Is she your real daughter or is she adopted?

Well, that question had to come sooner or later. No matter what...I wasn't prepared emotionally for it.

I didn't realize until tonight how much loved and sheltered we are in our life. We are very lucky to be part of a very tight knit group of family and friends. We see each other at least twice a week, our kids play together and the adults catch up.

Tonight I went to a party where I didn't know most of the people. It was a birthday party for a 7 year old girl. I was watching over Annalisa when a woman came up to me and asked me: "Is she your real daughter or is she adopted?". She didn't ask for my name, she didn't introduce herself, I knew nothing about this woman and she knew nothing about me...nonethless she felt very comfortable asking me that question.

Without missing a beat I answered: "She IS my REAL daughter and she is adopted". Of course she started to apologize right away. I wasn't mad or upset I was very matter of fact. I explained to her that if my daughter was of an age where she understood I wanted to make sure that she knew without a doubt that there is no DNA in the world that would make her more mine or more real. We had small talk for a few minutes and then I moved on.

Just a few minutes later another woman noticed the Mongolian spots on Annalisa. Here we go again..."What is wrong with your daughter's back?" she asked. I told her they were Mongolian spots and explained that they are common amongst people with a darker pigmentation. She didn't quit! She commented that she had seen me play with Annalisa a few minutes earlier and thought I had dropped her.

A few minutes later I left the party. I had enough! I wasn't really that upset when it happened. I kept my answers very matter of fact and calm. I know that they weren't thinking about what they were saying but in the car on my way home I started to get very sad. Sad because this is the kind of things that Annalisa is going to face her whole life.

Does ignorance justifies people being rude? I want to give people the benefit of the doubt and at the same time educate them about what's proper and what's not. Hopefully these women will not ask the same questions again to another parent but I can't help feeling a bit down right now!

April's Play Date!

Yesterday we had our monthly Play Date at Gigi's house. Sutton was not as mobile as the other girls and she missed out on some of the fun but...everybody had a great time!

Chasing bubbles with Kimberly and Olivia!

Sutton wishing she could run already!

Annalisa and Sutton sharing a toy!





Can't wait until next month :)

My little girl is growing!

Annalisa hair is finally long enough (sort of) to do some tiny tyny pony tails. The other day I bribed her with the TV remote and she allowed me to do the ponytails. Much to my amazement, she didn't pull them off and kept them all day :)

Here is Annalisa on her Pony! She loves to rock on this toy while watching Baby Einstein. Sometimes I am scared she is going to fly off it but I try to let her do her thing and stay close just in case I need to "catch" her.

A few days ago we all went to the Zoo. Annalisa loved running around and watch all the animals. So far the Gorilla is her favorite. She is starting to imitate animal sounds...really cute!

Young hearts at play!

We went to the Jacksonville Jazz Festival yesterday and the girls had a great time rolling around the grass with Grandpa.

The pictures are pretty bad, they didn't allow cameras in the park but I managed to take these with my cell phone.