My Baby

My baby is not such a baby anymore.  

Brianna's First Dress Rehersal

We are always in awe of our beautiful dancer.  We still don't know where her natural talent for dance came from.   Clearly just a gift from God.   I cry every time I hear the song "I can only imagine" and picture my daughter dancing before Jesus one day.   She just loves ballet. 

This year's recital song "Mickey Mouse's Birthday".  

Mia's new smile

Mia has been practicing her new smile.  Wow has our little girl come a long way from the sad little baby we first brought home.  

Easter Saturday Service at Heartland

Five beautiful girls and one smart guy!

Spring break

Hilarious Quote of the Day

So last night at dinner I was trying to talk to Dan in code telling him that I scheduled Mia's first play therapy session for Friday.  Mia started asking what we were talking about.  I didn't want to get into it right then and there.  But I told her that she is going to go talk with a really nice therapist that Daddy and I met and really like.  She is going to be like Coach Katie is for Hadley (our psychologist for Hadley).  Mia then asked "Why?".  I said well you know how you sometimes have really big fits and you don't know why you are having them.  She is going to help you to maybe understand why.

Brianna of course was all ears during the conversation and said "Ugh, Why don't I get to go?  I have a problem!"

Hilarious!!!  Go figure.  Brianna is jealous that she isn't in therapy.  Parenthood.  There is nothing quite like it.

Our Gotcha Girl

Five years ago today, I had a restless night waiting for the phone to ring from China with news that Dan finally had our little girl in his arms. The call finally came in the wee hours of the morning and his words were "honey, I have her and she is beautiful.

If you don't believe in love at first sight , then just talk to Dan. Because he was smitten from the first moment. He walked into a room full of crying babies and saw Mia and said to himself " Lord, please let that be Mia". And it was!!!!!

We love you, baby! We are so blessed to be your Mommy and Daddy.

This is a picture of our gotcha day celebration eating Chinese food at the rice house.

Homemade Cashew Chicken

It was a hit with the whole family.  Super easy and super yummy.  Thanks, mom for another year's subscription to "Cuisine at Home".

Guinea High Dive

One of Mia and Hadley's favorite activities is playing with our large guinea family.  Here is a picture of the guineas waiting in line to go off the "high dive".  Daddy Guinea was the first to go off.

The Star Player

Mia started playing basketball last Saturday.  She was the only girl but she was also the star player.  Now I have to say that 3 out of the 6 kids on her team were out sick.  If you haven't ever watched 4 and 5 year olds play basketball you are missing out.  It is quite a hoot.  Dan was out of town and kept texting me to send him some action shots.  My response was honey this is about as action as it gets.  Most of the times they kids stand on the court completely frozen not knowing what to do.  Hilarious.

Mia was the only payer on the court that understood the concept of dribbling.  I was so proud.

But I was just so proud of her.  She was confident, she knew her team members names and she scored with an overhanded shot on an 8ft goal.  Go Girl!!!!!

One more Fun Video from Christmas Morning

Deeble Band video from Elise Deeble on Vimeo.

Another Hit Christmas Present

We are finally entering the stage where the girls will play games together.  Woo Hoo!!

Some Stage Videos

The surprise from Elise Deeble on Vimeo.

Bri working the microphone from Elise Deeble on Vimeo.

A Few More Pics of Pretty Girls in Pretty Dresses

The Big Christmas Present Surprise

I built a stage for the girls for Christmas (complete with background scenery).  I saw one on Pinterest and have been in love with it ever since.  So this is the last year that I can probably construct a surprise right under the girls' noses.  I built, stained and painted the stage in the garage.  They kept asking what it was and I kept being evasive.  Bri even said at one point "oh she isn't telling us what it is.....I wonder...."

After the girls would go to bed on a couple of nights I would have Dan help haul it out of the storage room so I could hang the brackets for the curtains and figure out where to paint the tree.  I would take it all down and put it back.  I even tried to cover up the tree with boxes but came down and Mia was sitting between the box and the wall staring at the tree.  So I had to give that up.  Bri then wanted to know what the silver brackets were on the walls up high.  That girl is just like her mother and doesn't miss much.   They love it.

Is it any wonder that Dan's girls are performers!!!

We don't yet have a good video of Hadley but I think Hadley dreams all night about being a popstar.  She does nothing but watch Barbi the Princess and the Popstar over and over.  She has every move down.  It is quite a site to watch.

All I want for Christmas is my two front teeth

Mia lost her two bottom front teeth on the day after Christmas.  She was so close to getting to sing the song. Amazing that my girl is so big.  Her little smile is too cute.  The only bummer is that in the middle of the night she also woke up burning up with a fever.  So not such a fun time.  What would Christmas break be like if we weren't all sick.

Elise

Christmas Eve's Eve 2012

Mia's latest creation

I love watching Mia's creative mind at work. Items used: hockey sticks, jump rope, bilibo thing, and Brianna.

Working out with Dad

Hadley does everything in pearls.

A Christmas Gift from Mo

Too cute.  And the girls LOVED wearing them.  They were all excited to get in the right order and spell the word for people at church.

Precious.