The day started with a balloon bouquet, my Mama and Daddy love me!
Getting nails done with Mama
I could get used to this!
drying our nails
Peek!
Lunch Scrunch
Mmm pizza and mac n cheeze!
Now I need Mama's mints
After nap at build a bear...I want this one Daddy
Yep, passes the hug test.
Typing up a birth certificate!
Ice cream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream!
Want some?
Loving Legos!
Airplane!!
Still love my bear!
One year as a family!
Sharing dinner and memories with Grandma and Grandpa - what better way to celebrate?
Night night Daddy
Tired girl
Sweet dreams little blessing
Yesterday we had a wonderful day of events planned with Danika. She awoke to 3 Mylar balloons (she loves balloons) - a great big sunshine balloon, because she is our little sunshine, a red heart "I love you balloon" and a "happy anniversary" balloon (because I couldn't find a "happy gotcha day" balloon.
After dining on her favorite steamed eggs with soy sauce daddy made for her (a delicacy she hasn't enjoyed since China), we headed out to the nail salon for a manicure. Danika loves to have "pretty nails". She was quite mesmerized by the whole experience and discovered Mama doesn't do nearly as many services as a nail salon! After having Mama's nails painted candy pink and Danika's nails bright red with dots, we went next door for a pizza buffet lunch. Danika enjoyed lots of macaroni and cheese, a bite or two of pizza and of course, Mama's mints to finish off the meal.
We went home for nap time and after a brief nap we headed out to Mall of America for Build a Bear Workshop. Danika was a bit overwhelmed by the whole experience but she did have a clear favorite from the choice of bears so she chose a pink multicolored bear and she helped stuff him and chose a little heart to put inside. Afterwards we sat at the computer and made a birth certificate and gave the bear the name "hugs". Danika loved him right away! (maybe hugs is a she since she is pink??).
After Build a Bear we shared a cookies and cream ice cream cone and watched all the rides at Nickelodeon Universe. Danika was content to just watch and we were content with her decision. After watching the rides, we went to Lego Land and Danika enjoyed building lots of fun things out of Lego's.
We did a bit of shopping and then it was time to meet Grandma and Grandpa Herman at a Chinese restaurant to reminisce about our most favorite memories from the trip to China a year ago. Grandma and Grandpa had a very special gift for Danika, a red, white and blue teddy bear bank! It's such a fitting reminder of our wonderful journey to bring Miss Danika home to the USA.
Soon came bedtime and we dressed Danika in her little ducky pajamas she wore a year ago that night. She posed for a few pictures with Daddy, had snack and it was off to bed. Mama shed more than a few tears about the year that had gone by so quickly, but enjoyed a day of such wonderful memories.
This morning Danika called Iowa to video chat with Grandma and Grandpa and Uncle Dean and got to tell them all about her special day yesterday.
Today is the one year anniversary of the finalization of Danika's adoption in Chongqing, China.
2 comments:
Happy Gotcha Day to you!! Looks like you had an awesome celebration.
Wow, has it been a year? I haven't visited your blog in too long! Congratulations & Happy Anniversary! Thanks also for the congrats on my blog. i love the pics of the girls' nail day - I would never get Mallory to sit still that long or let it dry. One try at home was our last. ;) Sounds like you all had an awesome day of celebrations.
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