Grandma's Visit

My mom just recently retired and she has been spending her time visiting all her kids and grandkids.  Leah asks Grandma every week if she wants to "come to our house", she was so excited when she found out that Grandma was coming.  We love having visitors, especially Grandma!  We found plenty of things to do to keep us busy: the zoo, swimming lessons, soccer, and staying inside where it was cool.  

We spent a day at the zoo, one of Leah's favorite places to go.  It was our first time going to the Phoenix Zoo and we are now members!!  The weather was perfect and the animals are always so fun to see.  Here are a few of the animals that we saw:

"Don't feed the animals"

"Is he real?"

My mom grew up making strawberry jam with her mom.  I remember as a kid always watching and helping her make grape jelly and grape juice.  Strawberries went on sale while she was here so I bought lots and lots of strawberries and it was very easy to convince my mom to make strawberry jam with me.

Finally, Grandma and Leah had to play a little soccer against each other.  Leah was pretty good at keeping the ball away from Grandma!

Swim Lesson's

We decided to put Leah in swim lessons this year and I am so glad we did.  She did really well and only cried a few times when she was cold.  She loved swimming with Miss Nancy doing Supermans, Monkeying around the pool, and doing washing machine.  I have to admit...she hated floating on her back.  By the last lesson she finally floated all by herself, but she did not like it!!

Washing Machine

Monkeying around the pool

Superman

Birthmother's Day

Many people do not know that the day before Mother's Day is Birthmother's Day.  In fact, this is the first year that I knew this and knowing this just made Mother's Day a little sweeter for me.  As it was approaching many of my adoption friends were sharing their plans for their birthmoms.  While they were all sharing their ideas I was feeling a little jealous that I did not get to do something special for Leah's birthmom.  Then my friend Elise gave me the great idea of starting a tradition of having Leah pick out some flowers and plant them in honor of her birthmom on this day.  So Travis and I took Leah to the store to pick out flowers, a pot, and even the potting soil.  She was so excited to plant it and even more excited to water it.

 

To Leah's birthmom...thank you for the most amazing gift.  I wish I knew you and could throw my arms around you.  Every day that I walk out my front door and see these flowers I think of you and say a small prayer for you.  You are the reason that I get to celebrate Mother's Day as a Mother!  We Love You!!