Adoption Help

I know we haven't updated in a while - we've been too busy doing fun stuff as well as getting ready for high-wedding-season! But this is important to me and calls for immediate attention!!!

Some of you may know this and some not, but my friend Rachel and her husband Brian have been in the adoption process for a long time - they started the process at the same time I was pregnant with Sophia. And Soph is about to turn 2. Obviously, they have waited a long long time and had some very difficult and unfortunate experiences throughout the process. Russia is currently considering closing adoption to American couples due to a recent incident with an adopted child, but truly, this would be a very sad ending for so many families about to be united. These children need families who will love and care for them, and I know that Rachel and Brian would be the best parents ever. So there is something that you can do.

Please sign this petition - it literally takes 1 minute - and will be delivered to Presidents Obama and Medvedev while they meet requesting that a child's basic right to a loving family not be taken away through the suspension of international adoption between the US and Russia.

You can read more about Rachel and Brian's adoption journey on their blog.

Ice Ice Baby

If this isn't a G-rated rapper, then I don't know what is! Here you see Sophia rockin' out to the radio, and her wardrobe choice . . . well that is alllll her!


Today the Crawford Grandparents arrive for some sunshine, Sophia love and good times!
Can't wait!

The Boardwalk - Sophia-style

We've been trying to take advantage of the February wedding-free weekends. They don't happen often! This past weekend we took a walk on the Malecon, and I swear I thought I took some photos of Pablo and I as well, but now that I look at them, Sophia seems to be the star in every one. Hmmm... could it be that she is cuter than us? So, here you go - a walk on the Malecon - Sophia-style.

Home Improvements

I never realized that maintaining a home in good shape was a full time job. Now I know.

Remember two days ago when our bathroom had a dirt floor?

Well, my husband has literally been burning the midnight oil to finish this . . . and soon! Let's just put it this way, we don't have a bathtub in our main bathroom and Sophia, well, she doesn't fit in the sink anymore! Haha! This is what it looks like today! And our tile arrived!


And . . . due to another rainy day in Vallarta (in March!?!?!?! What the heck!!?!?!), we actually got our new piece of framed art hung as well! Gosh I love red. (Don't mind the rest of the incredibly dusty house - what do you expect in a construction zone in which all materials are brought up through the main entrance?)

Question of the Day:

Is it always true that things get worse before they get better?

Ponder that for a moment.

Answer: In the case of my house and all-that-is-Mexican-construction, the answer is a clear and resounding "YES." Case in point, my bathroom. Which just a couple weeks ago was unfinished but an unfinished room. Today, my bathroom is not a room but more of a cave in the corner of my house. A very scary, dusty OH-SO-DUSTY cave.

In a While

This morning was a little different around our house! We got up 1/2 an hour earlier, played a little less and were rushed a little more! (This is going to take some practice!) Today is Sophia's first day at Daycare, known to her as School-with-lots-of-new-friends! She picked out her turtle shirt to wear on her first day and smiled big for the camera as she played this morning before we headed off.


I love the daycare. It is cute and bright and colorful and energetic and full of happy, smiling kids - which I'm taking as a good sign. Yes, we were the only two-parent drop off this morning; everyone else just pushed their kids through the door, smiled, waved and were off to work. We lingered. Took pictures. Watched her play. Oh, did I mention she took off immediately, running to play with her teacher Miriam and give the kids hugs? Not even a glance backward.




When it was time for us to go, we blew her a kiss and said, "Bye Soph! We'll be back in a while! Have fun!" And she responded, "In a while!"

So we've got an early start to our work day but will most likely be the first parents there at 2pm waiting to pick her up, and yes, we will most likely BOTH go to pick her up. Come on . . . it's the first day!

I'm 1 3/4 years old!

We did a similar post last year on this same date. So I thought we'd update!

This was me 1 and 3/4 years ago.


This was me last February 12th.


And this is me today!



I just keep growing!

On Monday, Sophia starts "school." We are enrolling her in an early-stimulation style day care from 8:30 - 2 pm three days a week! She is super excited every time we tell her she is going to make new friends; she claps her hands and shouts "amigos, amigos, amigos!" So I guess that means it is time. We have to pick up "school supplies" on Sunday - we've got a long list!