Suz, both you and DD look great. Hope you enjoyed your day.

Thank you all for the super kind comments.

Muffin -- yes, my daughter was adopted in China. Your daughter and pup are both beautiful!! Your daughter actually reminds me of a close friend of mine (Chinese Canadian) so much! The resemblance is uncanny.

I won't reveal names but there are other "families like ours" on the forum also.

Harmonica -- Maia was also worried about how the hair would work, but it has been surprisingly easy. It helps that she really wanted this cut, but she actually finds it less trouble than her longer hair, which was very hot when she did sports, and she was never one for styling. Now she uses some product and occasionally blow dries if she wants a particular effect. Otherwise it is air dry, product, or even no product and air dry. She does need frequent cuts. She is a very tomboy kind of girl (as you can see) and likes the boy-girl-androgyny of the style.

Roxanna, we will have to have a meet up soon! I couldn't really do much this time as my daughter had numerous appointments that I had to escort her to all day and then we went to the play and had my brother visit another night. But we do come into the city on a regular basis and would love to meet in person.

Great pictures of both of you! So fun to see a pic of your daughter. I need to check out this area the next time I am in Toronto - it looks wonderful.

Oh you both look absolutely wonderful! Love the direction you are going. Both of you.

Hello Ms Gorgeous-ness!!!! I think that top was made for you, Suz. You shine in it!!!! And I absolutely <3 these silver sandals on your feet. I wish I had them too!!!

Now, onto other matters....Lisa mentioned the name Maia and I'm wondering if that's your daughter's name? She's got a electrifying smile....so genuine, it lights up her eyes. And that's the only kind of smile I find genuine ;P But....I LOVE HER NAME!!!! I love the way it rolls off the tongue.....Ma-ia.....might become my new favorite name!

Backstory:: I get obsessed with some names. Once upon a time, when I thought I would want kids of my own (Coz I was just 23 myself), I was obsessed with the name Anya. Three of my closest friends had daughters and well....they were all named Anya Then my obsession was the name Myra, and I've named my best friend's daughter & another friend's daughter Myra. But I've got to say....Maia is the MOST unique of them all. I just love it. And I promise to not got around naming anymore kids!!! (Thankfully, most of my friends already got kids and don't plan to have anymore )

Love the outfit....the top and the shoes really make it. I've always wanted to visit Toronto as one of my favorite books was catseye by Margaret Atwood and she described the city so well, and I have a good friend from Toronto...one of the most stylish people I know IRL.

Thanks Suz- adoption, parenting, & all of it has been such an adventure! I swear somehow we got the perfect daughter for us and I forget sometimes that we don't look alike or aren't 'related'. Certainly not without challenges but I don't think any parenting is. Thank you for sharing!

Gorgeous photos. I love your daughters blouse! My son would like the chocolate too!

I love your outfit and particularly the top.

Thank you all for the kind comments and LIsaP for the top recommendation. I would not even have noticed it online because it looked so icky on the website, and my Bay didn't carry it so I never saw in person until I ordered it.

Maneera, Maia's name is an unusual spelling of what has become a rather popular name for her age group in my small city. Alas. (We were hoping for something a little, but not too unusual.)

We had planned to keep her Chinese name (and did, as her middle name) but also wanted to give a western name. Maya (from the Sanskrit) is beautiful and means "creative power" and this is the spelling that they other kids she knows with that name typically use. But we spelled it the Greek way -- the meaning there is "growing" or "springtime" -- it is the same root as the word for the month of May in English.

Both of you are lovely! Great photos.im amazed it's so warm there! Crazy climate zones.

Suz, I just can't get over your platinum chic! You really seem liberated by that new short silvery hair. Great outfit on you, and I love your daughter's look, too.

Awesome outfit! And I'm so sorry you didn't get to see Lisap - that is a picture I really would have loved. Your daughter is just so so cute; love her vibe. The two of you together are quite a stylish pair!