I want to remember....

10, 20, 30 years from now I want to remember Zoya's funny antics.....like how while I was folding clothes the other night in Zoya's room I heard the bathtub water start running (right next door to Zoya's room) and I ran in to see Zoya in the bathtub fully clothed and laughing hysterically as she splashed about. She noticed me at the door and got a look like "uh oh" and I just started cracking up and so did she!

I want to remember how Zoya recently initiated a bedtime story to be added to her bedtime routine by simply signing "book" and pointing at her big comfy rocking chair. I want to remember how her first favorite story is "Where Is Home, Little Pip?" that Grandma and Grandpa B. bought before she was even home with us. I don't ever want to forget sitting in that rocking chair with her reading that story and listening to her laugh in all the same places and sign "sad" when Pip can't find his Mama and Papa. I don't want to forget how she looks up at me and stares into my eyes so intently while I read this story. I want to remember how she runs her hands through my hair and brushes it over her own face while we read.

Memories like these fill my heart and make the difficult days more than worth it! God has blessed us with this sweet angel. Each day I fall in love with her even more.  I love the way she needs me and she loves the way I need her. 50 years from now I want to remember the details of these moments. I'm trying harder to savor each moment and get every last sweet drop this life has to offer. Every day Zoya reminds me to slow down and simply enjoy...I'm not always successful, but with her help I'm getting there.

Zoya's First Overnight Trip (Picture Jackpot!)

Last week we took off for Zoya's first overnight trip to Niagara Falls (the Canadian side). Since winter has lasted so long around here we figured we might as well stop trying to beat it and go somewhere even colder!! Yes last week it snowed while we were there and the falls were full of huge ice cubes!  We went with Aunt Jennifer, Liv and Cade and stayed in a hotel attached to an indoor water park! When we planned the trip months ago we figured it would be nice spring weather by then and the falls would be beautiful! Well they were still beautiful but it was not nice spring weather!

Zoya did fantastic even skipping her nap! She was way overwhelmed in the water park (with the thousand screaming kids, many bright colored slides, and so much going on) when we first went in and clung to Shawn and I. About 10 minutes later we couldn't get her out of the wave pool! She LOVED it and kept asking to go back in. We didn't get back to the hotel from dinner until about 8:30 (ooo late night LOL) and she was way overtired by that point from going without a nap. We tried to follow her usual bedtime routine we do at home and she was lovin' it right up until it was time to go to sleep :) We had a crib in the room since she still sleeps in a crib but screamed bloody murder when I tried to put her in it (she had checked it out earlier in the day and even pretended to sleep in it and laughed a lot so I was surprised but not that surprised since it wasn't HER bed and it was a new unfamiliar place). So I ended up rocking her to sleep and moving ever so slowly with her onto the bed sitting, then slowly laying down with her on my chest trying to keep her asleep, then trying to peel her off my chest without waking her up...I'm telling you I totally deserve an Olympic medal for this performance!! She was out like a light and slept through the night but I didn't!!! I got to share the bed with the gymnast of a sleeper and try to keep her from falling out of bed all night!!! Ummmm toddler bed in the near future? NO! When we do our weeklong trip to Florida in June I'm thinking I'll have to put a mattress on the floor for her or something if she refuses the crib again??? I was worried she'd like her newfound freedom in the bed and not want to sleep in her crib, but she was so excited to see her crib again.

On our way....Zoya is so thoughtful to remember to feed Elmo!

Happy girl with her happy pillows!

Monkey jumping on the bed!

HAHA...even though it's blurry I love it! Thanks to cousin Liv who is on top of things here while I was irresponsibly taking pictures of my daughter jumping on the bed! (Hey its a PT goal!!)

Checking out the new friend in the mirror....

Playing hide and go seek in the bathroom holding her nose spray LOL

Stretching out in preparation for the water park!!

Don't I look cute?

Three monkeys!

In action

Cheesin' with Liv

I have about 20 pictures of this view (I did a lot of chasing):

Zoya with Aunt Jennifer

A little overwhelmed at first...

No longer scared...

Touristy stuff...

Zoya is BEAT and Shawn can't keep his eyes open!

Okay Shawn's eyes are open and Zoya is cheesin'

Shawn trying to keep his eyes open for a picture!

Zoya copying him!!

Here is what Zoya looked like in the morning (and me too but I'm not showing THAT picture!)

Polka dot lady is ready to go...

Look at her admiring her Daddy...

Silly with Mama...

Niagara Falls in winter Spring.

Love!

Tuckered out on the way home!

Zoya's First Easter

Since Easter was a little earlier last year, Zoya was not here to celebrate with us. I'm pretty sure she thought coloring eggs and looking for an Easter basket was pretty silly! Here are some pictures from her first Easter with her family :) WARNING LOTS OF PICTURES!!!

We wanted to go to the zoo yesterday but it was way too crowded so we decided on Plan B and went to the peninsula for a walk and one of our favorite eating places :) Here is Zoya with her Uncle Bub on the way there. I tell ya I've never seen this girl flirt so much as she does with her Uncle Bub. She certainly loves him! She turns into a giggly eye-lash batting little flirt when he's around. She even runs and hides and then smiles at him :) Here she is feeling his facial hair haha!

Zoya never goes anywhere without her body guards! 

Stopping to touch some nature on our walk!

Zoya and her boyfriend...

Getting a free ride with Daddy...

Lovin' on her mama!

Last night Zoya had some peanut butter mousse for dessert and I think the sugar was getting to her...

so giggly and funny (she was also flirting with Bub in these pictures)

Ahhh...I finally caught a real smile! Lately she just likes to be a cheeser when I say smile!

Last night we colored Easter eggs too...Zoya must have thought it was so strange...

And it was going great until......

Zoya spilled the orange all over herself! I still can't get her hands or legs un-oranged. Good thing it's like her favorite color!

Any good captions for this picture?? Seriously, look at this face!

And back at it while the clothes soak in Oxi-Clean (which by the way got the dye out!)

Today Zoya found her Easter basket inside her house :) No candy from the Easter Bunny!!!

Listening to her music card from Bub. It sings "You are My Sunshine."

She loved the bunny from Bub too!

She wasn't so sure of this ball at first but she quickly learned it's pretty cool!

Throwing the ball at Mya....

No worries on the candy front...Bub had that covered too!

Yuuummmm!

"Okay you guys, this is seriously embarrassing and I'm never going to admit I know you if you keep doing stuff like this."

"In fact, I think I'm going to wear my new shades everywhere I go when I'm with you so nobody sees us together."

Leave it to Bub to buy this chocolate bunny as big as Zoya....2 whole pounds of chocolate...oh he is funny!

My sweet, sweet girl!

This is the face I get every single time I ask her to smile now!!!!

Zoya also got Easter packages from both grandparents! She is loved a lot!! Here she is opening the package from G and G P.

"OOOOHHHH MYYYYY GOSSHHH NOO WAY I got a shirt, you know a shirt like I'm wearing right now!"

This chocolate ballerina was Zoya's first Easter candy and oh my was she excited!! She kept saying "open" and "me." HAHA. Funny thing is both grandparents got her the same exact chocolate ballerina!

"I'm going to hide in this box and open it myself then!!"

Don't worry, G and G B. remembered not to leave Mya out and sent her a package!

"A package for ME????"

Seriously if you just sent this girl tissue paper she would be thrilled!

Happy girl with a ball so her and Mya can play!

"Ummm this thing is loud and it's frekin' me out a little! But he is pretty cute!"

Zoya's first Easter was fabulous with lots of love and hugs and snuggles, just the way I like it!