Clips, Cake and Celebration

The bad news is I don't have any pictures of Corinna's first birthday over the weekend because I broke my camera. My sister-in-law did give me permission to harass her until she sends me some pictures! The good news is I have a wonderful father-in-law with a new Mino Flip video camera. Enjoy the celebration!

Happy First Birthday

You entered this world at 12:36pm September 15, 2009 and our world has never been the same.

Happy Birthday Corinna!



Stats: weight 18 lbs 7oz height 29 inches

Nicknames: Corinna Bean, Bean, and a lot of combinations using bean... stinky bean, bean sprout, little bean

Likes: animals, clapping hands, WALKING, climbing, pulling purses around, getting into the baby wipes and toilet, reading books, pulling books off the shelf

Dislikes: the word "No"

(I am very sad to say that this is the only current picture I have from Labor Day weekend. I fell last Saturday at Garden of the Gods and broke our camera. Thankfully nothing else was broken just a lot of scraps. I would post pictures, but my camera is broken!)

Anticipation

Tomorrow is a very special day... Corinna's first birthday! When Tim and I were talking about her birthday, I realized that the eve of her birthday held something special... the call. The call we had been anticipating. Around 9pm Monday September 14th, 2009 the call came that our birth Mom was in labor. I knew the minute my cell phone rang that night it was the call we had been anticipating. We weren't expecting the call for another week, so there was some rushing around packing everyone up before we could hit the road for Alamosa, Colorado. We were so nervous we wouldn't make it in time for her arrival, but thanks to my lead-footed husband we made it in record time. We made it with plenty of time to wait..... anticipate.... and wait some more. Corinna wouldn't make her arrival into the world until about lunch time the next day, but I'll talk more about that tomorrow. Here are a few pictures of what that night of anticipation held for Tim and I.

Growing Pains

So the other day Elise says, "Mom, feel my tooth it's loose!" She has said this for the past year since cousins and friends have been loosing their teeth so I didn't really believe her. It wasn't until she said it hurt that I took a closer look and feel and what did I discover... Elise has fer first loose tooth! It is not that loose so it will be some time before tooth fairy visits. And not to be outdone by her big sister Corinna has learned how to stand all by her self. She did it for several seconds several times yesterday. I am not sure my heart will survive this growing up stuff. Will someone please send me some no grow pills or a stop time machine???

Kindergarten Denial

We filled out paper work...
We bought school supplies...
We bought school clothes....
We went to meet your teacher night....
and somehow I failed to process the fact that our first born was really starting kindergarten. So today August 16, 2010 I dropped Elise off for her first day of Kindergarten. I was a little teary as I left her sitting at her desk in her classroom. I thought I was fine until I had to drive away. I was less than a block away when this mama lost it. There was so much emotion that just came flooding at me all at once. I am hopeful that by the time she reaches first grade I'll be fine with the whole kindergarten thing.... maybe.
And let's just continue the denial by not talking about how we will have a one year old in a month!

Summer Sprinkler Splash

Not An Update

o this morning I was looking for some cute video from Elise's preschool graduation, but I could not find them. During my hunt I found this video and it made my heart sigh. The first sigh was for the little girl in the video who is so not three anymore, but many of her mannerism, facial expression and voice inflections are exactly the same at five. The second sigh was for the cat she is holding. Troub got very sick and is no longer around try and avoid Elise catching him. He is not a kids cat. He avoided Elise and Corinna from the day we brought each of them home from the hospital, but he never scratched or bit them no matter how much love they forced on him. So join me in my sighs down memory lane....

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Five Year Old Faith

On the car ride home from preschool today the following conversation took place....

Elise: Mom, did you know when you hear the trumpet sound and see the clouds roll back that Jesus is coming back?

Me: Yes, Elise I did know that.

Elise: Is it exciting?!?!

Me: Yes, it is very exciting to know Jesus is returning and we don't know when, but we keep watching and waiting.

Exciting news indeed that our risen living Lord will not stay in heaven forever, but will one day return for us!

Tonight in the bathroom after telling Elise all I wanted to do was lay down and sleep. ( I have a cold that is taking it out of me.)

Elise: Maybe at bedtime when we do prayers we could pray and ask God to help you feel better and heal you?

Me: Yes, Elise that would be a very good thing to pray.

Elise: We could pray now. Do you want to pray now?

Me: Yes!

Elise: (eyes closed head bowed) Dear God, Thank for today. Thank you for going to preschool. Please help mommy to feel better and heal her. Amen .

Again my five year old reminds me that we can pray any time, any place, for anything.

It's Official

The above pictures is our copy of the Final Decree of Adoption. On September 15, 2009 Corinna entered our hearts. On September 16,2009 Corinna entered our home. Today March 26, 2010 Corinna Lynne Bennett entered our family forever! We loved her when we first saw her in the hospital, we loved when we entered the court room to finalize, and we loved her leaving the court house. It was all very official and formal. We had to raise our right hands and swear that our testimony was truthful. After answering a series of questions the magistrate decreed the adoption final! It was all so simple yet the meaning behind this piece of paper is very profound. And before I share some pictures from our day let me share with you what I want to always remember when I look back at this day.

The teary eyes of my mother when we walked into the court house. She looked just like the day we brought Corinna home for the first time, only this time her eyes seem to say welcome to the family.

Tim pushing Corinna around the mall in the stroller. He was one proud and protective daddy today.

Elise singing to Corinna "You are a Bennett- it's official" over and over on the car ride home.

Holding my sweet baby girl tonight as she fell asleep in my arms knowing today only gave me a piece of paper to prove what my heart has always known to be true Corinna Lynne Bennett is my daughter.

Picture Bragging

I took the girls to Target to get pictures taken. I could not decide on a package partly due to cost and partly due to the limiting number of pictures in a package. So I paid the price and got at CD which contains 30 pictures which I can do whatever I want with. Here is what I have done so far.....

5 Years and 5 Months

So for the past month I had fun saying I have a five year old and a five month old. Well tomorrow all that changes... Corinna will be six months old. (Thankfully Elise will still be 5!) I know I keep saying it, but time keeps passing too fast. This past month feels that way especially as Corinna has started eating solids, rolling over, sitting up (still a little unstable) and teething (two in one week!). My baby is so quickly growing up it is hard to remember her as an infant just six months ago. She is so sweet and has a smile for everyone. She is laughing a lot more, but we can't get video because she becomes mute when she sees the video camera. Tomorrow we are off to the doctor for our six month well baby check and a five year old check as well. So if you think of it pray for me and the girls at 1:30 tomorrow not sure what one mom+ two girls getting shots=

4 Months Old

Corinna is four months old and I am pretty sure my mom has taken more pictures of her than I have. She is now 13lbs 13 oz and 23 1/2 inches long. Her hair is still red and stands up on end in the back. She is sleeping through the night again!!! (She stopped sleeping through the night in December when she got sick with a cold.) Corrina has found her voice and loves to babble, but has only laughed a hand full of times. She is extremely smiley and social. We tried rice cereal for the first time last night and she took the spoon, eating, swallowing and very quickly almost finished off the bowl!

Important Date in 2010

This post has been on my heart since about the middle of December. I am posting it now so you can join in the celebration of praising God for what He has done!

January 31st 2010 I officially have a five year old! I am not sure how we got to this birthday so quickly. I remember time standing still when Elise was born and now it passes faster than I can keep up. Here is Elise making her five year old wish! (I will post more about her first and possibly only Chuck E Cheese party).

(I will post more about her first and possibly only Chuck E Cheese party.)

March 19th 2010 at 11:00 am at the Douglas County Court House with business attire required the Bennett family will forever legally be a family of 4! In our hearts Corinna has been a part of family since the time we laid eyes on her in the hospital, but I must confess there was a since of excited relief knowing that for the rest of all our lives she will Corinna Lynne Bennett, our daughter, Elise's sister, granddaughter, niece and cousin.


July 15th 2010 will mark ten, yes ten years for marriage for my sweet husband and I! I feel like this is a big milestone in our lives, yet as we look ahead it is a mere drop in the bucket. I would not trade a single moment of these past ten years. I would marry him all over again in a heartbeat. I love you, Tim and look forward to the next ten years and the next ten after that, and well until death do us part.

2009 Wrap Up

Since my mom seems to update her blog more often than me I am taking the easy way out and showing you what the last couple of months included for us....
1. Some Pre- Christmas Fun
2. Some Christmas Cuteness
3. Some Hands on Christmas

Thanks Mom!