Makenna.....being Makenna

You just gotta love this crazy girl!

Playing in the snow

We actually had some real snow this week! Nothing close to DC/Maryland proportions but more than usual for us. The older kids had a blast but Makenna was a little unsure about walking in it. She did make a snow angel and she loved watching her big brother and sister have a snowball fight.

Giving Daddy a kiss

Big sister Olivia

Big brother Jackson

Look at my red cheeks!

Birthday Party

We had Makenna's birthday party on Saturday. It was a lot of fun and I think she thought it was great. Her family was there as well as Makenna's cute Jiangxi friend Kerry Lu. We had cupcakes with the number 2 on them (but I forgot to take a pic of them!) and she wasn't freaked out by us singing the Happy Birthday song to her. Mostly the kids all just ran around and played. And isn't that the best kind of party when you are 2?

I love this girl!

No exciting reason for this post. Just liked this picture because it seems to capture a little bit of the spark that is Makenna. She is so funny and full of life. She is almost two and I can't believe it. We are so lucky to have her in our lives and in our family.

Poem

I found this poem online and I think it is beautiful.

The Family of Adoption-A Poem by Joyce Maquire Pavao

You cannot change the truth-These are your children-But they came from somewhere else-And they are the children of those places-And of those people as well-Help them to know all about their past-And all about their present-Help them to know that they are from extended families-But they have more than mothers and fathers-They have grandmothers, godmothers, birth mothers, mother countries, mother earth-They have grandfathers, godfathers, birth fathers, and fatherlands-They have family by birth and by adoption-They have family by choice and by chance-Childhood is short-These are our children to raise-These are our children to love-And then they are citizens of the world-What we do to them creates the world that we live in-Give them life-Give them their truth-Give them love-Give them all that they came with-Give them all that they grow with-Your children do not belong to you-But they belong with you-You can not keep them from what is theirs-But you can keep loving them-You do not own your children-But they are your own.

The front door

This is why the front door is always covered in fingerprints or smeary tongue marks! She thinks this is soooo funny.

Baby pictures of Makenna!!

We managed to find baby pictures of our sweet girl! We got them through someone who has done some research in Fuzhou with the foster moms there. These pictures were taken on June 30, 2008. So Makenna was not quite 5 months old! I have 40 pictures of her and her foster mom and her home. They are the only baby pictures Makenna will ever have of herself so of course they are priceless. To see her smiling in these pictures just reinforces to us that she was a happy, well cared for baby. I just can't stop staring at her toothless grin and little stick up hair! She is just adorable and we are so happy to have these pictures.