Leah's final creation was a bit more difficult to decipher. I could only describe it as looking something like a llama doing an interpretive dance (Jeff thought I said Obama doing an interpretive dance!). I told Leah so, and she was quick to inform me it was a boat. I could totally see that after she started moving it around the surface of the table and making boat noises. ;-) I only wish I'd gotten pictures of their creations.
Saturday, September 25, 2010
Playing With Food
I'm the kind of mom that doesn't mind too much if her kids play with their food as long as a) they're still eating it in the process and b) they're not making a huge mess I have to clean up later. So, this morning I wasn't too fazed when the kids were making shapes out of their mini waffles at breakfast. A bite here and a bite there created such exciting things as a fish, a snowman, and a truck.
Sunday, September 19, 2010
Adoption Training
Yesterday was our latest adoptive parents training—this time, in the Nashville, Tennessee area. It’s usually been in Indianapolis, Indiana, or Louisville, Kentucky, but our agency is planning to open a new office in Nashville, so our agency director has had his area of responsibility increased while he prepares the area and trains a new director, down there.
As members of FSA (Families Supporting Adoption), we generally attend these conferences every six months, or so. The classes are always great, and the kids love hanging out and playing with the other attendees’ children. This time, we were also asked to participate in a session on grief and loss, which was really great: we discussed not only the grief and loss of infertility (which is an issue shared by most adoptive parents), but also the grief and loss experienced by both birthparents and adoptive parents, throughout the adoption process. Having been through it before, both we and Leah’s birthparents know it’s absolutely worth it, but sometimes the things that are most worth doing are also the hardest to do. (Ask any parent!) ;-)
On a personal note, I’m thrilled to be back home and finally have nothing in particular coming up, to take me away. After two weeks’ vacation in New Jersey and Maryland, a week working on site at a client’s office in Georgia, a long Saturday in Illinois, and now a weekend in Tennessee, I’ve probably traveled more in the last six weeks than in the last year before that! Of course, I suppose when “our” birthparents (whoever they may be) finally contact us to come pick up our new child, I’ll be right back on that car and/or plane, and absolutely ecstatic to do so. :-D
As members of FSA (Families Supporting Adoption), we generally attend these conferences every six months, or so. The classes are always great, and the kids love hanging out and playing with the other attendees’ children. This time, we were also asked to participate in a session on grief and loss, which was really great: we discussed not only the grief and loss of infertility (which is an issue shared by most adoptive parents), but also the grief and loss experienced by both birthparents and adoptive parents, throughout the adoption process. Having been through it before, both we and Leah’s birthparents know it’s absolutely worth it, but sometimes the things that are most worth doing are also the hardest to do. (Ask any parent!) ;-)
On a personal note, I’m thrilled to be back home and finally have nothing in particular coming up, to take me away. After two weeks’ vacation in New Jersey and Maryland, a week working on site at a client’s office in Georgia, a long Saturday in Illinois, and now a weekend in Tennessee, I’ve probably traveled more in the last six weeks than in the last year before that! Of course, I suppose when “our” birthparents (whoever they may be) finally contact us to come pick up our new child, I’ll be right back on that car and/or plane, and absolutely ecstatic to do so. :-D
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Vacation 2010
I finally have a few pictures ready to share from our vacation last month.
On the second evening of our vacation, we went to dinner at IHOP with Aunt Jaci, Uncle Justin, a family friend named Jay, Grandma, and Pop. IHOP features a clown who does face painting, temporary tattoos, and balloon animals on Friday nights. There is also a "special visitor" each Friday. That week it was Diego. David kept alternating between whining that he wasn't close enough to Diego and being terrified of Diego, all the while refusing to get a tattoo or face paint. :-/ In true Leah fashion, she was all for everything. She got a beautiful easter egg tattoo, some butterfly face paint, and a balloon creation. The clown mistakenly assumed Leah would want a butterfly balloon, but Leah set her straight pretty quickly and requested a princess. All of the adults in our party watched in awe as this talented clown twisted the balloons into something that actually looks like a princess!
When we first arrived at the family's little beach house (or bungalow as we sometimes call it), the kids were incredibly excited. They couldn't believe they each had their own tv and alarm clock in their rooms!
Leah made her room her own just a little bit by unpacking her clothes and putting them in the drawers. This is so Leah, and we thought it was totally cute.
Saturday, August 28, 2010
A Little Too Gunshy
I hope to have pictures from our vacation to share soon, but until then, I thought I'd share a story from our vacation.
Both kids are going through that lovely stage right now during which they blurt out their observations about the world around them before censoring them (because, hey, they just haven't learned to censor, yet). I, for example, have been informed more than once recently that I have a big butt and belly. I don't mind that so much as when the observations start branching out to people outside our immediate family.
We were at a restaurant recently, and David made one such observation. A man wearing ill-fitting clothes passed our table, and David cheerfully exclaimed "Someone has the biggest belly of all!" Thankfully, the man didn't seem to hear him, but we had a little talk about how it's not nice to talk about how people look.
Leah, as I mentioned, is going through the same thing. On our way to NJ she said, at the top of her voice, "Ewww, cigarettes!" as we passed a man smoking at a rest stop. I don't know how he couldn't have heard her. Eek! So, I again took this as a teaching opportunity and explained that, yes, cigarettes are yucky, but that it was rude to talk about it in front of people who are smoking. I explained that while I hoped that she would never choose to smoke because cigarettes are unhealthy, sometimes people do choose to use cigarettes and that we shouldn't point out unhealthy choices that people make. On another occasion, we were in a store, and Leah noticed a young man dressed in some traditional Middle Eastern clothing. We were far enough away that he didn't hear her, but she said "That boy is dressed silly." Again, I explained that people all over the world dress differently and that it wasn't nice to talk about how people dress.
It is no surprise that I was a bit exasperated when we were sitting at a restaurant on the way to NJ and Leah made another loud and rude observation. She said, "There's a girl over there with a crazy tattoo on her face!" Jeff and I were both seated so that we were unable to see said girl, but we quickly shushed Leah and reminded her that it wasn't nice to talk about how people look. In my mind I was envisioning a young woman with a lot of body art on her face. A couple of more times throughout the meal Leah said things like "There's the girl with the crazy tattoo again." I was starting to get really frustrated that Leah just couldn't seem to drop the subject!
We went on to finish our meal, and as we got up Leah said loudly AGAIN "There's the girl with the tattoo!" As I started to remind Leah again not to talk about how people look, I looked over where she was pointing. It turns out that the whole time she'd been talking about a little girl, probably about 7 years old, with her face painted! I felt just a bit sheepish. I still think it was important to remind Leah not to talk about the way people look, but I also see the importance of having all of the facts instead of making assumptions. Honestly, I had cut her off each time she was trying to tell me about the girl because of the assumptions I had made. Had I just let her explain a little more, we probably could've avoided having multiple outbursts about it.
That's the great thing about parenting, both the parent and child can learn from the experience. ;-)
Both kids are going through that lovely stage right now during which they blurt out their observations about the world around them before censoring them (because, hey, they just haven't learned to censor, yet). I, for example, have been informed more than once recently that I have a big butt and belly. I don't mind that so much as when the observations start branching out to people outside our immediate family.
We were at a restaurant recently, and David made one such observation. A man wearing ill-fitting clothes passed our table, and David cheerfully exclaimed "Someone has the biggest belly of all!" Thankfully, the man didn't seem to hear him, but we had a little talk about how it's not nice to talk about how people look.
Leah, as I mentioned, is going through the same thing. On our way to NJ she said, at the top of her voice, "Ewww, cigarettes!" as we passed a man smoking at a rest stop. I don't know how he couldn't have heard her. Eek! So, I again took this as a teaching opportunity and explained that, yes, cigarettes are yucky, but that it was rude to talk about it in front of people who are smoking. I explained that while I hoped that she would never choose to smoke because cigarettes are unhealthy, sometimes people do choose to use cigarettes and that we shouldn't point out unhealthy choices that people make. On another occasion, we were in a store, and Leah noticed a young man dressed in some traditional Middle Eastern clothing. We were far enough away that he didn't hear her, but she said "That boy is dressed silly." Again, I explained that people all over the world dress differently and that it wasn't nice to talk about how people dress.
It is no surprise that I was a bit exasperated when we were sitting at a restaurant on the way to NJ and Leah made another loud and rude observation. She said, "There's a girl over there with a crazy tattoo on her face!" Jeff and I were both seated so that we were unable to see said girl, but we quickly shushed Leah and reminded her that it wasn't nice to talk about how people look. In my mind I was envisioning a young woman with a lot of body art on her face. A couple of more times throughout the meal Leah said things like "There's the girl with the crazy tattoo again." I was starting to get really frustrated that Leah just couldn't seem to drop the subject!
We went on to finish our meal, and as we got up Leah said loudly AGAIN "There's the girl with the tattoo!" As I started to remind Leah again not to talk about how people look, I looked over where she was pointing. It turns out that the whole time she'd been talking about a little girl, probably about 7 years old, with her face painted! I felt just a bit sheepish. I still think it was important to remind Leah not to talk about the way people look, but I also see the importance of having all of the facts instead of making assumptions. Honestly, I had cut her off each time she was trying to tell me about the girl because of the assumptions I had made. Had I just let her explain a little more, we probably could've avoided having multiple outbursts about it.
That's the great thing about parenting, both the parent and child can learn from the experience. ;-)
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
She Needs Her Privacy
“You can’t be in here when I’m changing into my nothing!”
Three-year-old Logic
Me: “David, please give that back to Leah.”
David: “But she’s not screaming for it.”
How can you keep a straight face to that?
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
She's growing up!
The next few weeks will bring some changes in our little Leah's life. First of all, some friends of ours have invited her to participate in hula dance lessons, and she will have a performance on September 4th. Leah has always loved dancing and has looked forward to the day when she can take formal dance lessons. We had intended to have her start dance lessons with another good friend from church earlier in the year, but, as happens so easily when you let it, time got away from us. It will be nice to see how she does with these lessons so that we can determine whether it would be good to have her continue. She is so incredibly excited! As soon as she found out when her first practice was going to be, she walked up and told anyone who would listen, "I'm going to learn how to hula dance on Thursday at 4:00!"
When we return from vacation in a few weeks, Leah will also start preschool. I'm having little mommy twinges about letting her go since this was to be my last year with her all to myself, but I know she will absolutely love it. Besides, I'm sure David could also benefit from a few hours a week with mommy all to himself. ;-) It has been quite the ordeal trying to determine which preschool we want to go with. There are quite a few in our area, so at least we had some choice. It got a little overwhelming at times. We have almost certainly decided on one, though, and we will be visiting to make that final decision and hopefully get Leah enrolled sometime in the next week.
I've had a few moments lately when I just haven't been able to figure out where the time has gone. One was over the weekend when I came across some pictures of David from early last year. While I love the stage he's in right now, I found myself longing to relive those earlier days, too. I had a similar moment with Leah this morning right after she woke up. I asked her to come to me. I picked her up and held her like a little baby. My mind brought me back to some of the first times I held her as a brand new infant. My mind couldn't grasp what all has happened in those almost 5 years! Was there ever really a time that I wasn't a mother? A time when I cried in anguish because I didn't know if I'd ever be a mother? Oh, how our lives have been so richly blessed in these 5 years. Nothing compares!
I've never been that great at preserving personal history. Blogs like this one have probably come closest, but I *gasp* really don't have a baby book for either of the children, for example. As such, it is so hard to recreate in my mind those days when my children were younger. I could tell you the more general things like Jeff changed jobs when Leah and David were "x" years old, but I so miss the specific feelings, thoughts, sights, sounds, and smells of an earlier time. I was telling Jeff how I hope we get to re-live (even if just in our minds) our favorite parts from this life after we die. I know that specific moments from my children's young lives will be among those.
When we return from vacation in a few weeks, Leah will also start preschool. I'm having little mommy twinges about letting her go since this was to be my last year with her all to myself, but I know she will absolutely love it. Besides, I'm sure David could also benefit from a few hours a week with mommy all to himself. ;-) It has been quite the ordeal trying to determine which preschool we want to go with. There are quite a few in our area, so at least we had some choice. It got a little overwhelming at times. We have almost certainly decided on one, though, and we will be visiting to make that final decision and hopefully get Leah enrolled sometime in the next week.
I've had a few moments lately when I just haven't been able to figure out where the time has gone. One was over the weekend when I came across some pictures of David from early last year. While I love the stage he's in right now, I found myself longing to relive those earlier days, too. I had a similar moment with Leah this morning right after she woke up. I asked her to come to me. I picked her up and held her like a little baby. My mind brought me back to some of the first times I held her as a brand new infant. My mind couldn't grasp what all has happened in those almost 5 years! Was there ever really a time that I wasn't a mother? A time when I cried in anguish because I didn't know if I'd ever be a mother? Oh, how our lives have been so richly blessed in these 5 years. Nothing compares!
I've never been that great at preserving personal history. Blogs like this one have probably come closest, but I *gasp* really don't have a baby book for either of the children, for example. As such, it is so hard to recreate in my mind those days when my children were younger. I could tell you the more general things like Jeff changed jobs when Leah and David were "x" years old, but I so miss the specific feelings, thoughts, sights, sounds, and smells of an earlier time. I was telling Jeff how I hope we get to re-live (even if just in our minds) our favorite parts from this life after we die. I know that specific moments from my children's young lives will be among those.
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