Our little girl is growing up!

As hard as it is for me to admit, our little Francesca is growing up!

This past weekend, my mom got so really bad news...after 30 years as a medical technologist for a local medical laboratory, she was let go (the company she worked for was bought out 5 years ago and the new company has been down sizing ever since). My mom was so upset Friday once finding out the news that Francesca & I went up to her house once she arrived home from work and as hard as my mom tried to hide the fact how upset she was...is still showed on her face. Our night at my mom's went as planned...pizza from The Library (our favorite pizza joint) and ice cream for dessert. When it came time to go home, Francesca didn't want to leave. Now this has happen before...where she has given me a hard time about leaving...but once I said that I wasn't staying at Grandma's, she would run for her shoes and insist on going home with me. But this Friday was different...she wanted to stay at Grandma's. I had her ask Grandma if it was OK for her to stay and of course, Grandma said it was fine. So I left...saying my good-byes and leaving Francesca there! When I got home, it hit me, that my daughter WANTED to stay at Grandma's knowing that I wasn't going to be there. This is the same little girl who I had to sneak my way out of the house so she wouldn't go into full rage crying jag when I would leave her there. I was so upset but so happy at the same time. I called my mom about an hour after I got home & she informed me that Francesca was having the time of her life (all the while, I was balling my eyes out on the phone to my mother...who reassured me that it was just a part of Francesca growing up & I would have to let go...). I waited all night for that phone call the 'you need to come pick her up' one but it never came. When morning arrived, I called my mom & she said Francesca was a dream! She didn't give her any problems what-so-ever. Within the next hour or so, Keith left to pick Francesca up & take her home. Once Francesca arrived home, she couldn't stop talking about the night her & Grandma had...watching videos...reading books...eating some cookies...and dancing around! When I asked her why she wanted to stay at Grandma's instead of coming home she said..."Grandma sad!". Keith & I were shocked! How did she know! She than went on to tell us that she kissed Grandma & made it was all better. All I can say is what an amazing, caring, loving child we have been blessed with! I can't begin to tell you how proud we are of her! She awes me every-day!

It just amazes me that this is the same child who was referred to us back on September 2, 2005 (our 2nd anniversary post for that one is below) and in her referral it stated that she was..."impatient, strong-willed, and stubborn" not one word mention throughout her whole referral as being loving, kind and/or caring! Is my daughter impatient, strong-willed and stubborn, the answer is yes, but she is also so much more! She has grown so much in the past 22 months since arriving home...even in the past 6 months! She has changed so much that there are days I can't believe this is the same child that was placed in my arms (screaming her head off like her life was over) on that never-going-to-forget day of November 8, 2005! She is truly one beautiful child...inside and out!

OK...I am done bragging.

(I'll have photos posted later of our Labor Day celebration at my sister's)