Mimi's Farewell BBQ

Mimi is heading back for Finland this Saturday :(
To celebrate her 10 months in Canada we held a BBQ for family and friends on Friday night :)
Grandma and grandpa had just returned from Finland and the surrounding area - with really silly hats and gorgeous t-shirts for the boys. Here are the little ones being....monkeys!
We had a great time at the barbecue and the rain was good enough to hold off until after the party. There was plenty of good food, good friends and lots of fun. As a farewell gift from our family we presented Mimi with two mugs, each with the handprints of two members of our family. (check out the Canada flag in the background that's she's been having her friends sign to take back home) She's truly one of us and always will be. We'll miss you Mimi.

Hallowe'en Night Post

The boys had a phenomenal Halowee'en this year as both of them were totally into it. We grabbed some pizza with the Busseys and then got all dressed up. Mommy outdid herself this year and made a Ming-Ming costume for Monkey. We borrowed the Tuck costume for Big C, though he was assured that 'no mommy, I'm a turrrrtle.'. It was too cute.
Even Peanut got in on the dress-up action!
We boarded the flyboat for about a milisecond before the boys were all off like a flash. Monkey and E-man were literally running from house to house getting candy. Big C did his best to keep up and really enjoyed the evening. He and mommy went door to door slowly, visiting some of our friends on the old side the neighbourhood first, then hitting our neck of the woods. Mimi was right into it too, learning a lot about how we do Hallowe'en here.
All too soon Big C was done, so he headed back home to catch some well-deserved zzzz's. Monkey wasn't far behind as he was sitting in the flyboat by the time that mommy returned from dropping daddy and Big C off at home. The boys slept like rocks and are sure to be asking for their daily candy handout by about 6:02 every day.
It was a super Hallowe'en all around. Thanks mommy for all your hard work!
(Here is our little family of Jack O'Lanterns - boo!)

Mimi's great punkin adventure

Mimi has been having a fabulous time here in our home. She's polite, super friendly and always dancing. She's a true joy to have in our home and we really love all that she brings to our family.
One tradition that she mentioned she doesn't have in her home country is Hallowe'en. No pumpkin carving, not really any trick or treating and no roasted pumpkin seeds.
We're taking her under our wings for this holiday to get her knowledgeable about how we do things here in Ottawa (even under the 4 inches of snow that stayed on the ground after the snowstorm yesterday). She got her own pumpkin at the pumpkin patch on Sunday and today was the day for carving. She took at it like an artist. Here she is carefully drawing the face on:

Then working hard at the carving process:

She really has a skillful set of hands and a great smile while she was working at it:

Here she is finishing up the top and carefully trimming away any of the marker that was left behind:

And here's our Mimi proudly sporting her Jack O'Lantern.

Have a great time outdoor camping today and tomorrow and we'll see you for trick or treating Friday night!

First day of school 2008

Back to school today. Of course, we had to get photos.

Yes Grandpa, he is wearing his socks pulled up all of the way in his sandals. I TRIED to get him to at least push them down and he was quite determined: "but I like them this way"

*shudder* he is going to be an engineer.

Quite the difference from last year. I can't help noting to

myself that the jeans in last year's photo are now torn and too short. 12 months. Much bigger boy. On my thought tangent I wonder when I'll be ready to let go. When do you stop being a parent? I don't think you do. From the moment a child is conceived/handed to you through the blessing of adoption, you are a parent until the day that you die. It made me think back to yesterday when I went to go see the new baby. Here is the new momma breastfeeding her precious new baby. And here is the momma of that new momma feeding her precious baby. I doesn't matter if that baby is someone's mom too. That nanny will always be a mom to her daughter too.

I'm glad for that you know. Mostly because I don't think that I ever *want* to stop being thier mom. I don't think that feelings of love this strong ever could be gone from me. I don't want them to be. I would have such a hole inside of me.

Mimi has a birthday in Canada

Mimi celebrated her birthday here in Canada. Of course, that means that we needed chocolate cake!! Happy Birthday to you, happy birthday to you...

Mmmmm, chocolate cake

Happy birthday Mimi! We hope that you have a wonderful year!!

Our new guest has arrived

Our newest guest, or should we say family member for the next year, has arrived safe and sound. She pretty much spent 36 hours in transit to get here from Finland, including a 9-hour layover at London Heathrow, so she's sleeping it off for likely most of today. She's super excited to be here, as are we to have her in our home!

You'll be sure to see some photos of E once she's up and about.