Happy "Gotcha Day"!

XiXin in her foster home - and close to the day she left to come and meet us.

One year ago we saw XiXin's sweet face for the first time!  The happiest day of my life!

Happy "Gotcha Day" to our sweet precious girl Carolina!

From playing with plastic bowls to using the iphone! 

She has gained 5 pounds, grown 3 inches taller, and her head is 1 cm bigger 

(she also has a little more hair to work with)!  

It's all going by way too fast!

Birthday Package from California!

What a surprise!  A box of goodies from California!

                                                                 A beautiful blanket

                                                     A monkey in a banana purse!!  Too cute!

                                            A book with pictures of the whole California bunch
                                                    and a Shields Date Garden shirt!

                                    Cara looking at a picture of Tanner with his face painted - scary!

Lots of cute clothes!  A great birthday loot!

                                    Mommy getting a package from California on her birthday!
                                                So much fun!  Look at all those stamps!

GO THUNDER!!!!!!!

 KD - one of our faves!

 The girl has some moves already!

GOOD LUCK TONIGHT!

What a difference a year makes!

Here are some photos of Carolina (XiXin) celebrating her 1st Birthday in China.  

Last year we were waiting to go to China and we had cupcakes to celebrate!    I took these pictures because I thought that was all we would have.  I never dreamed that we would actually get photos of her 1st Birthday!

Look at how much she has changed in just one year!  She is an amazing little girl!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY CAROLINA!!!

Party Time!

Happy 2nd Birthday!!

Carolina is 2 years old today!  (OK, I started this last night and fell asleep!)

Somebody knows it's their birthday!

She got to take cookies for her class at school!

Mommy let her eat one of the cookies for breakfast!!! (don't tell!)

 Having fun with her friends at school.

Her birthday present pick for today - Beanie Baby Chipmunks - Brittany and Alvin - they have been kissing ever since!

Spring Break Photo Shoot

Carolina went for her first professional photo session yesterday.  She cried a lot, and it took almost 2 hours from start to finish.  She did eventually cooperate enough to get quite a few good photos.  

This is one of the dresses we bought in China.