Your wish is my command....

My one faithful commenter requested an updated photo (see previous post) of the kids in the same spot on the steps. Here it is - taken this afternoon before a trip to the park.

What I said: "Look at the camera and smile."
What they did: Looked at the camera and actually smiled.

What I said: "Put your hands (nicely) on your brother's shoulders."
What Isaac did: Put his hands (nicely) on his brother's shoulders.
What Emma Grace did: Saw this as a great opportunity to seek revenge on said brother.
What I did: Thought it was funny and waited until I had the shot to reprimand.

(Surprisingly, nobody was seriously injured in the taking of this picture.)

Owen and his love affair with the swing continues.
Seriously, the kid LOVES it!

All good things must come to an end.

Who are those kids?

I have told them REPEATEDLY to stop growing.

Something tells me they're not listening.

Adoption Poem

Below is a poem another mother once sent me. It's a bit on the sappy side - but the sentiment is so true. We've been talking through and dealing with so many questions and insecurities this summer. Tough emotions for a three year old to have to start working through. As his mother, it's painful to watch and I know it's only going to get harder. But in the end, my hope is that he is secure in knowing he was and is truly loved by his birth family, his forever family, and his God. That's a lot of love for one little boy. Can't be a bad thing.

Legacy of an Adopted Child:

Once there were two women, Who may not have known each other.
One you do not remember, The other you call mother.
Two different lives, Shaped to make you one.
One becomes your guiding star, The other became your sun.
The first gave you life, The second taught you to live it.
The first gave you a need for love, The second was there to give it.
One gave you a nationality, The other gave you a name.
One gave you talent, The other gave you an aim.
One gave you emotions, The other calmed your fears.
One saw your bright beautiful eyes, The other dried your tears.
One sought for you a home that she could not provide.
The other prayed for a child, her hopes were not denied.
And now you ask me through your tears,
The age old question Unanswered through the years:
Heredity or environment. Which are you a product of?
Neither my darling - You came from two families giving two kinds of love.

Football

We had the unexpected pleasure of going to an NCSU game this past weekend.

While there, my oldest child vacillated between having a blast or being incredibly bored. Her favorite part was the "parade" at half-time....

My youngest child (happy 8 mos. today!) enjoyed the high life....

And seriously contemplated a decision by the ref.

And my middle child just sat and watched some football. That's right - he sat. still. He loved it and talked the whole way home about tackles and touch-downs.

Go Pack!

Brothers

This is an older picture of the boys - but one of my favorites! It has been interesting to watch Isaac in the role of older brother. He has mastered the role of younger brother. He knows exactly how to play with, listen to, tease, torment, and delight Emma Grace. That kid can get her laughing like nobody else and he can also tick her off like nobody else can. (And she can do the same for him...)

Along comes Owen....

What type of older brother will Isaac be?

I assumed (based on the fact that he once kicked a much older boy for throwing sand on Emma Grace) that he would be a protective older brother. The jury is still out on that one.

Today, Owen was crawling (yes, crawling - no longer inching) around in the mall play area. I had given him a rattle to play with when an older child came and tried to take the rattle from him. They were in a tug-of-war. Owen verses an "18monthish" old boy. I was about to step in when I spot Isaac hauling ass running across the area towards us. He stands next to Owen and surveys the situation. The other boy is pulling even harder and becoming more aggressive. I'm curiously watching, but am prepared to step in should Isaac (in an obviously heroic gesture) attempt to kick this boy.

He stops.
He surveys.
He turns to me and says:
"Mommy, Owen's not sharing."

Sigh.

Happy Enkutatash

How did you celebrate the Ethiopian New Year?

We went to Abyssinia with a lot of friends and family for some awesome Ethiopian food, entertainment, and evidently, jumping.

Schooling around

Today was the first day of preschool. After some apprehension, they had a blast.

Here's Emma Grace's first day of preschool 2 years ago. Wow - she has changed SO much!

Their first day last year. Isaac was so excited to wear her "old pack-pack" and go to school with her.

And this morning. .. They're getting so big.

What did they say about their first day? I asked many questions and finally got some vital information. Emma Grace had animal crackers AND pretzels for a snack; Isaac only got animal crackers. Isaac's friend John, spits.

I know you will all sleep better tonight knowing that.
Sweet dreams.

Inching Along

My oldest babies started major movement with the army crawl. You know the one. They lay on the floor and use their arms to drag their bodies wherever they want to go.

Not Owen. He is determined to bypass the unsophisticated army crawl and go straight to regular crawling. (He's probably trying to avoid being covered with dog hair...) Only one problem: he can't figure the whole crawling thing out.

He's great about rocking back and forth on his hands and knees to get his momentum going...and then he propels/lurches forward until he's on his belly again. He repeats the process as often as necessary until reaching his desired destination.

We think it's pretty funny. Evidently Kaia could care less.

PS - I know this is only exciting, blog worthy news to me, but it's my blog. If I want to brag about "Owen the Inchworm" - I will.

Marbles

We have a wonderful children's museum here in Raleigh. It's called "Marbles". Don't know why they call it that, but my theory is that after an hour in there with hundreds of crazy kids running around, all the mother's have lost whatever "marbles" they had left. I mean just yesterday, in the "fake" ambulance (yes, they have a fake ambulance), a mother was laying on the stretcher resting. I'm not sure where her children were, and a few years ago I may have judged her for trying to nap in a kid's museum, on a fake, germ-infested, child sized stretcher. However; yesterday, there was no judgement - just jealousy that I didn't think of it first. Unfortunately, there was only one stretcher and I didn't know how she'd feel about sharing it with a stranger.

We went with some good friends for the morning and had a great time. Here are a few pictures... If you're wondering why I don't have any great pictures of Isaac and Colin inside the museum, it was not from a lack of trying, but it's hard to shoot a constantly moving target. I love Owen's expression in the last photo. It pretty much sums up the craziness of the day....