St Andrew's Dinner

St. Andrew's Day is a day to celebrate Scottish culture, food and dance. We have a formal dinner and celebration at Flanagan’s Pub each November with friends and family. I was dressed in my best attire. Everyone thought I should wear my kilt but I thought since it was a formal occasion I should get to wear my black velvet gown. And, if I do say so myself, I received many compliments on my choice of dress.



I danced with my Aunt Mary. Haley was showing Scottish Highland Dancing and plans on teaching me one day but everyone had to watch me kick my legs.

Happy Thanksgiving!

This is a year with much to be thankful for. We finally have the family we had wanted for the last 8 years. This day was spent with both of our families and everyone loved every minute of it.

Celtic Music Festival

Dunedin has an annual Celtic Music Festival in the park. Aelyn was getting over her first cold so Mama and baby went later in the day and planned on staying for just a little while although they stayed alot longer than anticipated. Aelyn adores music and smiles every time the bagpipes kick up. She wants to dance and kicks her legs. Today was no exception. She danced and played until she just wore herself out and fell asleep in the park.

Potluck with Family and Friends

Anything to get together with family and friends. We just sat by the fire enjoying the night air. Very relaxing! Aelyn loves the light of the fire and then looking to the sky. If she is upset for any reason a walk outside will calm her down any time.

Can you believe she is 9 months old now? Everyone always told us time flies but how true it is. It seems amazing to us that she has been home for 7 months and we are getting to know this beautiful baby girl and discover who she is going to be.

Extremely Stubborn. If she wants food she lets you know. If she doesn’t want to sleep she won’t go to sleep.
Fun and Lovable. She loves to play and bounce. She adores dancing and kicking her legs. She reaches when she wants you and gives the best hugs.
Just Perfect. She is now 28 1/2 inches tall and 19 lbs. This is the 75th percentile for height and 50th for weight so she continues to be exactly where she is supposed to be. She does have a big head though at the 65th percentile but that’s only because it’s full of “big brains.” It does make her fall over when she is sitting down as she is top heavy.

She is trying to scoot and is a bit unsure about crawling although it is so close you can feel it. She loves to stand and is attempting to walk but doesn’t get the whole thing of putting one foot in front of the other.
Aelyn now has her 2 bottom teeth (we will get a picture one day but if you want to look at them it’s a difficult task as she will always stick her tongue out to cover them). Her 2 top teeth are attempting to come in but have not quite broke through the gums yet. But everything goes into her mouth.
She will eat just about anything. She is not big on any of the “meat” baby foods but give her carrots or bananas any time. She feeds herself with a spoon and gets about 80% of it in her mouth. She does really well if it’s any crackers or cereal type foods. Although, the puppies always hang around trying to get some and Aelyn will definitely just hand it to them sometimes.

Happy Halloween!

"It's Hard to Be Brave When You're So Very, Very Small"

Daddy got to pick out my Halloween costume this year. It was so big on me but that worked out well since it was chilly out and I got to cover my hands and feet with Piglet’s hands and feet. Mommy had gone to work that day and her group was doing a “Pajama Party” so she got to stay in her PJ’s all day long and even wore them out trick or treating with me. Mommy, Aunt Mary and Sister-Cousin Morgan went trick or treating with me in our neighborhood. Everyone thought I was so cute! I sat in the stroller and about half-way through fell asleep. Mommy wouldn’t let me get much candy this year – but I guess that’s okay since I can’t eat it anyways and Mommy says, “that her and daddy don’t need it either.”

My First MagFest (a.k.a., “Hippiefest”)

We went camping up in North Florida and I got to experience the outdoors and sleeping in a tent for the first time. Thursday Night, all day Friday, and Saturday morning it just rained which was not any fun. But, I did get out of the tent to see some of the music and meet new friends.

Saturday morning though the sun came thru the clouds and everyone cheered for joy. There was lots of music, which I always enjoy. I didn’t want to sleep because I didn’t want to miss anything. On Saturday night, I outlasted all the other kids and stayed up by the campfire to almost 2:00am kicking to the music and listening to the drums at camp.

Camping wasn’t the only experience of this weekend though. My first tooth finally broke through the gums on Thursday night. I sucked on Mommy's knuckle like I’d been doing the last month or so and I hurt her by accident. My tooth is so sharp but it let Mommy and daddy know that it was finally here. I also pulled myself up to standing on Saturday afternoon for the first time. I was sitting in front of daddy in the meadow and grabbed his shirt so I could stand like I wanted to do.

What a fun experience! I can’t wait to go camping again next year.

Stone Mountain Highland Games

We’re traveling again this month and I got to take my first airplane flight to Atlanta, Georgia (where I was born.) I slept for the first part of the flight and when I woke up was just full of fun and giggles. I then spent the next day at the Highland Games where passers-by would just stop to take my picture in my kilt. As usual, I hammed it up for the camera. I enjoy hearing the bagpipes and always smile when they start up. It must be my Celtic roots.
At the end of the day, I got to see my birthmom again. I think she couldn’t believe how big I have gotten. When she saw me last I was an itty-bitty baby girl and “oh how I’ve grown.” I definitely have her eyes and the fair skin of both her and my birthdad. I know how happy she has made my Mommy and Daddy and also how happy I am with my life.

What a wonderful weekend!

First Time in the Atlantic Ocean

We stayed at this beautiful resort on the Palm Coast of Florida and it was right by the Atlantic Ocean. I got to dip my feet into the water and have the waves come up to me. The texture of the sand was so different from what I’ve felt before. I can’t wait to be old enough to body surf and build sand-castles.

I was so worn out from the night before that the sound of the waves just put me right to sleep.

Dancing the Night Away!

We went to a surprise birthday party for Daddy’s cousin over on the Palm Coast of Florida. I was having so much fun kicking and stomping my feet to the music that Mommy took me out on the dance floor.

I didn’t stop moving the entire time until I finally just wore myself out and fell asleep in Grandma’s arms. What a Blast!

Partners in Crime

I am now sitting up by myself for the most part and absolutely adore leaning against Guinness. I will sit or lay next to him and pull his fur or yank his ears. He doesn’t much like me playing with his feet but I think for the most part he just tolerates my shenanigans. There are times, though, that we can just sit together and look like the angels I know us to be. Though, I’m not so sure that Mommy and Daddy believe the angel bit. But, I think they are just looking ahead to the merriment (trouble) Guinness and I are going to get into together. It’s gonna be so much fun!