Typical Toddler Morning or Why I am never on time for anything anymore!

7:00 AM

EFP: TV on please? (limited to one hour of TV per day)

DH: Okay let me get your milk

EFP: TV on please?

DH: Yes, I hear you

EFP: I want TV on please. No milk, juice! (running battle – the kid is positively juice crazy – actually 50% white grape and 50% water)

EFP: TV on please

EFP: I want TV on please!!

EFP: (shouting) TV ON PLEASE!!!!!

DH: OK! TV goes on (actually Little Einsteins DVD - talk about TV on DEMAND!)

7:02 AM

EFP: I have an ice-pop please? (note: see juice note – this is then poured into pop mold and frozen)

DH: Daddy is fixing some cheerios and milk.

EFP: I have an ice-pop please?

DH: EFP, I am fixing your cereal – would you like peanut butter on toast instead?

EFP: I have an ice-pop!

DH: EFP, you can not have an ice-pop for breakfast!

EFP: I want an ice-pop.

EFP: I want an ice-pop

EFP: I want an ice-pop

EFP: Have ice-pop please

DH: EFP, here is your cereal (toast w/pb, waffles, French toast sticks, eggs, etc.)

EFP: Thank you Daddy – have an ice-pop please.

DH: Here! Have the *$^@*^$@&#@) ice-pop (whisper: don’t tell Mommy!)

7:04 AM

Mom: Good morning boogie!! What’s that?

EFP: Daddy have me ice-pop!

Mom: Hmmmm

Mom: Can you eat your toast w/pb too?

EFP: Yes Mommy. I have an Ice-pop?

Mom: Please eat your toast – you just had an ice-pop!

EFP: I have an ice-pop please?

Mom: EFP, Daddy gave you an ice-pop, you need to eat your toast!

EFP: I want Daddy!

EFP: I want Daddy!

EFP: I want Daddy!

EFP: I want Daddy!

EFP: I want Daddy!

EFP: Daddy give me ice-pop!!

Mom: Of course he did!

(Mutter rude things to self while walking away)

7:06 AM

Mom: Come here baby so I can change your diapie

EFP: No, No change diapie today!

Mom: Yes, it is time for clean diapie – come here so mommy can change it.

Dream Sequence

EFP: Right away mommy! I know you only want me to be clean and healthy and that you live to change my stinky diapie - so I will be right there!

Reality

EFP: NO!! No change diapie now!

Mom: OK – goes and gets baby deposits on changing pad (engage in tickling and funny voice)

EFP: Here my ‘raffes! (EFP-speak for her little family of Giraffes – Mommy, Daddy, Baby)

Mom: Love the ‘raffes!

EFP: I no go to school (childcare) today. I go work with Mommy!

Mom: I wish! Work has no crayons, paint or snacks!

(dressing of child continues – clothes, shoes making style choice can take 5 minutes, hair)

EFP: I bring mine crayons, paint and snacks – plus Elmos, ‘raffes and kitties (our two formerly feral totally house-bound cats who each weigh at least 15 lbs!)

Mom: That does sound like a lot of fun! I think the kitties need to stay home and you need to go to school.

EFP: Yea, I play with Kayee!!

7:30 AM

Mom: OK, let’s get a snack to share at school!

EFP: I bring Elmos (Mommy, Daddy, Baby and Big Bro (AAW))

Mom: One Elmo can go to school

EFP: No! Bring daddy Elmo, mommy Elmo, baby Elmo – bro Elmo stay home (figures!)

Mom: EFP –lets get your snack and pick one Elmo to bring

EFP: I want ice-pop

Repeat x10

7:45 AM

Arrive at Childcare center

EFP: I need yellow leaf

Mom: Hmm… I am not sure I can reach the leaves that are left!

EFP: I need yellow leaf

Mom: Yes, I know you want a yellow leaf, but they are all so high!

EFP: I need yellow leaf

Mom: (Trudges through mud in work shoes and jumps to tear two yellow leafs off tree) Here you go Boogie!

EFP: I need red leaf!

Mom: I will race you into school!!!!!!

EFP: I no race I need red leaf….

Mom: Decides to send EFP to work and attend daycare herself!!!!!!

In a nutshell this is a small slice of my life. When we return from anywhere EFP will absolutely insist about a 100 times that her “coat needs to be off” before I have even removed the key from the door, got second foot over threshold or even managed to put the ton-o-mommy-bags down!! No joke – this part about toddlers is not that much fun – except for the laughs later! I wish I knew more ways to distract her from the endless repetition! DH just gives up and in immediately (now wonder they love their daddies so!)

Happy Thanksgiving!!

From our family to yours - enjoy great food, family & friends, and the joy of being together! We are so incredibly thankful to be where we are. Today we give thanks for a happy marriage, a gorgeous (smart, funny but most of all healthy and happy) baby girl, the love we have for a boy who is still halfway across the world - who waits for us to love him in person, our families, our incredible circle of friends and most of all being here - today right now celebrating another amazing holiday!

Live from 60 miles east of the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade:

Project Runway - Our Way

The Combined wealth of several small nation-states in plastic are on my kid! (psst check out her dance moves!!)

I swear she picked out that heart necklace on her own - because she wanted one like mine. (note: mine is small tasteful platinum 1ct diamond heart that DH gave me for a birthday a few years prior to her Imperial Highness's arrival and usurpation of the royal jewel budget for her own jewel needs).

At least this is what I am saying about this whole episode! I have been home sick a few days now, EFP has been under the weather (I will have to post about the rush to the MD and the drama - but be assured there is nothing wrong with my darling that an ice pop couldn't cure immediately!) She came home with a slight fever and as we had been scheduled home anyway I kept her in and watched - she seemed better, she went back to childcare - I had some back to back events and a lot of sturm und drang at work (foolishly I keep thinking I have an actual career - then I wake up) and I felt under the weather myself - by Friday I knew I had lost the battle. Surrendered and spent the whole long weekend alternately trying to get well and keep toddler from running amok and staying well. Well, she is coughing and although there is no fever - just a runny nose and cough. Then today - with a tiny bit of energy she decided to...well the pics speak for themselves!

Waiting Family.............

Log In Date (for China) 12/15/05


Happy Halloween!

SPOOKTACULAR!

Halloween Spooktacular yesterday with FCC - I don't think we were in Kansas anymore.

There is no place like home - there' s no place like home! This morning.

EFP in the Bouncy House - Pumpkin Picking this afternoon.

Tonight having a bite - of Daddy's nose and a snuggle with Mommy!

Autumnal Musings....

We drove up to Vermont to do the weekender leaf peeping required of all Northeast region inhabitants. We had a great time and EFP got to spend some quality time with her Nana & Papa. We went we saw we photographed! So without much further ado... here it is! Also here is your free preview of the custom-made, one-of-a-kind, Dorothy of Oz costume!! We received this after our little excursion and it will make its debut on Saturday the 13th for the Halloween extravaganza we are attending!

I will have a longer post about our newest resident - AKA THE HORSEY! Shortly!

What's up with the fundraiser?

We have decided to raise enough funds for about 10 children to receive Cleft surgery while still in China in the hopes that families will be more able to match with them. Children need families and sometimes the families are reluctant to adopt a child who has needs they may not be able to meet. There are several organizations who are already working in China to provide these surgeries. How amazing will it be to be able to change the smile on a child's face - both by surgical AND magical means! Surgery means restored health and family means a whole new life and more love!! It is darn near breaking my heart that our son has been on multiple lists and not had anyone ask about him - simply because he has a cleft lip/palate. Now he is 6 and people might be even more reluctant to adopt... till we came along. Naturally - we KNOW that he was only waiting for us to see his handsome (and he is trust me!) face and know that with love all things are possible. We already love our baby tiger and now I hope that many other beautiful children will benefit from this effort. We will continue to raise funds till our trip - when we return with our son we hope to establish a fund to provide surgeries both in China and then once families are home with their children. No child should have to live in an orphanange because a loving family is unable to afford the surgery the child may need.

You deserve some new pics of my darling girl!

Daddy Love & Jello - Life is Good!!

Beast of Burden - No, It's Elmo Goes for a Ride on Daddy's Head with EFP!
Crossing the finish line...

Riding in the lap of luxury - who doesn't love that little face!!!


These are the most recent pics.. taken before bed tonight and the other day before School, and at the diner after the horrible chicken incident (don't ask)!!!! Fresh off the camera.

My Baby - Home a few days! What a Munchkin!!!

What a great day for School!

My Baby all dressed up and ready to go to "school."

Well - people just melt when they see our little EBB's (Emperor Big Brother) face.. he is adorable and I am sorry I can not post his picture till we receive official notice from China that we are an acceptable family for this child. As soon as we get it - we will post believe me.

I have been contacted by some amazing families who had adopted from Gansu Province in PRC and so far the news is all good! In fact the first child who was adopted out internationally from EBB's Center came home recently so it is fairly new to international adoption. He is in a small center that has practically a 1 to 1 ratio of caregivers to children. The children are well-cared for and apparently they are sent to school in a nearby town or city - so we may be dealing with somewhat fewer issues that we expected. Of course I am not really sure what we expect in any case.. We have the medical situation well in hand with a medical team in place and feel confident that we can care for him medically. Scholastically - well we have some ways to go before I will say that I know what we can do for him - just in terms of speaking with the right people in our school district to determine what services are available and what he may need - given his situation (cleft and language).

We will be headed to a remote part of China this time and we are all excited about the prospect. I think we may be able to fulfil one of my own wishes - which we did not get to do last time since it was so far out of the way of our travel plans, that is, I really had wanted to travel to Xi'an and see the Terracotta Warriors. Well, this time we may be able to!! There are a few interesting places to see in Gansu and I am looking forward to the trip. Nervous about traveling without the big group we had the first time... which really was a blessing in so many ways. But I think having done this one time - and knowing we are in good hands with our agency, I don't feel stressed about that. Still not sure what to do about EFP. I feel sometimes I couldn't bear to be away from her at such a time and that of course we should bring her with us. Then I also have some (irrational?) fears of becoming separated from her and losing her in that large country... weird huh? Probably vestiges of the dreams I had while we were waiting - when I dreamed I left her in the White Swan Hotel and got on the plane without her... silly, right?

I am having some difficulties with work - at the moment. You might say - career angst. I have got to settle some things and probably make a change I have been putting off for a while. More on that later. I know I am behind in pix.. I have some, it has just been so crazy getting our Letter of Intent out and figuring out the home stuff that I have literally been too tired to go back downstairs (after the millionth final trip) to hook up the camera and down load. I will try harder tomorrow and post some new ones. IN the meantime - here are some oldies but goodies! I will say - that it will be tough being Mommy to TWO such gorgeous children and I am already in love with the idea of a little boy's adorable exuberance!

It is OFFICIAL!!!

We have a SON!!!

He is 6 years old - waiting for us in Gansu!

We are thrilled beyond belief and so grateful to have been lead in this unexpected direction!

Love to all - pictures when we can!! We will email to dear friends and family!!

Love EFP, Mom & Dad

What ever is going on over there?

Well - the new school year is upon us and we have been running like mad! EFP hardly notices anything different - so it is just my schedule that has changed. She is mourning the loss of our Mommy & EFP Fridays though. We are finally making some progress getting the house organized and I think I have found a handy-guy - we'll see.

There are big doings at work - we are coming up on a very important anniversary so there will be tons of special activities etc. I am excited but also kinda feeling a little overwhelmed. Anyway - we are undergoing some big changes here and will let you know when you can expect an update...

5 Things I Think I am Doing Right

5. Every single day I do some silly running around the house with EFP. This is after a long work day or early in the morning (on the nights I teach late) so that EFP has a really silly funny Mommy.

4. EFP brushes and FLOSSES every day twice a day. We did dodge the cavity bullet and her DDS (wonderful pediatric dentist with lots of IA experience) said her teeth look good but her enamel is probably thin. She was great and EFP bit her but she laughed and went right on. EFP was fine though cried a little and has 16 teeth with 2 molars coming in on the bottom - and the barest hint of the top. She said they are really killer for the two-year olds.

3. EFP has never had any really junky food and her only taste of candy has been chocolate - twice. She eats really healthy for the most part and loves fruits and veggies. She has never stepped foot inside a fast food restaurant - though she has eaten the nuggette de chicken and the fries de la francais... LOL on a few rare occasions. I really try hard to provide healthy balanced meals for all of us but I feel I am succeeding with her at least!

2. I really don't sweat the small stuff and most of the time I do recognize when the stuff is really small. I can see how easy it would be to get really caught up in the details of a toddler's life - but I am doing a good job at not worrying about all the stuff that I shouldn't be.... toys, clothes, etc. Now if I could just stop sweating the not so small.... sibling, school district yadda yadda.

1. I just love this baby - for who she is in all her silly, funny, smart and lovable glory. I do think we are giving her freedom to develop her sense of humor and compassion, her intellect and her imagination. I hear her playing with her animals (4 billion little people animals and people thanks to Fither Pruce! And no none of these were recalled!) and although she is nearly always putting them in some danger (Help me! Help me! I am stuck! A lot like she did when she was pre-walking and confined to her excersaucer) she always sends a few other animals to help them out. She is loving and kind, concerned when the kitties don't get their 2 treat each a day ration, she checks me for boo boos and kisses them if there are any. EFP shares a special snack everyday with her center friends and seems very concerned if any one of them is upset when Mommy/Daddy leave (like she was for a few weeks a month ago!). But I really think that we are giving her a great foundation of love and trust to build on. I probably shouldn't say this is something I do well.. since It is effortless to LOVE her so much, but I know one can love and still not be a good parent. I am not as good a parent as I wish to be all the time - but I do try all the time to be better.

Where is who?

"Mei Mei, Where are you?" I am not JOKING at all!! This is what EFP has been saying (more like shouting) all day! We have not said much about our second child - both because we felt that EFP is too young and the wait is too long... So, now what? And what if Mei Mei turns out to be Di Di? Yikes?!

We had so much fun this weekend... we took EFP over to a spot I know too well from childhood and had a scrumptious seafood dinner by the sea... EFP was truly impressed by the big boats and the gorgeous sunset over the water... she is so sweet and loving.. today was a veritable love-fest and I am overwhelmed by the depth of feeling and laughter that bubbles up whenever she starts the kissing and big hugs..... silly baby. My silly baby!

What I did on my summer vacation

Well, I survived a vacation away with my DH and Toddler! We went, we saw, we splished, we splashed and we rode on the rides till the cows came home… LOL

It was a load of fun – I am more tired now than before we left and EFP officially is a Rocket Girl! Have I mentioned how similar in personality we are? We share so many traits it is uncanny! For instance…. I hate trying new things… I mean I LIKE to try new things but I am always reluctant to do something new the first time. After I have conquered the first time – it is gangbusters after… but I really hate doing things the first time. Well EFP turns out to be exactly the same in this regard. She did not like getting in the rides initially – but as soon as she did, we couldn’t get her out of the ride! We did every single ride (appropriate to her age etc) twice because every ride she was on was “THE BEST EVER!” So we managed to be able to go twice without having to wait – though I must say that with temps reaching into the 100s it was not surprising that very often there were NO lines anyway…!!! LOL

We enjoyed our resort – but I have to say that it was not as much fun as it could have been IF pitchers of Margaritas had been available (again, WHAT was I thinking?). The suite was comfortable and if you didn’t count the 100 decibel wedding happening just at EFP’s bedtime….. well, that was just great. I will also not mention much about the disappointing food… but again a thought for another day. We enjoyed ourselves…. EFP had a blast and the only real downside is that after being with Mom and Dad for all those days in a row she sees absolutely no reason why she should have to live any differently – which has made daycare drop off a bit of a nightmare actually!

More Silly Pictures!

Wigglicious!

Tears streaming down my face, a blinky flashlight hits my head (3x) and screams of joy are everywhere! Flashbacks to a former life are playing in my head when I am not singing at the top of my lungs (oh, there was some of that in my flashbacks as well) and I am surrounded by about a million other doting parents and 3 or 4 million screaming adoring fans... at the Coliseum to see the Wiggles! I was teary because I was so grateful and so aware of how close we came to not being blessed this way... grateful that I can provide these precious memories for our child and so very aware of what a precious gift our daughter is and how very lucky we are.

We had a great time with our friends and the Wiggles really are amazingly entertaining. I wasn't annoyed once - OK, well getting hit on the head a few times by the large flashlight blinky thing - that was annoying. What was also annoying was the response from the parent... NOT I'm sorry or anything - Just "well, he dropped his flashlight!" But -such is the magic of the Wiggles that by the end of the show we were all great friends.... especially when the Red Wiggle strummed Led Zeppelin on his silly guitar... then tried some Hendrix and everyone over 30 was hysterical! My baby is a rocker so she was rocking out as well. I should take a picture of the gelt but - suffice it to say that she made out... there is nothing Wigglish that is not in my house at the moment... hey, I waited a long to time wait on line paying good money for plastic cr*p with the name of mythological creatures or in this case Australians on it!! I, indeed felt I owed it to the universe. In a way - as the kid who never got to go to the shows or get the goodies - I think I will turn out to be a bit more indulgent in this arena than most parents.

On a happier (as if!) note - we had to take EFP to the Imperial Physician today and she is 34" tall (75th percentile) and 29 lbs (90th percentile) so she is growing nicely. She told me this morning that her ear hurt (of course it does! We leave for our mini break tomorrow!) and so I scheduled an impromptu visit with her MD. Of course - I woke up with no voice so I also had an impromptu visit with the MD - WHATEVER.

We are having some fun... EFP has begun speaking in paragraphs and she is every bit as funny and smart as I suspected. She even tells jokes!!

EFP: Knock Knock

Me: Who's there?

EFP: Orange

Me: Orange who?

EFP: Orange Banana (followed by hysterical giggling - from both of us!)

We have dancing time every day and the other night we watched Happy Feet - and I am fairly sure that she is interested in become the younger, female and Asian Savion.... I wish! Delightful is just too mild a word...I am in awe of her all the time. She picked out some fabric (finally getting to finish my Quilt squishes) and I am going to make her some rompers for school. I am so looking forward to our little trip! Of course the ear infection will put a tiny cramp in our style - but I am sure that she will have more fun splashing about then dunking under anyway.

Some cute pix to amuse! The flowers are Stargazer Lillies - my favorite - and they finally bloomed in our garden. EFP was so happy to see and smell the beautiful flowers. The large person is Daddy - we were shooting pics on the most beautiful day... and our flowers in bloom and we were saying hi to neighbors and having a great time!!

HP & TDH

It is done! All 759 pages! I finished the book a short time ago and then answered the call of the Mommy needing. I received the book yesterday at about 1pm and read a bit before leaving for a well needed dinner and a movie with Auntie Ren. We saw, what else, HP & TOOTP and it would take a whole other post to discuss the rude obnoxious movie patrons we were subjected to. I am just disgusted at how little courtesy is shown toward others. All around us people talked non-stop during the movie- even after several polite requests to please be quiet. I mean the last movie I saw before this was before we had even traveled to China! I was really looking forward to see this and I can't understand why people can be so rude?

So I read a bit yesterday and then today... till it was finished. I will begin reading it again for nuance immediately. It was good... I laughed, I cried and on one or two occasions - I exclaimed. I won't bother with the spoilers - either you won't care or you are reading it yourself and have no desire to know what I do at this point. I will say I was more right than wrong and I am proud that I was loyal to a certain character all along - never doubting at all.

Indeed - I had already figured out one major piece of information that helped enormously in barreling to the end of the series. I am sad to have it go and now have only to look forward to the remaining movies. It will be worth it!

This just in!!!

It is a very sad day here in the Palace. We have found out that we can never again drink fruppacino in the Forbidden Palace in Beijing, PRC. Public Protest Clears Forbidden City of Sturbacks!It is indeed a very sad day here in the Palace. Although I hold the memories of our trip to China near to my heart and I know that our return trip will be just as sweet.... there is a part of me that is so sad that this little travesty of cultural imperialism with not be there. I was never so happy to see that green dot as I was that day... although there have been times when the cuppa was just as badly needed and dearly loved. Oh, I just don't know if I can even bear to return to Beijing! Perhaps we will have to travel Through HK - though I am thinking a stop in Shanghai would be a nice treat!!! It is just hard to imagine a world where the bastion to consumerism and imperialism is not being sheltered in the arms of the what was once the most exclusive and off-limits place in the world... yea, that does not actually seem right! Well, as usual I felt you should know that this has happened.

I am teaching a summer course here on campus about Gender & Work and we were talking about gender stereotypes. One of the students said that "people don't really want to see men cry..." I replied I would have been very hurt if my DH had not cried on one or two occasions in our life together. Our marriage and February 20, 2006 when a woman from the orphanage placed our darling girl in our arms for the first time. There were plenty of tears to go around - Mamas and Babas! I was thinking also that there were at least two occasions I could think of in my lifetime where I had seen groups of men crying openly in the street. One I have seen in film since I was less that a year old and the other well... I think there were plenty of people of whatever gender crying where ever they were. It would have seemed somehow too inappropriate to not cry on that terrible day.

It is weird to think I will someday have to explain 9-11 to my daughter just as my own mother explained JFK's assasination to me. To think that this is now a part of our collective history and as such EFP will need to understand that point in time - hard to imagine since I still do not really understand it either. I got to thinking because last night after putting her to bed for the night I turned on the TV and was stunned to see a scene quite reminiscent of 9-11. NYC was ablaze with sirens, flashing lights and regular broadcasting was interrupted. Thankfully - it was a steam pipe explosion and though there were casualties they were relatively few. The city is all in an uproar and on top of that it had already been a very bad day for many. The torrential rain and thunder/lightening brought traffic to a complete standstill and many people never made it to work, cars were flooded and I know for a fact that there was not a rental car available for 100 miles anywhere near NYC.

Not far from where we live a tornado touched down. Hmph! It is all too easy to forget the precarious nature of human life. How seemingly small events or large can impact us in ways we are not prepared. Counting myslef lucky to have merely been a bystander in the annals of history seems quite enough for me. I can handle brushing with greatness from a safe distance.

Life goes on here much as usual. My car is fixed and back at home. We are still struggling some with separation anxiety at daycare drop off and yesterday EFP declared "I no like school" but then ran up the path and happily shared snack with her two favorite friends J & K. We had one more nasty bite incident and while I do feel sorry for the child who is the biter - I am not going to allow my child to be victimized by another. We had stated in no uncertain terms that our child is not be be put at risk for another bite/scratch from this kid. I know that toddlers are physical and that EFP can get pushy - so when she is in it with any other child it is not a problem and they do teach good skills for dealing with this. No, this is simply a child who will get up from playing, walk across the room and try to bite a chunk out of my daughter for no earthly reason. The child in question is now on one-on-one restriction and the next step is out the door. I am by no means the sort of mother who will swear that her child is never at fault or that it is impossible for her to misbehave... quite the contrary!! I do see that she needs limits and discipline with frustration. She has hit a kitty and received an immediate time out. I mean we only have three big rules... no hitting, no throwing (except balls) and no meaness to kitties. That is it for now. EFP and her friend J are like sibs already they are always at each other with toys or activities - but they are just as likely to hug and kiss as push and shove. This other situation is nothing like that. I am still rather furious.

On other fronts things continue much the same. We are getting excited about our upcoming vacation and looking forward to some much needed rest and relaxation. Hope everyone is enjoying their summer and getting the chance to recreate and recuperate.

WOW, Miss T is how old...........?

Why she is 11!! Thank you so much for asking! 11 Years ago - a person was born who is the essence of heart and soul for me. I never knew until the minute my sissy gave birth to Miss T - the meaning of the words unconditional love. I an so lucky to have a sister who had two such amazing children. I am thankful everyday - for without my niece there would never have been an EFP! She is:

1. 11 years old today July 8th, 2007 (they are on their way back from the national championships that were held in Canada and I don't think they had access so I am posting this late).

2. An amazing Irish Step Dancer who competes in Prelim Champion level (AWESOME)

3. AN incredibly gifted and talented young lady

4. A very funny person

5. Incredibly intuitive and emotionally sensitive

6. Smart in all the right ways

7. Crafty and artistic

8. Dramatic and poised, Silly and musical

9. Kind to animals and her little brother (she saved him from a bear once)

10. Helpful to have around (understands the packing shoes rules)

10.25 A great and sincere friend

10.5 Imaginative and ingenious

10.75 Loving and lovable!!

11. Beautiful - inside and out!

Love - Aunt Sissi, Uncle G and EFP!!! We love you and we are so proud of you all the time!!!

Two-year molars!

And other trips to h*ll! We have reached the end of the teething and it is a nightmare. Fevers from 99 to 102 at any time of day or night. EFP is in such pain she ASKS for "meds Mommy, please!" I mean have you ever heard of a two-year old ASKING for meds? Of course - mine also asks for shrimp now - so I have come to expect that from her. We needed no fireworks for the 4th - we had our own. EFP is miserable... and so I have been a virtual prisoner on my little mini-break. Oh well, the down time is good for us, we are usually so busy that any excuse to relax is welcome. She did go swimming for a bit tonight and we did make one trip to Targette - for the dollhouse bookcase (SALE!) and I have finally organized the toybee section of the LR and now her books, little peeps and all the playduh stuff is organized and easy to reach. Whoopee!! EFP can now count to 20 in English, 10 in Spanish & ASL, and 5 in Mandarin. Is my baby the BOMB or what?


It has also become abundantly clear we will be waiting a very long time for EFP's sibling. I am not upset - I knew going in that the wait would be long, I am just worried that by the time we get a referral we would have become sort of out of love with the idea of adding another child and that is when the panic sets in. I mean we are still sort of working on making our life work with one child - I can't imagine how adding another is going to be, especially when we won't know for a few years even what gender the child would be. Apparently at a recent meeting with our agency the CCAA confirmed that a 2.5 to 3 year wait for those of us currently in process has been deemed probable. I went into this thinking that would be fine - one day care bill at a time and all.. now, back aching from aforementioned organizing, baby holding, comforting and other miscellaneous motherings that I just wonder if I will still want another in 3 years. My agency released a new waiting child list - and there are some adorable babies - any of whom I would be so lucky to parent - but the day care dilemma and not having enough time saved to be able to travel and then stay home for even a little while loom as huge problems. Will the idea of starting all over again in 3 years have lost some of its allure after so long? ACH! (like Bill the Cat). I don't know, I guess we will see. Oh - and FINALLY after ONLY 10 months.. we are a licensed foster family! yea us.

Ooh! Look what I can do!!!