It's official!

We've officially entered the world of Disney movies. Shayla has decided they are WAY cooler than cartoons. She asked me to put on a movie the other day, and I not thinking it would last very long obliged her. An hour and a half later 101 Dalmations was over and she promptly asked for the "woofs" again. We tend to watch one movie throughout the day and she is as happy as a clam.

Tomorrow she asked for the "meows". (Aristocats) It's the simple things in life sometimes that bring you joy. I'm glad my daughter is starting to enjoy some of the classic shows I loved as a little girl. Hopefully she starts liking the princess movies and then we can have tea parties and dress up days.

Having a little girl is such a blast! I love that she is as girlie as I was at her age and that she is so much fun.

On the Dallin front: He is adjusting pretty well. Tonight he prayed for our family prayer and thanked Heavenly Father for "all the nice people he could trust". So sweet and so tender. Jon and I have had to grow a slightly thick skin with him so that it doesn't hurt our feelings when he tells us he would like to live with anyone but us. I guess he talks really appreciatively and complimentary about us to everyone else, which is good to hear. Tonight he let his wall come down a little bit to me when I told him that he, Jon and I were going to go to a family counselor, so that Jon and I could be better parents for him. He looked at me so innocently and said, "You're already the best parents I've ever had." It melted my heart a lot.

The first time I ever knew I wanted to raise him he was 10 months old. My family and I had gone on a trip that his mother didn't attend, so I was put in charge of him. I woke up with him in the middle of the night, fed him bottles, made sure he was clean and well fed and felt loved. When I had to return him to his Mom I sobbed. So did he. She had to take him from my arms because I didn't have the will power to give him to her. He clung to me and continued to reach out to me as my Mom and I drove away. I cried myself to sleep that night. Worried sick about him. My Mom remembers that vividly as well, because I told her that, "He was going to be mine." I knew even then that one day I would be raising him. If only I could have saved him some of the heartache he has gone through the last 8 years since that happened. At least I have him now.

Even if I am mean and make him fall asleep all by himself. One day I won't feel like the mean Mom. Maybe it really just means that I am doing my job.