Fall Fun!

Up early and got the car loaded. Kids up and out the door for 8 am dentist appts. Great to see some old friends there! Nice new office too. G did great - in the chair and did the whole big-girl appt...she's growing up. Z did knee-to-knee, a few tears but no real drama.

G has sl open bite/edge-to-edge and no space on maxilla.
Z has "typical paci" bite and also enamel hypoplasia on his lower 2 2nd primary molars. We'll see how the maxillary ones come in. Also, Dr. M doesn't have any clinical photos of a maxillary geminated tooth so we agreed that when he was a little older that we could snap one for his records! Then...raced to Mem's. Met the kids. Went apple picking out in Hope and then a picnic lunch at a nearby playground. The weather was PERFECT...and I mean really perfect. Slight breeze, clear blue skies and in the 70s. Just wonderful and no bugs!

A great day.

Z's teeth, words, etc - so I don't forget...

He cut one lower 2nd molar (need to check which - L or R) on 8/22.

He cut the opposite one on ~9/9/09.

Only two to go!

Other things:

He no longer calls his sister "nahna" but has switched to Dia.
'mear = come here
He has so many wonderful facial expressions when he's trying to get someone to do something (e.g., 'mear)

He's really, really attached to the blankey now and more to the paci (since the move). He rubs blaney under his nose and now cause a line in his upper lip from sucking on the paci. He does allow me to carry his blankey up and down stairs so he doesn't trip on it - willingly and without any drama!

He's started talking with his biological (maternal) grandfather via phone ~ once a week (Saturday afternoons now).

He runs with one arm moving quickly (like a punch) and all pulled up closer to his ear. He's fast.

He learned to roll down a hill last week - got grass all through his hair (but not as much as G's!)

He still stuffs his mouth with food and doesn't ever choke.
He's becoming very capable in many areas. Amazing. People don't expect as much as he can give/do.

Comments from Strangers

Well, moving to Maine I suspected (OK, knew) this would happen but it did. Is this week 3? And 2:3 in just one morning - a 3 hour outing.

#1
We went downtown (Portland, ME) and stopped at the farmer's market. An older woman stopped and asked: "Where did they come from?" referencing my kids. In my head I thought:

-The moon?
-My Vag*na
-None of your freakin' business?
-Who are you? What is wrong with you?

Answer: We are from Arizona.

Then, I realized she was essentially wearing a low-end snowmobile outfit with winter boots - in the city in September. Now, it was chilly today. We wore sweaters (and capris/shorts). There was something mentally wrong with this woman. I shrugged it off and went about our business. I think she just verbalized what others must think.

Then...
#2:
We went to the library and in the middle of reading my two kids a book a disheveled looking woman in a pink sweatshirt who was in her 30s or maybe 40 interupted:

"Excuse me."
Yes?
"You are soooo beautiful." Directed at Gianna. She asked how old she was and then how older brother was. Innocent and sweet Gianna answered all of this stranger's questions. I sat and watched her, my kids, my purse and smelled the tobacco roll off of her (and she wasn't even that close to me!).

Apparently all of her questions to my child were complete so she turned to me and stated:
"Their father must be pretty dark, hugh?"

I paused (you'd all be so proud, I paused - they say that is a sign of wisdom but I did it for emphasis).

I stared at her.
(I thought of saying some wild things like: "Nope, he's a red-headed Irishman but that isn't exactly true.)

I quietly and calmly without much emotion in my voice said:
"That's a really personal question."
I looked at her for a moment and went back to reading to my lovely children.
She got the point and walked away.

#3 (+):
We left and a lovely man sitting on the corner waiting for someone/something spoke to Gianna in the kindest tone and said:
"Your hair is beautiful."
(This was NOT one of those - Oh my word, I've never seen a white woman with an ethnically mixed child and I'm going to say something so I'm going to comment on her hair. Nope.
This was a black man with his ethnically mixed little boy who was openly being kind to my child. So calm and gentle and nice.). Gianna smiled and we went to our car.

So....it happened. Classless.

Salt & Light

The passage in Matthew has been on my mind for a week.

Matthew 5:13-16:
You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? ... You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hid... Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.

Can't wrap my head around it but here is what I've got so far:

Salt: gives flavor to things that are bland; preserves; and heals wounds.

Light: illuminates the darkness; shines as God does.

We are to be salt & light in this world.

To provide something better/tastier than the world offers and to point toward God??

christart.com

Lost It

So...I lost it yesterday. Why? I seriously feel like I can't get ahead in this house. So, after the kids' naps yesterday, I decided to deal with their out of control bedrooms - specifically the clothing (I can't really do this job when they are sleeping as I need their rooms).

...Yes - I said rooms. As of a couple of days ago, G is now in her own room in a twin bed. Makes me sad that my baby is out of her crib...but she is 3.5+ years old. I made the switch because Z-man climb out of the pack-n-play he's been in for 2 weeks (since our move). He climbed out, opened the bedrooms door (first time), and went down one flight of stairs. I heard a tiny, sweet voice say "Mama?" as I was in the basement. I ran and found him at the top of the basement stairs. I was thankful he wasn't hurt BUT...I instructed him to "get in your room!!" He hung his head and marched up the back stairs. I just wanted to scoop him up and love on him for obeying but...I refrained. I needed to let him find his way upstairs. Half way up, he started crying - big tears and all. He was remorseful. I picked him up and hugged him. I love him.

OK...end of that rabbit trail....
Naps ended. I started piling clothes by:
child
current or future
season - now or winter
type: pants/shorts, long sleeved/short sleeved, sweater, etc...

I had these piles everywhere. I asked G & Z to throw dirty items down the back stairs. All went well until I turned around and found them throwing all of my neatly piled clothes down the stairs into the heap of "things to be washed."

I know they were trying to help. They had the sweatest faces - especially G. But...it was my breaking point. I just went to my room and cried for 20-30 seconds. G came and rubbed my leg (a nurse in training here?). I composed myself and went back to my task. This is not like me so I knew I had to get it together before they were both scarred.

The clothes are mostly in the right places but pretty much NONE are folded - just shoved in the right drawers. Hey....progress?

What are your hopes for your child?

Have you ever written them down?

I read the following this morning and although I like much of it, it got me thinking about my specific hopes for my children. Please, add your reaction and your hopes/dreams for your child. I'll add mine later (got to get some photos uploaded)!

"My goal is for them to grow up to be happy with who they are, to be able to support themselves to their satisfaction without needing help from anyone, and to be contributing members of society." - http://chinaadopttalk.com/

So much to write about...I'll start with hair

Well, we have moved. We are in our new home (over a week now). I'd say we are 70% moved in/unpacked. I lost steam at the end of last week and took the weekend off. Bob has been a GREAT help in getting "projects" done.

Last night, Rylee came for a sleepover. This was a big deal for both girls. Events included:
outside play in our tree house/on our swings, a walk through the "jungle" (aka the right side of our backyard), apple picking in our back yard; inside play; making English Muffin Pizzas & eating together; more outside play along with the neighbor girls (Mave and I....-something). Bathtime and a little TV time before bed.

The girls bathed together (Zade had his screaming/stand-up bath prior to theirs and it lasted less than 3 mins because he just hates it!). Then the girls had a great time. I washed G's hair first (really just conditioned it) and then washed Rylee's hair. Rylee asked me: "How did G's hair get like that?" I said she was born with curly hair. Rylee announced that her hair was curly too (and it is). Then she said, "I wish my hair was like G's."

I loved their innocence and I loved how that comment brightened my child's face/helped her confidence. In a world that uses "bad hair" as a term, I'm happy that my child HAS HAIR (picture: congenital defects that result in little or no hair, people with cancer with NO HAIR, etc.) and that she has beautiful hair. I'm so glad that she lives in a family where at least one other child likes her hair. Our conversation went on to talk about how God made us just the way we are. I have blonde hair with a little wave, Rylee has brown hair with medium curls at the ends and G was born with brown hair with lots of curls.

It was a great day. I was frustrated by a little boy who just doesn't listen, obey or respect my authority most of the time but the girls were so well behaved and had a great time! As they ate dinner together at the island in our kitchen, I looked at them and thought...hmmmm....three kids looks so good. I wonder if our family will someday have another....

Pool man is coming this morning to open the pool. I'm excited and the girls are REALLY excited!

Fall is in the air so I'm not sure how many swimming days we'll get in before we need to close it for the winter but....