Drum Roll Please...............here are the pics we've been waiting for.

These pics are from our Alaska Trip, Anna's 1st Birthday and just everyday events - from June 26-Sept. 1, 2008. The pic of Peter on the Quad, that is when we went upstate to the Walton Fair and had a fun time. The cowboy pic, Peter is trying to get Anna's nose- that is one of his favorite games with his sister. The pic of Anna naked and she is sitting - she is sitting in the sink on the cruise ship, Mommy is trying to give her a bath. LOL - it was tight in that small sink. The stoller Peter is pushing Anna in, well that is Anna's baby doll stroller - just to give you an idea on her size.

Wow, what a busy 2 + weeks it's been

Well, summer is almost over. Here is New York - it's still summer, because the kids don't go back to school until after Labor Day.

Peter's been going to school once a week at the YMCA, and surprisingly enough he loves it. He goes to gym class for 45 minutes and then he goes to art class for 45 minutes, and then mommy picks him up. Mommy signed him up for school during the summer - more for a separation thing, since Peter is with mommy 8 days a week :) In the beginning it was tough, because Peter didn't want to stay and would cry, but for the past few weeks - he has been such a big boy, he loves going to school. The past few weeks, he wanted to leave early, to make sure he was on time, meanwhile his school is 4 minutes away, but he would want to leave 45 minutes early. My little boy is growing up real quick. Peter will be going to preschool at the YMCA and he is very excited about that. Hopefully Sept. 9th, Peter will enjoy going to pre school.

As for Anna, she's been busy with play dates - she always goes on her brother's play dates, and she and Peter has been busy with play dates with their cousins. Peter and Anna went to Emily's house to go swimming in the pool. Peter was just fine hanging out on the steps of the pool, while Daddy was in the pool with Emily and Anna. Anna is just a water bug, who knows - maybe she'll be the next Olympic Swimmer to get 9 gold medals. Every week Peter had play dates with his pal Charlie - they go to school together, and they play along great, while Anna hangs out and watches what the boys do. We also went to Peter's cousin's house - Gianna's where they played in the little kiddie pool. Anna even went in the pool. Anna has become a very independent girl wanting to do things herself - well, while she was standing on the side of the kiddie pool - she didn't want help, so when she bent over - she went head first into the pool. She was so cute when she went into the pool, but she flipped right over and started to kick her legs and arms. Anna managed to go in head first a couple of times, she thought it was funny.

Last weekend, we went upstate to Uncle Jerry's cabin (Mommy's brother and his family). We went to the Walton Fair in Delaware County. Peter had so much fun, he didn't want to leave. Peter told mommy and daddy "I like upstate, I stay here". Mommy told Peter he could stay and come home with his cousins, but mommy and daddy and Anna were going home, then he didn't want to stay, he wanted to go home too. Peter enjoyed watching the monster trucks and the derby. Peter's cousins went on the Quads, but Peter didn't want to, he just wanted to pretend. So while everyone was out riding the Quads, Peter was sitting on one in the yard, pretending he was in the woods. Maybe next year - he'll be ready to do in the woods. We all had a fun time upstate.

Today we went to the White Post farm with mommy's cousins - it was fun, the kids had fun running around and feeding the animals. The weather was great, it wasn't hot. Peter wanted to have pizza, so we left the farm to have pizza. Now, once home - both kiddos are napping away.

Anna's One Year Old Doctor Appointment

Hi All,
Well, my little "porker" went to the Doctor's today for her 1 year old check up and shots. Anna weighs 21 pounds 6 ounces - please note this is PURE muscles. Her height is 27 1/4 inches and her head is 431/2 cm. Anna is in the 50% for weight and her height is in the 5%, but that's okay because she has a wonderful big brother to protect her. As for her teeth more are coming in, you can see them in the gums, we just got to wait for them to cut through the gums. Anna is such a happy baby, and she eats anything you give her. She does have her own personality, if she is pist off - trust me, she makes sure she tells you. She claps a lot, and she loves to laugh. If Anna's brother is doing something funny, Anna is right there cheering him on to do more. Anna also sings too, the other night while mommy was doing dishes, Anna was in her jumperoo - singing, lah, lah, lah, lah, lah..... - it was the cutest thing to hear. Anna waves bye, and she makes sure you know what she is doing, because she waves her hand and arm - full wave good bye. She gets around quickly when she crawls, and she holds onto furniture to walk around the room. Sometimes, when mommy goes and puts on her the floor, Anna will hold onto mommy's hands and stay standing, because she wants to walk around - she doesn't want to sit down. It's amazing how quick Anna is growing! She's no longer that little peanut that sat in my hand almost a year ago when we went to Guatemala to visit. The other day we went to go visit Grandma, and all Grandma kept on saying was - that she has to stay small for a little while longer - she is getting to big to quickly. Grandma just loves her grandchildren, especially when they give her those big wet kisses.

We are Blessed!

A year ago today, we were so lucky to have been Blessed with Anna Maria.

The other day it dawned on me, just how blessed we were to have Anna Maria in our family. If I listened to my husband and went with the same agency we used to adopt our son, Peter wouldn't have a baby sister to play with today. If we went with the agency, they wouldn't of put our name on the "waiting list for a baby girl" until they got our 171H form, we didn't get that until August 29, 2007. At that time the Agency had a 16-18 week wait for a baby girl. Well, remember last year, adoptions were put on hold and new ones couldn't be started. If we went with an agency, our name would have remained on that "waiting list" forever, until who knows when.

On August 29, 2007 when we received our 171H form, we already knew about Anna Maria and already visited her in Guatemala - Because I (mommy) being determined to complete our adoption before the Hague mess, talked daddy into doing the adoption independently with a lawyer in Guatemala. We are very blessed in having to talk to Bob T., who told us about this wonderful man, that he called his friend - who was a lawyer in Guatemala - that was trying to find homes for babies - so they can have forever families, before the Hague put a hold on adoptions. I always said there was a reason how I found Bob T. I came across Bob T. by doing a google search for independent adoptions in Guatemala and a yahoo group came up - so me being the "queen of adoption yahoo groups" checked it out and signed up for it. Bob T. emailed me and asked how I found the yahoo group, because he was quite surprised, because he just formed the yahoo group for Independent Adoptions in Guatemala. After talking to Bob T. the first time, I knew this was the way I wanted to go, but it took some (okay maybe A LOT) to convince my husband to go independently, instead of through an agency. I already knew the paper work, so I didn't need anyone to hold my hands. Bob T. and I spoke a couple of more times, and I was honest and told him that my husband isn't jumping on the boat with this one, because he doesn't want to take a chance with someone he doesn't know. So Bob T. suggested to go to Guatemala, and meet Edwin (the lawyer) and see our baby (she was due to be born in a couple of days), and then decide if we wanted to do it or not. That sounded like a great idea, so mommy suggested it to daddy and he thought that was a good idea too. Then a couple of days later we got an email from Bob T. telling us about this baby girl that was available for adoption and once he got the info he would forward it to us. Well, 2 days later Bob T. sent us an email and he even had pics attached. Well, the pics had me hook, line, and sinker. I called daddy who was working, and told him about the baby girl - and he was like "well, what do you want to do". LOL, he already knew what I wanted to do! We planned a trip to Guatemala the next week to see Edwin our lawyer and our daughter. Edwin had daddy at the airport! Daddy was so impressed with Edwin being at the airport to pick us up - with his family, and the foster mother and our daughter. The moment brought tears to my eyes, because I knew this was our path to take to get our daughter home. Wow, it's even bringing tears to my eyes now, because I remember this day, like it was yesterday!

If we had to do it all over again, I would definitely go independently with Edwin and his family. They are truly special people who have a heart and really do care about the children in Guatemala. We were lucky enough to adopt Edwin and his family into our family, they will always be a part of our family, and hopefully someday - they'll be able to make a trip to New York to meet the rest of their family.

Special Thanks! to Bob T. & his family, for everything they did. Not just with our family, but for all the children in Guatemala looking for families to call their own - Bob T. did his best to find as many families as he can to adopt them.

We are so truly Blessed! I am blessed, to have such a wonderful husband, who wanted to have a family with me, and be part of my family - even though it is unusually large (remember 16 brothers and sisters, 36 nieces and nephews, and 12 grand nieces and nephews).