Friday, July 20, 2007
No post in over a month....
Dang. Not much to say.
Life is happy and busy.
Che is a fabulous little guy who is crawling and just learned how to pull up by himself.
He's still tiny and I obsess over that but overall he seems happy and healthy and I need to let the size thing go.
We've had a lot of work done to our house and we've done a lot of work. It's really hard with a crawling 11 month old to get anything done much less home remodeling.
I am going back to school August 6th and that will be Che's first day of daycare. Ross is dropping him off....I just can't. I really think he will like it but it's going to be so hard to leave him.
His first birthday is coming up and we plan to have a little party at my parent's house in West Tn - blue plastic pool and all!
Yesterday was my birthday and I realized that my life is in a very happy place and that I really didn't feel a need to "do anything special" because really my life is "special." Ross and I just spent the evening hanging out w/ Che and the furkids and of course, ate wings! I'm married to my best friend and we have a great kid, pets and life overall. Cheers to being 31.
Life is happy and busy.
Che is a fabulous little guy who is crawling and just learned how to pull up by himself.
He's still tiny and I obsess over that but overall he seems happy and healthy and I need to let the size thing go.
We've had a lot of work done to our house and we've done a lot of work. It's really hard with a crawling 11 month old to get anything done much less home remodeling.
I am going back to school August 6th and that will be Che's first day of daycare. Ross is dropping him off....I just can't. I really think he will like it but it's going to be so hard to leave him.
His first birthday is coming up and we plan to have a little party at my parent's house in West Tn - blue plastic pool and all!
Yesterday was my birthday and I realized that my life is in a very happy place and that I really didn't feel a need to "do anything special" because really my life is "special." Ross and I just spent the evening hanging out w/ Che and the furkids and of course, ate wings! I'm married to my best friend and we have a great kid, pets and life overall. Cheers to being 31.
Monday, June 18, 2007
Father's Day
I was lucky enough to get to spend Father's day with my dad and Ross.
They are the 2 best dads in the whole world. No joke.
Both of them are patient, kind and fun.
Ross flew in from Amsterdam yesterday as my mom and dad were flying home.
They are the 2 best dads in the whole world. No joke.
Both of them are patient, kind and fun.
Ross flew in from Amsterdam yesterday as my mom and dad were flying home.
Wednesday, June 06, 2007
Raised by not-so-wild dogs
I realize it has been a long time since I have posted anything. Thankfully, school is out and I have a bit more time (assuming Che is on his regularly scheduled but not so regularly taken naps). It's really nice that Ross and I see each other again. Hats off to the single moms and dads. Ross and I are back in bed together and Che is in the crib -in the bouncy seat in the crib- but nonetheless, in the crib. His room is attached to ours (you must walk through the nursery to get to our room) so that helps. He seems to sleep better this way.
Che is becoming quite the little character. So far, 9-10 months is my favorite. He does so many funny tricks.
Che barks.
He communicates to the dogs with this "huh" sound. They bark and he says "huh" back. They look confused and he seems baffled that they are not understanding him. Shouldn't he try talking to humans? Probably. However, his parents have misanthropic tendencies and we talk to the dogs. When he howls at firetrucks along with Ava - that's when we need to start scheduling play dates (ick. I cringe at that term "play date").
Che is becoming quite the little character. So far, 9-10 months is my favorite. He does so many funny tricks.
Che barks.
He communicates to the dogs with this "huh" sound. They bark and he says "huh" back. They look confused and he seems baffled that they are not understanding him. Shouldn't he try talking to humans? Probably. However, his parents have misanthropic tendencies and we talk to the dogs. When he howls at firetrucks along with Ava - that's when we need to start scheduling play dates (ick. I cringe at that term "play date").
Sunday, May 13, 2007
¡Feliz dia de las Madres!
Our first mother's day! Granted, Che didn't care and woke up at 7:30, as usual, but at least I'm up now to make breakfast.
¡Later, Bloody Marys in the park!
This picture was taken on our visit trip over Thanksgiving and, to me, completely embodies Selena as a mother. That is to say, perfect.
Tuesday, May 08, 2007
Grandma
When I close my eyes and think of my Grandma Evelyn I think of colors. Not pastel "grandma" colors but bright, loud colors. Nothing polite about them.
I see brightly colored quilts blowing in the wind on a clothes line. The fresh air is mingled with a slightly pungent hog odor - not terrible- just...real.
I see bright yellow buttercups and glowing orange tiger lilies growing on the bank of her yard.
I smell cornbread and country ham.
I see red. She loved red.
Her cards and letters were full of colorful images and her conversations were nothing but colorful. She was never afraid to speak what she thought. Nothing polite about that either.
She was the most real person that I have ever known.
She let me dance on the dusty floor wearing the fanciest most colorful clothes she could find. Nothing wrong with sitting on a quilt to have a picnic that took her and Granny and Maggie a year to make. Nothing wrong with muddying up the bottom of a new skirt to catch brown frogs in the creek.
What else would you use a new beautiful red head scarf for than to walk to the outhouse in the rain?
Her best bowl was perfect for crouching under the cherry tree and picking cherries.
What is there to be afraid of?
Could a little girl grown up be any luckier to have her as a grandmother?
No.
The world is better because you were here.
I see brightly colored quilts blowing in the wind on a clothes line. The fresh air is mingled with a slightly pungent hog odor - not terrible- just...real.
I see bright yellow buttercups and glowing orange tiger lilies growing on the bank of her yard.
I smell cornbread and country ham.
I see red. She loved red.
Her cards and letters were full of colorful images and her conversations were nothing but colorful. She was never afraid to speak what she thought. Nothing polite about that either.
She was the most real person that I have ever known.
She let me dance on the dusty floor wearing the fanciest most colorful clothes she could find. Nothing wrong with sitting on a quilt to have a picnic that took her and Granny and Maggie a year to make. Nothing wrong with muddying up the bottom of a new skirt to catch brown frogs in the creek.
What else would you use a new beautiful red head scarf for than to walk to the outhouse in the rain?
Her best bowl was perfect for crouching under the cherry tree and picking cherries.
What is there to be afraid of?
Could a little girl grown up be any luckier to have her as a grandmother?
No.
The world is better because you were here.
Wednesday, April 18, 2007
Off to work I go.
Blah.
Monday I go back to work.
Don't get me wrong I love my job, I really do. It's an exhausting job but the kids are great and I know they really need me to be there and teaching (HIGH SCHOOL, only) is really fun. But...blah. I will finish out this year as department chair but I will *not* do that again next year. Seriously, teachers are some of the worst people to supervise (sorry to all of the teachers that are reading, no offense) or maybe it's just my department. They have made my job miserable and I like the core reponsibility of my job - teaching - I'm not going to let them ruin that for me. It will be hard enough to leave Che daily.
We're really lucky because Ross is going to work from home until I am out for the summer. Of course, we'll probably never see each other - he is going to work while I am at home in the afternoons and weekends. However, for bonding purposes, it is an excellent arrangement and I'm trying to focus on that. It's a great opportunity for the two of them. At times I feel bitter b/c we live in a place and work in places that do not give you a break for raising a baby (not to mention as teachers in Georgia we do not get ANY paid leave for babies - adopted or not)- but what good does that do?
Simple fact, I am going back to work [period].
But after a day in the park with a bucket of KFC, it's a hard act to follow...there's always the summer.
Monday, April 02, 2007
Whatever works!
That's our new motto.
Things I've learned about Che and Mama-hood so far. These are in no particular order.
1. Che is the cutest.
2. Feeding is messy and sneezing makes it messier
3. Wherever/however he will sleep works for all of us.
4. My finger *will* end up in the poop.
5. Dance-feeding to Rodrigo y Gabriela really works!
6. It's amazing what you will do to make him laugh.
7. Che laughing is better than any sound in the whole world. Conversely, his crying is the worst.
8. Figuring everything out is going to take a lifetime of trial and error.
9. Baby books (especially Dr. Sears') are great but they're not magic.
10. Look at the consignment shop first.
11. Yes, we have an exersaucer (swore we never would) and we think his messy eating pictures are adorable (swore we wouldn't do that either). Never say never.
12. Babywearing beats the hell out of strollers, shopping cart covers, etc.
13. Che is not on our schedule we are on his. He will *not* wait for us to finish checking our email, listening to one last song, dinner (!!), calling ____, or a blog posting.
More later....
Tuesday, March 27, 2007
Quick picture
I'm not going to lie - we are exhausted.
But it is very worth it and we're so happy he is home and currently (for now) sleeping safely in his bed...in our house. :)
Monday, March 05, 2007
Pinch me.
He's home and he is perfect.
Could we be any luckier? No.
This picture was taken after a long plane ride, immigration wait, lack of sleep, and a cold - I wish my attitude was half as good as his. :)
Could we be any luckier? No.
This picture was taken after a long plane ride, immigration wait, lack of sleep, and a cold - I wish my attitude was half as good as his. :)
Thursday, February 22, 2007
We're having a baby!
Next week!
We are going to pick him up. We should be home next Friday.
It's so....shocking....and surreal.
We are going to pick him up. We should be home next Friday.
It's so....shocking....and surreal.
Sunday, February 11, 2007
Out!
Che's out of PGN! We got the call on Thursday night (Selena screamed so loud while listening to the voice mail that I nearly had a heart attack). He should be home in two to three weeks!
Of course, we still need to use ambiguous terms like 'should' because he's still not home, but he's close (and, should we decide to move to Guatemala, we're already set).
We should get word of when our 'pick-up date' is next week or the week after (they can give you anywhere from a week to 48 hours notice) and then we go down and get him! We haven't decided if we might want to go down a day or two early to see a bit of Guatemala before we take him to the embassy. A lot of it depends on how much lead time there is when we get the call, naturally.
Yesterday, in a panic, we went to buy all the things we still need to be ready for him to come home. The baby section at Target still overwhelms me and will obviously be an ongoing problem I need to overcome :)
Of course, we still need to use ambiguous terms like 'should' because he's still not home, but he's close (and, should we decide to move to Guatemala, we're already set).
We should get word of when our 'pick-up date' is next week or the week after (they can give you anywhere from a week to 48 hours notice) and then we go down and get him! We haven't decided if we might want to go down a day or two early to see a bit of Guatemala before we take him to the embassy. A lot of it depends on how much lead time there is when we get the call, naturally.
Yesterday, in a panic, we went to buy all the things we still need to be ready for him to come home. The baby section at Target still overwhelms me and will obviously be an ongoing problem I need to overcome :)
Friday, February 02, 2007
Hurry up and wait
When is he coming home?
Um....I have no idea. I thought we would know by now. I thought we would be buying our tickets and planning to go and pick him up. I thought wrong.
No word.
We really just need one man's signature.
How long have we been waiting for just that one signature?
80 days
Um....I have no idea. I thought we would know by now. I thought we would be buying our tickets and planning to go and pick him up. I thought wrong.
No word.
We really just need one man's signature.
How long have we been waiting for just that one signature?
80 days
- 6,912,000 seconds
- 115,200 minutes
- 1920 hours
- 11+ weeks
Saturday, January 27, 2007
OMG - our little man!
PLEASE, please Mr. PGN man sign our little Che out!
We found out we received another kick out and we were re-entered 12/18/06.
It sets us back a couple of weeks but we've still done our time.
Waiting on the phone call......
¡Fiesta!
We had a great "fiesta" to celebrate Che's impending arrival.
Thanks especially to Mary, L3 y Damon, Stew y Kat!
It is so nice to have friends that are excited and supportive of our little family.
Ladies, co-ed showers w/ margaritas and planter's punch are *much* more fun than teacakes, mints, and fruit punch! Although, a pinata in the park (although, admittedly fun) in the hood was a little unnerving. :-)
Thanks especially to Mary, L3 y Damon, Stew y Kat!
It is so nice to have friends that are excited and supportive of our little family.
Ladies, co-ed showers w/ margaritas and planter's punch are *much* more fun than teacakes, mints, and fruit punch! Although, a pinata in the park (although, admittedly fun) in the hood was a little unnerving. :-)
Wednesday, January 03, 2007
Still waiting
We have a shower this afternoon with Ross' co-workers. It is such a great feeling to have so much support.
I still feel like we are jinxing everything by assuming he is going to come home.
But he is going to come home....right?
I'm sure the margaritas will calm me down. That is definitely an upside to adopting compared to having a baby the "old-fashioned way".
Case update....still just waiting.....
Here's another picture from our trip - gosh, I hope we get to hold him again soon.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)