Blah Blah Blah...this girl can talk :)

Miss Katie was a real live wire today. Her daddy was gone two days on business and it was like she had stored up lots of energy and fun especially for him. She has been very verbal today and was actually quite insistent that she get her point across at ALL times. She kept telling us to "SIT!" "READ!" "WALK!" "ROSY!" - that one was for ring around the rosy :) "UP!" "MINE!" and on and on. These were all spelled in capitol letters with exclamation points because they were barked like orders. We kept trying to tell her to lower her voice a bit but NO!!!

This morning I went to the doctor to do a physical for our adoption and afterwards I called Marc to let him know how it went. I kept calling and there was no answer. Finally, when I reached him and asked him where he had been he told me that he was taking a shower while The Starr was watching her fav guy Elmo. I told him that I had been trying to reach him and was getting worried. He started laughing because at one point when I was calling it seems that Katie came running into the bathroom with one shoe and sock on and one shoe and sock off (that is what she does while watching TV) and actually brought the phone to Marc babbling something very loudly. Marc thought that she was just playing with the phone but she had actually tried to tell him that it was ringing and that he needed to answer it!!

We just put her to bed and I can still here her babbling away to her stuffed animals (captive audience just like Mommy and Daddy) This girl just cracks us up :)

It is Official

Taiwan has accepted us and now we are on the wait list for another daughter and sister for Justin and Katie Starr. This will be quite different from China as there is no way to know when the call will come. We are so excited!!

Ok, now back to the paper chase.....

Katie Starr and her Man Elmo

I am participating in Donna's Family FotoFun Friday Challenge. I just had to join in on this one as it had to do with Katie's number one guy, ELMO!! Every morning at 9:00 am you will see Ms. Starr sitting in her Elmo Chair in front of the TV riveted to Sesame Street. When the Elmo's world segment comes on she begins to clap and dance and yell Mo!! Katie has several Elmos in many shapes and forms and like Donna's Maddie, Katie Starr loves her Pampers so that she can look at "Mo".

Someone near and dear to me who shall remain nameless was watching Katie recently and by accident, while walking the dog, locked herself out of the house while Katie was watching a Elmo's World DVD. This person ran across the street for help and with the help of my neighbors was able to break into the house (Not very comforting news). Throughout the break in Katie never looked away from her beloved Elmo and did not notice that there were 3 adults and 3 kiddos staring at her once they got in...sheeesh...I wish I garnered such adulation.



Here is Katie Standing with her man at "Sesame Street Live"
Sitting and watching Elmo's World intently
Receiving yet another Elmo for Chanukah - This one for the bathtub

The First Rule of Toddlerhood

Anyone who has raised a child through toddlerhood knows the first rule of this age group. Of course that rule would be "It's always mine!" This rule really covers a great deal of ground. In the mind of a toddler:

If it's yours it's mine
If I am looking at it it's mine"
If I touch it it's mine"
If I had it 5 minute ago and still want it then it's mine"
and of course if it's mine then it's mine"

You get the picture. Initially Katie would walk around pointing at various items including her Mommy and Daddy and exclaim "Mine!!" Today was the first time that Katie put two words together. She did it two separate times; once in the morning and once in the evening. The evening phrase let us know that the morning phrase was not a fluke. Of course you can only imagine what her first two word phrases would be. Here they are:

"My snack!"
"My dog!"

Of course these were said with great emphasis so that we knew she meant business. Oh man; we are so in trouble ;0)

National College Football Champions

Congratulations to the Florida Gators!! They are National Champions and I know my son is having a wonderful time celebrating in Gainesville tonight!! It's 100 years of the Gator Nation...whooooohooooo!

I'm It!!

My friend Tammie has tagged me so here goes... Luv ya Tammie!
A - available or taken: Taken
B- best friend: Kira and my sister Jane are my best girlfriends and Marc is my best "Boyfriend" :0)
C- cake or pie: cake and pie - chocolate please
D- drink of choice: Diet Coke - I start the day with it
E-essential item you use everyday: Lipstick
F-favorite color: Red
G-gummy bears or worms: Gummy Bears
H-hometown: Born in New Haven Connecticut currently living in South Florida
I-indulgence: eating out ALOT!
J-January or February: January - the month that we decided to adopt!
K-kid's names: Justin Bennett (22) and Katie Starr (20 mos) soon to be a third :)
L-life incomplete without: my family & friends
M-marriage date: June 4, 2000
N-number of siblings: 1 sister whom I love dearly
O-oranges or apples: Chocolate
P-phobias or fears: Huge fear of flying - can you believe I flew to China?
Q-favorite quote: I want to die like my grandpa did..sleeping; not screaming like the passengers in his car.
R-reason to smile: My hubby who makes me smile and laugh daily
S-season: What are seasons? I live in Florida.
T-tag 3 people: Dawn, Heather and Julie
U-unknown fact about me: I was a super rebellious kid who caused most of the gray hair on my parents heads.
V-veggie I don't like: Asparagus
W-worst habit: procrastination
X-xrays: Way too many to count!
Y-your favorite food: Italian especially pasta
Z-zodiac: Taurus the BULL

Please visit the Blogs of my tagged friends

We interrupt our regularily scheduled programming to bring you this announcement.....

We have decided to make a change in our adoption plans.

We have decided to adopt from Taiwan. We are overjoyed with this decision as our wait should be much less and we will be able to adopt a child with the same heritage as Katie, which is one of our priorities. The program that we are going with should bring us a referral very quickly (probably in the next 2-3 months) and then the wait begins while the adoption is approved by the Courts in Taiwan. That can take between 4-8 months. We hope that by the end of this year that Katie will have a baby sister. Woweeeeee!

We will keep you posted....