Water fun

We've spent alot of time at the beach this week since the beautiful summer weather finally hit us!! Rafael loves the beach, especially dipping his hands and feet in the water and splashing. He's also spent alot of time in the kiddie pool that we bought him a few months back. He is really loving summer!

He now weighs 22 pounds and he's grown around a half inch since two months ago. He is always saying "uh oh" for when he does something he shouldn't. He has a few new words but he mainly just talks off in jibberish to anyone who will listen. He continues to eat well and just loves watermelon and pears. He could eat just that all day long. He has started to pretend that he is like Sid, the dog, and he will put food on the floor and eat it without using his hands. We really need to get him out of this but I have to admit that it is pretty funny to watch. He laughs and laughs after doing it. He really thinks that he is super duper funny and he's right!!

We have been so blessed to have been matched with such a wonderful, happy little boy. At times he can definitely try your patience but overall he is just a great little boy. I just love it when he comes up and gives me a hug and a kiss and then the world's biggest smile. How can you say no to a boy like that!

We are also so happy for Tammy and Eric who have been matched with a little boy after 31.5 months of waiting. We can't wait until they all visit us here next year and the boys get to know each other better. I'm hoping that all the families who continue to wait, especially those at and above 30 months of waiting, are matched very soon. Believe me, your little one is worth the long wait. We are also so happy for Rafael's roommate, Peter, from Dorcas House who just went home to Australia with his family. We are so lucky to be in contact with Peter's family and we plan on staying in contact as the boys grow.

Happy Canada Day!!

We decided to skip the Canada Day sunrise ceremony this morning because it was..............raining, foggy and cold. Surprise, surprise!! I heard on the news yesterday that we only had three days of sunshine in the whole month of June. Now isn't that depressing?? But the forecast for the rest of the weekend is good and we can't wait to get outside and play! Rafael is tired of being cooped up and can't wait to get out. We are going on a hike in the morning and then to the playground of course. We did have some nice weather yesterday and we went to the beach for a bit. It wasn't warm enough for shorts and t-shirts but we were just thankful for the sunshine. Rafael enjoyed throwing rocks into the water and watching the birds fly overhead. I wish that I had taken my camera because it was a perfect day to get some nice photos. Next time!!

Wind, fog and rain

The weather here has been absolutely awful for the past two weeks. Nothing but wind, fog and rain. Yuck!!! Poor Rafael has been stuck inside too much and I'm starting to have trouble coming up with activities to keep him busy and believe me, he LIKES to be BUSY!! So far we have baked a cake, he's helped me make homemade pizza for supper, he's helped to clean up with the handvac and we've made some crafts. Now I'm out of ideas so please let it be nice out tomorrow!


We had a great Father's Day. Once Rafael awoke, he had breakfast in bed with Daddy. Actually it was just coffee for Brian and milk for Rafael but they both enjoyed it all the same. Then Brian went golfing and I took Rafael on a 1.5 hour hike in the backpack. It was a pretty tough hike with lots of big hills and I was exhausted by the end but Rafael was loving it. He was pointing at the ocean and the birds and the dogs. That afternoon we went out for hot chocolate and a did a little downtown shopping. Did I happen to mention that our boy loves shopping!!

Baking with Mommy

Breakfast in bed with Daddy

Sweeping the floors while wearing one of Mommy's slippers.

Out and about

We've been busy having lots of fun lately since the weather has improved. We've gone to the playground several times and to the beach. He loves the monkey bars at the park and can swing from them forever if we'd let him. He also loves putting rocks in his mouth which is a bad habit that we need to break him of but since he's now getting six new teeth, we may have our hands full!!

Today Rafael has his professional photos finally taken as it was a beautiful day. I can't wait to see them! Rafael did a great job and didn't slow down at all during the 1.5 hour shoot.

Rafael is doing great in his swimming lessons and he will now jump in and put his head underneath the water! We are so proud! He will kick his legs and move his arms but cannot yet stay above the water if we let him go. We also plan to put him in a dance class this coming Fall. Rafael loves dancing and performing in front of a crowd. When I take him to playgroup he likes to always be in the center of the circle dancing and jumping. We can't wait to see him in dance class!!

Our little monkey on the monkey bars!! He loves just hanging out!

Having fun with one of his girlfriends.

Family fun

Rafael was loving the good weather last week but this week has been rainy and cold. He is getting his first professional photos taken next week in a park not far from his house. I'm so excited to see the proofs. Rafael usually loves having his picture taken so I'm hoping for some really good pictures. Not much else is new around here so I just thought I'd share a few photos of our cutie pants!!

Outing!!

Yesterday morning it was just beautiful here so we packed up early and headed up to Signal Hill. It is just beautiful up there and Rafael had so much fun running around and playing. Hopefully our good weather will continue although today it is rainy, foggy and 5 degrees. Oh no!!

Also Deborah and her son and husband are now in the Philippines picking up their three girls from the same orphanage as Rafael. How exciting!!! It is going to be great having another Dorcas House family here in Canada. We really hope that we can all get together sometime down the road although we are a 3.5 hour flight away from each other. Maybe next summer!!

Rafael's speech has really exploded over the past week. He looked at the screen saver on the computer a few days ago and he said "that's me!!". He then pointed to the computer screen and then to himself. What a smartie pants!! He also will repeat several new words when we say them. This stage is soooo much fun!

The Bruins won last night so they are headed to the Stanley Cup final. Hurray!!!!! I can't wait!!

Growing up!!!!

Rafael continues to keep us on our toes!! He is changing everyday and is growing up so fast. He now says "mom, dad, nan, look, ball, hi, and bye". He loves to blow kisses and to say bye when someone leaves the house. Too cute!! He loves to talk to my mom on the telephone although the only words you can recognize are hi and bye. He just learned to jump this weekend and he now likes to hop all over the house. I was hanging out the clothes on the clothesline this morning and I heard him banging on the window yelling out "mom" to the top of his lungs. He is such a cutie. He goes up to Sid, our dog, and puckers his lips for Sid to kiss him but just as Sid is about to kiss him, he runs away laughing. He's a real joker.

He attends a play group with several other kids his age. He loves this group as they sing songs and he loves doing the actions especially to "head and shoulders, knees and toes" and to "if you're happy and you know it". He chases all the other kids around during playtime and he is sharing so much better. He now will only get up with me when we are out. He used to go to others to get up but now he knows to come to mama.

He sleeps well although he has started to get up at 6:00am. He still goes to bed at 8:00pm so I'm not quite sure why he's decided to start getting up earlier. He usually sleeps thru the night. Over the past 4-5 nights we can now lay him in his crib after reading his books and giving him a quick rock, and he will go to sleep on his own. Before we would have to rock him and rock him until he went to sleep and then put him in the crib. He naps for 2 hours everyday at around 11am.

He eats just about anything and everything but his favorites would be yogurt and fruit. He could eat that for breakfast, dinner and supper!! He'll now feed himself with his fork and he can use his spoon if the food is thick or sticky but he wouldn't be able to feed himself soup or anything like that. He mainly drinks from his sippy cup but loves to drink from a juice box.

I just did a photo book of our trip to the Philippines and we were so happy with how it turned out. Rafael will love looking at it, especially as he gets older. I wanted to do a regular scrapbook but it takes sooo much time and makes such a mess that I cheated and did the photobook online. I really should get back into my scrapbooking soon because we have tons of photos of Rafael since he's come home. I can't believe that we have almost been home for 3 months!!

There has been lots of good news lately!! Another family from Canada, the De Boers, are leaving soon to go pick up their three daughters from Dorcas House, where Rafael is from. Rafael's roommate Peter, also from Dorcas House, just had his medical last week and hopefully he will soon be home in Australia. Hopefully all the families who are still waiting to be matched, especially those who have waited over 30 months, will soon be matched with their children. I know how long and hard the wait can be. But it is soooo worth it in the end!!

Eating outside for the first time this year. Yummy bbq!!

Enjoying his cousin Max's birthday party.

He LOVED the chocolate cake and even wanted a second piece!