Holidays!

Simon got to enjoy latos of family this holiday.
Reading with PaPa Steve...
















Watching goofy Uncle Alan open a present from under a blanket...
(Why? You might ask- I think it had something to do with
Simon liking to hide under the blanket all the time.)























Bouncing on Grandma Sue's lap...























Looking at ornaments with PaPa Don.

How Simon Sees the World 2

(Notice the shirts that say Simon- the back has 12/12/08 on it to commemorate finalization day. Thanks for a great gift Uncle Robert!)

Grandparents!



Toys, slippers, and wrapping paper.

"Piano buttons. No. What's the word Mama? [Keys.] Keys! Piano keys! Like door keys but the piano doesn't open."

Tree!

How Simon Sees the World

Watch out blog readers!

There is going to be a new type of post because....
Simon got a camera for Christmas!

And he loves taking pictures all the time

so here is a first sampling of
How Simon Sees the World Christmas, 2008

Getting our Tree

Daddy, can I help?























See, Daddy I can do it!


















I can even vacuum up the needles!

Adoption Finalization!

Right after it actually happened- we all look a little shell-shocked. The man no one recognises is Stephen, our lawyer.
















The 10:30 AM ice cream celebration.
















Happily playing with Grandma Sue afterwards. Grandma Sue was a huge support, it was wonderful for us to have her there with us.
















Will and I can't really say what this day means to us yet, it just hasn't fully sunk in. We are overwhelmed and totally releived. We are so proud of Simon as he becomes his own person and deeply grateful that we get to be a part of it. Thank you, everyone, for giving us love and support through this truly sensational adoption process. We are ready to just go on being a family now. As we always have been- but it's nice to have the law agree with us.

Finally

This is the bowl that held the ice cream that Simon ate at 10:30 AM after going to court to see the judge who made his adoption finally finalized.

Simon has found his medium...

Simon called out to me, "Daddy, I drew Simon!" I was impressed, but I was also sad that his medium is coffee table & permanent marker.

Thanksgiving!

It was turkey on the go in Rochester this year!
















Simon rang the dinner bell...























and enjoyed the food...
















and painted Grandma Sue's face with a wooden bolt. (?)

Great News!

Adoption finalization is scheduled for the December 12th!!!!

Trying on the Costume

Simon becomes a Zebra...

A Beautiful Fall Day at the Zoo

It looks like a country lane, but really it was the Bronx Zoo. (And as this picture was being taken we were telling Simon, "No climbing.")























Mama and Simon singing "Twinkle, Twinkle" to the baby sea lion. Honestly, it was Simon's idea. Because the Sea Lion was taking a nap Simon wanted to sing to him.
















Visitng our friends the Gorillas.
















And who knew that one highlight of the zoo would be a chance to play in leaves?

All kinds of stuff...

Driving a bus. (Really the transit museum. I'm sure you never would have guessed.)
























Watching trains. (Really a wonderful new music box at Aunt Lisi and Uncle Robert's house.)



















Lots of laughs at their house too.

















And they served chocolate cake, and we got to take home the extra!

:(

Simon miscalculated where the coffee table was. So he caught himself with his face, rather than with his hands. Quite a shade of purple, though. (These photos are from several hours afterward.)

Elections are tiring

 

A Historic Day

Simon, Mama, and Daddy doing thier civic duty. about a 45 minute wait this morning and we got there before 7! Go Obama!