Photo time with Mommy

I always loved photographing children, but now having my own daughters, a lifetime dream, seems to bring new meaning to my passion. In fact I have forced myself to not edit, but instead capture their innocent and pure beauty!

Of course Shelby seems to like the camera and has developed her own little poses for the camera.  There's the head tilt, the "i have no idea what you are saying look" and "i'll do what my sister is doing" pose!

And for those that know Kira, she's sooooooo dislikes having her pic taken, I have to plead with her, which doesn't help the situation any:)) Then she too has recently developed her own photographic style which is very unique to her personality.

Kira has perfected "the princess pout and pose", the "cheeky smile so Mommy will let me chew gum"pose and the "I'm actually having fun" candid pose.  The later is my personal favorite of course.  These days I'll take anything from the girls since they are growing like weeds and I want to capture every precious moment.

Everyday I look at these beautiful faces and say to myself "I can't believe they are my daughters"!  When I see the joy in their eyes, I feel the excitement and joy of being their Momma.  I am so happy and thrilled that they are slowly beginning to acknowledge one another as sisters.  Kira calls her "sweetie" when she hurts and has offered up her favorite dolls.  And Shelby just continues to look up to Kira and follow her moves, even Kira's spicy "foot stomping" lol.  It's all good and all fun to observe!

My daughters sure know how to raise parents!!!

You girls are so loved.

The Beauty Beyond a Photo

"The Laughter of girls is,

and ever was,

among the Delightful

Sounds of the earth."

Author: Dequincey

So I keep telling Kira that I need some photos of her to send to her baby sister and last week she agreed to go on a photo shoot in the woods (actually) the golf course.  I would be happy if she let me do this every day, but I'll settle for every few months if I can capture images such as these.  Honestly, while I was working on them I couldn't help but think how cute her face is and then I started thinking about the second part of her surgery that will most like change some of her facial features.  I told my husband I'll let them close the palate, but "that's it"!  I love her nose and three dimples and the way she smiles and makes squinchy faces at me.  But for now I want to enjoy everything about what makes Kira so special.  Her physical beauty captivates me daily, but the beauty within her astounds me.

Kira has a way of making everything fun!

 These are her "Surprises" big sweet baby kisses for Mommy!

And of course there is her famous pouty face, but love it:))

Every now and then I capture a glimpse of the young woman she'll become and

she just has a way of melting my heart.  

At 39 inches tall and barely 30 lbs, she's still just my pint sized sweetie who delights me with her play, wisdom and her enthusiasm.

As Mother's Day approaches, this child reminds me daily how very fortunate I am to be HER Mommy!

Tiny Dancer

A few months back we were in a store and Kira was playing with a jewelry box with a little ballerina twirling atop it.  She asked me what it was and I tried to explain.  So for the coming weeks she expressed in her words, "I want to be a ballereen".  So what's a Momma to do, why of course start ballet classes! Not sure if she was enjoying this new venture, I asked if I could photograph the girls as they practiced for the upcoming Holiday show.  What impressed me was how much fun Kira was having, spinning, twirling and inter-acting with the other children.  It was so cute to watch them I couldn't help but smile the entire time.

The day of the show I made sure that Kira received official "stage pampering", you know the updew, facial makeup, sparkles, mani/pedi and matching lipstick and body sparkles.  It was fun putting on her makeup, she even enjoyed mascara.

Then the dancers were called to line up and head to the stage down the hall.  I grabbed my gear, ran to the theatre just in time to see them perform.  AND THERE SHE WAS, my little Sugar Plum, STAGE RIGHT...just standing there looking for me, the entire performance!  Well at least she didn't run off the stage (they had stage catchers just in case)!  She proudly and gracefully bowed to the audience as everyone clapped and promptly fell asleep in the car on the way home.

Ok, first, you pay careful attention to the dance teacher,

Then you think "should I eat my pb and j or get in front of a huge crowd and cry:))

Then again this is a pretty Ballereen Dress

So she carefully observes the other dancers, takes her friends hand, and then...she dances!

in perfect form, at home!

That's my girl, I so love you.

Fall is in the air, Finally!

EITHER IT WAS ONE HOT SUMMER OR I'VE BECOME VERY HEAT INTOLERANT! I'M JUST SO HAPPY TO FEEL THE COOL FALL BREEZE AND SLEEP WITH THE WINDOWS OPEN AGAIN.

THE LAST FEW DAYS WERE SO PRETTY AND WINDY, KIRA AND I MADE A FEEBLE ATTEMPT AT KITE FLYING YESTERDAY AND THEN WE BROUGHT OUT HER 12 INCH BICYCLE AND WENT FOR A LITTLE RIDE, OR I SHOULD SAY SHE WENT FOR THE RIDE. SHE'S SO LIGHT THAT THE WIND BLEW HER CLEAR DOWN THE BLOCK! GUESS I SHOULD HAVE MADE THE TOT RIDE INTO THE WIND!

WE ARE GEARING UP FOR A NEW PRE-SCHOOL PROGRAM THREE DAYS A WEEK AND SOME MAJOR SHOPPING FOR CLOTHES, FOR KIRA OF COURSE. MY LIGHT WEIGHT HAS GROWN AND I THINK HER PUDGY BABY THIGHS ARE NOW OFFICIALLY TODDLER MUSCLES. SHE'S 37 INCHES TALL NOW WEIGHING IN AT A WHOPPING 28 POUNDS! BUT DON'T LET THAT FOOL YA, SHE CAN LEAD A 100 POUND DOG AROUND LIKE A COUPLE OF POODLES.

KIRA'S WORLD:

THIS CHILD CONTINUES TO AMUSE AND AMAZE ME AS I AM PRIVILEGED ENOUGH TO WITNESS HER DAILY ANTICS. SHE HAS BECOME QUITE PROFICIENT AT STORY TELLING AND WILL BEGIN A SENTENCE WITH "REMEMBER THE OTHER DAY WHEN..."

I JUST LOVE IT AND HAVE NO IDEA WHERE SHE GOT THAT FROM. SHE UNDERSTANDS THAT I HAVE NO CLUE HOW TO GET SOMEWHERE WITHOUT A GPS, WHICH IS QUITE EMBARRASSING (ESPECIALLY WHEN SHE HAS TO TELL ME TO TURN AROUND). SHE KNOWS HER ADDRESS AND CAN WRITE HER NAME WHICH IMPRESSES ME BECAUSE ON ANY GIVEN DAY I CAN'T REMEMBER MY OWN PHONE NUMBER!

HER LOVE AND GENEROSITY CONTINUES TO BLOSSOM AND SHE UNDERSTANDS THAT "SHARING MAKES US HAPPY" on most days!

FAVORITE TOYS:

MY iMAC

THE PRINCESSES DOLLS

DINOSAURS

BINOCULARS

PAINTING AND COLORING (ALL OVER THE WALLS, CARPET, HERSELF)

JUMPING ON THE "PRAMPOLINE" AS SHE CALLS IT (I THINK TODDLER LANGUAGE IS SO CUTE).

FAVORITE TV SHOWS:

DORA AND DIEGO

OSWALD AND WEENIE

BACKYARDIGANS

ELMO

FAVORITE MOVIES:

SHREK

SHREK

SHREK

AND SHREK 2

ARIEL

NEMO

AVATAR

FAVORITE BOOKS:

ANYTHING PRINCESS OR MERMAID RELATED

BARON AND FLUFFY

DO LIKE A DUCK DOES

THE POUT POUT FISH

GOODNIGHT MOON (MY ALL TIME FAVORITE)

FAVORITE FOODS:

MAC AND CHEESE!

PIZZA

CHICKEN FINGERS

YES IT WAS A SWEET SUMMER FOR SO MANY REASONS. I AM HAPPY THAT AUTUMN IS IN THE AIR AND BOTH KIRA AND I ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO NEW ADVENTURES.

I LOVE YOU SWEET, PRECIOUS KIRA!

How to act like a real Princess

MY LITTLE TOT JUST LOVES DRESSING UP LIKE A PRINCESS...EVERY DAY THAT IS! YEP, WHO NEEDS TO SHOP NOW WHEN ALL SHE WANTS TO WEAR IS HER PRINCESS OUTFITS. I SO ENJOY WATCHING HER AND STILL WONDER WHEN SHE DEVELOPED THE FASCINATION OF DRESS UP. DORA HANGS OUT IN SHORTS, ELMO IN RED FUR AND THE KAI LAN ALSO IN SUMMER GARB. PERHAPS SHE IS EMULATING ME:))

YOU DEFINITELY NEED THE SMILE AND NECKLACE.

THEN A MUST IS THE ATTITUDE!

HOWEVER, EVERY PRINCESS HAS TO WEAR LIPSTICK (SHE DOES A PRETTY GOOD JOB AT PUTTING IT ON TOO).

NOW OF COURSE YOU PURSE THOSE LIPS AND MAKE SURE THE COVERAGE IS EVEN!

"Children put a twinkle in your eye and a smile in your heart" Author Unknown

Two Years ago today I became a Mommy!

HUNAN, CHINA 2008

I HONESTLY CAN NOT BELIEVE THAT IT HAS BEEN EXACTLY TWO YEARS WHEN WE TRAVELED HALF WAY AROUND THE WORLD TO MEET A TINY BABY NAMED MENG. BY THE NEXT DAY WE OFFICIALLY HAD ADOPTED HER IN THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA AND NAMED HER KIRA ISABELLA. IT TRULY WAS AN AMAZING JOURNEY THAT I WILL NEVER FORGET!

IT WAS THE END OF A WORK DAY FOR ME IN THE CARDIAC CATH LAB AND MY HUSBAND CALLED AROUND 5PM TELLING ME "YOU JUST BECAME A MOM", I GASPED, RAN OUT INTO THE HALLS (WHERE MY CO-WORKERS WERE) AND SCREAMED "I AM A MOM!" THEY ALL THOUGHT I WAS OUT OF MY HEAD, AFTER ALL NO ONE KNEW ABOUT THE ADOPTION AND THEY ALL THOUGHT MY DOG HAD PUPPIES! I THINK MANY WERE SURPRISED. ACTUALLY I HAD NO IDEA WE WOULD GET A MATCH AFTER WAITING OVER A YEAR AND THOUGHT IT WOULD BE AT LEAST ANOTHER 6 MONTHS TO ANOTHER YEAR, BUT WE CHOSE TO ADOPT THROUGH OUR AGENCY'S CHILD OF PROMISE OPTION AND THIS TINY INFANT NEEDED A CLEFT LIP AND PALATE REPAIR.

AS WEEKS WENT BY, I KEPT GOING OVER THE DETAILS, MAKING SURE ALL THE PAPERWORK WAS IN ORDER, VISAS, ETC. TO THOSE WHO KNOW ME WELL, THAT WAS A FEAT IN ITSELF BECAUSE I AM NOT THE MOST ORGANIZED PERSON IN THE WORLD AND IN FACT, I WAS LATE FOR MY OWN WEDDING! BUT IN JANUARY 6, 2008 I WAS UBER ORGANIZED AND EARLY.

THE MONTHS PRECEDING THE ADOPTION WERE FULL OF EXCITEMENT AND ANTICIPATION. WHILE IT WAS THE FIRST TIME FOR ME OVERSEAS, I JUST COULDN'T GET TO CHANGSHA FAST ENOUGH. MY HEART WAS IN LOVE WITH A PICTURE WE RECEIVED IN LATE OCTOBER AND AT THAT TIME SHE WAS ONLY 5 MONTHS OLD. I STARTED TO WORRY LIKE ANY EXPECTANT MOMMA, HOPING SHE WOULD BE OKAY AND NOT FALL OUT OF HER CRIB OR WONDER WHETHER SHE WAS BEING HELD IF SHE CRIED OR IF SHE WAS STANDING, WALKING. WHAT WORDS WAS SHE SAYING? SO MANY QUESTIONS THAT WE REALLY NEVER HAD ANSWERS TO UNTIL WE SAW HER AND THEN THE MONTHS OF WAITING AND HUNDREDS OF QUESTIONS JUST FADED AWAY AS MY EYES WERE FIXED ON THIS LITTLE GIRL, BUNDLED IN FOUR LAYERS OF CLOTHES AND SMILING AS WE APPROACHED. SHE COULD STAND WITH HELP, BUT WASN'T WALKING YET. SHE HAD TWO TEETH AND A SOFT VOICE. HER FEATURES WERE PETITE AND DAINTY, SHE WAS SIMPLY THE MOST BEAUTIFUL CHILD I HAD EVER SEEN AND I WAS INSTANTLY IN LOVE! MY HEART WAS BEATING FAST BUT SO WAS HERS, MY EYES WERE FULL OF TEARS; AND SO WERE HERS. I HELD HER TIGHT BUT SHE WANTED NOTHING TO DO WITH ME AND KEPT LOOKING AND REACHING FOR HER CARETAKERS. I TRIED TO COMFORT HER, BUT SHE SCREAMED EVEN LOUDER. IN FACT SHE CRIED FOR HOURS TILL WE GOT BACK TO THE HOTEL AND I PUT IN A CHINESE LULLABY CD AND SHE LISTENED INTENTLY TO IT. IN FACT SHE STOPPED CRYING AND STARTED TO LOOK AROUND AT HER NEW WORLD. FROM THAT DAY FORWARD, ALL HER NEW EXPERIENCES WERE ALSO MINE!

THIS CHILD, MY DAUGHTER HAD GIVEN ME SUCH AN INCREDIBLE GIFT, THE GIFT OF MOTHERHOOD.

I WILL ALWAYS BE GRATEFUL FOR THOSE WHO HELPED, INSPIRED AND KEPT MY DREAM ALIVE!

YOU ARE SO LOVED MY DEAR CHILD. I HOPE YOU WILL ALWAYS KNOW THAT!

LOVE,

MOMMA

A Bit of Sass and Silliness

I LOVE THIS FACE!

I SAID MOVE OVER!

YOU GO FIRST DOG!

AWH, HER BEST FRIEND!  THE BIG DOG WITH A BIG KISS FOR KIRA

I'VE FALLEN AND CAN'T GET OUT !

FIRST INTRODUCTION TO TREE CLIMBING AND AWAY SHE GOES!

YOU WANT ME TO COME DOWN!  WELL COME AND GET ME MOMMY!

I LOVE THE WAY THE TREE SEEMS TO BE THE FRAME IN THIS PHOTO.  SOMETHING CAUGHT HER EYE, PROBABLY AN ANT!

IT'S BEEN PRETTY RAINY THIS MONTH SO THESE PHOTOS WERE TAKEN A FEW WEEKS AGO.  I CAN'T COMPLAIN ABOUT THE RAIN, IT JUST MAKES THE GARDENS AND GRASS GREENER FOR A LONGER TIME, BUT IT DOES MAKE FOR SOME INTERESTING ENTERTAINMENT FOR A 2 YEAR OLD.  

KIRA'S LANGUAGE ACQUISITION HAS STEADILY IMPROVED.  NOW SHE'S SAYING SENTENCES, YELLING AT THE DOG, ASKING FOR THINGS AND REFERRING TO HERSELF AS "ME" OR "KEE".  SHE LOVES HER DOG RECCHI, BUT LOVES BOSING HIM AROUND MORE (AS YOU CAN SEE).  

I FOUND HER SINGING THE THEME SONG TO "ELMO'S WORLD" AND SILENTLY LAUGHED AT SHE DELIGHTFULLY AND PROUDLY BELTED OUT THAT TUNE!

POTTY TRAINING IS ON THE BACK BURNER FOR SOME REASON, BUT HEY, SHE'S BUSY LEARNING TO SPEAK, CLIMB AND RECENTLY COUNT TO 9.  SHE'S ALSO ENGAGES IN PLAYING MOMMY TO ELMO AND HER STUFFED KITTY AND WRAPS THEM UP IN TOWELS AND PLACES THEM IN HER BED TO SLEEP.  

SHE'D RATHER BE OUTSIDE ALL THE TIME AND LOVES WATCHING THE BUNNIES HOP ACROSS THE GRASS.

TRULY GROWING BY LEAPS AND BOUNDS, I AM TRYING TO CAPTURE SOME OF HER PERSONALITY WHICH DEFINITELY IS A COMBINATION OF SASS AND SILLINESS.

I AM SO PROUD OF THIS CHILD, WHO CONTINUES TO BE SUCH A SWEET AND SENSITIVE LITTLE GIRL THAT CONTINUES TO CAPTIVATE THE ATTENTION OF HER ADORING FAMILY.

Rain Rain go away!

A sunny Spring Day!  Amazing, the rain has finally subsided, at least for a while anyway.  Even Kira has been saying "outside" Mommy.  I think it's kind of cute that she asks to go outside because one of the first things that I recall from her social evaluation in You Xian was being fond of the outdoors.  And so she is, just like me:))

The past few days we've been playing and watching the flowers start to peek out of my little garden.  The grass is so green and the remnants of a cold winter are now long forgotten.  I almost can't believe that it's Spring, but every where you look there's pretty reminders.

I have neglected my blog and for good reasons.  My sweet daughter usually must have most of my attention, which makes it difficult to blog and keep up.  In addition, I am pursuing my love for photography and have been practicing diligently, which I find is quite time consuming.  Howver, it's so worth it and I can't wait to capture more photos of Kira.  Currently, she runs from the camera or turns her head and who could blame her:))  My good lens requires that I get right up in her face and I guess I would be put out too.  Give her a ball, elmo and a few skittles though and I think she'll cooperate.  Now I need an assistant to direct the light (as I now know from the Pixel Fairy Princess Workshop).  

A skip, hop and dance for Daddy

SMILING SWEETIE

JUST ONE MINUTE HERE! (HER EXPRESSIONS JUST MAKE ME LAUGH)

ME AND MY BEE 

AS YOU CAN TELL KIRA'S VERY EXCITED TO SEE HER DADDY!

DADDY'S HOME!

OKAY, I HAVE TO ADMIT THAT I WASN'T QUITE IN THE MOOD TO EDIT ALL THE PHOTOS, SO MOST OR SOOC.  I JUST HAD TO POST THEM BECAUSE SHE LOOKED SO STINKIN CUTE AND I JUST LOVE HER SOOOOOOOOO MUCH!