July 2, 2009
Posted in Adoption, Letters, Noah
Dear Noah,
You are now 40-months-old. I know that means nothing to you–because you’re 3 and that’s a cool age. I think back to when you came home (not quite 3 years ago) and I am amazed at how you have flourished and grown. You and your sister have made me so happy to be a mom–so much so that I am having baby feelings as I love parenting you two so much, I can’t imagine not having more kids. You’d like a brother but you have made it clear that you don’t want a baby brother. You want on you can play with–so Dad and I will stick with our original plan of getting you and Bo-Bo siblings when you’re a little older.
I just want to congratulate you on being completely potty-trained. It is so awesome. I love not having to change your diaper–maybe even more than you love not having ot have your diaper changed. You are a pro at the potty and it’s like you have always just gone on the potty. It frickin’ rocks. You are saving us a ton of money on diapers–thank you for that. Now, I might be able to get the iPhone 3Gs. Just maybe. We do have private school to pay for and even though I am gone a lot—none of my jobs pay me much money. It’s funny now that you are potty trained fully–you often wake up with a slightly wet pull-up where as before you were potty-trained your pull-up was usually completely dry in the mornings–very bizzare. But he we got time for night-time potty training later. Your pricy private school doesn’t care if you pee in a diaper at night.
School…I can’t believe that you are just two shorts months away from starting school. You are excited about the prospect of going to big-boy school and getting to hang out with other kids your age and making new friends. It’s exciting but it hits your mom a little hard in the heart that you actually old enough to go to school. It seems crazy to me, but I do often forget how young you really are–as you carry yourself well and your conversational skills are pretty great. You talk a lot about your ideas–”Mom, I have a good idea…” or “I was thinking mom and I have an idea…” etc. You are full of ideas and plans and it will take you far in life my little man. When I asked you what to get your daddy for his birthday you were pretty sure that he would want a race track and some cars or a badminton set. When asked if those things were for daddy or Noah-you simply replied, “Noah–but I will share them with daddy and he can play with me.” Ah, the ideas.
Now, there is something that we need to address–your new love/desire for sleeping in our bed. I know you are at the age where your imagination runs wild. all. the. time. But you will need to start sleeping in your bed. Your dad and I have come to the conclusion/understanding that you don’t like sleeping in your room by yourself. Your room is upstairs–far away from mommy and daddy, but you were sleeping in your bed fine. I know we took your binky away months ago and that has been great but this whole refusal to sleep in your room in your own bed is getting a little old–although I do love it when you snuggle up against me. I am torn.
You have discovered a love for badminton–thanks Uncles Jay and Curt–and have become quite the baseball player. You have been in your first kayak on Lake Michigan–while you didn’t go far–you loved every minute of it. The love you have for your sister is amazingly strong and you attempt to be patient with her as she attempts to play with you. You are an amazing big brother. You are an amazing son. Your are amazing.
Love you tons,
Mommy
July 1, 2009
Posted in Adoption, Letters, Zoë
My little Bo-Bo has been home a year now and I can hardly believe it. There is so much I want to say about her, but I am so busy that I don’t have the time right now to do it. I have 5 minutes while my student are on break, but I just wanted to post a few things about Zoë. She is such a special little gal….
Dear Zoë,
You have a spirit that shines at least as bright as your brother’s–if someone had told me that a year ago I would have laughed at them. But you are just as special as your brother and the people flock to you as they do to him. It’s great. The kids at daycare absolutely love you. As soon as you enter, all I hear is “Zoë, Zoë, Zoë, Zoë!!!” and you laugh and smile and say “Hi.” Too flippin’ cute for your own good.
You still follow your brother and mimic everything he does–maybe even more so now that you are getting older and are able to do more of the things that he can. You try and jump and often propel yourself with such force forward that the opposite happens and you fall backwards. You laugh uncontrollably and your laugh is so bright, happy, innocent and full of life. It is infectious, mischievous and brilliant.
Now, there is one thing that I need to talk to you about–this whole taking your diaper off at night and peeing all over your bed has to stop as does sticking your hand into your pants after you have pooped and then wiping your hands on things and crying that you have poop on your hands. Really–everytime you do this–and it is often (sadly–I promise to pay for therapy later since I have aired your dirty laundry online)I just want to scream at you “Don’t you remember the last time you did this?” You will make me work as a parent.
There is so much to say–you have blossomed into an amazing little girl–with so much spunk and volume. I don’t know how all of that life is wrapped up in your itty bitty body. You make us all laugh and you have learned the art of standing up for yourself with the bigger kids. You spend a bit of time in “time-out” at daycare because you hit a kid who took something you wanted or wouldn’t share with you. right. now. But your joy and spirit ensures that everyone loves you regardless.
I look forward to watching you grow and becoming that stubborn little class clown that you will certainly grow into. You make me laugh and make me want to get up every morning and be the best mom I can be. You deserve it as you are the most special little girl a mother could as for.
I love you baby–more and more each day,
Mommy
June 23, 2009
Posted in Adoption, Zoë
I held you for the first time. It was a magical moment and our life has never been the same.
One year ago
One year later
I can’t remember what our life was like without you Zoë. You have completed this portion of our family. You fit in seamlessly. I love you.
June 21, 2009
Posted in Family, Randomness
My time was horrid–but it was a father’s day run and my father and I crossed the finish line together. Our time was 47:17 but I don’t really care much–as I didn’t train and I walk/jogged with my dad. As he gets older, I begin to cherish these moments more and more as I know that I am so lucky to have a dad who is young–he’s 59 and these will be memories I carry with me for the rest of my life. He’s a great man. We did vow to train for next years event.
I broke out in hives this weekend and was hopped up on Benydral as well as recovering from being sick all week and not working out for the whole week. I could have run more at the beginning but I let my dad set the pace and we had a great time together.
I’ll post some pics when I get them from my aunt who took them.
June 19, 2009
Posted in Fun, Health, Randomness
I am running (I use that word extremely loosely to describe what I might be doing this weekend) a 5k. I have never run a 5k. I haven’t run anything since I was in my mid 20’s. I am not in my late 30’s. So, we’ll see what kind of joke this turns out to be. But, hey sometimes you just have to go for something and see what you have in you. I have ridden a century without having ridden a bike for over a year. That takes hours. I know I can easily walk 3.2 miles. Anyway…I’ll update via twitter on Saturday.
Wish me luck…
June 18, 2009
Posted in Randomness
So, after years and years of being a Mac hater. I am not a Mac lover. I know. I know. I know that you all knew this years ago and us PC people just don’t listen. With my new job, I was give the choice between a MacBook or a PC laptop. I chose the MacBook as I really wanted to see what the fuss was all about and to get the opportunity to see if I would like a Mac. I have been moving closer and closer to wanted to become a Mac lover since I got my iPhone, but haven’t had the money to drop on a MacBook considering I have a perfectly functioning PC laptop that is only about two years old and then we just purchased a new desktop for a rock bottom price and the price tag for a Mac will take your all ready over-extended breath away. So, my MacBook Pro came in today and I haven’t stopped playing with it. It is fun and I am having a good time with it. I am going to check out some of the apps that it comes with–iphoto, imovie, garage band–and see what this thing can really do. So all of you MacBook Pro users/experts out there. If you have any advice I’d love to hear it.
June 17, 2009
Posted in Life, The Everyday
on what to post about. Not there isn’t anything going on in my life. It’s just that I am so busy and have so many different things happening that I have a hard time attempting to process all of it. I am working and really like it a lot. The kids love daycare–as I knew they would. Part of me wishes on some level that they didn’t like it so much, but I know that being home with me these last few months haven’t really been fun for anyone–I was crabby and they needed/wanted more stimulation and interaction. They get it now and they love it.
Noah is completely potty-trained. He makes it most nights too w/out going in his pullup. I am so very excited about this and the money it saves in diapers and the sanity it saves in trying to change a 3-year-olds diaper who doesn’t want it changed. I have to say everyone was right-when they are ready it is so easy. So, if you are fighting with your kid about potty-training chances are they aren’t ready. I know not what you want to hear. But there it is anyway.
I am teaching a class this summer as well. That was certainly a last minute addition to my schedule. I am hoping this means that my supervisor will give me a class or two to teach this fall as the extra money would really come in handy to help cover the cost of living and help pay down some of our living beyond our means that happened in the past. Fun times.
I miss my moms group. Now that I am working, I certainly don’t have time to get out much during the week. I am off on Fridays and the kids are not in daycare that day. But it just is one of those things that I miss terribly. Not as much the group activities as I miss the ladies who were my friends. But it is hard when one goes back to work and the rest continue to be SAHM. I miss them.
I have been sick the past few days. A bit of a virus of some sort. I haven’t been puking and I am happy for that and am also happy for Imodium A-D. It has been a live saver. I have been avoiding food for the past 3 days. I didn’t eat much on Monday and yesterday I ate a little bit, but then my body wasn’t real fond of the fact that I gave it food to process. So, we’ll see today if I dare to eat. I’d like to be able to work out but it’s hard when you are sick and haven’t eaten but about 900 calories in just over 2 days. Makes for not a lot of energy.
Zoë is talking more and more. She is getting easier to understand–she doesn’t have a lot of really clear words that anyone other than her parents understand, but she is getting there. She continues to be a bit of a trouble maker. She got in trouble at daycare yesterday for disrupting naptime–Noah told on her. He’s really good about keeping track of all the other kids offenses–he often forgets his own. She is a pistol and hilarious. I find myself cracking up w/her many times a day. The boys will have there hands full with this one. I don’t even want to think about the battles we will have with her as she enters her teenage years. Oh boy. I am just goint to enjoy this part of it.
Time to get everyone up to start the day. Thanks for listening in. I miss you all too.
June 11, 2009
Posted in Letters, Noah, Zoë
Dear Noah and Zoë,
I have failed miserably in keeping up with your monthly letters. I love the idea of doing it and I love having these little memories captured…but I am busy w/school, work, teaching, parenting, exercising, parenting, and wifing. There just isn’t enough time in the day. I will try to do a better job, but from now on–I will write one letter. I know that seems kind of harsh and unfair–but in my own defense your milestone days each month are only 4 days apart and its tough, so you’ll just have to share with each other. Deal with it and discuss it behind my back later…
So much has happened and changed and I am amazed at how much you both have grown. Noah you have done such a great job at getting potty trained. You still are wearing pull-ups most days to daycare but you never go in them and it’s awesome. I have to tell you how much I appreciate not having to change your diaper. You have made a new best friend in your neighbor Dayton. The two of you have spent the last two weekends playing together all day in both her yard and ours. You run around naked together–enjoy it while you can as that will have to change someday–and play in the kiddie pools and in the sand box and last weekend the two of you laid naked–bare butts up–in the sun on white towels–I have a picture but won’t post it here–looking so precious and cute. Your vocabulary just keeps expanding and I am forever pleased and surprised by you ability to use language so very correctly and in ways that are beyond your age.
Zoë have also grown and changed so much. I have a hard time believing you haven’t even been home for a year yet (it’s coming up soon) because I really have a hard time remember what life was like without you. You fit so seamlessly into our family and with Noah that it just feels as though you have always been part of our lives. You are developing into a fireball of opinion, wants and needs with all of those things getting confused together. You are talking and have words for many of the things that you want and if you don’t have a word for it you scream a little until I follow you and you can show me what it is. You have become fascinated with Yo Gabba Gabba and you carry your little Foofa (so have no idea how to spell that) doll and ask to watch-”gagga gagga.” Its cute and you sit in your little arm chair with your hand down your pants and watch and you then get up and dance. You make me smile and laugh everyday and for that I am eternally blessed.
The two of you together are a force to be reckoned with. Zoë does everything you do Noah and it is so cute–sometimes a little dangerous but cute and you love the attention she pays to you and you, Zoë, love the attention that Noah gives you. You hold each others hands when you walk, you hug each other frequently and hit each other less. The bond you are forming is so special, I hope you can forge it strong and continue to build it forever.
Love you,
Mommy
