My Heart is Happy

Maria's View-

So today has just been wonderful, even with a trip to the ER.  I'll explain in a bit.  :-)

Honestly, this morning, I was dreading Mother's Day Out.  Today was the first day for Little G, well, actually this is her 2nd year of MDO but this is the first day of the school year.  Last year didn't go so well.  She cried every single time and it didn't get much better.   However, today, she did excellent!  We pulled into the parking lot and my brain was already churning with thoughts on how I was going to wrangle both littles without a stroller.  Can't use the stroller because there are about 6 steps leading up to the only door that we have to use.  I got Griffin out of his car seat and took him around to Little G's car seat.  I stood him up in front of me (we have a mini-van) and pinned him against the seat with my body so that he couldn't take a nose dive out of the side door.  He started licking my shirt because it's all up in his face.  I got Little G out of her car seat and managed to hoist her out of her seat without kicking Griffin in the brains as she landed on my hip.  Then I turn Griffin around and put my arm around him, with his legs dangling, and made a mad dash up the stairs without dropping them.   I can only imagine how this will go in the ice and snow.  Next time, I am going to let Little G walk and just crawl up the stairs.  So we got inside, and I realized that I forgot the camera, and there's absolutely no going back.  I asked her if she was ready to go to school and she said, "uh uh". No.  Great. lol.  So I took her hand and she went easily.  Her class is actually in the same room as her Sunday School class so she knew where she was headed.  Griff even recognized the area because he started growling, not sure if that's good or bad.  He was probably just wanting to get back to the most awesome power cords he's ever played with!  But anyway, I pulled out my secret weapon, Newton Crisps in a baggie, asked her if she wanted cookies...she said, "yesssss", so I handed them over, she walked into the room and turned to close the baby gate all by herself.  Victory!  They told me that I had to sign her in on the clipboard hanging beside the door so I stood Griff up against the wall and tried to sign in, but her name wasn't on the sheet.  I saw that Griff was starting to inch off down the hallway but I noticed that he wasn't moving fast,..there's no room to add Little G's name on the sheet, so I tried to reach over to grab Griff and the pen that was attached to the wall snapped out of my hand and rocketed to the ceiling, causing me to drop the clipboard.  <sigh>  About this time, a friend saw me struggle and came over to grab Griffin for me.  I REALLY appreciated that.  My arms were still shaking from carrying the 2 little ones in a mad dash up those stairs!  LOL.  Spaghetti arms.  ANYWAY, I thanked her and as we were walking off, I realized that I forgot to take a picture with my phone.  Amy took one with her camera and sent it to me!  YAY!

After the mad drop off, Griff and I did a little shopping at the BX.  We stopped by the bathroom because his hair just wasn't working this morning, so I dampened it and reactivated his Axe Messy Look Paste, until I was satisfied.  He was one sharp looking dude!  We took our time and covered every part of the BX.  I haven't done this, ever.  He was so content and happy... no sounds... no fussiness... just pure awesomeness.  He would occasionally reach out to grab the sleeve of something but that's it.  He was content to chew on his Giraffe Meat.  We stopped by the shoe department and the only thing available in his size was a pair of black and white converse (which just happens to be exactly what I am wearing right, so no complaints from me!).  I tried them on his feet, and then I took them off, and he let out a growl.  Apparently, he wanted to keep them on.  At one point, I stopped and took this picture and this thought came to my mind:  When we started this adoption process, I honestly thought and expected that this adoption, that this little boy, was going to turn our world upside down.  That we were going to have our hands full and that we would just have to hunker down at home until we gained his love and trust...and even control.  So, So, So wrong.  I honestly just can't believe how he has just slipped so gently into our lives..how he just feels like he's always been with us.  He's so perfect for us.  He just loves his little life and we just love him to pieces.   God knows what He is doing, doesn't He?

Time to pick up my Little G.  Okay, so the memory of my spaghetti arms caused me to call up my hubs and ask if he could meet me at the church parking lot to watch Griff so that I could run in and get our diva.  Thankfully, he did... So when I made it to her classroom, there was another mom there, so I kind of stood off to the side, watched, and waited.  She was being snuggled in a teacher's arms so I knew that she had been crying.  Finally, her teacher was able to explain what happened.  She did extremely well and was happy all day long until her teacher was reading a book and diva wanted the book.  Teacher said "no", diva pitched a fit.  LOL.  So she had a little meltdown but they said that she had a fun day.  She also did a little craft.  They handed her over to me and she was so proud of her craft.  When we made it outside to 'Papa', she proudly held up her craft and pointed at all of the people that she so cutely pasted all around, and smiled.  It was then that I realized that she is truly communicating and has so much knowledge stored up in her little brain, just waiting to explode!  I've never seen her so proud of something, and that makes me so proud of her!  'Papa' asked her if she had fun?   She said, "uh uh" (no), asked if she made a pretty picture? "uh huh" (yes), asked if she went outside to play? "uh huh" (yes), and asked her if she wanted to go back?  she said, "uh uh" (no). LOL.  Well, I've got news for her... she's going back!  I've already noticed progress!

So we got home and had lunch.  Little G finished first and was signing like crazy "all done".  So I put her down to run around and play.  She ran right into the corner of the craft table with her cheek bone, cutting her right beneath her eye.  So off to the ER we went.  Chris was able to meet me there and a friend in our village got my Big G off the bus.  So we waited about an hour before we were triaged.  By waiting all that time, Chris ended up having to go back to work before the doctor could see her.  The doctor came out to the waiting room to see how bad it was and then told the tech which room to put us in.  The kids were starting to get restless so I fed Griffin raisins and Little G had some gummy snacks.  The doctor was finally able to come in and get started with my Little G.  We were all expecting this to be very difficult so the doctor brought in 2 more men to help hold her down.  I just straight up told her that the doctor needed to clean her boo-boo and that his medicine would make it all better.  She said, "uh huh".  (what?!?)  I told her that it may hurt just a little bit but that it would be all better soon.  She said, "ah queen" (all clean).  I told her that she needed to lay down on the table and be really still and she did.  She didn't budge the whole time the doctor was cleaning her boo-boo.  She did start crying but she didn't move.  They were so surprised and so was I!  I was shocked actually.  Communication, obedience, and understanding!  PROGRESS!  I honestly just want to cry and shout from the roof tops!  Today was communication explosion with my Little G.  I was so amazed and proud of my little girl. 

Afterwards, the tech gave the littles a Popsicle.  Little G gobbled hers down and Griffin made the most horrible faces with his.  It was just too cold!  He doesn't do well with cold things so I have to heat everything up for him... well, that didn't stop him from trying.  He signed 'more' for about 4 bites and he called it quits.  Bless his heart.  We will have him loving Popsicles in no time! 

Well, we made it home as Big G wrapped up her playtime at the park.  I put the littles down for a nap and did my best to put a dent in some of the housework but didn't have much success.  We had brinner and it was sooooo good.  (breakfast+dinner=brinner)  But that's about it!  A long, full, happy day, despite our trip to the ER.  But even with that trip to the ER, my littles were just amazing.

I'm one very happy momma!  <3

Love and Hugs