Z, 91/2 mos.

Z is 9 1/2 months old now. A quick update and some pictures of our handsome little man...

Z got his first tooth at Thanksgiving and the second is about to push through any day. He is one frustrated little man desperately trying to crawl. He will get on all fours and rock furiously, then collapse to his belly and try to swim/scoot the floor. He ends up screeching in frustration after only getting a few feet. Z takes great pride in his latest accomplishment - standing in the exersaucer or holding onto something (like the coffee table).


Z continues to be our cuddly little man. When I pick him up, he tucks his feet up and snuggles into my neck. He relishes affection and will give us kisses over and over for as long as we can stand the slobber. Z is sleeping really well right now. He occasionally wakes up in search of his pacifier, or with a snotty nose in need of Benadryl.


When we first received Z's referral, it described him as charming. He has fully lived up to this description! He has always been playful with us but Z used to be very scared of peek-a-boo games. It's a great sign of trust and attachment that he now instigates this game. He will bury his head in your chest, sit very still and then pop up squealing with laughter.

Z and his neighborhood girlfriends. We have an amazing playgroup in our neighborhood. Actually to call it a playgroup doesn't do it justice. I feel spoiled rotten by the sweet friends I have made here. Here exists a truckload of kids that are L&C's age, and thankfully a new batch has cropped up that are Z's age as well!

Z received his very first Christmas present yesterday. Uncle Ray (a relative in Tulsa, OK) has sent our girls Christmas ornaments each year. It's so thoughtful and the girls love having their OWN ornaments. Yesterday the box arrived and included an ornament wrapped for Z. A first of his lifetime:-)

I've been following the blogs of other families in Gladney's Ethiopia program that are awaiting referrals. The wait for referrals continues to get longer as more and more people adopt from this wonderful country. My heart aches for the families as they long to get "THE" call. I'm so very grateful to be on the other side of that process now where I get to hold Z everyday and feel like I would have waited 10 times longer for this very son we get to call our own.

If a bear eats me....

Today in the car L said if a bear ate her, it would be protecting her from a shark. My response, "huh???" She repeated, "If a bear eats me, it would be protecting me from a shark." Before you ask, I have no idea where she came upon this idea but it did spark a conversation between us that the bear would not be protecting her by eating her.

L then said if a bear ate her that I would be so sad and cry and then I would only have C(guess she forgot about Z). I agreed that I would be so sad and added that I would cry every day. At the same time I'm thinking - where in the crazy world did she get the idea about bears and sharks eating her???

C joins the conversation at this point and says very seriously, "L, I would go with you if a bear eats you." L asks C, "You would be in another bear's tummy beside the bear that ate me?" C says, "No. I will be in the same bear as you. I will go with you if a bear eats you. You would not be alone."

My heart melted. I was amazed at C's enormous love for her sister. A precious (and yes, a little on the twisted side) conversation worth archiving!

Ho! Ho! Ho!

Last year my girls were shaking and crying hysterically when we tried to get a Santa photo. This year they asked to go see Santa. I reminded them of the 2006 crying extravaganza and they replied that they were 3-years-old now and they only cried when they were 2-years-old. While in line, I told them several times that if they were scared and were going to cry, we needed to go home right then. They promised they would be brave. Z wasn't totally buying it but at least he did not cry. I think L&C were more excited about being allowed to stand on the couch than actually seeing Santa.

Two out of three smiling in a photo...wonders never cease (click on the photo to enlarge).

Baa Baa Black Sheep

C has a great memory. She quickly memorizes nursery rhymes, songs and remembers the most random things we've mentioned in passing to her. On top of this she is quick witted and enjoys teasing.

After the girls were in bed the other night, Christopher went in to tell them to stop talking and go to sleep. He reminded them to say, "yes, sir." C's response was "three bags full."

Talking About Adoption With Kids

I read a book several years ago titled something like "Talking With Young Children About Adoption." Great book, lots of great info and anecdotes. I might need to reread it after confusing my kids on Sunday. We had Z dedicated at our church on Sunday. In the car after church I said to Christopher that I was grateful our pastor prayed not only for Z but for his birthmother. L piped up from the backseat, "Z has a birthmother?"

Me: "Yes, just like you have a birthmother."

L: "Are you Z's birthmother?"

Me: "No, I'm Z's mommy, his mother - just like I'm your mommy and just like I'm C's mommy. Z's birthmother lives in Ethiopia. She grew Z in her tummy and we adopted him and I am his mommy. L, who is your birthmother?"

L: points at Mommy with questioning eyebrows.

Me: "No, I'm your mommy. Whose tummy did you grow in?"

L: again points at Mommy with questioning eyebrows.

Me: "No, remember you grew in Crystal's tummy, right? Crystal is your birthmother and we adopted you so I am your mommy. Just like I'm Z's mommy and C's mommy."

L: nods, smiling, giggling. "Oh yeah. I was just teasing, mommy."

C: "But I grew in your tummy, right mommy? And I kicked you." (she says with much pride)

Me: "Yes, you did. And L, you kicked Crystal when you were growing in her tummy. Remember I told you how I touched Crystal's tummy and I felt you kick?"

L: "Yeah!"

C: "Mommy, am I adopted?"

L: "No, C, ONLY Z and I get to be adopted!"

SILENCE...

Me: "Have I totally confused all of you now?"

L and C: "Yes."

Family Photo

We had our first post placement visit from a Gladney caseworker a few weeks ago. The caseworker requested I email a few photos which they will file away and also send along to their Ethiopia office. One of these photos is supposed to be of the whole family. Not that we have this massive family but getting us all together, when everyone is awake, and someone else is around to take a picture...who knew it could be so difficult?? A trip to SeaWorld on Saturday did the trick.

New U2 Song About Ethiopia

The remastered Joshua Tree album features several unreleased demos from The Joshua Tree Sessions. Bono recently added new vocals to one of them, 'Wave of Sorrow’, and this week talked about the inspiration for the song. Check out the interview (including him singing the song) with Bono where he explains that Wave of Sorrow ‘was one of the songs from the Joshua Tree sessions that we never finished… a song that was trying to describe experiences that myself and Ali had when we were working in Ethiopia during the famine.’

The last lines in particular strike such a cord with me. The next to last line recalling a crystal clear picture of what we saw in Ethiopia. The final line reminds me of the Creator of Hope:

"Blessed are the tin can cardboard homes
Blessed is the Spirit who Overcomes"

http://www.u2.com/news/index.php?mode=full&news_id=2166.

For I know the thoughts I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not evil, thoughts to give you a future and a hope. --- Jeremiah 29:11