It is Family Day!!!!!!!!!!!!!

On August 31, 2009 we met this amazing little girl named Yan Hai Fu.


Yep in many ways we were in a different world one year ago. We have such special memories of China.

Fast forward to one year later.....Miss Clarissa Yanhai Lauzon has taken over!!!! She even drives!!!!




Ok...she doesn't drive, but she does just about everything else. We are so blessed, and we love this wonderful person so much. It has been a fantastic year watching Clarissa grow, learn, and change.



Last week my beautiful wife and I celebrated our 7th Anniversary and took a quick trip to Toronto with Clarissa for a couple of days. She was great during the flights. We stopped by the CNE:



Clarissa had her first swim in a pool and looooooooooooved it hugely!!!!!!!!!!!!



She was very happy to find out that Mommy brought Dolly and Mr. Bunny for her to sleep with in the hotel room.




The hotel had some super long spaghetti that she had lots of fun eating with Mommy.



We went to the Royal Ontario Museum to see the Terracotta Army exhibit which was very cool. I have a follow up on this....but I will save it.



We also took Clarissa's first subway ride. Other than the big loud noise, the smell, and the strange looking people....she loved it!!! Ok...didn't smell too bad. That was just me throwing it in for comedic value......




Much more has gone on also, such as having a special group of people over for dinner....I'll post more about that later...maybe tomorrow.

More to come....



Hmmm maybe I have given you too many images of cuteness for one post.....perhaps I should be spreading them out more......should I maybe take a few out and save them????? What?????? I better not????? Or else?????? Oh....ok.......

Wait....who said that???? Is someone there???? Is someone really there?????

Garlic, words, driving, vacation, almost a whole year as a family...and......a pony ride!!!!!!

Ahhhh yes....it has been a busy couple of weeks.....but I am (therefore "we are") on vacation!!!! We have a busy couple of weeks ahead. On Thursday I will celebrate 7 years of being married to the most wonderful, incredible, beautiful person in the world. She....well she will celebrate something....probably something more like celebrating enduring 7 years of marriage to a bozo like me ;-)

Then on the 31st we will celebrate one full year of being a family of three. A FULL FREAKIN' YEAR ALREADY!!!!!!!!!!! It is beyond words to try to explain how blessed and fortunate we feel to be able to share our life with this amazing, incredible little girl. To watch her change and grow with the passing of eacha and every day. To watch her personality develop and show itself. It is lots and lots of fun. It is actually quite remarkable that when we first received our referral it included a document that was written when she was 4 1/2 months old which had information about her including some of her "character traits"...and many of them are bang on. One thing is for sure....she knows very much what she wants...and what she doesn't want....and how to very clearly express it (most of the time). We are so thankful that this wonderful, special person is part of our family.

August would not be August without a visit to the Perth Garlic Festival. We headed out with Uncle Don and I loaded up on a great supply of fresh garlic.




I also want to throw a huge congrats and way to go to ARB on their "not such a secret secret". We have flirted with the idea. You guys are awesome and inspiring.

Clarissa had her first pony ride today!!!! She wasn't sure what to make of it all at first, but once it started moving she loved it.

Just some pictures....

Ok.....too tired to write, but have some pictures that I must share. But wait....you will be competely shattered if I don't add some of my brilliant observational quips. Won't you????? What???? You won't??????? "Shut up Rob and just show us the pictures!!!!!"....??????......wahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Errrrrr.....ok.......here you go........





Huh?????? That wasn't Clarissa????? Ohhhh.....wait....let me check....hmmmmmm.....you're right....that's not Clarissa.....but that's Rush. Yep...that is Rush.....Rush is freakin' awesome baby!!!!!

Ok.....back to Clarissa.....she made her first trip to Cosmic Adventures. Daddy can't wait to get his turn at climbing through the tunnels and stuff....



She visited Grandma and Grandpa's place...


Clarissa and Daddy made a visit to the park.....



Uncle Joey came to visit and Clarissa had a lot of fun....



This is just how much fun....


Actually both of them seemed to have fun.....



That's it for now......more soon....ummmm....define soon......we'll see....

Oh....did I ever mention that if you click on the pictures they get bigger???? Hmmmmm now do you have to go back to day one and check them all out?????