Get your gobble on

This was actually Hayden on the last day of school before break.  I think her turkey shirt turned out really cute!!

We  had a super QUIET and great Thanksgiving.  It was filled with food, fun, some family and a lot of stuff to get done(a smidge of drama, but we moved past it and didn't let it take away from the fun we had planned with Hayden)  We have special company coming on Wednesday and we want to be able to enjoy all things CHRISTMAS while they are here and not be worrying about things that need to be done.  I took almost no pictures over the holiday and have not uploaded what I did take....so I will work on that maybe tomorrow.  We did get to see an amazing ICE display and it was super fun and other than Hayden who has no body fat turning into a popsicle and seeming a bit catatonic after 15 min in the 9' degree temps she LOVED seeing Shrek in ice...2 million lbs of carved ice to be exact. 

Our tree is up and decorated.  I think it looks much better in person.  I am actually very happy with how it looks this year.  I have most of our indoor decs up and need to just get our outdoor ones up....of course it is cold here now.  Why didn't i do that last week when it was 80???

Anyway, while our special friends are here we have quite a lineup of Christmas activities on our list.  We may do more in the 5 days they are here than we normally do in a year!!!  Should be a blast and should have some very cute pictures. 

Christmas came a little early at our house

For months Hayden has been saying she was asking Santa for a cat with brown fur and white fur and who wouldn't run away from her.  Well a brown and white cat is not so easy to find.  But we did find a beautiful Maine Coon 2 year old gray and white cat that needed a family.  So we went on Sunday to meet Gabby and it was LOVE at first sight!!! 

She is PURRFECT for our family.  VERY sweet, and in need of a good home. 

Hayden is BESIDE herself and for the most part Gabby doesn't run away from her:)

The dogs.......well the dogs are not too happy at this point.  I think it's going to take a little time!!

November HUH???

Seriously how are we a week out from Thanksgiving???  I have SO MUCH TO DO and so little time to do it!!  It happens every single year, and there is no one to blame but myself and the fact the the calendar seems to be on steroids!!  What's the rush?? 

So I have nothing exciting or witty to say, report, blog.....just a ridiculous To Do list and not enough time. 

These pics are from us going to the rodeo!!  Super fun, and Hayden loved seeing the animals.....what's  new right??

I have no idea what this face is all about, but it seriously cracks me up!!!

Introducing the cowboys

These bulls mean business!!

3 year well check

Nurse Vanessa, Hayden and Dr. O'brien Su

We did Hayden's 3 year well check a few weeks back and mostly just for my memory wan to jot down the info.  

First of all 3 year check ROCKS!!!  NO SHOTS...not even one, not even flu shot(flu mist finally) Yep we will pay for it next year, but right now we will just wallow in the delight of NO SHOTS!!!

Hayden has finally broken through the 25 lb mark!!!  25.4 lbs!!!  It was cause for celebration in the entire office!!!  Sad when all the nurses know you so well because you are there for weight checks frequently and know you are paining to break thru to the next weight class.  We are now officially 3% on the weight chart.  Hayden might not be gaining weight but she is growing taller....a whopping 37 inches(3 1/2 inches this year) and that puts her in the 47% for height(not too shabby)

As far as developmentally she has met or exceeded every milestone on the list they give you.  Again Hayden's Dr chose to not do any testing(thyroid~due to weight) because developmentally she is off the charts(purely DNA people)and apparently thyroid issues cause development delays.So she said I think it's not thyroid, she is just always going to be petite(she is Taiwanese)

Our pediatrician's husband is Taiwanese and she has 5 children....so her concern for Hayden's weight is minuscule, but obviously she said it is her responsibility to monitor it.  Which of course we appreciate.  She and her nurse are always so sweet and completely in awe of Hayden.  They usually spend way more time talking to her then they do playing doctor.  This visit Hayden gave them the complete rundown of the Statue of Liberty, occupy New York, Connor's cat Clyde, Connor's girlfriend, all the American Girl stuff at my friend's house:) and finally how good "talking donuts" are....aka Dunkin Donuts

Did I already mention NO SHOTS!!!!!  Yay for NO SHOTS!!!

So anyway, we won't go back for 6 months(weight check)  praying for another illness free flu and cold season(I think she was sick twice last winter...remember Christmas?~gah)

Shoe size we are up to almost a size 7, basically wearing 2T in most stuff.  Waist is tiny(17 inches) so adjustable waist are our best friend.  Big reason why Hayden wears dresses so much of the time is because it is so much easier than worrying about the waist.    

So we had a great visit and just as her pediatrician said I can't believe she is already 3!!!!

They also asked me if the smile ever comes off her face......LOL ummmmm YES trust me it does!!

3 years ago today

Three years ago around 5:25 in the afternoon I was sitting at my desk working on something when my cell phone rang and it was Tien at our agency and she said Julie......I am looking at a picture of your beautiful daughter who is 6 weeks old and I just sent you the emails!! 

I had planned for 3 years what I was going to do, say and feel.  But that all blew out the window....I had hoped David and I would be home together when this call happened(he wasn't) and I would love to say I waited for him to get home to open the email and share the first beautiful images of her together and read EVERY single word written in the report about our daughter....I didn't(he was okay with that)

I knew we had waited for 3 painful years, and I knew it was going to be amazing when I saw that first picture.....but nothing prepared my heart for the explosion of LOVE that took place that moment.  I know there are some people who would say that adoption is different and we don't know the "true" love of giving birth to a child.  Well all I can say if that is true; it must be a mind blowing experience because I have NEVER felt the way I felt when I first peered into those huge brown eyes and knew from that moment Hayden Magee was meant to be my daughter.  I swear my heart literally almost stopped I was so overwhelmed by finally seeing this little person who had made me a mother. 

I have always wanted to be a mother, I had no idea if I would be any good at it, I had no idea how it would really change me or my life or even my relationship with my husband.  But I knew deep down I wanted to be a mom.  The journey to motherhood was long, it was winding, and at times felt as though it was just not meant to be.  But on this day 3 years ago.....I became a mother, and Hayden became my daughter.  She is my whole heart, she challenges me, she makes me laugh, she inspires me, she makes me a better person, so has taught me the TRUE meaning of love. 

While the day we picked Hayden up will NEVER leave my heart or my mind.  For me this day is the day I became a mother and became one with this tiny amazing little person.  It is such a special day for us as a family.  The love that this child has created with us and so many around her is abundant. 

She is so special, and so loved and I can't imagine my life without her. 

She was the most beautiful baby I had ever seen and today I know she is even more beautiful on the inside as she is on the outside. 

First pony ride

Happy Halloween

Hope everyone had a great Halloween!!  Hayden had a BLAST and said it was AWESOME!!!!  Not sure which she liked more....the candy or riding her first pony!!  She was still talking about the pony this morning, so I am going to go with the pony. 

Hayden attends school at a local church and they host a fall festival every year.  We went for the first time last night and WOW is all I can say.  It was incredible!!  Petting zoo(with the cutest black piglet EVER) goats, chickens, bunnies etc..  Hayden of course thought this was incredible in and of itself!  Then she played some games where she won candy, we had a character drawing done of her, and then last but certainly not least......PONY RIDE!!!  In the past she has been interested in the ponies, but was not too sure about riding one.  Well she decided last night that the painted ponies were PERFECT!!!  She LOVED it just as we thought she would!! 

We then came home and Hayden went trick or treating with her daddy and I stayed sitting in my lawn chair with my wine and handed out candy.  She did not want to go to too many houses...mostly just our cul de sac and then she was ready to hand out some candy. 

I had let her have quite a bit of candy throughout the day and so really by evening I think she was candied out.  She asked for a glass of milk before bed.....huh??  Shockingly she was asleep by 9:15(without binka still) and slept until 8:00 this morning.  Then she didn't even ask for candy this morning; which she does most mornings, so not sure what happened. 

I would say Halloween was a HUGE success and just as a side note....Hayden did not get glasses, they were part of her costume and actually was the sole reason she actually agreed to the costume(I just got new glasses so she is really into glasses right now)  I had so many people as on face book about her new glasses.  Although with that face she could pull glasses off quite beautifully I think:)

what she wore to school for Halloween last week!!

isn't that the cutest pig you have ever seen??!!  We loved the pig!!

Daddy teaching her where to hold on.