Oktoberfest

After some thought, I've decided to keep this blog up and running for anything pertaining to adoption.  My hope is to be able to advocate for children, share fundraising info and anything else pertaining to adoption. After today, I'll start posting any of our family pictures and adventures with the peanuts on our new blog which will be the one thats by invite.  I'm putting any email addresses I have in my address book down for viewing.  Our new blog is, www.livelovelaughwiththeleeses.blogspot.com  If you've emailed me with your email address or posted, I'm including your info as well and look forward to sharing with you!

Last Sunday we took the peanuts to Oktoberfest at Traders Point Creamery with some friends and some of Brandon's family who were in town visiting for the day.  It was a good time just watching the kiddos play in the pumpkin patch, dance to the live music and enjoy the hay ride.  A great way to start off Fall!

ME and daddy!!  We are so cute!

Wyatt- Hadley, can you read my mind?  What in the world do they expect us to do with these big orange balls???  There is no way you're gonna be able to lift them!

Landon- Wyatt, your mom is snapping pictures again....Any chance you can get her under control?  The chicks don't dig this!

Wyatt-  I'm sorry dude, so embarrassing...She's difficult to reign in when it comes to taking pictures

Wyatt- Hey Hadley, is this the one you wanted?  I think I can lift this one!!

Hadley- Hey Wyatt, is this the hay ride you were talking about and are we suppose to eat this stuff? Its sticking to my outfit...

Wyatt- No Hadley, that tractor leaving with the hay all over it...that's the hay ride we're suppose to be on

Wyatt- Lets forget the hay ride, Hadley....I'm enjoying the photo shoot

Some fun misc pictures...

I wanted to share that I've decided to make our blog by invite.  I'd love for our friends and family to pop in from time to time and see the kiddos...So if you'd like me to send you an invite, please let me know, I'm happy to do it.  I honestly can't say thank you enough for the encouragement we've received throughout adopting both Wyatt and Hadley.  It meant so much to both Brandon and I...There were many times that we'd get an email that was just at the right time, that was just the "pick me up" we needed.  I started this blog a few years ago in hopes of encouraging someone else on a similar journey, sharing with friends/family and having a journal to share with the kids as they get older...So they would be able to see how everything unfolded as God deliberately brought them into our family.  I'm now just having fun posting pictures of the kids and our day to day.  I'm shifting gears a little for now and its more for the fun of it...

Below are some cute pictures of our peanuts from the last week.

        You dropped one of the tires you stick in your hair, mom.

I think I'm gonna try to put one of your tires in my hair....Ok??

What do you mean, "no, its not a good idea"...I think its a great idea!

Time for a little grocery shopping....

Sometimes grocery shopping makes me thirsty...

And hungry....

I give up...Wyatt ate all of the groceries before he checked out.  Ugh!  Never let a man shop...

We've had an issue the last couple of weeks with Hadley putting her banana slices on her head when Brandon or I turn our backs.  She loves bananas but for some reason, she thinks this is hilarious.  I'm sure its not because Brandon was feeding her one morning and thought I had put a bow in her hair but then realized it was a slice of banana and we both couldn't help but laugh.  Our fault!  Lesson learned :)

Ok, I get it....this isn't very funny...

Please don't bother me...I'm on a very important phone call

One of the funniest things I've seen!

One of my sisters is getting married at the beginning of October and I needed silver sandals to wear for the wedding.  I didn't have any, so I had to go hunting.  I got lucky and found a pair and when I got home, I set the box outside of the door to our bedroom, which is right off of our family room.  I turned around and was straightening up the family room and I saw Hadley going for the box of shoes.  Next thing I know, I turn back around and without any prompting this is what I see!  It would have amazed me in any setting but to know that just a month ago, we were in China and just 6 weeks ago, she was in an orphanage boggles my mind.  She's been through so much in her short life and it fills my heart to see how happy she is and how far she has come in such a short time.  Our lil man who is all boy decided he wanted a piece of the action too and hammed it up.  He used one of the couch arm covers as a hat.

I had so much fun watching them!  It made me think of a saying a friend of mine has..."Every crow thinks theirs is the blackest" It is SO true!!! I think its by Gods design that people feel that way about their children.  Nothing on this earth fills me up more than moments like this!  These two little miracles really make me look at life from an entirely different lens.

                                               

                     Hadley- "I'm pretty sure these are my size...."

Hadley- "Wyatt, I think I may need a little help with this...."

Hadley- "Ok, maybe they are just a half size too big...But I think I can make them work if I tie these two straps together"

Hadley- "Mom, I asked Wyatt for help and he took my other shoe...See, they don't fit him and not to mention, dad is not going to be happy about Wyatt putting on high heals!"

Wyatt- "Relax Hadley...I'm checking to make sure they're safe for you to walk in.  I don't want you to hurt yourself.  Plus, don't you remember mommy and daddy telling us to SHARE!"

Wyatt- "Look Hadley, I bet you didn't know you can use this end as a tooth pick! Cool!"

Hadley- "Great idea Wyatt!! I still had gram crackers in my teeth from our snack!...I knew you were good for something"

Wyatt- "I'm full of great ideas, Hadley...Just ask me!  Lets play hide and seek now.  You count and I'll hide..."

Wyatt- "She'll NEVER find me in here!"

I look cool in my shades!

Yesterday we had a Dr's visit and so Lil Miss Hadley and mommy ventured out solo, while Wyatt stayed home with daddy.  Wyatt was not very happy that Hadley and mommy were leaving without him...I felt so bad because the three of us typically are always together since we've been home. Wyatt doesn't understand that we weren't heading out to do fun stuff without him. So we decided to play a game before we left to take his mind off of it.  Both the kids love to play with our sunglasses.  We had two itty bitty pair of sunglasses that were given to us by our travel friends in China, for Hadley.  So I pulled them out and put a pair on Wyatt and Hadley and we all started acting silly.  Wyatt kept taking his on and off and putting them on his head like mommy and daddy do...But Hadley actually thought she looked pretty stinkin cool in her shades!  She kept giggling and almost posing when we put them on her.

                              
                           Look out Lucy Liu...Here I come!!!!

Mommy, put your shades on!  Lets look cool together....

Seriously??? The paparazzi already? 

Labor Day weekend- swimming!

We haven't been in the pool since we returned home from China and we thought it was about time!  So we took Wyatt and Hadley in for a swim...This was Hadley's first time ever in a pool and you never would have known it because she acted like a pro!  She was kicking her feet and flapping her arms to make a splash.  Wyatt had been watching daddy clean out the pool earlier with the net and decided he wanted to take part too...

      
Wyatt thought Hadley needed watering before officially coming in...

Kissies for daddy!!!

Wyatt- "Here dad...Take the noodle, it'll help you and Hadley float."

Hadley- "Wyatt, would ya hurry it up with that noodle...Dad thinks he can swim"

Wyatt- "Sorry Hadley, I dropped it, you'll be ok, I'm pretty sure he can swim...Did you see the size of that butterfly?"

Wyatt- "Ya know Hadley, you look like you're doing fine, I need to finish cleaning the pool.  If you need help you can just ask mommy to put her stinkin camera down and she'll jump in and save you."

Our playroom

Mom and dad are slowly putting together our playroom, one piece at a time...

Wyatt- "I'm so proud of my new chair!  This is one thing thats off limits sissy"!

Hadley- "Two can play at this, Wyatt...MY CHAIR"!

Wyatt- "Ok Hadley, I hear ya...We both have our own chairs, its cool now"!

Wyatt- "Ahh- this is the life...Chillin in our chairs.  Mom- Can we watch, Super Why"?

Hadley- "Great idea, Wyatt....would you grab my sippy cup and some popcorn?  I've already got my bib on and I'm ready to go"

Getting to know each other

Our two little angels and their slipping halos were pretty nice to each other today.  We've had a little bit of jealousy between the two since our initial moment of loving and sharing.  The last couple of days we are seeing them warm up again and precious moments throughout each day of sweetness toward one another.  Today Wyatt was patting his sister on the head but when it came time for her to play with his blocks, he wasn't terribly enthusiastic.  Then we caught the two of them grinning at each other during dinner as Wyatt tossed food, he apparently didn't want onto Hadley's tray.  They are learning quickly!  


Tomorrow Hadley has her appointment at Riley for her IA visit and we know that's going to be difficult for her.  Since having to spend several days in the hospital in China, the clinic for vaccines in China and then the Pediatrician her first day home, we have seen her panic when it comes time to even have her heart listened to.  It's so sad because we know she has every right to be fearful and is just learning to trust us and while I know it's necessary, I'm sad for her that she has to go.  On the bright side we are looking forward to getting some additional follow up on her infection from when she was in China.  


This picture is of our mommy and daughter time while Wyatt and Brandon went out hunting...Just kidding, they went out for some male bonding :)

Brother and sister

                                     WE LOVE OUR WALKS!!

Wyatt- "Yay mom!  Here we go!"    Hadley- "It's past my nap time and I'm falling asleep, lets get this show on the road."

Wyatt- "Can I hold your hand, sis?"

Hadley- "I like you Wyatt but not right now...I'm still a little upset about you taking away the ball earlier.  You need to learn to share a little better"  Wyatt- "Ok sis but remember it's MY ball and I love you even if you won't hold my hand"

The day Aunt Jill left

Wyatt was sleeping when I took Jill to the airport but we were able to get a few more photos of Aunt Jill with Hadley...

Our exciting adventures to Costco!

Since coming home last Thursday we've taken two very exciting trips out and about...One was to Costco and Buy Buy Baby with Aunt Jill and the other was a second trip to Costco for DIAPERS!  Woo-Hoo!  The Leese family is full of excitement these days, as you'll see (wink-wink)!!
                                          

                 Apparently Hadley was thrilled to go to Costco!

Looks like Wyatt got the same memo!

The next Bridget Sloan...She is so stinkin flexible

Why are you so happy??!! We are at COSTCO not Disney!