't seen my ornaments since 2008!!!  Needless to say, I was not happy about this situation, and became quite bitter with the idea of Advent.  In fact, I vowed this year we were putting up the tree December 1!  Then I relented a little and accepted Gaudete Sunday as a compromise.

But as Advent came closer, I decided to make a purposeful plan for the season.  This will be our first Christmas in our home!  Still planning on putting up the tree, I investigated what I could do to make the season more meaningful.  We decided to do a Jesse Tree.  This was helped greatly by my new friend, who hosted a Jesse tree ornament party!  We used the paintings she did for each day and mod-podged them on to wooden ornaments painted silver. They're beautiful and very classy looking.  Since I have all these beautiful ornaments to hang up daily, it seems choppy to interrupt that flow, so I relented to decorating the tree Christmas Eve, and I'm now quite excited about it!

Advent is about making room and preparing for the Lord.  It's about simplifying your life and making room for the Spirit.  It's about identifying with and caring for those least among us.  In this spirit, I decided to embrace a month of simple suppers.  We will have 4 vegetarian meals a week.  This will provide more time (less meal preparation!), more money, and hopefully more thankful hearts.  My goal is to shave $140 off our grocery budget in order to buy 1 goat and 2 chickens from the Heifer Project.  I'm really excited about this aspect of Advent for our family!

Finally, I read a great idea about using Advent to prepare for Christmas by way of baking!  (Food always speaks to me!)  We'll make Christmas cookies and such during Advent and freeze them.  Then during the twelve days of Christmas, we'll have special treats and a movie every night after dinner!!!

What I can't let go of (at least this year) is Christmas music.  In the last few years, I've tried putting it off, but it just doesn't work for me!  I miss it so much- and would find myself "sneaking" it!  Or I'd listen to Frosty and other such secular tunes- which does nothing for the true meaning of Christmas for me!  So at least this year, we'll start listening to Christmas music December 1.

Here's our Advent plan- day by day.  Some are holy.  Some are just fun.  How much do I love that Advent begins on December 1 this year!

1. Set up the tree with lights, begin the Jesse tree, pray with the Advent wreath, introduce the Good Deeds manger, Set up the Nativity Scene (minus Jesus and the wise men), begin simple suppers, introduce children's books, begin Advent reading Watch for the Light for me.  
2. Introduce the Little People Nativity Scene.
3. Play with gingerbread play dough and nativity scene cookie cutters.
4. Make yarn wreaths.  
5. Marshmallow snowmen.
6. Saint Nicholas Day!  This will be our first time to celebrate it.  We'll put out our shoes for some candy and read Saint Nicholas books.  It's pizza night, so we'll watch Veggie Tales Saint Nicholas: A Story of Joyful Giving.  
7. I'll set up a wrapping station of dollar store wrapping paper, bows, and tape.  They can just have fun with it.
8. Paint globe ornaments.  
9. Do a chore to earn $1.
10. Take $1 to the grocery store to buy a canned good for the poor.
11. Choose 3 toys to give to a child in need.
12. Our Lady of Guadeloupe!  Tomie dePaola's story and a Mexican fiesta!
13. Create Santa Lucia wreaths!
14. Santa Lucia party!  Turn on the outside Christmas lights in honor of Saint Lucy.  (Lucy means light!)
15. Snow Paint!
16. Bake Christmas cookies!  Choose one to eat and freeze the rest!
17. Salt dough ornaments.
18. Choose 3 books to give away to a child in need.
19. Hand/foot reindeer
20. Make cards to take to a nursing home.  
21. After dinner, put on pjs, pack thermoses of hot cocoa and drive around to look at lights.  (Ideally this would be during the 12 days of Christmas, but there's a reason we won't wait 'til after Christmas for this.)
22. Host a Happy Birthday Jesus party!
23. Make reindeer food!
24. DECORATE THE TREE!!!!!!!!!!!!  HANG UP OUR STOCKINGS!!!!!!!!!!
25. CHRISTMAS IS HERE!!!!!

So daily we'll have

• Simple suppers
• Advent wreath lighting and prayers
• Advent calendar stories/readings
• Jesse tree readings/ornament
• Christmas/Advent books available
• Children's nativity set and magnet set (at dollar tree!!) available.

For more craft or preschool ideas, follow me on Pinterest @ Magnify the Lord with Me!

This is our plan.  But all that being said, I read a great blog post today about always choosing relationship over that "great" activity that will make you go crazy.  She writes, "Always choose the relationship with your kids over the Advent activity that makes you scream. Always choose the Simple over the Pinnable."  Advent is about simplifying life, not complicating it!

I'm super excited about Christmas AND Advent this year!!!

Now I'm looking for ideas for the 12 days of Christmas!  Any suggestions?

Happy 3rd Birthday, Abigail!

Dear Abigail,

Oh, my precious girl.  You are three.  Three wonderful years have come and gone so quickly, and I find myself frantically asking myself, "I only get 15 more years of this?!?!"  You are such a gift.  You are our dream come true.  Here are some things I want to always remember about you at this tender age.

YOUR BIG HEART!!!

You have such a big heart and tender spirit!  You have so much love spilling over, that you have several close "friends" who are the constant recipients of your love!  Rosie, Baa, "Big Bird", Cheer Bear, Mickey and Minnie are your favorite friends.  (Note- "Big Bird" is the large Minnie Mouse.  I have no idea why you call her Big Bird, but you insist we all do as well!)  You take your friends on picnics in the game room, serve them tea, and read them millions of books.  You're such a good little Mama!

But there's noone you love more than your sister!  You are fiercely protective, loyal, and tender-hearted towards your little sister.  When she's fussing in her crib before I can get to her, you run in to comfort her, bringing your beloved Rosie to share.  I hear you say things like, "It's okay!  Mommy's coming!  Deep breaths, calm down...!"  This morning as we headed to MOPS the first time, I had expressed concern about Gianna's not being afraid or upset during childcare.  In the car, I heard you praying.  I looked back and you had your hands folded, head bowed, and were fervently praying, "Dear God.  Please take care of Gianna and help her not be upset and know that you are there and Mommy will be there soon.  Amen."  Be still my heart!

 YOU are ACTIVE!!!!

You never stop!  And the things you can do are pretty impressive!  You love ballet and gymnastics.  You can do the splits (middle), an amazing straddle jump on the trampoline, donkey kicks and you're working on your cartwheels and handstands! Woah!

When we signed you up for gymnastics, there was a summer camp going on.  We watched the big kids from the observation deck and it was amazing.  I felt like I was at the Olympics.  I ooh'ed and ahh'ed and you were transfixed.  On the way home you were silent.  You didn't say a word about what you saw.  I was a bit concerned that I'd signed you up before you were ready, but the minute we got home, you ran to your room, put on your leotard, ran to the game room and began attempting all the tricks you'd seen!  You asked me to youtube backwards rolls and you practiced and practiced!  (You've almost got it!)  The same reaction occurred when you watched Gabby Dougless's 2012 Olympics routine.  You were so inspired!

PRESCHOOL!!!

We've begun a loose preschool curriculum at home.  It gives a nice structure to our day and I love seeing your ahh-ha moments!  We're working on fine motor skills (mostly to build muscles to develop a pencil grip) and 0-5 number recognition.  We do lots of sensory exploration, and you're helping me teach Gianna her colors!  You love, love, love, love, love jigsaw puzzles- and you're crazy good at them!  You can do 48 piece puzzles with intricate borders.  The most impressive part is your intense focus while doing a puzzle.  You zone everything else out, and are attentive only to your puzzle for a solid 20 minutes.  It's eerily impressive!

1) Sorting toys by color, 2) stringing cheerios on spaghetti, 3) creating ladybugs with chocolate chips by number
4) Working on a pencil grip, 5) Washing the baby- your favorite sensory activity, 6) PUZZLES!!!

Other LOVES and "ABIGAIL-ISMS"!

When interviewing you for a "I'm 3"-questionnaire, I asked you, "Who's your best friend?"  You said, "DADDY."  It's easy to see why!

 DRESSING UP!!!!  You're forever changing clothes and pulling everything out!  The good thing is you've figured out where everything goes, and when I do your laundry, you get it out of the drier and put it all away!

You've got style.

I wish I could capture your absolute joy for life!  Your spirit is so ALIVE and joy-filled!  Your laugh is contagious and you lift all of our spirits up!

Other LIKES:

• Raw vegetables.  Cucumbers, bell peppers, and cherry tomatoes are you favorites.  When I give you a sandwich with your veggies, you always eat your veggies first- then maybe your sandwich.
• Books- your favorites are "Going on a Bear Hunt", "Angelina's Birthday", "Corduroy", and anything you can quickly memorize!  You love to read to your sister and stuffed animals!
• Sign language- we got some DVDs for Gianna and you're so into them!  You've got about 40 signs, including library, helicopter, Jesus, doctor, motorcycle, and police officer!
• Tormenting the chickens.  You find ways- dump water on their head, throw leaves or their food at them.... every time you run away hysterical with laughter.  We're working on it.  :)
• Collecting the chicken eggs!  You go out and do it all by yourself!  Such a big girl!
• Walking like a big girl at the store!  No more cart for you!

This day is coming all too soon!

Using your pipe cleaner rosary you made!

Your INSULTS!
When you're really mad at me, you yell, "I hope you go to the doctor and get a SHOT!!!" or, my personal favorite, "I hope you go to the beach and put your FACE in the water!!!"  HAHAHA!  Love that these are the worst things you can imagine!

One of many faces you treat us to!

Quotes:

• "Aminals", "Yesserary", and my personal favorite "Crack-eroni".  (I'm inclined to agree with that one!)
• Me: "Blessed Chiara, pray for us. Saint Gianna, pray for us..."  Abigail: "Saint Mommy, pray for us!"
• While playing doctor: "I'm Doctor Seuss!  Want a shot?"
• Me: "Abigail, why is the toilet paper all wet?"  Abigail: "Oh...oh...oh...it's wet because...it's not dry."
• While "cooking" in your kitchen: "I'll add some sea salt.  Mommy, do you know sea salt?  Sea salt is one of my favorite things."
• After learning grapes turn into raisins: "Mommy!  Let's put this (almond) outside and it will turn into a STRAWBERRY!!!"
• "You want to hold me?  I'm so precious to you."
• "I want a sandwich, please.  Peanut butter, avocado, and tuna."
• After being asked how girls and boys are different: "Well boys...don't do anything."
• Abigail: (randomly) "Remember Jesus?  He died on cross."  Me: "That's right.  He died for Abigail, so you can go to Heaven."  Abigail- reflecting on this: "I want to go to Disney World."

It's been an interesting year for hair!  Mommy's working hard to learn how to care for your hair!

Every once in a while, you conk out!

Sleeping beauty!  My love!

 Our nightly song:
"I love you, baby Abigail, you are my dream come true!
and all the time I hoped and prayed, the holy Father knew...
that you would be my daughter, that I would be your Mom.  (kiss, kiss)
And Abigail, my Abigail, to my heart you belong!

I love you, baby girl.  Happy 3rd birthday!

Give-away Winner!

Winner of my first blog give-away is...

drum roll, please...

MARIA THERESE!!!!

Maria, I sent you an email, but just in case, email me your address so I can get the book to you!

Thanks to all who entered or supported the give-away!

Gianna: My Bright Light

My precious baby girl turned 18 months last week!  EIGHTEEN!  One and a half!  It's so hard to believe.  Cliche as it sounds, it just goes so quickly. 

 Gianna, you are growing bigger, stronger, smarter, and more opinionated every day!  You love to eat- the messier the better- and insist on avocado sandwiches every day.  You push the little chair over to the counter and watch me make it.  (Are you making sure I do it right?)  I add the salt and garlic, then taste it.  You clap twice and point to the fork, so I let you taste it, too.  We agree it needs more salt (always) and finish making it.  I love our little routine.  

You devour pizza.  I've seen you eat more than me and as much as your Daddy.  It's pretty amazing.  If there is pasta around- you're on it.  You dive into the pasta, then cry if I don't give you more.  I try and try to explain to eat your chicken (or whatever) first, but you begin to fall apart.  Eventually I pick you up and hold you in my lap.  You calm down, and reluctantly eat the chicken, then immediately clap for yourself.  We clap with you- and give you more pasta.  :)

Spaghetti is your new favorite.  I'm going to have to start making two boxes worth of pasta, you eat so much.  You've just discovered the dry pasta in the pantry.  I think I'll have to rearrange the entire pantry just so I can move it to a higher shelf.  You stand at the pantry door grunting and pointing.  I play dumb, but you're no fool.  You get your point across, then cry when I close the pantry door.  

You're such a carb girl.  The minute you see me kneading the bread dough, you start begging for bread.  One day you were begging and begging and begging.  During nap time it had cooled enough so I cut it and spread jam on it.  You woke up first, so I showed you your highly coveted snack.  You refused to eat it and were trying to tell me something.  Finally I realized it was Abigail- so we went and woke her up.  She came, sat down and started eating.  You still weren't satisfied.  You started making the sign of the cross. We prayed.  Satisfied, you ate.   I just adore you, Gianna. 

Banana crepes.  I think you died and went to Heaven the first time I served them.  (2 eggs, 1 ripe banana, some cinnamon and vanilla- thank you Kaitlin and Karen!)  You shove them in your mouth, pick up your plate and RUN to the stove, grunting for more.  I can't cook them fast enough!!

You've just recently turned into a water baby.  This is shocking to me, because you are quite skeptical of bath time.  You tolerate it as long as you can stand and play.  The minute I start the hair routine or get you wet, you come unglued.  But once I started watering the vegetable garden, you became enamored with the hose!  You get drenched and laugh hysterically!  

We set up a baby pool and put the little slide into it.  You LOVE it.  You slide down with gusto, getting completely submerged.  The first few dozen times you'd run over to me to dry off your face, but not anymore!  You blink the water off, run around to do it again.  And again.  And again.  

Speaking of climbing- you do it non-stop!  You climb the sofa, you climb on the bed, you climb on to the rocking chair to dive into your crib.  You're a total rock star at the playground.  We make all the other mothers nervous as they watch me let you do your thing.  You climb up complicated ladders and zoom down the slides. And I can't push you high enough on the swings.  I run under you for an "underdog".  You laugh hysterically!  You're starting to branch out to a big girl swing!  You love being such a big girl.  

You're Mommy's big helper!  You go running when you hear the drier buzz.  You fill up the basket, slam the door shut and try to help Abigail carry it in the game room to fold it.  You insist it goes in the game room- even when it's sheets for my bed or towels that need to be hung back up.  Nope.  The basket goes in the game room.  Clearly.  

When we get home from the grocery store, you love to carry the quarts of goat's milk in the house for me.  Back and forth you go, focused on your task. You also like to unload the dishwasher, handing me plates and standing on your tippy-toes to put the silverware away.  

It's so cute to watch you play!  In your little kitchen, you get right to work.  You put a pot on the table, and intently shake the salt and pepper inside.  Then you stick it in the microwave.  (I groan inwardly and think, "Have I taught you nothing?  Slow food, darling, slow food."  But every time, it goes in the microwave.)

One of your favorite games is "Looby Loo".  You grab a pillow from the sofa, throw it on the floor and look at us expectantly.  "Looby loo?" I ask?  You nod and smile.  We dance around the pillow 'til you're over it.  You also love ring around the rosie, but it's not as cool, 'cause there's no pillow, of course.  

You and Abigail love to dance.  #1 on your favorite CD is "When the Saints go Marching In."  For some reason you both decided the correct way to dance to this song is to grab a book, hold it up over your head, and march around the living room in a circle.  Every time.  I don't get it, but you both love it.  

You're incredibly observant.  I recently noticed you know what each of my make-up items is used for.  You put the brushes on you cheeks, lipstick tube (unopened) on your lips, and mascara (unopened) on your eyes.  You also just started joining us for our family Rosary in the evening.  Within a couple of days, you got the set-up.  I put your pjs on and you take off running to the living room.  You get the rosaries out and assign one to everyone.  Abigail picks her own, you like to change it up, and you give Daddy a different one each night, but mine is always the same, and you make sure I get it, plus my devotional guide.  You know the difference between the Magnificat, which I pray in the morning, and the Rosary guide, which I use in the evening.  They're kept in the same drawer and are the same size, so I'm quite impressed with this.

I began going to MOPS in January and you had a rough transition.  The first several times they had to page me to come get you.  That slowly turned into, I'd hand you off, but you're scream for a few minutes.  Then, one day, you went willingly!  I always check on you- and you seemed to be having fun!  One day, I needed some advil from my bag, but I didn't dare show my face to get some.  The leader from my Bible study volunteered.  She went to the nursery and was digging through my bag when she suddenly froze and looked over.  You were standing there, staring at her, watching her every move.  Very quietly  she abandoned ship and left!  

If anything is out of place- you know it.  You can't stand Sunday evening and all day Monday when the trash cans are out.  It drives you CRAZY!  And if you see any kind of spill, you take off running to the laundry room to get a rag, then clean it up.  It's awesome.

Other loves:

• BUBBLES!!!
• squeaker shoes.  You were QUITE upset when you outgrew them.  If I put any other shoe on you, you'd stand up, stomp a few times, then glare at me, as if to say, "These don't squeak!!!"
• Checking the mail- especially opening the mailbox.
• your Gianna book- a book I made of you week by week.  You LOVE to get it out and see the pictures of you as a baby.  (Note- you never get out the Abigail book- just Gianna.)
• the Disney scrapbook I made on shutterfly.  You turn to the page with your new Pooh doll, and point.  Then to the picture of Daddy.  Then to the picture of the castle all lit up.  
• The Itsy-Bitsy spider followed IMMEDIATELY by 2 little monkeys.  Recently began requesting "She'll be coming round the mountain" thanks to Abigail's obsession with it.  And you can dance to "If you're happy and you know it."

Other "not-so-much's"

• Brushing your teeth- pretty much impossible.
• Putting on your shoes- always a fight.
• Changing your diaper- don't get me started.
• Hair bows- or really getting your hair done at all.

And you LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE your sister!!!  You girls have begun playing together in a whole new way, including getting into TROUBLE!  Your favorite thing to do together is climb into your crib and crack up.  I'm not sure why this is such a great game, but you both do it.  

Your sister, Pooh Bear, and nursing seem to be your 3 favorite things in the world.  I thought we might have to give up nursing for a while, but am glad we can keep going.  It's your greatest comfort in life and I'm content to let you continue.   It's the only time you are still in my eyes.  Your free hand always plays with my bottom lip and I could just fall into your eyes.  I'm so grateful for you, Gianna.  You have stolen my heart and grown my love exponentially.  I'm totally and completely in love with my girl! 

My First Give-Away!

My phone has not. stopped. ringing.

Has not!

I stopped writing down names and numbers after the first couple dozen.  (Though I regretted that laziness tonight when we prayed for each couple by name before our Rosary!)

I talked to people who had never considered adoption, had been praying about adoption but not taken that first step, and people who were home-study approved and waiting.  I was able to answer questions about the adoption process, ease fears about open adoption by sharing our experience, connect people with our infertility/adoption network and help people take one step closer to their baby!

Fortunately/unfortunately I had to tell the majority that they think they've found him a family.  It's not official yet, as the birth mom and prospective adoptive parents have not talked yet.  But when I inquired how often a special needs newborn comes along, she said this happens at least once a month.  They're desperate for families.  

When I called the social worker on Tuesday to see if any couples had called her, she was in shock and awe. She couldn't believe the response and started rapidly telling me about other hard-to-place children.  (She seemed ready to hire me- haha!)  It got me thinking...

Reece's Rainbows is all the rage in our blog circle lately, and it's easy to understand why!  When you see those precious faces and read their heart-wrenching stories, you just want to scoop them all up and take them home!!!  And could I love their motto any more?  "Because every family deserves the blessing of a child with Down Syndrome..."  

The last couple of weeks has opened my eyes to the huge need we have at home, too.  There are two nice things about adopting domestically- age and finances.  You are often able to adopt a newborn, which is important to many people.  And the fees are remarkably lower.  The agency I have been working with the last few weeks is Gladney, and their special needs adoption fees are $6500 plus a home study.  That's an amazing price!  Plus the state of Texas will provide funding for medical and additional costs for eighteen years, plus college or trade school!  (I'm sure other states have similar programs.)

I'm certainly not trying to pit domestic against international- far, far from it.  I've been so inspired by some of you amazing bloggers and your fight in behalf of orphans.  Leila, Megan and obviously Carla, you are heroes to me!

When we first considered adopting this baby with Down syndrome, I did what I always do- I ordered books. One of the books, Gifts: Mothers Reflect on How Children with Down Syndrome Enrich Their Lives, has captivated me.  The chapters are only a few pages and tell a breathtaking story.  Page after page of women sharing how their child has blessed their family.  It's absolutely beautiful and takes the fear out of the syndrome.

I'd like to give this book away.  I've never done a give-away so am not sure I'm doing it "right", but I'm willing to figure it out to bless a family with this book.  Here's how you enter.

1. One entry for a comment left.
2. One entry for sharing on facebook.  (Leave a comment telling me you've done so!)
3. One entry for sharing on your blog.  (Again, leave a comment with the link.)

I'll use a random generator to pick the lucky winner on Saturday, June 8.  

Happy entering!