Long overdue...

This post is so long overdue...I've had some computer issues, specifically, I don't have one! My computer bit the big one thanks to a silly virus and we haven't rebuilt it yet. Don't fear, Ron will be on the case! In the meantime, I'm stealing some time on a computer to put up some pictures from the last 3 weeks including, a weekend down the shore and reunion visit to Virginia...

We went to Manahawkin to Uncle Paul and Aunt Debbie's house for the first (annual?) Hoover - Gerding Reunion. We had family from PA, NJ, DE, FL, Malaysia attend. It was good to see people I haven't seen in a long, long (read decades) time. After the reunion, we went down the shore and had a good time on the beach - need to do more of that. Now, while we had been on a beach before with Maddie, this time, she was afraid of the waves for some reason, she liked looking at them but didn't want to go near them, which is just fine by me - I'll keep her at the bathing beach on the bay longer rather than having her out in the ocean! But she did love the sand and splashing in the little blow up pool that we put water in so she could splash along with her cousins.

I love this picture, Maddie looking out to the ocean...

Evening fun on the beach - Maddie was giggling at her cousins, Molly and Cole.

Maddie and Pop Pop walking away from those "scary" waves!

Some pictures from our last visit with Nana. Maddie and Nana played while Mommy and Daddy enjoyed an afternoon out at the movies! The Transformers movie was great by the way!

Maddie's heart-melting smile - getting ready to be tickled!

Maddie at Nana's house reading - boy does she LOVE to read! She's actually making up her own stories and tells them to us. The other day, she said that Shrek ate her toes and then she rode on a pony. The pony was brown and it went up and down (carosel)...and it went on and on! I love the fact that she has a great imagination!

The beginning of the month we attended our Adoption Agency's First Mid Atlantic Reunion in Virginia. We went for the weekend and had a good time. It was basically a picnic style reunion at a state park with crafts, games, moon bounces, with the traditional burgers and franks, a puppet show, and a lion dance! We met another family that had adopted their little girl from the same SWI as Maddie which was nice, and we met a wonderful family from North Carolina (Hiya Kim, Chris and Hannah!) We had a lovely lunch with them and then later we all frolicked in the swimming pool back at the hotel. It's too bad they live so far away from us, Maddie enjoyed playing with Hannah! I was also reprimanded for not having enough Mommy pictures on the blog (I promise to work on that - which means Daddy is going to have to take some pictures)

Happy 4th of July!

Maddie and Daddy enjoying a cuddle at the 4th of July festival.

Maddie contemplating what she can next get into with her trusty balloon friend at her side!

Celebrating the 4th of July entailed sleeping in, having a nice big breakfast mid-morning, house cleaning, and enjoying the festivities over at the University of Delaware in Newark! They had live music playing, some carnival games, vendors, politicos (of course), and I think Maddie's favorite - balloons! We attempted to stay until the bitter end for the fireworks, unfortunately, storm came rolling in just a bit before they were due to go off. We spent a couple of hours lounging around on the grass listening to music letting Maddie play, but, the rain won out (since there was a raindate posted for the fireworks) unfortunately for us....they still did the fireworks after we had left. So, no fireworks for us this year...we still had a good time, and I learned what we should and should not bring with us for next year!

Fun filled weekends...

Photos of Maddie enjoying the summer.

We have happily kept ourselves busy through the remainder of June. (It's still hard to believe that it's July now! Every weekend we're out doing something of interest or fun, of course all Maddie focused, and already July is looking very full too, the next "free" weekend we have is in August! Let's see...since Father's Day, we've filled our weekends (and nice weekdays) with visiting with Nana for her Birthday, having dinner/picnics at the park, going to the Chinese Festival in Hockessin, trying out new playgrounds, and enjoying picnics with a local adoption playgroup that we've joined.

Photos from the 2007 Chinese Festival at the Delaware Chinese American Community Center.

I haven't really given much of a Maddie update recently. Well, she's growing into her personality, that is for certain. She has opinions on what she wants to do and doesn't want to do, as well as when she should do them. Her favorites of late are the Backyardigans...watching her literally jump up and down and giggle and sing along with a BIG grin is, in one word, adorable. She also has been practicing her singing voice of late, serenading Mommy and Daddy to the toddler vocal stylings of Baahhh Baahh Black sheep, ABCs, Bringing Home A Baby Bumble bee, and Where is thumbkin to name a few. She is getting to be quite vocal and expressive using full sentences, and enjoys teasing Mommy and Daddy by running and getting into their "chair" and sitting in it with a BIG grin giggling, to which we respond..."Hey, what are you doing?" Then there are even more giggles and laughs.

Maddie also LOVES the water and the idea of swimming. At school they have water play once a week and she goes to school in her swimsuit. This past week she was sooo excited to get going to "swim" she didn't want to eat breakfast and was waiting by the front door! We really do need to sign her up for swimming lessons!

Upcoming weeks will entail trips to Virginia, New Jersey, possibly Maryland and for Mommy....Oregon (for work).