9 MONTHS LID & Francesca's 3RD BIRTHDAY!!!!

Two major events are happening today!

First, since we started this blog to document Sofia's adoption journey...we are celebrating our 9 MONTH LID Anniversary!


And second, it is FRANCESCA'S 3RD BIRTHDAY!!! We don't really have a lot planned for today. We had ice cream for breakfast this morning and we are planning to take her out to supper tonight at a local restaurant that Francesca truly enjoys. We did go to see Disney's Princesses On Ice last night and she had a blast! I must admit, when we were getting ready to leave, Francesca was insistent that she was not going! She wanted no part of the Princesses Ice Show and just wanted to stay at Grandma's (even though Grandma was going with us). Now, I have been preparing her for this show since October and every time we would see the advertisement on TV, she would get so excited and start screaming that she was going to see the Princesses! So when she started "carrying on" about not wanting to go, my heart was melting. But knowing how Francesca is, I just pulled her aside and told her that no matter what, Mommy and Daddy are going to be with her at all time. So with that said, she willingly left Grandma's house and got into the car. The whole ride down to the arena, she didn't say a word....not-one-word! I was so nervous that she really was going to not want to go see the show once we got there (you all remember what happen at the Wiggles concert). But again, my daughter totally surprises me...when we got there, she walked right into the arena, and climbed on to my lap and made herself comfortable. She did ask for her sunglasses (as she wore during the whole Wiggles concert), but I explained to her that it was night time and I didn't bring her sunglasses...and with that, she was totally fine. As the show started, I told her that the lights were going to go down and soon we would see all her favorite Princesses, but to our surprise, the first characters to appear on the ice were Mickey & Minnie, and just seeing them sealed the deal. She sat there watching the show on my lap the whole time and was truly enjoying every moment (she was calling out to all the characters by name as they skated around the ice floor and was just so "into the show" that she had my mom and I crying. I can't begin to tell you what she was saying and asking me during the show...she just blows my mind away...) She did an amazing job and I can't begin to tell you how blessed we are to have this incredible little girl as our daughter!

Waiting for the show to begin...



(finally sat on Dad's lap so I can take a picture, but right after the flash went off, she jumped back on to my lap and stayed there...)

The Genie from Aladdin...

(Francesca isn't too crazy about the Genie...I think it has something to do with his eyes...)

Sebastian from The Little Mermaid...


Francesca is showing me that Shang from Mulan is there!

(when watching all the advertisements for the show, Francesca kept asking me if Shang was going to be there and I told her that I really didn't know. That's why she was so excited and pointing him out to me and saying, "See, I told you Shang would be here!" If you don't know already, I think my little girl has a crush on Shang)


Mulan and Shang!


Cinderella and Prince Charming...


Mickey and Minnie!


From the photos above, you can truly see that our little birthday girl enjoyed herself at the show!

Eating Ice Cream with M&M's for breakfast on her birthday! Hey, it's her Birthday and she did eat an egg & cheese after finishing off her ice cream...



(I wish that my mom let us...my sister and I...eat ice cream for breakfast on our birthdays...)

Happy 3rd Birthday Francesca!

(I'll have more photos to post over this coming week of all the fun we'll be having today...)