Shoes....

Mama's shoes....

Dada's shoes...

New favorite thing is to get into our shoes! She is so fun!

Water Baby!

This picture was taken at Ana's swim school. Last week was there "underwater picture day" and I was able to pick up the picture this past Mon! I thought it turned out great! :) Next week is her last "guppy" class and then in August she will start her "turtle" class. Good Job ANA!

Nikki!

Nikki took care of our house and kitties when we went to Russia to get Ana. Thank you again Nikki! We went to her house this past weekend and Ana loves her piano.

Boomershine Visit!

Jana, Brian, and Dylan Boomershine came to visit Ms. Ana...and us last week! They are old kindergarten friends of Marc's from Ohio and they have been so supportive and so good to us throughtout Ana's entire adoption process. It was good to see you guys!

Ana Speaks

19 Jul 006
Video sent by mstitzel

Ana knows her name and here is proof!

Cincinnati Reds Fans!

Thought you Reds fans might enjoy this. Notice her rubber band? This is her new thing...has to play with one all the time. She hasn't hurt herself...yet! So yes, she would like duct tape and rubber bands for Christmas this year Santa! :)

What kind of look is this?

Man...what are we going to do with this? LOVE HER FOREVER AND EVER! That's what!

Sad VS Happy

We were in Target (I swear we do shop other places :) and a little boy was crying and I said, "He is sad...huh?" and she made this long face and SAID "sad"...and then I said "that's right, now show me happy Ana". AND SHE DID...we did this THE REST OF THE DAY...funny little girl! Sad Ana....
Happy Ana!

She also says hot/cold (stove and ice cube), open/close (eyes, doors, and mouth), on/off (lights and getting on the couch) SMART little girl! :)

Playgroup!

This is part of Ana's playgroup. On Tuesdays about 10 kids and 6 moms (give or take) get together to play. We take turns hosting at our houses or setting up the place we will all meet. This was a "Birthday Playgroup" and we went swimming, had lunch and made cupcakes...basically poured sprinkles on cupcakes! She thought this was pretty neat! She plays really well and loves all her new friends and I do too.

Working Out

On Tuesday and Thursday we go to "Baby Boot Camp". Your kids workout with you and Ana LOVES it. She is doing her leg lifts here and plays with the band every chance she gets...
Squeeze that little booty!

Wiggles and "Melmo"

LOVES the Wiggles and Seseme Street now... Elmo gets a HUGE happy smile everytime she sees him and she SAYS "Melmo". We were in the line at Target and she saw a magazine with Elmo on it and got SO excited, pointing and saying, "Melmo, Melmo!" The Wiggles have a song that they tell the kids to "point their fingers and do the twist" and she will come up to me pointing her fingers and wiggling her little booty to tell me she wants to watch "The Wiggles". Fun Times!

12 July

As of tomorrow we will have had Ana with us in our arms for TWO months! Amazing how the time has flown with her! We really can't remember life without her and have no desire to. We adore her and everyday our love for her gets stronger and stronger. It's so neat, just when we think she can't do anything cuter or smarter or crazier...the next day she pulls a new stunt or gives us a new smile or hug or kiss and we can't get enough of her. Her vocabulary is about 20 words now. HOWEVER, if she knows the "sign" for a word...she REFUSES to SAY the word. SO stubborn! Pay backs... :)

Life with Ana...

SO NOW...we have to duct tape a sock around her foot as well as the diaper for nap and night night because she has a "boo boo" that she will pick at. We would go get her after naps and blood would be all over her bed. She picks off the band-aide...it gets in her hair as she sleeps... and blood would be everywhere....UCK! Duct tape the sock....problem solved! (Yes, "Brenda Kitty" is still by her side everywhere she goes!)

Splash Park!

She was out of control happy! The water would shoot up and then go away...then come back and she would run and laugh and scream! She would stand right over the water holes and the water would come and go right into her face! She loved it!
Good thing she isn't a boy....could be tacky otherwise...ha ha!

Old Army Friends!

Nancy and Jack Hrubik are old army friends of my parents and they live in Arizona now about 3 hours away. Her daughter (who is my age) and grandchildren live in San Antonio now and they are in Arizona visiting. Nancy, Jennifer, Nathan, and Emma Claire came to visit a friend in our area and popped in for the afternoon and it was SO fun to catch up and reminisce about the "good ole days". Ana LOVES Yaya (Nancy's "grandma" name) and Jennifer and played very nice with the kids.

"The Wheels on the Bus"

Ana LOVES the "Wheels on the Bus" song and I found this bus and it sings the song! It was a HUGE hit! Her little friend, Haley, and her were having a blast...singing, dancing, laughing!

Proud to be an American!

We went to the base tonight to celebrate the 4th of July! They had an evening of food, water slides, jumpy castles, music, and of course fireworks! We meet up with some friends who live on base and by the end of the night we found most of our "playgroup" and "Alaska Clan" and it was really fun! Gotta eat a corn on the cobb!
She's had no problem getting into this train and going around the grounds. She waved good-bye and just took it all in. We did the jumpy castles too. She's not the most graceful and couldn't keep her feet under her so that was a short adventure. But she laughed through the whole thing. We watched an ice cream eating contest and when one of the contestants came off the stage with his plate of melted ice cream she waved at him and he came over and gave her a finger full of ice cream and she tried to stick her whole face right into it...just like he did during the contest! We talked with lots of dogs and ran ALL over the place.
Skyler is the daughter of really good friends of ours from Alaska days and she is going to be Ana's first babysitter! Tomorrow night is our 9 year anniversary and Skyler will be watching her while we have our first night out alone since we got Ana.
FINALLY something that freaked Ana out. Fireworks. She wasn't real excited about them at first. She went back and forth between me and Marc and hid her face in our chests. However, by the end of the fireworks she was clapping and she was fine. She was just OUT OF HER MIND tired I think. Fireworks started an hour after bed time and it was SO hot and we had been outside for 3 hours playing hard. All in all, it was a WONDERFUL first 4th of July!

Introducing "Brenda Kitty"

My Aunt Brenda sent Miss Ana this kitty this week and every since we gave it to her...she hasn't let it go. It no kidding goes EVERYWHERE with her...the car, around the house, Target, bed...it's the funniest thing. She hasn't acted this way about any toy yet. We named it "Brenda Kitty" and she now asks for "Nenna Itty" all the time. Today, "Nenna Itty" had to stay home when we went to the base for fireworks and only a cookie helped the drama created by "No Nenna Itty". She really isn't spoiled! :)

Who's the PRETTIEST of them all?

After nap today we got ready for the 4th of July festivities and Ana was SO excited about her dress and went straight to our linen closet where the full length mirror is. She just figured out this long mirror in the last couple of days. She does twirls and kisses and laughs at herself.
Then she realized I was watching her and thought it was neat that she could see me through the mirror. FUNNY little girl!

First Art Project

Marc and I decided she needed a table a chair set. I thought this would be a great way to involve Ana and have her help us. We went to IKEA and bought a basic, blah set. Marc painted most of the set but Ana and I helped a little. She liked painting at first but then decided she had had enough and it was time for a bath. Again, at first the paint was fun for her, but then I think it was just too messy. We had to wash hands after EVERY handprint...
We both had fun and she thought it was neat that it was HER hands on the table and chairs!
After she went to bed I finished it up with the ABCs and 123s and in the morning she was SOOO excited. I am too! Now we have a spot for coloring and snacks with friends!

Kitchen Help

I learned this week that Ana is AWESOME in the kitchen. She REALLY does help. She pours, dumps, stirs, and throws away trash beautifully. And THEN the best part is she washes the dishes...sort of! I have to say it is hilarious! She will put dishes from one side of the sink to the other, use the sponge and everything. Of course is completely soaked when she is finished...mopping is her next chore she will learn! :)