We have a Canadian in the house!

I was going to pace myself, really I was, but so much has happened that this just has to be a big post everyone.

First and foremost, you (and I) cannot believe what came in the mail today: Kaitlynn's Certificate of Citizenship! I applied on February 19th 2008, and here it is May 22 2008, a mere 3 months later and we have her citizenship card in hand!! We are just overjoyed and so excited that this came today, so unexpectedly (we received the form letter telling us it would take 13-15 months back in March!). Kaitlynn is now officially a Canadian Citizen... take a bow Kaitlynn!

Kaitlynn wearing her official Canadian team Olympic outfit, holding all the Beijing Olympic Mascots!

We celebrated two birthdays over the weekend: Kaitlynn and Tristan both have the same birthday, believe it or not (so does Zorro, for those dog lovers out there). First off, what a great birthday present to receive Kaitlynn's Citizenship Card. We got family pictures done with Grammy Carol (which I posted about all ready), and she got to have fun with the kids too! We did a dual theme: princesses for the girls, and hockey for the boys. Worked really well! Here are some choice moments:

Everyone gets their own cupcake to decorate, and I put a candle in each one that everyone gets to blow out.

For you picture takers out there, this is an amazing shot. I somehow managed to get Kaitlynn blowing out her candle... you can see the wisp of flame going out and you see Kaitlynn blowing! (more on the blowing below, for you parents considering adopting cleft affected kids)

I only like the candies and the icing! (She barely touched the cake)

My big boy Tristan who is now 7! Where does the time go?

Everyone around the table... yes, that is my 85% chocolate.
I can eat that type cause the sugar content is next to zero, and no I did not have any birthday cake! Did I mention that I have lost 24 lbs so far?

Now for the blowing: cleft affected kids cannot make a vacuum in their mouth when their palates are open. If you recall, Kaitlynn had her surgery back in February and she has healed nicely. The letters are coming out better now (we have nice n's and some p's coming), but creating that vacuum is hard when you are so used to being nasal. She tried and tried blowing into the party favour, which no outcome. Then I pinched her nose shut and ta-da, she blew through her mouth and got the thing to go out. Then miracles or miracles, she was able to create a vacuum again to blow out her candle. So that picture above with the candle going out is just amazing considering not 5 minutes before she could not do it, and then she could! She can now also drink from a straw (another vacuum thing). BRAVO Kaitlynn!