Tutu Cute!

These girls are just Tu Tu cute!!! A friend of a friend makes and sells these matching tutus and hair accessories. Meghan (or as Grace calls her, May may) was doing some modeling for the upcoming website. Grace some how ended up in a tutu and bow also! It wasn't planned so she isn't completely pulled together for a modeling shoot :) If you are interested in a set, you can email dashinglildiva@gmail.com.

For now, I just had to show off these Tu Cuties!

HAPPY EASTER!

We had a very nice Easter! We went to church and then headed up to Brad's parents' house. Grace loved her Easter basket, but didn't get into the egg hunt at home. Luckily the Easter Bunny hid some eggs at Mimi and Poppie's house and Grace finally caught on and did great finding her "eggys". The weather could not have been better and we all had such a nice day!

Easter Eggs!

**** Can't believe I forgot to post this ******
April 22, 2010 was the day the judge said "Da" to us and we became Grace's parents!!!!! Awesome day!!!! Time is flying!!!!

I am not usually a fan of dying Easter eggs. I do it every year, but solely for the kids benefit. It always becomes such a mess and I usually end up frustrated and yelling at everyone :) Neither Brad or I were looking forward to the mess ahead of us with Grace involved. But we actually had a really nice time. No major messes involving dye! We were all together and it felt special this year having Grace home and dying her first Easter "eggys"!



Grace loved dying the eggs. She kept saying "pee pee" (That would be "peep peep" for the chick inside the egg) She had a tendency to drop the egg a little hard into the bowl, but there was only one casualty :)

Not happy that we were all out of eggs for her to dye.

Ohhh, they are so pretty!

It would be so nice to hold one.

Thinking it over

Really wanting the pink egg.

Got it!!

Grace is 2! We're off to the Zoo!

Our baby girl turned 2 today! We feel so lucky to have been able to spend the day with her. Last year we had cupcakes and thought about her in the orphanage going about her day like it was nothing special. Today was VERY special to us! She will never be alone again on her birthday!

We went to the zoo and had a beautiful day! Grace loves animals and was truly so excited to see them all today. She did a lot of walking (even though we had the stroller) and never seems to get tired. We stopped at Rita's for ice cream on the way home and then our birthday girl took a wonderful nap. We finished off her day with Chinese take out and birthday cake!

Happy Birthday, Gracie! We love you so much!!!!!!

Here Grace is screaming "Ma" so I wouldn't miss the lions. She screamed, "Ma, Da" and pointed the whole day.

My boys :)

Watching the zebras and yes, she did almost fall in :)

Grace LOVES zebras and was really looking forward to seeing them.

Waving and saying, "Hiya"

So excited after throwing a penny into the fountain.


Grace's first pony ride! Mommy nearly had a fit when they wouldn't let me walk around Grace. I thought Grace was going to freak when the lady came near her, but when she asked Grace if she wanted to see her pony, Grace went willingly and loved the ride!

Poor little pony :( He thought when he woke this morning it was only going to be toddlers again.

Here Grace is announcing "tail". She has to point out tails and eyes on all animals she meets!


Playing in her new tunnel

You should see what these boys have been doing with the tunnel :)

We had a lot of leftover cake from last weekend, so I just froze it and we did a redo this weekend. I could not bring anymore cake into this house! Grace hasn't been successful as of yet with the blowing out of candles, but it isn't from lack of trying. This time she added a little mist to it to see if that would help :)

The girl just wants to eat her cake!

Grace's Birthday and Baptism

We have been so busy around here lately. I'm finally finding some time to get caught up and have several posts with all our happenings. The biggest of them all was Grace's Baptism (FINALLY). We had some issues when we first got home since we never got the baptismal certificate from Russia. Well, we now have one.... from the U.S. I can't even believe how good Grace was the WHOLE DAY! No tears, tantrums, naughtiness! She was surely a huge fidget in my arms during the ceremony, but she did remarkably well considering a strange man (Father Brownholtz) kept touching her on the neck, forehead, and head. He even asked to hold her! He got a very strong "No" out of Grace on that one. But she was awesome! We then came home to celebrate her upcoming birthday. We had balloons, cake and presents! She will be 2 this coming weekend!

I learned something over the past few days. I spent so much time shopping, cleaning, and cooking to make this day special for Grace. When all she really wanted was my attention and time. She didn't care if she had a party and for several days I had very little time to give her. With Grace's upcoming birthday weekend, we are going to stay low key as a family of five and just be together. We will go to the zoo, since she LOVES animals. The day will be about Grace!

Grace is such a little lady! She just doesn't get why we all don't want to see her chewed up apple.

It's a Baptismal Miracle! Looking at the camera AND smiling!

Ryan and Emma.



The priest was so nice and let the boys participate and help.

Grace wasn't crazy about being leaned back, but didn't mind the water. It looks more traumatic that it was :)

Todd lighting the baptismal candle.

Uncle Todd and Aunt Denise are Grace's Godparents


Dora (Da Da Da) and Diego (Go Go Go) are very popular in our house these days!

Blowing out the candles! I swear!!! Those cheeks aren't from the cream puffs :)

Eating her cake and looking so pretty (even without a smile:)