Halloween 09 is history. I think Fin had a good time and we made it last. Halloween should ALWAYS be on Saturday night.
Everything started yesterday with school. The kids got to circulate through the PK and K classrooms doing holiday activities. Then, they got their candy buckets and went around trick-or-treating to each of the six classrooms.
Tonight, she got dolled up in her cheetah costume and we headed first to Nancy's where she raked in the candy doing door-to-door begging. Afterwards, we went to the zoo to ride the scary train (which she laughed through) and, guess what, trick-or-treat! She has two buckets full of candy. And that is after she, her grandpa, her grandma, and her mother noshed liberally.
She looks so grown up! Put a cap and gown on her and it's her high school graduation and she is leaving home and leaving her mommy and... I need to go weep in a corner now.
Today, we went to see a new baby at the zoo. A 2-day-old baby giraffe. She is the cutest thing! She was running around mom and, while she looks tiny by comparison, she is actually six feet tall. Fin really wanted to bring her home. Well, so did I.
We returned this afternoon from a wonderful weekend in Washington DC where we met new friends, did lots of fun things, and Fin got to fulfill a dream.
It all started a few weeks ago. Actually, it all started 2.5 years ago when my friend Ellen kept bugging me to visit a message board that brings together people who are adopting or have adopted internationally. I was reluctant to join for a long time, but ended up really enjoying myself and virtually meeting some kind, funny, direct people. (OK, you meet some jerks, too, but where in life don't you?) Fast forward and I check in on the group most every day. So, when I decided I wanted to use the long weekend to go up to Washington DC, I posted on the message board asking if anyone knew of affordable places to stay. I ended up with an invitation to stay with one my virtual friends. That was what led us on Friday to the house of KathyP, MrP, and BabyP.
After a much needed night of sleep, we got to meet BabyP. She is actually LittleGirlP now, but that doesn't really roll off the tongue. I have watched this baby grow up in pictures and she is now 2. Well, her parents say she is 2. She comes up to Fin's shoulder and has a huge vocabulary, I think she's more like 4 and there is a cover-up, if I could just think of a purpose for that. Even with the age difference, the girls really enjoyed each other.
They rode BabyPs tiger...
and made sure he was in touch with his feminine side. (Doesn't he seem to be begging for help?)
Dancing with the Tigers, tonight on ABC
BabyP looked much prettier with the headdress.
After playtime, Fin and I headed into the city, her first time in DC. She got a kick out of the Metro.
Freezing in front of the Capitol. Fin asked me, "Is this our city?" Mommy never learns. "Yes, honey. This is the capital of the United States. This city belongs to all Americans." "Noooo. This is not OUR city! We don't have dees big buildings! We don't have dat tall tower! Dees aren't our birds!"... and on and on, much to the amusement of a passing couple.
Now, I thought I had explained the Natural History museum to her. Apparently not well enough. We went in and right to the Hall of Mammals... to be confronted with the first of two stuffed giraffes. "Is it DEAD?!?!" she yelled. A long talk ensued about the various ways the animals may have met their end (age, accident, hunted) and the reasons for having a museum like that helped a little, but only a little. She made sure anyone within ear shot knew that if she "found a dead cheetah" she was going to "shoot the person".
Yes, this is her wiping tears away in front of a giraffe. Who felt like a teeny, tiny mommy then?
We hurried through dinosaurs, ate a sandwich, then left. OK. Not my best idea.
BabyP had been invited to a birthday party Saturday night and, finding out we would be in town, the host family was incredibly gracious and invited us. It was a progressive party, starting first at a really fun bounce house where the whole place was rented by the party. All of the girls had a blast, including our two.
It's raining kids!
Fin LOVED this contraption. It was six levels of these straps that you had to climb through to get to the top of the tall slide. It looked exhausting.
The party moved to the host house next, but I don't really have pictures. I was too busy stuffing my face. After dinner and cake, we walked to the community area of their neighborhood where hundreds of jack o'lanterns were lit. A band made up of middle-aged dad-types was playing classic rock and, before they knew it, there were about eight little girls forming a mini-mosh pit in front of the stage. It was quite endearing.
This is what sugar and loud music creates.
Fin wanted her picture taken and BabyP wanted candy.
Sunday brought us to the thing that started this whole trip idea. Fin wanted to see cheetahs. She keeps asking me if we can go to Africa and the answer is "no", so I decided to take her to see some at the National Zoo. In addition to Kathy, Mr., and BabyP, we were joined by DCMom and DCGirl. They are all frequent visitors and zoo supporters and were INCREDIBLY KIND to spend about half for the four hour visit looking at cheetahs. Because do you know what cheetahs do all day?
DCGirl got an adorable panda. What did Fin get? (His name is "King".)
Studious future biologists.
Time to go!
This picture was taken to torture one of our friends who loves this restaurant. Hey, DD. I had the Frito pie. Mmmmmmmmm.
Saying goodbye after a tour of Jimmie Car.
On the way out of town, we got to visit my friend, Fernando, and he let Fin feed his koi.
It was a fabulous trip. I can't thank everyone enough. It was so much fun to meet KathyP and DCMom in person and their families. I loved going to DC as a kid and we usually went once a year. I hope Fin and I can make a habit of it. She didn't want to leave and bugged me the whole way home about when we could return. I didn't tell her I wasn't all that keen to leave, either.
Yesterday was State Fair day. Fin has been for three years, every year she has been home. It just so happens to encompass her birthday, and the fair is located halfway between me and my hometown, so it makes a great place to meet and celebrate.
We had a great, LONG day and are appropriately wiped out today. So, here are the pics without much commentary...
Ready to go!
Oh, the horror! That turkey leg didn't last long.
She rode the NASCAR ride about 10 times. She got Jimmie Car all times but one, but she wasn't shy about asking to share if someone was already in it. She was giving me the thumbs up in the first picture, and I asked for a "tough face".
She wanted to do this thing where you get harnessed up and suspended from flexible arms so you can bounce on an inflatable trampoline.
Hot and tired waiting for the demolition derby events.
I think the highlight of the fair was this helicopter ride. She really wanted to do it and, frankly, we all thought she would freak out. None of us had tickets (and some of us would have ralphed) to ride the ride, so she knew that she would be doing it alone if she went. The ride was basically a controlled helicopter crash. The helicopter rotates, rises, and tilts. She loved it, and even more, loved that she survived it despite the barely disguised skepticism in our questions. We were also in awe that the turkey leg and ice cream stayed where it was.
Then we had the traditional funnel cake birthday cake and took a group shot, where she got a little goofy.
Cute, and brand new, piglet...
Cute climber...
Ending the day with a grandma hug is like a cherry on top.
Hi!
I was LID 10-25-05. Fin was born in Guizhou, China in September 2003 and came home with me, her new mom, in June 2007. She is spoiled and obstinate. She is also intelligent and funny and curious and thoughtful and beautiful. I'm a lucky mom!
This blog was started for family and friends and other members of the adoption community to get updates on my daughter. I am a single mom by choice and I am enjoying it... most of the time. :)
You can contact me at momofsharkbait@aol.com . You can also access the blog with the url www.mysharkbait.com .
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