Hard to believe, but, yes it's true - Amelie is 3!! The past 2 years that we've had her home have 
gone by so much faster than the 1 year we waited to bring her home!
gone by so much faster than the 1 year we waited to bring her home!We celebrated her birthday with a camping trip in our camper at Disney's Fort Wilderness campground. We used 1 day of our 4 day pass to go to Disney. On Friday, Lenny, Amanda, Emerson, Amy, Kevin, Abby and Malia all joined us at Fort Wilderness to help celebrate. We enjoyed a picnic dinner at the site followed by a campfire with Chip n' Dale that evening. Believe me, I stopped saying we were going to the Chip n' Dale show after the first time I mentioned it to someone (if you're wondering just say it out loud as you read this).
The next day, we enjoyed the first 1/2 day at Hollywood Studios where we got to see the Jedi Knight training at the Star Wars exhibit (Amelie is now officially a Star Wars fan, I'll write more about that soon). We hit a few more exhibits before it was pretty clear Amelie needed a nap before going on. We trekked back to the camper for some R&R and Amelie was quite refreshed. Afterwards, our friend Mel met us and we headed over to the Magic Kingdom and got to see their night parade and fireworks.
Okay, so now I'll post some update stuff...
Star Wars, Nothing but Star Wars...
A few weeks ago, we got to go to my brother's wedding ceremony (Micah and Katie had a civil union ceremony for purposes of being stationed together next year as they are both in the Navy. They'll have a big wedding in May). While in Maryland for this ceremony, my Dad quickly tired of watching Snow Buddies and decided to put in Star Wars (the original one with Luke Skywalker). Well, who would have guessed it, but Amelie has become an obsessed Star Wars fan ever since.
Darth Panda, I mean Vader
My grandmother (aka Nana, aka Granny Great) made Amelie a panda bear hooded bath towel 
in anticipation of her original homecoming. Well, now this towel is no longer used for baths, but for our miniature evil lord who now resides with us. She loves to wear this as her 'Darth Vader cape'. She has mastered making an entrance as the dark lord - once she puts it on, she gets quite a sinister look on her face and quite a slow, deliberate walk to make sure everyone is quite aware you do not want to cross this fallen Jedi. She likes to be Darth Vader when we go out and about on the town as well. When we were in the library she asked for her Darth Vader cape. So many around her watched and smiled as they commented, "what a cute panda". Simple fools. As I was walking behind her, she said "Mama, do
the bad guy music". So, here I am walking through the library behind a short little panda girl going "Bom, bom, ba bom, bom ba bom, bom ba bom". Very reminiscent of Month Python's the Holy Grail with the entourage of the coconuts. Very fear-inspiring to be sure though...
in anticipation of her original homecoming. Well, now this towel is no longer used for baths, but for our miniature evil lord who now resides with us. She loves to wear this as her 'Darth Vader cape'. She has mastered making an entrance as the dark lord - once she puts it on, she gets quite a sinister look on her face and quite a slow, deliberate walk to make sure everyone is quite aware you do not want to cross this fallen Jedi. She likes to be Darth Vader when we go out and about on the town as well. When we were in the library she asked for her Darth Vader cape. So many around her watched and smiled as they commented, "what a cute panda". Simple fools. As I was walking behind her, she said "Mama, do
the bad guy music". So, here I am walking through the library behind a short little panda girl going "Bom, bom, ba bom, bom ba bom, bom ba bom". Very reminiscent of Month Python's the Holy Grail with the entourage of the coconuts. Very fear-inspiring to be sure though...Deep thoughts
The Star Wars fascination has led to some in depth conversations though. At one point, we were driving around town and Amelie asks, "Mama, why is Darth Vade
r not nice?" And I say, "Well, perhaps he has not learned to be nice." 
After a reflective moment, she replies thoughtfully, "well, maybe if he had a bunny?" I thought this was an excellent idea and told her so. She then said she would share her pink bunny with him and they could play bunnies. So, that leads me to think - Obama is now deciding on a Secretary of State (okay, so I am late actually writing this post), when really he should just pick a 3 year old girl. How much better would our world diplomacy be if all the world leaders could just meet with bunnies?
r not nice?" And I say, "Well, perhaps he has not learned to be nice." 
After a reflective moment, she replies thoughtfully, "well, maybe if he had a bunny?" I thought this was an excellent idea and told her so. She then said she would share her pink bunny with him and they could play bunnies. So, that leads me to think - Obama is now deciding on a Secretary of State (okay, so I am late actually writing this post), when really he should just pick a 3 year old girl. How much better would our world diplomacy be if all the world leaders could just meet with bunnies?Attention to Detail
I was much older than Amelie is now when I saw both Star Wars trilogies and never cared about the storyline in the level of detail that my 3 yr. old daughter has gotten into. We have had to go online to research backgrounds to characters (such as the planets where Chewbacca and Luke Skywalker are from) because she has such a curiosity about all of these things.
