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We've Been Holding Out on You

You may have picked up on a little word in Shawn's last post: "walking."

Yep, the princess is motoring on two feet, and she loves it.

So for your viewing pleasure, we present "Lia Learns to Walk." A few days before her birthday, Shawn and I caught her very first unassisted steps on tape. You can hear me squealing with excitement!

Like Father, Like Daughter

I'm on the bus today with Lia on our way to her second appointment at the Children's Hospital. Three young guys get on and sit next to us, jostling each other and generally being rather rowdy. Lia loves all the action, and when one of the guys takes out his phone and starts playing gansta rap really loud, she starts bopping up and down, much to their amusement. As the bus comes to a halt at our stop, the bus driver whips around and yells, "Can you turn that ANY louder?" The guys startle, and the one with the phone blurts out, "But she likes it!", pointing at Lia. The guy then turns to his friend, "Dude, no one likes me . . . except her." As I'm exiting the bus I hear his friend reply, "Yeah bro, but she's a baby."

The trip to the clinic went really well. Blood work and samples didn't turn up anything, and the doctor was really impressed with Lia's developments since our last visit. Lia was thrilled to show off her crawling, walking and clapping of hands. She was less thrilled with the needle they gave her for the TB test. When the nurses came in to administer the needle, one looked a little sheepish and said, "I have to tell you, but we were talking out there and we all agree that Lia looks like you." Too cute.

A photo from our trip to the Dundonald Park last week. We are so thankful that the warm weather is finally here.

Words to Parent By

"You cannot disappoint me. I wish only to discover you."

--Mary Haskell

With Apologies to Leafs' Fans Everywhere

Lia says, "Go Sens Go!"

Easter Birthday

Ever seen a one-year-old eat birthday cake? Ya gotta.

This was Lia on Saturday night, eating her banana cake. She perfected several techniques, including double-fisted and no-hands.

We spent Easter in Kingston with my parents, and feted the birthday girl with presents and cake and lots of attention.

Today we had plans for an outing to the community pool, but Lia's nap schedule thwarted our best intentions. Instead we enjoyed a visit from Brie and Zach, and hung out on the floor with the kids. Lia grew spastic in her excitement and whacked Madeline on the head a few times. It was all we could do to get a photo where the poor child wasn't being assaulted!

Lia Na-Fei, you've been through a lot in your first year. Your passion is inspiring. Happy birthday, darling. xoxo

One of Many

Our adoption agency, Children's Bridge, is currently raising funds to help Hoang Son Pham, a boy in a Vietnam orphanage who has a severe facial tumour that requires surgery in Canada.

The fund raising goal is $50,000, and so far $25,000 has been raised. You can donate directly online, or you can bid on Chinese jewelery in the Mother's Day Auction starting on April 15.

Shelley Page wrote an article for the Ottawa Citizen about this effort, and I was struck at how she echoed many of the thoughts in our baptism homily, summed up in Mother Theresa's words:

If I look at the mass I will never act. If I look at one, I will.

Thanks for looking at this one, Hoang Son Pham.