Just Another Day at the Beach

After a scrumptious breakfast at the The North End in Manhattan Beach, we went down to the water for a little fun... I don't know if it's PC in adoptionland, but Mike and I were talking today about how Marley most likely never would've seen the ocean had he grown up in Ethiopia. He does love it, so we are glad he is here...and many other reasons too!!!

Football is the Funnest Sport Ever!!!

Ok, so I know funnest is not a word, but I am English teacher and have the freedom to make up and use words at will!!

Mike and Marley were tossing the pig-skin around on teh grid-iron this weekend and as you can Marley was enjoying every minute of it! Ok, so it was a nerf in the highchair...but fun nonethless!!

My Boy Likes to Party All the Time...

Yes, that's right, we had a birthday party for Marley this weekend too! It was well attended and many people donated to the Ethiopian charity A Glimmer of Hope instead of bringing Marley a material present!

More Pix WIth Gramma and Geems

Just some more pix with Marley's Gramma and Great Geems and Grampa!!

Just Because...

I just wanted to share this picture because I just absolutely looooove the way Marley is looking at me...like he really loves me!! When he is 14 and I am so uncool, yeah, right like that will ever happen...I will whip out this picture and remind him that once upon a time, he really, really loved me!!

A Lesson of Contrasts

My dad says his feet were never this small...but I bet they were!! This picture is just too darn cute! I love it!!

Swinging Sweetly to Sleep

Today on our afternoon walk and park trip, Marley went for his routine swing, but this time he fell asleep instead of giggle until near explosion! I can't decide what is cuter...giggle fits or swing sleeping!!

Spinning WIth Excitement

Marley's new trick is to spin around like a top on his tummy...it's the latest addition to his happy dance and it was out in full force yesterday while playing with Alia!!

Yet Another Party...

And our third and final party was for Lesley's Gram's 85th birthday! After this party Marley let us sleep in until 9am...that rocked!! Lesley's kids Kais and Sady (Oh I pray I spelled that correctly) totally adored him and had such great questions about adoption, Ethiopia, and Marley's background! Lesley has done such a great job raising these two beautiul children...Les, I'm proud of you and proud to be your best friend!!

His Hair is Big!!

This goes out to my neice and Marley's cousin Katherine who gave us the fabulous idea of picking Marley's hair out...I think you will all agree, he is cute with or without the fro!!!

Marley's First Bday Party!!

Marley's totally awesome Aunt Kathy threw him his first ever birthday party...equiped with cake, balloons, streamers, favors, two pools and presents galore...not to mention the delicious Mexican food!! Everyone had a blast!! And we even met some new people....like Alec who is also from Ethiopia...birthdays rock!!

Meeting the Grammas!!

Fianlly, Marley got to meet Gramma this weekend! There will be more pix of that as I get them...but theses are just a few with Gramma and Geems! Marley sure loved his Gramma and Great Geems!!

Party Time!!

This weekend was filled with parties...three to be exact! The first one for Marley's cousin Dylan's (my nephew) graduation. Dylan is such an awesome guy, and as I told my sister this weekend....if Marley grows up to be half as good a guy as Dylan...then I would have done something right!! I can't beleive you graduated and are off to college to pursue a career as a fire fighter!! Dylan, you rock bud!! I am so proud of you and even more proud to be your Aunt! I love you man!!

Dylan was Marley's age when I graduated from high school...man how time flies!!