Adoptive Mom Retreat

This last weekend I went to an adoptive moms retreat here in Atlanta. I didn't know anyone there, so this was very not like me. I am very shy and don't like crowds or even retreats for that matter, but I am a sucker for anything connected with adoption. The woman that they roomed with me was 8 months pregnant so it worked out perfectly. We both needed to eat all of the time and wanted to go to bed early :)

The retreat was nice and I made some friends. I was really looking forward to some of the seminars about different adoption topics. The African haircare was interesting but I didn't learn anything new. It was a little dissapointing, but it was geared towards moms that didn't know anything about haircare and I have been doing Fi's hair for 2 years now. The lecture that I really liked was about adopting older children and siblings group. It was the best seminar the whole weekend! The mom who spoke did a great job and a year ago had adopted a set of 2 yr old and 4 yr old brothers from Ethiopia. She said all of the things that I knew had to be true but people don't say about adoption. It was just very real and so nice to hear at last. She talked about how she still sleeps in the same room as her youngest after a year and how you can't expect your adopted child to be like every other kid right away. She really stressed thinking of your child according to their "family age" which means how long they have been home with you. For example, Fi is 3 years old but she has only been home 2 years so her family age is really 2 years old. Emotionally she is more like 2 years old and I need to remember that.

Clark and I already kind of think like this, but it was nice to hear. For example, ever since Fi came home from Ethiopia she has needed to sleep right next to me or Clark (but mostly wants Mommy). She still seems like she needs that so we are not going to try to get her sleep by herself. I believe that you really need to look at the big picture sometimes in parenting. In the big picture, Fi will someday sleep in a bed all night by herself. She will not be 14 yrs old and still in bed with me. And if we don't force it, it will probably happen sooner. A need met won't resurface later as an issue.

Anyway, I did enjoy the conference even though I was nauseous (but what is new). It was so odd to be away from the kids. I am never really away from them especially since I have been stuck at home being sick for so long. It was really hard to sleep away from them too. I slept much better the night I got back and got to snuggle again. I am glad to be home with my babies.

Snow and Adoption Day

Well, posting again at last. Sorry for the long wait. Things have gotten busy around here these last 6 months and I have not really been blogging. Our big news is that baby number 3 will be making her way into this world at the end of May. We are very excited and so are the kids. The only hard part is that I am very very sick. 24/7. I have not been able to go really anywhere or do anything for these last five months. I am lucky to be able to take care of the kids everyday.

Well, here are some January highlights:

We had a huge snow down here in the south and were snowed in for a whole week. The kids loved it.

Adoption day was at the end of January and we celebrated 2 years of Fi being home. She is only now starting to understand some parts of her adoption story and likes talking about it. Her favorite presents were a set of African dolls from Cameroon from her Grandparents and her new adoption life book from Mommy and Daddy. The book go through her story and explains her adoption.

I can't believe that it has only been 2 years, it feels much longer. The books are right though, it does take about a year to really bond and get to the point where it feels like she was always with us. But, after that point it keeps feeling like forever. In a good way of course.

We are certainly blessed with our little Fi.

4th of July

We spent 4th of July at home and had a visit from our cousins. We all went to an outside concert and then saw fireworks at the end. It was the first time that my two had ever seen big fireworks. Fi was a little scared of them and not a fan, but T loved them and watched from a top his Uncle Ryan's shoulders.

The four cousins ages 1, 2, 3, and 4.

Unlce Ryan (Clark's best friend who lives here in Atlanta) came too and is one of Fi's favorite people.

The cousins made some paper flowers for their Grandma who was recovering from surgery.

My Dad and our little family went hiking the Monday after the 4th. It was a beautiful hike through the GA mountains. The trail stays next to a big stream the whole time and ends at a waterfall.

The Farm

We spent Easter in Oklahoma on my grandparents' farm. I use to spend every summer out there and we all love it.

On Easter the wind was defiantly sweeping down the plains

hunting Easter eggs

Going on a walk around the farm with their sunglasses that they got in their Easter baskets. Fi always insists on wearing hers upside down.

T loved getting to ride on the lawnmower with Daddy.

We had a great time and wish we could live out there all year long. Maybe one day.

The beach

Sorry it has been so long in coming, but here are pictures of our spring break at the beach with grandparents and cousins.

the four cousins

running in the freezing cold water

the beach was fun but very cold most of the time we were there.

Daddy and Fi eating ice cream.

Let it snow, let it snow! In March?

It snowed yesterday 3 inches at least and then was gone by this afternoon. Now we live in the south and it hardly ever snows here so it was pretty crazy.

It was the wonderful wet type of snow that makes good snowmen and snowballs. It was a first time experience for my little southern babies. We don't really have the clothes for it, as you can see Fi has two different types of mittens on.

It just kept snowing all of yesterday. It was beautiful to see that much snow falling.


We made snowmen in school that day since we were so excited.

This picture was taken when it first started snowing that morning.

What is new with us....

Good News:
My sister Jessa just had her big PET scan last week to see if the cancer has come back and there is no cancer in sight. I think we all sighed a big sigh of relief that we didn't even know that we had been holding these last few months. Now with chemo and radiation long over and the all clear, she took off today for NYC and then the west coast to see her two best friends. Soon she will be getting a job in NYC and moving away for good. I can't say that her having cancer was wonderful (it was horrible and scary) but having her at home was so nice. These last few months since she has been feeling good and getting back to her old self have been great. The kids have gotten to play with her everyday and Aunt Jecca is the favorite around here. So now we try to live life again without her. BTW her hair is growing back and is so cute. She gets comments on it all of the time because now it looks like she cut it that short on purpose and not just because of chemo.

The Olympics:
T is totally into the winter Olympics right now. He loves to watch it and imitate the different sports. He puts on swimming goggles, his ski hat, gloves, and finds some sticks to be polls and runs around doing the downhill skiing. I have seen a lot of kids imitate things but he really has it down. It is amazing how how he picks up little details. When he pretends to ice skate, he falls down on purpose, says that he won't get the gold and then sits in a chair and watches for his score. He is so funny to watch and he makes us do all of the sports with him.

Sleeping Beauty:
Fi is finally starting to sleep in her own bed all night long. We have been working on it for about a week. Instead of sleeping the last half of the night with her in her single bed, I now just sit beside her and hold her hand. She has not cried at all, but is not a fan. After one night of waking up many many times during the night, Jessica asked her if she slept in bed by herself like a big girl, her answer (with a big smile of course) was "baby cry for mommy". But, things are getting better and though I am really tired (3 years of not sleeping more than 4 hours at a time will do that to you) I am seeing progress and have gotten one or two good nights. T is sleeping through the night most all of the time now and if he can after three years than any kid can.