A New Do

So a couple nights ago, I had my hair done!  When it comes to hair cuts, I'm extremely brave and have done just about everything, with my most drastic cut being a short pixie cut with pink highlights.  So yeah, I'm not scared!  So I took a picture of Meg Ryan's cut that she had in "City of Angels" to the stylist and asked for blonde highlights so that my curls would be more defined.  This was my first time having her as my stylist so I was a tad nervous but she assured me that my hair would look great in this kind of style.

We made small talk and the subject of Griffin came up.  Then she asked me if having my hair cut differently would throw him off and I hadn't really thought about that!  OOPS.  Too late for that, so I said a small prayer that he would be ok with it.  6 inches of my hair was falling all around me.

She made one major tiny mistake and cut my bangs too short.  The cut would have been perfect had she left some length on that part.  <sigh>  Oh well.  Lesson learned.  So I left the salon kind of unsettled and unhappy with the cut but it's just hair...it will grow... right?  I dreaded going home to Chris and showing him my poofed up horrible bangs.  I may as well have had a peacock sitting on my forehead.  Ok, well, it wasn't that bad, but yeah, it kind of was.  So when Chris saw me, he said, "Well, it's not the worst cut you've ever had."  LOL.  Big G said, "wow, that really didn't work out for you, did it?"  I quickly went to the bathroom and worked some magic.  I came out with my bangs pinned down and to the side...that was my only option.  Both agreed that it looked better that way so I was a bit relieved.  Looks like a bobby pin will be my best friend for a month or so!

The next morning, Little G was the first to wake up.  I was anxious to hear her opinion of my hair.  Nothing.  She just wanted breakfast.  Next was Griffin, and he gave me a look like, "wow!  I love it!"  I was SO RELIEVED!  He wouldn't stop rubbing his hands in my hair and laughing!  Well, I guess he could have been making fun of me, but at least he was having a good time, right?  He even gave me some extra love as we had our morning rocking chair time.

But anyway, I have come to really like my hair cut because it's so easy to fix in the mornings!  So what if I have to pin my bangs back?  I was already doing that anyway.  Here's an iPhone picture of my new do and Griffin's delight as we were having our rocking chair time yesterday morning.  I'll try to get a better picture one day!
 

Love and Hugs!

Time In...Not Out

I have to admit, Griffin is an excellent little boy...very mild, sweet, calm, and enjoyable.  However, when he finds himself in trouble, he's usually standing on the couch, climbing onto the window sill, breaking a lamp, etc.  Sometimes, he will just plop down in the middle of the floor and pitch a little fit...I honestly believe he's trying to throw a temper tantrum!  It's kind of funny, actually...but I'm trying to teach him that some things are just not acceptable.  I think he finally grasps that he can't do the things that I listed above.  I can usually tell him to stop and he will do so.  He has also decreased the times that he attempts to do things things and I'm very proud of him.  BUT every now and then, especially during the little tantrums that he throws, I will scoop him up, say "no, no, no!", wrap his little arms and legs around me, sit in the recliner, and squeeze him tightly to me.  He will struggle for a bit and he may cry a bit louder, and when he stops crying for a couple seconds, I will release him.  Do you know what he does when I release him?  He smiles and is in a happier mood.  Time In works for Griffin.

My best friend who just adopted a little boy with Ds one month after me, shared that the tightness of the Time In releases a chemical in the brain that relaxes children.  So...maybe this is why it's working so well for Griffin!  I was surprised to hear this explanation.

Will this work for Little G?  I doubt it.  She's not a snuggle bug like Griffin but I think I will give it a try.  Perhaps it will work for her, if I can capture her long enough to give it a shot!  haha.

Love and Hugs!

Griffin Had Surgery

Our sweet boy had surgery yesterday and he handled it like a champ!  What a day, though.  Whew!  So glad it's over.

It started with our babysitter having to cancel on us and we couldn't find anyone to babysit for us at 0500, so we made the tough decision that I would take Griffin to surgery and Chris would stay home with the girls.  I was so nervous about this decision and really wanted my husband with me, but it just wasn't possible.  Griffin and I got to the hospital before 0600 and signed in.  At 0615, they called us back to the little pre-op room to get him started.  I changed him into a gown and socks and we waiting for a while.  Everyone caring for Griffin was excellent and very kind to him.  I learned that his anesthesiologist adopted a daughter from Russia and has a niece with Down syndrome.  Our OR nurse has two adopted grandchildren.  God really lined up the perfect people for Griffin.

They took our little boy back and put him under general anesthesia.  I think I held my breath for the entire hour that he was gone.  After it was over, they told me that the most difficult part of the surgery was actually getting the IV started.  Thank goodness, they put him to sleep with gas before they started sticking him.  The doctor escorted me to Griffin's bedside in the recovery room.  From a distance, all I could see was a tiny little bump covered with a blanket on a large gurney.  So many people were gathered around him, working on him, making sure he was stable, and I felt a lump in my throat.  I couldn't wait to get him in my arms.  I am so thankful for this little son.

As I stood by his bedside, trying to wake him up, a doctor came up to me and said, "God bless you for doing this."  It caught me off guard... for what?  Getting him ear tubes?  But it clicked that he was talking about the adoption.  It was then that I realized that I don't feel like he's adopted anymore... He's just natural to me.  He's just mine.

I got close to his ear and quietly sang "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star", one of his favorites, and I could see his little hands "twinkling"... he was waking up.  I gathered him in my arms and rocked him in the rocking chair that they brought over to me.  Once he was fully alert, we were taken back to the same little room that we started in and they continued to observe him.  And that was that!

He's been pretty fussy.  The breathing tube irritated him a lot and his breath if very raspy.  The nurse called to check on him today and she said that he should be fine and that it sounds like the anesthesia.  However, if he doesn't get better within the next couple hours, I plan to take him to the ER.  I don't feel comfortable putting him to bed like this.

I'm keeping him home from school for the remainder of the week.  Thank you so much for praying for our little boy!  So glad this surgery is behind us.  His ears are completely drained of fluid so we are praying that we see some progress in his speech!

Love and Hugs!

Doing What a Man MUST Do

Chris's View-

Had a great deal of disappointing news this week about an adoption gone wrong midway through, and it ticked me off pretty bad!

Continuing on my NYR blogs, I felt this was an appropriate time to bring this up.  A man MUST do what a man MUST do.  I capitalized the MUST, but just as importantly is the action verb in that sentence... DO!!!  First off, it has become too common these days for men to give up.  I don't know how ya'll were raised, but I wasn't raised with a constant male figure in my household.  My mother did what she had to do to be both mom & dad.  We had males that passed through our life, but only one was what I would call a father-figure and a REAL MAN.  I appreciate and miss Glenn Turner every single day.  Glenn was my only real father-figure that was not an uncle or grandparent.  He took the time to teach me and my older brother things like engineering, science, history, politics, and heck, even driving when I was no more than what, 9 years old?  Glenn was taken from my life way too soon.  Not until I met my wife's father did I feel I again had a father-figure in my life.  I relish every conversation that I had with him and the things he taught me about what it takes to be a REAL MAN.  Again, he was taken from me too soon.  While Glenn got me started, it took both his influence and Roy's to give me a standard to strive for as a man and a husband and a father.  What both of these men had in common was they did what they had to do in all aspects of their lives.  If they needed to support their family or those around them, they were like the US Postal Service, "Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night..."  These men would move mountains to ensure their families safety and security or to do what was right.

So what does this have to do with becoming a better man, and why now?  Well, as we pause today to celebrate the life of Dr. King, we are reminded of a man that did what he HAD to do... he was a man of conviction.  Comedian Ralphie May said it best that when Dr. King got convicted on an issue, those around him who supported him would get tested too.  Dr. King would march like 40 miles... that was in old school church shoes too... no Nike Shocks for Martin!  Look up some old photos and videos of Dr. King when he was on these marches.  You see many men surrounding him.  Did it take guts?  Yes.  Did it take strength?  You bet!  Did it take willpower?  I haven't seen many people walk more than a few miles for something that was important to them these days, so I say absolutely!!  What happened to men of conviction?  Back then, when a man entered into something, he would complete it.  When a man committed to something, he would be there.

Too often today, everything is disposable.  Marriages and relationships are thrown away like old newspapers these days.  Fathers bailout on their responsibilities to children they bring into this world, both out of wedlock and in marriages.  Men are cowering in the face of their religious freedoms being taken away.  Men back out of commitments like they are professionally trained truck driver backing out of a truck stop parking spot!  It has become too easy, even convenient, to quit these days.  But what can we do?  Men must revert to the practice of holding each other accountable!

I was speaking with a fellow NCO at work the other day who shall remain nameless (solely for the fact that I don't know if he'd want to be called out on our blog).  He was looking up information on running shoes.  Being as had a little experience with them from when I trained for my marathon in 2010, I gave him some advice.  When I found out he wanted to run a half marathon, I pointed him to all the things I used to prepare for my run.  The biggest piece of advice I gave him though, was to find someone who will hold him accountable.  I told everyone I knew that I was planning on running a distance race.  I have several friends who would have ridiculed me unmercifully if I would have backed out.  I didn't need that type of encouragement, as my mother taught me that if I commit to something, I see it through as others are counting on me.  This was a lesson I learned in high school football.  There were many times I wanted to quit... two-a-day practices and summer weight training in 100+ degree heat will test your commitment... but I always stuck it out.  She wouldn't let me quit just because it was hard.  That was one of the most important lessons I think my mother taught me.  I even told my wife when we began talking about marriage that if we were going to take this step, I was in it for the long haul.  While every person says that when they talk about marriage, statistics show that it is simply lip-service for many.  It is easy to say you'll be there or to enter into a commitment, but until we as men get it through our thick heads that it is not about us it is about those who are depending on us holding up our end of the agreement, the disposable nature that has been instilled in us by a world we created will never be reversed.

Be it an adoption, politics, a business exchange, or a crusade for civil rights, men... REAL MEN... have the convictions to STAY and FIGHT.  They are not afraid to stand up for what is right.  They honor their commitments, even when the going gets tough.  We can all learn from Dr. King, not just his stance on equality and civil rights, but on what it takes to be a MAN!

In remembrance... of all the REAL MEN that were taken from us too soon.  Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., 1929-1968.

See ya'll later!

Fun in the Snow

YUM!

First sled ride with Big Sissy

Mommy likes to have fun, too! (I was actually trying to convince Little G to go with me.  Nope)

But she chose the slide instead!

Falling down the hill and loving it!

Wait up, sissy!!

Having fun!

Who needs a sled?!

Can't wait to play in the snow again!

Love and Hugs!!!

A Picky Eater? REALLY?

Our OT told us months ago that Griffin will more than likely become a picky eater once he realizes that food is always available.  I didn't believe him and, well, he was right.  The pattern I am noticing is that he doesn't want to even taste meat, unless it's chicken.  He will take it out of my hand and attempt to throw it on the floor.  Stinker.  I think I broke him of throwing it on the floor, though.  He placed his little piece of rib meat as far away from him as possible on his high chair tray.  The awesome homemade potato salad that I made to go with the ribs?  NOPE.  Wouldn't even let the spoon come near him.  I honestly just can't believe that he is turning away food.  Amazing, really.  And aggravating!  haha.  Oh well, this is a sign of growth and acceptance and I embrace it.

Today, with his lunch, I gave him some Cheetos...a first for him and for Little G.  Neither one of them liked them!  However, I did convince Griffin to feed them to me and he really enjoyed that!

Little G is a bit under the weather and I'm praying that Griffin doesn't catch her cold.  I can't remember if I mentioned this but he is having surgery to have tubes placed in his ears on Tuesday and I really don't want to have to reschedule.  So hopefully he will stay healthy and we can get this behind us!

I'm sorry for being absent lately!   I have been feeling lousy and totally drained and I finally went to the doctor.  I had a sinus infection and didn't even realize it!  After one dose of the antibiotic, I could already tell a difference, so I guess I have been fighting this infection for a month before realizing what was going on.  I didn't have bad symptoms, just forehead headaches, sore throat in the mornings, extreme fatigue, and a very minor cough.  But anyway, I'm feeling more like myself again.  This is how out of the loop I have been:  About two weeks ago, I went to the gas station to get gas and I got out of my mini-van, and stood there, no doubt looking like I was lost, because I couldn't remember for the life of me how to open the gas door!  I had to search for the lever and found it under my ice scraper brush thingy.  I have had this van for at least 5 years!  Well, thank goodness I had a good excuse for not being able to find it.  (And if I already mentioned this to you, forgive me!  I am absolutely clueless about what I have blogged about.  I'll go back and read!)

Griffin has been doing so much lately and I can't wait to update you on everything!  I'll start pecking away at them now that I'm feeling better!

Love and Hugs!
(Snow pictures tomorrow!  Promise!)

Life Is A Highway... Now, Where's My Map?

Chris's View-

Hello, my name is Chris, and I am a slave to technology!

Yesh, I push my Poindexter glashes up my noshe and grab the besht gadget I can find.  (Sorry, that's how I hear my geeky self in my head... I have a speech problem, sue me!)  

My friend "Fudge"... he's a singer (and if you don't think singing is manly, look up Barry White!)... was singing a piece of a song yesterday at work, "I don't know where I'm going, but I sure know where I've been."  It got me thinking about cars, maps, cross country road trips, even road signs.  Men and cars and driving go together like, well, I'd say peanut butter & jelly, but that's so cliche and honestly, some folks don't like one or the other... how about men and cars go together like marathons & pain.  Yeah, I like that one... nice and manly!  Anyway, I touched on it a little in my first New Year Resolution (NYR) blog about how men have lost skills that were inherent of being a man.  One of those skills that was lost is the ability to read a map.  This is a fundamental skill that all men NEED to know.  Not only to get from one place to another, but also to get through life itself.  Huh?  Yeah, let me do the math for you again on this one.

1945 had Headin' Down the Wrong Highway by Ted Daffan
1952 had Driving This Highway by Howlin' Wolf
1963 had Little Deuce Coupe by the Beach Boys
1972 had Hot Rod Lincoln by Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen
1987 had Here I Go Again on My Own by Whitesnake
1991 had Life Is a Highway by Tom Cochrane
2000 had Open Road Song by Eve 6

As you can see, every decade is full of songs about men and their cars or their drives or all things driving related.  What has been lost is the ability for most men to get from point A to point B without some technological device.  It started with Map Quest and Google Maps, then came GPS's and iPhones.  All of these things make getting there easier, but the problem is it robbed us of a vital man skill... how to read a map!

This is a skill that used to be handed down from father to son.  There would be some point in a son's life that the father would come, sit him down and they would plan a trip.  Across town, across state or across the country, the trip would be planned, weather they took it or not.  It was essential to teach the son how to get to where he was going, on the roads around him, as well as in life.

See, planning a trip, reading a map, and executing the plan is what life is all about.  You plan out the goals for yourself, your family, your business, you name the situation.  We all plan these goals with the hopes of arriving at the destination.  It's easy to say I want to be a good husband, but without reading the map, you may never make it to that goal.  When you should take the highway East, you decide to turn North and you trip to becoming a good husband just became much longer.  Yeah, there are those who stumble their way to their goals, but it's a much easier journey if you just follow the map.  Where is the map for becoming a good husband?  Well, there really is none, but you see where I am going with this.  To be that good husband you have to take a series of paths and make decisions, each with their own consequences.  It's not about roads and highways, but the lessons of reading a map applies.  What happens when you come to that fork in the road where you could lash out at your spouse?  If you consult the map (the plan you developed to become a good husband) you will make the right choice.  Those that go the other way, well, they may make it, they may not.  It's a consequence of actions and decisions.  Too often today, men are looking for that GPS when achieving their goals gets tough.  They make that wrong turn and look for something, or someone, to dynamically re-route them.  It was your wrong turn that got you into the mess, stop, figure out where you are, and get back on the right path... should I even say get back on that narrow path!

Map reading is an easy skill to learn and apply.  You are not going to win friends and influence people with your map reading savvy, but you will have resurrected an essential man skill that not only applies to your vehicular journey, but to your life journey as well.  I have included a couple links below that will teach you how to read maps.  I hope all of you will take the time to read (or have the men in your life) read these links and add this BACK to their toolbox!

See ya'll later!

http://mapzone.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/mapzone/PagesHomeworkHelp/docs/easypeasy.pdf

http://www.wikihow.com/Read-a-Map

http://www.walkandramble.co.uk/expert-advice/how-to-read-a-map-and-compass.html

Proof

Griffin got caught red handed and he knew it!  I was working in the kitchen and stuck my head around the corner to check on the little ones as they watched Baby Signing Times, within the safety of their fortress.  What did I find?  Griffin had climbed on top of the couch and was standing in the window sill!  UGH.  I have to find a new home for the couch...again.  But anyway, I said in a loud, firm voice, "Griffin!  Get down!" and he plopped down and slid off of that couch just as fast as he could!  It was one of those moments that I had to turn my back so that he couldn't see me laughing.  This was proof to me that he knows what is right and wrong.  He knew he wasn't suppose to be up there.   However, I'm certain that I will find him there again when he gets another opportunity.  Such a toddler.

Griffin had his pre-op appointment today to get tubes placed in his ears.  His surgery will be on Tuesday and he will have to go under general anesthesia as a safety precaution because of Down syndrome.  Makes me nervous but I keep telling myself that whatever decision we make is better than what he had in the orphanage.  Griffin is in God's hands and I have faith that He will take care of our little boy.  Please start lifting Griffin up in your prayers!!

Love and Hugs!

Our German Landlord

My German landlord was outside shoveling snow when Griffin's bus arrived.  She is an amazing woman but I could tell that she really just didn't understand why we adopted Griffin.  She doesn't speak English but I could just see the truth in her eyes.  Today, as she watched Griffin get off of his school bus, she was just amazed at how much knowledge he had as he kept signing "bus" and smiling at the bus driver.  She grabbed him from me, hugged him, talked to him, and I didn't think I was going to be able to take him out of her arms.  Now, she understands.  He is worth it.

Blessed.  So very blessed.

One Liner Thursday

One Liner Thursday will start being One Liner Wednesdays next week!  Actually, it will probably be more like short paragraphs of goings on, because it's hard for me to write some of this stuff in only one sentence!  But I shall try... or not.

Griffin went to the doctor today for a check up and we discovered that he has gained 9 lbs and 3 inches in height since we busted him out of the orphanage on June 5th!  (29 lbs and 34 inches tall.)

Little G-"WOOK, Mommus, a GEEE-raffe!"
Me- "Almost, it's an octopus."

I made a rice sensory station for Little G which contains little toys, jewelry, etc. for her to find.  She absolutely loves it and so does Big G!

Little G has decided that she wants to finger paint after breakfast every single morning.

On Monday, Griffin smiled at me as his 'vus' pulled up to drop him off.  Made my day!

And something funny-

Today, Chris and I had a total lack of communication.  I misunderstood that he was going to get Big G from the bus stop.  While he was downstairs, I yelled to him that I was going to go to the bus stop and for him to watch the little ones.  He didn't hear me.  As I turned the curve up our street, Chris caught a glimpse of me and called to ask if I was headed to the bus stop, because he was, too!  So where were the little ones?  Locked safely inside their fortress but they were only alone for about 3 minutes.  WHEW!  I would have ran all the way home like a mad woman if Chris had made it to the bus stop!  The Germans would think they finally had the proof they needed in order to send out the men with the straight jackets.

But anyway, sorry for the lack of posts lately.  Things have been crazy around here!

Love and Hugs!

This Here Be a Hijackin'!

Chris's View-

Maria be off a babysattin' so I's a hijackin' this here blog!

Yeah, we've been watching a good bit of Duck Dynasty & are prepping for some Here Comes Honey Boo Boo & Swamp People!  Guilty pleasures, LOL!  My country accent is coming out!  I'll try to tame it though, as I want to speak to the men out there... so ladies, no offense, you can read it, but after you do, ask your husbands to read it.  Not being sexist, just have to start my New Year's resolution.

A lot of people make very self-centered New Year's resolutions; I want to lose weight, I want to eat healthier, I want to stop smoking, I want to climb the Zugspitz; lots of I's in there, huh?  I (see, even your fearless blogger is not immune!) was like that all my life.  I want to increase my bench 50lbs before next football season (1993), I want to learn to play guitar (1995), I want to find a girl I can spend the rest of my life with (2000); I spent a lot of New Year's resolutions on me, and that is not so bad.  It is good to focus on you and your life, but this year, I decided to break out of my normal mold.

It took me almost a solid week after the New Year had started to figure out exactly what I wanted to devote myself to this year.  I want to make the men around me, better men.  Okay, yeah, I hear the snickers & chuckles out there.  How can I make a man better if I am not the model that men should be made after?  (I am though if you ask my wife!  LOL!)  Easy, that's not what I am talking about!  :)  I don't want men to be like me... I'm not the perfect man.  No one man, save Jesus Christ, can stake claim to the title The World's Perfect Man.  We should all be striving to be like Jesus; we should all be striving to be the perfect man.  While this is admirable, this isn't exactly what I am talking about either.

Okay, I'll stop delaying.  Do me a favor.  Open a new tab in whatever browser you are using.  Dial up Google and do a search for "emasculation of man".  Here, I did the math so you wouldn't have to (I got your back like that!)... 388,000 results, and many of you have no idea what I am talking about or exactly what you just searched for.  So, here's the definition, e-mas-cu-late: verb- to deprive a man of his male role or identity.  Synonyms- castrate, geld, weaken, evirate.  Ouch, huh?  This is what I, as well as many others have been seeing across the years.  Gone are the John Wayne's (I challenge you to find many men out there that could match John Wayne's role in The Quite Man!), the Chuck Norris's (Chuck Norrisi?), the Clint Eastwood's, the Burt Reynold's of America.  They are few and far between, and when you do find a manly man, he is a tough guy, and unfortunately, usually a real tool.  I'm not implying that they are all gone, but they sure have become an endangered species.  Nowadays, you are more likely to come across a Robert Pattinson than a Sean Connery at your local gym/laundry/barber shop... oh wait, lil' Rob hits the salon and probably enjoys a healthy dose of girl talk while they buff his nails.

Columnist Gabrielle Hoffman stated in an article on the emascualtion of men that at one time, manliness was what every young boy wanted to achieve.  She's right, that's why we had heroes like Superman, Patton and Evil Knievel... men who did what was right despite the odds, men who showed bravery beyond their bodies capabilities, people who were honorable.  We wanted to be these guys because of the types of manly traits they displayed.  Unfortunately, like Brett McKay of The Art of Manliness puts it, if you look to men's magazines today, you are going to find 14 billion articles about how to get 6-pack abs or about sex.  This is not what being a man is about ya'll.  I bet in all the men's magazines you have read in your entire life, not one of them taught you how to sharpen an ax... yes, an ax guys.  You know, that's the tool that used to have the purpose of chopping down trees, not just the murder weapon of the mad man in this months flavor of horror flick.  If America had not lost manliness by the oil tanker ship load over the past 2 decades, we all would have been taught this trait from our dad's and grandpa's... oh, wait, today we're lucky if we can get a dad or grandpa to stay around (yet another lost manly trait, being able to fix things, even relationships).  It's time we start reclaiming manliness, and passing it down to the pale faced, wanna-be vampire boys... as my new role model Phil Robertson would probably put it, we need to teach them yuppie boys how to be men.

A manly man doesn't have to be a tough guy like John L. Sullivan (if you know who this is, you are on your way though!) but he does need to be able to defend himself and his family; he doesn't have to be MacGyver (yep, I just blew some young'uns minds right there) and be able to fix a fighter jet with a ball point pen, a stick of chewing gum and his Victroinox (which was the Spartan, then later a Traveler, then back the Spartan model... yeah, I just geeked out, huh?) but he should be able to use basic tools and improvise fixes when in a jam; nor does he have to be the most "dapper" of guys in the crowd but he better know how to present himself in a professional manner and dress for whatever situation he may find himself in.  A manly man, is well rounded, and exudes manly characteristics.  He may not be able to fix a 1969 Mustang, but he's willing to try to learn.  He may not know much about fashion, but he knows how to wear the basics and looks professional.  He may not know the proper way to use every tool under the sun, but he respects the reason the tool was created and will probably strive to learn how to use it properly.  He's that guy you instantly notice when he walks in the room, the bar, the office Christmas party.  There's just something about him, and sometimes you can't put your finger on it.  He's the one people go to because he is honest, an upstanding citizen, and willing to help.

If we as men follow the Biblical Proverb that says "As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another" (Prov. 27:17) we can regain those lost values, skills, and character traits that defined a man.  Those men of the past, there was no denying their manliness.  Many would be ashamed of the state of manliness these days.  Let's band together and re-masculate America... for our sake, for our families sake, for our nation's sake.

I Know Where I'm Going, Mommy!

Yesterday, we met some friends at Chilis.  Yes, we have a Chilis on base here in Germany and it keeps me alive and happy!  As we were making our way to the front door of the restaurant, Little G was walking and I could tell that Griffin wanted to walk, too.  So I put him down and held his little hand.  He did so well and even toddled through the revolving door with me!  There were three employees standing at the check in counter and they were smiling ear to ear at my little ones as they made their way in.  It was in that moment that I felt like we had a large family, even though we only have 3 children.  Maybe it was because all of our children were on the move around us and not in our arms.  But anyway, I bent down to pick Griffin up and he protested so I just let him walk.  He followed everyone to the table, with just a little assistance, and then I tried to stop him so that I could put my purse on the back of my chair, but he had other plans.  I just let him toddle off for a second as I got everything organized.  I looked up and he had made his way around the long table that was prepared for us and was standing nicely beside his high chair, waiting to be picked up!  He knew exactly where he was suppose to be.   I praised him like there was no tomorrow, just fascinated at how brilliant he is.

Little G has been making me laugh non-stop these past few days.  I absolutely love her speech.  She is hilarious.  This morning, as she was waking in her crib, I heard her over the baby monitor saying, "Sowwy, guys!  Sowwy!!!"  I guess she thought that if she apologized enough, we would take her downstairs and feed her some breakfast.  ha ha.  She was saying it just as cheerfully as she could, too.  It was so sweet!  Later on in the day, I gave her the toothbrush and she got toothpaste down the front of her clean shirt.  So I took that off and was in the process of stain removing it when she appeared out of the blue, topless, with an orange marker, and what appeared to be an attempt to draw a shirt on her chest.  She said, "kudder markahs bobbies", and I'll let you decipher that one on your own.  Also, every time she needs to say yes, she yells out, "YES SIR!" but it comes out "yes suh" and it's stinkin' adorable.

Big G had to go back to school today.  Christmas break is officially over.  <sigh>  I went in to wake her up this morning and she was awake and smiling.  She absolutely loves school.  However, she informed me that she had read an entire Judy Moody novel last night because she had a hard time falling asleep.  I just knew she was going to be exhausted today, but she said she was very hyper instead!  ha ha.  I bet she did a lot of talking today.  Her reason for not being able to sleep?  She's scared of the bear on the movie "Brave".  I will let her sleep with me, since Chris is insisting on watching a football game at 2:00AM!  She can just take his side of the bed.

But anyway, time for a mini-couch date with the hubs.  Maybe I can talk him into making me some popcorn!

Love and Hugs!

Scaring the Neighbors!

I had to rearrange the furniture in the living room for the third time!  Griffin started climbing onto the trunk and up onto the window sill.  He's been scaring the neighbors!

HAHA

Love and Hugs!

"Where's Momma?"

For the first time since the littles have started speech therapy at the hospital, Chris was able to take them!  I took a nap and it was awesome...really, really awesome.  Both of them had great sessions and Little G's therapist said that her language skills have reached the low average for a 2 year old so she is catching up quickly!  She had a boom in language these past few months and it's just amazing to see and hear her progress.  In September, she was speaking on a 12-15 month level so she has come a long way!

It was Griffin's turn to have a parent in the room so Chris made himself comfy and observed.  He noticed that every time Griffin would get frustrated, he would sign "momma" and look around.  Melt my heart!  I am so proud of him and this has made me realize that he probably knows so much more than I actually let him say... if that makes sense.  I have fallen into that category of being "the kind of mom that anticipates my kids' needs before they have to verbalize them" or so I've been told...and I guess that goes for Griffin, too.  I really need to start making him communicate his needs like I have been doing with Little G.   It's kind of tough!

Griffin refused pizza tonight...to the extreme of throwing it across the room and slinging my hand out of his face as I was trying to get him to take a bite.  He's always eaten it before but he refused to even taste this.  (It's the same pizza that I always order, no difference.  stinker.)  Oh... speaking of pizza, I short changed the pizza delivery guy tonight because, are you ready for this??????  I was so extremely excited and preoccupied because I had just found out that OLLIE HAS A FAMILY COMING FOR HIM!  HE'S ON THE 'MY FAMILY FOUND ME' page!  So I had to call the pizza place back and they returned to get the rest of their money.  I can't wait to introduce you to the family who will be adopting this little treasure.   I am absolutely thrilled.  <huge smile and tears in my eyes!>

But anyway, Big G has company over tonight so we are going to make some popcorn and watch a Barbie movie.

Love and Hugs!