A big year

This has been a big year for us, for a lot of reasons. Most of all because this little girl has changed our life. As would any child really. With fostering it's just been a whole different ballgame though. Actually some days it doesn't feel any different. But then in that moment of feeling like it's no different, I am aware that it IS different. She does have a birth mum and dad, and it's not us. They are her family AND we are her family.

So while she has grown up this year in our family, I have grown too. And I have this feeling that there is so much more to come, so many more things to learn. We have been so privileged to have this year with her. We hope very much that she will always be in our family.

Happy birthday sweet cheeky girl. We love your squishy face, your clapping, your unrestrained love for your stuffed animals, your ever-increasing will, and your affection. I am grateful for everything you have brought to our lives this past year.

A few moments after we first met her

A few weeks later

Seriously cute stuff at 7 months old

And now a whole year old...

You aren't going to say don't touch, are you?

Oh that was a lot of chocolate in one hit

I really don't want to be on this couch taking a 1-year old photo

Happy 1st birthday, we all love you like crazy girl. 

While the boys are away...

These boys just left for the Philippines...

So we're just chilling out,

doing things like having sleepovers in the living room,

eating dinner on the benchtop with our bare hands 

(a TOTAL hit, you'd think I never feed her!), 

taking kids (and one super cute nephew!!) to a local school fair 

to watch a family with 6 kids do circus acts 

(that's dad, mum, and the boy on top is 5),

 eat fairy floss/cotton candy, and generally keep busy. 

Keeping busy and relaxed. It's a lost art, I can tell you!

Now I'm off to settle in for another night on the couch 

with kids sleeping all around me. 

Kinda fun cause I feel like a kid doing it too!