Cutie Pie Laila

So it's been 3 weeks, that's not too bad when it had been a year!!! This post is just about my cutie pie, Laila!!! It's not difficult to revolve an entire post around her, I always have a camera close by to take pictures and she does so many funny and cute things!! Here are some pictures and then I will tell you a funny story from the other day, she's always making us laugh!!

I love her smile, melts my heart every time!!

I love this headband with the big "L" in the middle, she tolerates them for a short time.

The rest of the pictures are of the adorable outfit my bestest friend Jami and her family sent Laila for her birthday. Thanks Jami, Laila loves it and so do I!!! 

Showing you the "L" on her shirt with stamps all over her hands. 

Doing some twirls in her new skirt.

Just being her cute self!!

She loves tulips too!!!

The back side of her new outfit. I'm lucky she didn't pull up her skirt and show me her panties!!

Doing another twirl!!

Dancing!!

I asked her to look at me and I got this goofy look!!

Now for the funny story... Laila's at the age where if I go or do something she has to come along, MUST come along. Privacy is no longer an option. So I went to the bathroom and there's the pitter patter of little feet following me into the bedroom and into the bathroom. "OK Laila, come on." She happily follows along. As I'm sitting on the throne doing my business Laila is grabbing her butt. I ask her if she has to poop. "Mo" she answers. (Can't say "N"'s due to her cleft so it's always an "M" which is super cute) She grabs her butt again, again I ask if she has to go poop. "Mo Mama", then she turns around to show me that she's scratching her butt. I said "oh, your butt itches." She nods her head yes, gets a comb off the vanity and proceeds to scratch her butt with the comb!!! A good mom would've used this as an opportunity to teach her daughter that we don't scratch our butts with a comb, that's gross. Well, guess I'm not a good mom because I was laughing hysterically!!! Where does she come up with these things, too funny!!! 


On another note, I took Laila to school Wednesday and her teacher pulled me aside. She told me how great Laila's doing in school and that she's very smart. Scott and I have always thought Laila was very smart but what parents don't?!?! They agree with me, when Laila's fistulas are repaired in June and her speech gets better, we're going to be blown away by how smart she is. I was so happy to hear this but what they told me next brought tears to my eyes. They said Laila is the most caring and compassionate little girl they've ever known. There's only 2 girls in the class and the other little girl, I will call B, is shy and very reserved. B doesn't go down the slide at recess, she gets scared easily. They told me Laila will take B's hand and walk with her up to the slide and encourage her and pat her back as she goes down the slide. Last week in class they were all listening to music and dancing around. B didn't dance, was to shy. Laila went to B, took her hand, helped her up and danced with her. B had a big smile on her face. Laila is very loving, caring and sweet at home but I always wondered how that translated at school, now we know!! She's that same tender-hearted little girl at school as well. In this day and age of bullies and kids making fun of others for being different, I am so humbled by my sweet daughter who just wants to be nice, make friends and help others. My cup runneth over!!

We're back!!!!!

I can't believe it's been a year since I blogged... really, a year... what's wrong with me. I know what it was, my blog was sooooo boring!!! Not now!!! My friend Jaime gave me a blog makeover and I LOVE IT!!!!!! If you're in need of a blog re-do, please give Jaime a shout at the hope for Elisyn link on the right side. She's super talented, really sweet and is doing all this to raise money for their beautiful daughter in China who they need to get home now!!! Even if you don't need a blog re-do, visit her page and see her cutie pie waiting in China, you may be able to support them in other ways!! 


Lots has happened since I last blogged: We celebrated Laila's 1st Forever Family Day, Laila had her palate repaired at Shriner's Hospital for Children in LA, Scott had surgery, Christmas, Laila's 3rd Birthday, lots of giggles, lovin', playing and just enjoying being a family!!! I only have pictures on my computer from Christmas til now so we'll start with Christmas. 


Laila raked it in!!!! She got so much stuff we had to take breaks from opening presents!!! 

Christmas Eve with Santa's cookies and milk. Also have carrots for the reindeer. 

Christmas morning with her princess crown and her baby that eats, sleeps and drinks. Santa knew just what she wanted!! 

My accessory queen... slippers, crown, tutu,  wand and matching head band... Ta Da!!!

So sweet!!

In January we went up to Frasier and went tubing, she loved it!!! We'll start skiing next year. 

Having fun tubing with Daddy.

She's just so stinkin' cute I got out the camera and took a few pictures. 

Then Laila had to go and turn 3... who said she could turn 3??? I sure didn't!!! She's supposed to stay my baby forever but I guess she had different ideas. We had a fun Minnie Mouse themed party. I had a Minnie Mouse outfit made for her, it was really cute!!

It's Laila's 3rd birthday!! Aunt Lisa surprised us by coming out from Kansas for Laila's birthday party. She even made a shirt that said I love Laila. We had alot of fun with her!!

Here's Mike, my cousin. He's lived out here for about a year going to school. We enjoy having him around.  

Laila and Grandpa at the party.

Daddy with the pinata full of goodies.

Kids getting the goodies.

Big cupcake just for the birthday girl!!

Laila's 1st day of Young 3's preschool. She was getting her speech therapy thru Child Find and Developmental Pathways. That eneds at her 3rd birthday and transfered to the schools. She loves school!! There are 5 other kids in her class and 2 of them are Chinese, 1 adopted!!!

 That's some of what's been going on with us. I will try to do better with my blogging, promise!!! 

Lots of stuff!!!

Hello!!!!!

I can't believe I'm updating the blog and it's only been 1 month!! This may be a record!!! (Yes, I know Kim... it's about time I keep up with my blog!!) We are all doing great, Laila's growing and growing. I keep asking her to stay small for mommy and she shakes her head no. Stinker!! She's doing great with her speech therapy, her therapist is always so impressed at how smart Laila is and how much she's learned since her last session. Laila can drink out of a straw which is a big deal for a cleft palate baby, especially when her palate hasn't been closed yet, just another reason our Laila ROCKS!!! She's the most amazing little girl and I can't believe how lucky we are to be her family!!

Here's Laila in the bathtub, she loves the bath!!

We went to the zoo a few weekends ago and ended up buying a family membership. We only saw 1/2 the zoo and we were all pooped. It's a big zoo and we had so much fun. Laila loved all the animals, especially the bears and lions. She likes to growl like a bear or lion and scare us so when she could growl at a bear or lion she was very happy. She also helped daddy feed the birds.

Laila and daddy rode the train at the zoo...

and the carousel.

We went down to Colorado Springs and to the Olympic Training Center. Here's Laila and mommy in the Olympic rings.

We also saw Dani, Michael, Devin and JT. They were in our travel group to China and they adopted JT. It was so good to see them all, JT is such a little character and cute as can be!! Unfortunately all my pictures ended up too dark, we took them outside after dinner.

Laila's grandma came out to visit for about 2 weeks to watch Laila while Scott and I worked. Here's Laila putting her feet on a chair just like grandma!!

A little shorter than grandma but gets an A+ for effort!! Here's my dad and Laila, they are great friends as you can tell!!

Nothing like a kiss from grandpa.

Here's Laila on her beanbag, eating, watching Yo Gabba Gabba. Life for a 2 year old is pretty good.

Look, Laila's hair is long enough for pony tails!!!! How stinkin' cute!!!

So there's the last month or so in a nutshell. We hope you had as much fun as we did!!!

1 year since we first saw our beautiful daughter!!!!!

Hello and welcome to our new blog, we are indeed loving life with Laila!!! She is so sweet, spunky, smart, stubborn, loving, funny and just perfect!!!

It's so hard to believe but 1 year ago, Feb. 23, 2009, we received the phone call of a lifetime!!! Sarah, from CCAI, called to say there was an adorable little girl who needed a mommy and daddy and she wondered if we might be her mommy and daddy. Here's the pictures that popped up on our computer screen shortly after that phonecall...

These 3 pictures changed our life!!! Of course we were her mommy and daddy, no doubt about it!! Absolutely the sweetest little girl we have ever seen, we were instantly in love!!! We jumped on the paperwork and in late April we left for China to get this little beauty. May 4th we held her in our arms and we have never let go. She is the light of our life, we are so lucky to be her mommy and daddy!!! Fast forward one year from that phone call and here's our sweet Laila...

She loves her puppy, Zac!!! She loves her other puppy Zoey but Zoey wasn't cooperating with the camera.

She loves her new baby she got for her birthday. She's very loving and feeds her baby it's bottle and has to sleep with baby. Baby has it's own pillow in Laila's crib!! Both Laila and baby get covered up with the blanket and Laila's arm immediately goes over baby and she happily falls asleep. So sweet!!!

See, here's baby!!!

Laila also really loves her Grandma's chicken noodle soup!!!

Little bit of a crazy sleeper though...

Ahhh... pure bliss!!!

We love, love, love you Laila!!!!

What an absolute joy she is!!! While Scott and I, our family and friends, are all so fortunate to know this sweet little girl we are well aware there is a mom and dad somewhere in China who have no idea what has become of their little girl. We know they love Laila very much, they left her somewhere she would be safe and found quickly. They kept Laila for 2 weeks before they gave her up, we truely believe they felt they had no other choice, Laila's medical needs were too great for them to handle. They gave Laila the ultimate gift of love, the opportunity to be cared for and loved by a family who could give her all she deserves in life... we are so thankful to be that family. I wish we could let her birth parents know what a beautiful little girl she is, that she's learning to count, learning her numbers, going to gymnastics and loves to wear her panties on the outside of her clothes. She loves puppies, jumping and playing in her kitchen. She has brought unmeasurable joy and love to our family. We pray you will somehow know that she is healthy, happy and has her forever family. We are so blessed!!!