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I've been a bad blogger lately, simply because we're so stinkin' busy it's getting harder and harder to find/make the time!  On Thursday afternoon, my colleagues surprised me with an incredible baby shower, complete with a very moving set-to-music slide show, balloons, amazingly generous and thoughtful gifts, yummy food, and lots of love.  Anthony showed up with Beatrice who, as usual, stole the show and just couldn't have been any cuter.  I had been asked during the winter about "were I to have a shower, would I want it before she's home or after" and I easily replied "after" since at that point I couldn't bear one more symbol of her with the uncertainties of when she'd come.  It was such a joy to celebrate with her right near me and to have the people showering us see the smiling creature with whom we get to share our days.  We are so, so lucky for me to have this job and with this group of fabulous folks. Here is a photo after we unloaded the car and Beatrice crawled around amidst the goodies (and the morning mail).  Also a couple of her playing on the porch this weekend with a toy that sets off all sorts of bells and whistles if you put the balls in the right holes.  Beatrice so does not get it, or so does not care for it, because she insists on putting the balls anywhere BUT....she puts them where they come out, in her mouth, or just bangs them on places that are not the "target" spots. She had the most fun crawling under the chaise and banging two of the balls together. It's pretty hysterical to see the world of "toys" through her eyes.  On the one hand, she's making "progress," now stacking blocks and seeming to understand a bit better how certain things work.  Anything that talks to her or makes noise completely throws her off.  We have a couple that even talk a minute or so after you've abandoned it, so she'll be on the other side of the room and all of a sudden Ella the Elephants says "spin me again!" and Bizou whips her head around to look, with a frightened look on her face, like "What the HELL was that???"

We saw my dear friends The Lallys briefly today, the first time since October and it was a full-circle experience introducing her to Susan, with whom I shared my adoption dream many, many years ago.  It's funny because we spent many months assuming and planning for a son, but Susan always somehow knew I'd end up with a daughter. Bizou and I have been extra close this weekend.  She woke up the other night around 10:30 p.m. and we brought her into bed.  We hadn't gone to sleep yet so the light was on very dimly and Anthony and I just savored watching her.  She woke up fully and was just beaming, positively radiant and smiling as widely as a human can smile, crawling all over me, chanting her "mum, mum, muh, muh mum" and touching my face. I've often said that I feel that if she could, Beatrice would crawl right inside of me.  There are times she just can't get enough and it's simultaneously flattering and a bit scary. I very much expected to love a child as much as I love her, but I was completely unprepared to be loved back with such abandon, especially so soon. I'm sure one day soon she'll realize how unworthy I am of such admiration; however, until then, I'll soak up every moment of it!

It's not Wednesday, but Prince Spaghetti Day nonetheless

I always see classic photos of kids eating spaghetti, so I decided to go with it tonight when Bizou's dinner got out of hand.  The damage to her shirt is probably permanent, but she really thought it was great when she got stripped down during dinner.  She was simultaneously repulsed and ecstatic by the feel of cold cooked pasta between her fingers, on her chin,  in her eyebrow, and....you get the point. The other shot is from yesterday.  I realized I don't have many photos of her upright, and she's spending more and more time in that position lately, pulling herself up on anything that's the right height to do so.  I still think she's many weeks away from walking and, after listening to parents of walkers, we're in no rush to be chasing her around everywhere!  I don't think we're too far away from becoming a "gated" home.

Flowers, flowers everywhere!

I was looking forward to planting sunflower seeds with Beatrice this afternoon. We went and bought the seeds and returned home to a package on the porch. It was a box from cousin Margo containing a dozen or so of the coolest handmade flower hair clips ever. What a wonderful surprise and just what my girl needed to look like an official gardener. Here are shots of her doing a clip fashion show before heading outdoors, then some near the garden. She was most helpful to me of course, as she did the following tasks: crushing the envelope of seeds, sucking on the empty envelope, licking the dirt-covered spoon in-between digs, and then nearly falling asleep after an exhausting ten minutes.

A Flower Child and her trucks

Beatrice's favorite toy to play with lately (aside from paper, tufts of Sula's fur, and band-aid wrappers) are these soft trucks/vans from Truman and Hank that she and her dad "brmmmm" all around the carpet.  She's gotten much more sophisticated with these lately as she now puts them on their wheels each time, versus on their roofs or sides! She's also added giving high-fives to her repertoire of tricks.  Here are some favorite pics from the week, including one in this onesie which offers a garden at her fingertips. It was a wonderful gift from Carly at the gallery here in town. Every afternoon or evening Beatrice and I do a garden walk around the house to see what's blooming, ending, or nearly ready.  Right now the peonies and roses are filled with buds, the azaleas and lilies of the valley are in full bloom, the lupines are becoming more and more dramatically beautiful, and the irises and lilies are on their way.  She loves to hear me name each and every plant and thinks "hydrangea" is a particularly funny word. Go ahead and say it a few times, see if you don't smile......This child sees beauty and wonder in all simple things.  What a gift.  And what a gift she is to us.

Probate Court

We went to the town hall yesterday and, after swearing under oath with our right hands raised that no cases were pending for Ngo Minh Hanh, nor was anyone looking for her, our daughter was officially given a new legal name:
BEATRICE MINH HANH FORONDA
I felt a little sad to say goodbye to her Vietnamese identity, but I feel good that we are keeping her middle and first names as her one new middle name. We weren't sure if we'd keep one or both, but when we heard the nannies calling her "Minh Hanh" over and over on the day we met her, there was no question. Whenever we meet anyone who is Vietnamese and they ask her name, we still respond with her Vietnamese name, "Minh Hanh." The next step is to get her a new birth certificate, and then, the real proof that she exists....a Social Security Card. Then even the IRS will agree she's real!