To All Female Runners

Okay - this is not a picture of me, and this is most definitely not what I look like in my running skirt, but it is my new favorite thing.

After 17 years of running, I never thought I would like running in a skirt, but I have heard other people rave about it, so I thought I would try it.


What is it? Basically, biker shorts with a skirt on top.
Why do I love it?
* It's actually less revealing than running shorts. Go figure.
* It's SUPER comfortable.
* So far, no chafing. (Sorry if that's tmi)
* It dries really fast.

I just got back from a six miler in 97 degree weather and am seriously happy with this purchase. I got one of the cheaper ones from Target. I can only imagine how awesome one like this would feel. (RunningSkirts.com)

Now, if only I could get my abs to look like that. Anybody know of a magic skirt that will do abdominal transformation?

First lesson in grieving

What makes a four year old cry and wail uncontrollably for half an hour?
(Grieving to the point where she eventually gets in trouble for her heartache.)

The loss of a pet or friend? A neighbor moving? Not knowing what she wants to be when she grows up? Giving in to peer pressure? Having a huge fight with her brother? Bodily injury?

Nope.

There was a vicious attack in our home this week. We have only circumstantial evidence, past history, and no witnesses; therefore, there was no conviction. (Though we're pretty sure the culprit was a certain 3 year old who lives here.)

Our only hope is that, though her limbs were heartlessly severed from her body, Polly went peacefully in her sleep.

All in a week's time

Okay - the internet is back. Here is some of what you missed while it was down.

Exhibit A: Another attempt at a cute pic of the three children.I don't know why my son never has pants on inside. Please don't blame me - he's the one who takes them off.

Exhibit B: This guy came back. We were all very excited.
This picture was literally taken twenty minutes after he walked in the door.Think he was tired?

Exhibit C: Owen started this....
Don't be fooled by the smile,

Exhibit D: This is how he really feels about it, even still.

Father's Day, The Making Of....

How hard is it to get a good, cute picture of five smiling kids, age 4 mos, 2, 3, 4, and 4? I'll let you be the judge. Keep in mind these are the best shots out of the 215 pictures taken. Yes, 215.

PS - we have no internet right now, so regularly scheduled posting should resume on Friday. I know you will all (4) be on the edge of your seats, dying with anticipation.

Busy Week

I didn't disappear. Promise.
I've been single parenting it all week.
A job that I do not envy, but greatly respect.

So, how have we spent our time while Todd's been out?

Playing in the sand at the church picnic...



Getting hyper after too much chocolate ice cream.
Is there such a thing as too much chocolate ice cream?

Playing chef in our daddy's football shirt and our sister's high heels.
(Yes, I know he will kill me one day for posting this.)

And all of us have done some of this...
(but not too much)

We've also gone swimming twice,
played in the rain, eaten out,
gone to UNC, gone on walks,
decorated the sidewalk, ridden bikes, etc.

Why do I mention all this?
To let you know that I'm tired.
Good, but tired.
Grateful for Nana who came to help,
but still tired.

PS. Owen decided this week that 5:30am is a much
more appropriate time to start the day than 7:00am.

No more UNC

This cutie had his last visit to UNC today!
After 3 hospital stays,
2 surgeries,
a team of specialists,
many hours screaming,
many nights awake worrying about his breathing,
many trips to the pediatrician for weight checks,
and many medical bills,
we were told to go home and relax.
He's doing well.
Really well.
Thank you, God!

The Real Ethiopia

Okay - I'm posting a more in-depth slide show of our trip for any soon-to-be Ethiopian travelers. Congratulations! (and for my four loyal followers...)

Warning: These images cannot do Ethiopia justice.

We were so blessed to travel to such a beautiful country full of beautiful people, and to bring home one of the most amazing people I have ever met. Isaac has overcome so much, but has such a happy spirit; people are always drawn to him. He loves to laugh and live life to the fullest. After seeing his country, I believe his over-the-top affection and zest is in his nature. It is a part of who he is. One of the social workers there told us that their hope for all the adopted children is "to have a better life, better doctors, and better education, but to keep their Ethiopian hearts." That is our wish too. Somewhere along the way, we've missed the boat on true happiness. We could learn many lessons from a country that could (and does) easily live on what Americans throw away, but is still full of hope and love. A country that is centered around family, friends, and faith. You can't see that in a slide show, but it's there.

The Evil Plot

EG: Isaac, are you awake?
Isaac: Yea - what's up?
EG: I was just trying to think of how we're going to torture Mom today.
Isaac: Want to pull all the toilet paper off the roll in an attempt to clean up the water we spilled all over the bathroom floor?
EG: No, we just did that yesterday.
Isaac: Want to try to sit on Owen again?
EG: No, we shouldn't make her that mad again. I'm worried about her health.
Isaac: I could try to kick a hole in the wall again when I'm supposed to be napping.
EG: That's a good one, but let's find something to do together.
Isaac: We could climb all over the couches with our shoes on.
EG: True, but I don't feel like getting dressed right now.
Isaac: I've got it! When we get up, instead of playing nicely together, let's argue heatedly about EVERYTHING - even when Santa will be here again, because you can never start worrying about that too soon.
EG: Isaac, you truly are a genius.

(I have no viable proof that this conversation took place, only my suspicions. I do know that I can write about it because they have been sent to the privacy of their room to create future torture tactics.)

Bikes and dates

Last night we loaded up bikes and went to the local mall with a great outdoor area. The kids had a blast, though the concept of steering the bike while pedaling is quite foreign to them. :)

Today we had a play date with some of our favorite friends in the world. The older kids played in the pool while the mom's drank mochas and the babies napped. It doesn't get much better than that on a Tuesday morning. I absolutely love this picture of the older four, but if I could go back in time, I would remove the ugly rag that is perched above the diva's head. (Actually - if I could go back in time, I NEVER would have gotten that perm in 7th grade, but the rag is what I would have changed today.)

Seriously, could these babies be any cuter?

The big "A" word

At the playground the other day, a grandmother, there with her grandkids, and I were visiting. She asked me when we were going to have "the talk" with Isaac. I have to admit, I was confused and wondered if age 3 is really the best time to talk about the birds and the bees. She clarified that she was wondering when we were going to tell Isaac he's adopted. I kind of laughed and said, "you mean, what time today?" You see, we talk about Isaac's adoption openly on an almost daily basis. He loves to hear the story about how Mommy and Daddy flew on an airplane for 18 hours to "Opapia" to bring him home. He loves to hear about how he grew in his first mommy's tummy, but then came to live with us. He likes to look at pictures from the care center of the nannies who took great care of him.

I have to admit - I'm reveling in this time. I'm enjoying his questions and excitement about his adoption, because I know soon enough the questions are going to change from what happened, to why. Those questions are going to be a lot harder, but I will embrace them because they are Isaac's story. They made him who he is today and brought him home to complete our family.

The first time I saw and held my baby boy.

Isaac at the pool last week. Look at that smile.
That is his expression about 98% of the time.

The rage has ended.

Okay - I'm over my previous post. My rage is gone. The venting is done, and I really am happy for women who are able to nurse. Really truly. I'm also very grateful that we were able to purchase some leftover formula from enfamil. A lot of people can't afford to put food on the table, and some don't even have a table to put food on. We are very blessed.

Sorry for my earlier, selfish rant. I blame it on lack of sleep from the before mentioned, adorable, happy, $476 formula drinking baby. :)

$476

476 dollars could mean paying off more medical bills.
476 dollars could mean going on a fun vacation.
476 dollars could be 26.4 trips to Monkey Joe's (which my kids love)
476 dollars could be 47.6 trips to the kids museum
476 dollars could be 135 cafe mocha's from Starbucks (yummy)
476 dollars could mean several new post-partum outfits from fun stores. (I can dream, right)
476 dollars could mean a really fun swingset for the back yard. (see earlier post)

What did I just spend $476 on?

Flippin' FORMULA!

Most new mothers have visions of cuddling a sweet smelling, soft, happily nursing, new baby. Sometimes that works out great and to those mothers, I say bite me, I mean congratulations. :) That, however, has not been the case for me. Today I am FRUSTRATED! Owen has had some medical problems since about two weeks of age that seriously altered his eating habits. Eating has been a struggle, and not a fun one. We were paying a LOT of money to feed him enfamil nutramigen.Then, recently the doctor suggested we try getting him off the special formula and back on regular. That resulted in screaming for hours on end and profusive vomiting. So, we switched (yet again) to lacto-free formula. Ah - sweet success. Hallelujah. Same price as regular formula and happy tummy= happy baby. We rejoiced! We praised the heavens! We ran out of that can and ran into problems. Couldn't find the lacto-free formula anywhere. What's going on?

THEY DON'T MAKE IT ANYMORE!

I could seriously cry. (Yes, we tried the "gentlease" which is the closest thing to lacto-free and yes, that ended in more tears and puke). So today, I spent $476 on three cases of formula. Thank you enfamil rep. who took pity on me and didn't make me pay shipping and gave me $10 off! That should last us (hopefully) until approx. 8 months of age, at which point, I hope he will be able to handle the gentlease lipil.

What if he takes a turn for the worse and has to go back on nutramigen? Then you will see me desperately trying to sell lacto-free formula on e-bay.

So to all you nursing mothers out there, please do me a favor. Take your $476, buy something practical fun , and send me a picture of it so I can live vicariously through you.

Bald and drooling....

Based on these two pictures, who thinks Owen is about to get some teeth?

PS - Before you report me to social services for putting a baby in a bumbo seat on top of the kitchen counter, let's keep in mind that sometimes this is the safest place. It keeps him out of reach of some other children in this house, especially one who got in serious trouble this morning for trying to insert the tail of a plastic dinosaur toy into both her brother's ears. If anyone needs to be reported to social services, it's her!

Summer Time

It took me an hour and a half to pack up everything we needed for three hours at the pool,
but it was well worth it!

PS - Not sure what Isaac is doing to that barbie, maybe blowing her up or something.

Have you ever noticed how boys and girls are just different? This morning, Emma Grace and Isaac spent a long time at the table coloring. I asked EG what she was making, and she said she was coloring a rainbow like God makes in the sky. I asked Isaac what he was making, and I quote: "I'm making all the different kinds of poop."

Enough said.

Pop Quiz

1. When you realize that ants (I know, gross) have invaded your bathroom, do you

A.) Set out traps to capture them?

B.) Set out poison and lure them to an untimely death?

C.) Keep them as family pets?

D.) Use your polly pockets furniture and dishes to make them a comfortable home?

The correct answer is D.
(Especially if you're a 4 year old diva)