Turning off the lights...

Wow, I can't believe that my last post here was in JULY! I've been thinking it's time to shut this blog down since I spend most of my time over at my other blog Greenhab. Life has become less about adoption and more about everyday life; a theme I've seen in many other adoption blogs over the years. We've settled into a normal routine, which is good.

If you'd like to keep up with us, please catch me on Greenhab where I blog about all the mundane day-to-day things, our continuous journey to live a sustainable lifestyle, and many of the crafty things I do.

Goodbye Princesses, Hello Hannah Montana

Last night Macy climbed into bed and spread her princess blanket over her.

This morning she quietly brought it into the playroom, folded it, laid it with the other toys and announced "Mom, I don't need this anymore."

I assumed she meant she didn't need it because it's now the middle of summer, but it seems she's really just moving on from Princesses to Hannah Montana. She told me she no longer wants her princess gowns or back pack either. While my frugal side wants to force her to play with them until she's 16, my fashionable side would much rather deal with sequins and skinny jeans than pepto pink princess dresses.

They grow up so quickly.

Hip Hop Fikky

The kids have made up a dance that ends like this. Fik is so cute that I can barely take it. Too much Hip Hop Harry I guess...

Annual Ethiopian Picnic

Yesterday was the annual picnic for our local Ethiopian adoption group. There were over a hundred RSVPs and it was so good to see all of the beautiful Ethiopian faces there.

We've gone to events in the past where Macy was afraid to actually talk to any of the other kids. I'm sure it's a combination of wanting to assimilate fully into the American culture and still being slightly afraid that the other Ethiopians might just be there to bring her back. I've spoken with other adoptive moms whose children were very much the same.

On the way to the picnic we discussed how one of the older girls, Kidist, would be there to braid hair and Macy was convinced to have hers done this time. When we got there she backed out though. Trying not to show my frustration I assured her that it was okay and we could always have it done another time.

As everyone was packing up to leave, Macy said "But what about my hair?" This girl has some timing, doesn't she? Luckily Kidist was kind enough to do some braids for us at the last minute...in the dark...being eaten alive by mosquitoes...while Macy cried her eyes out. She has a sensitive head, which is why we wanted braids in the first place, because we'd be able to go a few weeks without having to wash and brush her hair. She's also a bit melodramatic.

I think it turned out so cute! She looks like a completely different girl to me.

The kids had an amazing time running around with new friends, painting, eating Ethiopian food, treats, drinking lots of lemonade and swinging until they threw up. (Yes, literally.)

The kids...

Since I don't seem to have much time for updates lately, I thought I'd update you with photos.

When the kids were "napping" the other day I found Mr. Felix doing this instead...

Miss Macy napping with her Ethiopian flag. Later I found out there had been a spider on her blanket so she refused to use it and used the flag instead.

Doesn't she just get prettier by the day? I know I'm biased and all being her mom, but I think she is such a pretty girl.

We've been having some talks lately as she's mentioned wanting pink skin and blond hair. Just wait until she realizes just what a knock-out she really is!

Swimming lessons

The kids started swimming lessons this week. All three "swam" on their bellies on the living room floor Monday morning, showing me that they already knew how to swim. Somehow that knowledge disappeared and they clammed up once they got actually got in the water. Go figure.

They're having fun though, and that's all that matters!

Our new baby...

Yesterday I found Macy and Fletcher going outside with a shopping cart and a little brown baby. When I asked what they were doing Fletcher explained that they had just brought the baby home from Ethiopia and they were "taking her to the Ethiopia restaurant" for dinner. Don't they look like a little mommy and daddy?

Macy turns SIX!

Macy turned 6 last week. When we first "met" her through her referral photo she was only 4 years old. It's seems like yesterday and a lifetime ago all at once. How does that work exactly?

We had Macy's party at the D'Note during "Baby Boogie". D'Note is a funky pizza place and, on Sunday's, they go all out for the kids, clearing their music stage and letting the kids run wild. It was a slow day when we went - there are usually a lot more kids and a lot more shenanigans - but the girls all had a great time anyway.

Macy brings home the digits...

Macy brought this piece of paper home on Friday - it was the last day of school before Spring Break. Yes, a phone number. My kindergartner is bringing home BOYS' numbers! Is this what I signed up for?

First car wash...

Today I took the kids to the zoo. They've been before several times so it was just another day to them. They were much more excited about going through their first automatic car wash.

Felix was a little skeptical at first but Macy, obviously, loved it. 

 Then he warmed up~

After, Macy declared "That was funny Mom. I want to do that tomorrow!"

February updates

Eeeek I can't believe it's been a month and a half since I've updated our blog. It's become harder now that our days are more status quo than out of the ordinary...not that much exciting to share.

Macy had her first Valentine's Day celebration at school. We made Valentines at home and she gave them out to all of the kids in her class. They had an awesome party in her class. Fletcher and I made heart-shaped crayons for his classmates.

Macy's hair is getting super long...or super tall, depending on how you look at it. She says it's "big" while shaking her head and making it move.


The kids have really enjoyed the Olympics thanks, in part, to the Wii Fit. They think they already know how to ski and snowboard. Here they are watching the ski jumpers. So cute!


Yesterday we hit the zoo since it was going to be so warm out (48 degrees that is). We bundled up and had a great time. After weeks of being inside because of snow they really need to get out and run around.



Macy & Fletcher have been wanting to have a sleepover, so we finally had the bright idea to let Fletcher sleep over in Macy's room. Of course, instead of sleeping, they decided to dress up. Fletch looks like Elton John.


They really are the best of friends when they're both being nice. They also fight like, well, brother and sister.

Haiti

My heart is just breaking for the people of Haiti right now. If you haven't made a donation yet, you can do so by texting "Haiti" to 90999 and a $10 donation will be added to your cell phone bill.

As of yesterday, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton announced:

"We've raised more than 10 million dollars from more than one million donors through the SMS Haiti relief campaign. It has become the single largest mobile donation campaign ever."

I'm amazed! And every time I think about it I still shake my head. What a new era we live in that $10M can be raised through a simple text message.

Our adoption agency, Bethany Christian Services, facilitates Haitian adoptions. A few days ago they sent us a link to the God's Littlest Angels blog. GLA is an agency/orphanage they work with in Haiti. It's been amazing to read Dixie's first hand accounts of what has been happening in Haiti since the earthquake.

GLA also has a US office in Colorado Springs, CO. Soon they'll be sending a shipping container to Haiti with supplies. If you'd like to send them a monetary or material donation, there is an address on the website.

Right now it sounds as if adoptions are on hold indefinitely. I know that many are attempting to petition both governments to allow children to come to the US on emergency visas, but I don't know how that is going. No one seems to know at this point the fate of all the adoption paperwork - the months and months of paperwork! Because so many buildings were completely destroyed, it is assumed that a lot of paperwork was probably lost with them.

I don't seem to be one for prayer much these days, but I'll be saying many for the Haitian people, the orphans, and the parents here in the US who are trying to bring them home.

Christmas!

Here we are on Christmas day. Marc's daughter Jackie drove up from New Mexico to spend the week with us. It was great having all the kids here together on Christmas.

We asked everyone to "go easy" on gifts this year but, with three kids, it still seemed like a TON of stuff. Here's Fletch with his new Ice Age pj's from Aunt Lisa. She picked out the most perfect gifts for each of the kids. We could have stopped opening gifts right there and they would have been completely satisfied!


I love this look on Macy's face when she sees that it's a Barbie! (Another home run from Aunt Lisa!)


It was a long day with no naps, but the kids were real troopers. They opened a few gifts, then we sent them off to play while the grown ups opened some too.

And here's the whole family...

Sledding

Just when we thought it would be a brown Christmas we got a few inches of snow. Here's Fletcher sledding the day before Christmas. His great grandma sent these little sleds for each of the kids for Christmas.

Christmas programs

I've realized that I'm posting all of these photos out of order, but I just keep finding more to share!

Macy's class did a holiday program at school a few weeks ago. It was rainbow themed and about how all of us are different and that's what makes us all special. I thought it was a really nice show - fun songs, little skits, etc. - and a good alternative to the Christmas theme, which they're not allowed to do in school anymore I guess.


Here's Macy with her BFF Emma who is just the cutest. Emma narrated the whole play. She's an amazing reader already! Whenever Macy and Emma see each other it goes something like "MAAACYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!" "EMMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!" and they run to each other with arms outstretched.


And here's the fam at Fletcher's little program. It was a potluck dinner with all 5 of the preschool classrooms. It was a zoo! Then the kids sang a few songs. Marc took some video which I have yet to download, but here's a cute photo from the night...

Happy Hanukkah

Well the kids are learning about all sorts of different holidays these days. Marc's family is Jewish, so we celebrate both Hanukkah and Christmas in our house. At such a young age, I think the kids just like getting gifts for 8 days in a row, but we do try to teach them about the basics in the process.

Here are the kids lighting the first "candle" and opening gifts on the first night of Hanukkah.

Adventures in the Big City!

Each year the hotels in Denver participate in Mile High Holidays where they offer rooms for $52.80 per night. Last year we took advantage of this right before Christmas and took Fletch to see Zoo Lights at the Denver Zoo, then we stayed downtown. He had SO much fun and pleaded to go again this year. We thought it would be a nice tradition to start, so we went for it!

We went downtown early on Saturday afternoon and walked all around. The kids loved being in the city, riding the bus and just taking in all of the huge buildings and masses of people.



We had pizza at Mario's Two Fisted Pizza - one of our faves - then headed over to the zoo to see Zoo Lights. Of course we can't go there without riding the carousel.


We had a late dinner in the hotel. The kids were awesome and loved staying up "really late". Back in our room we had some hot cocoa...


...then settled in for the night. How sweet are they!? This photo reminds me of our "Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed" book.

The next day we went to the Museum of Nature & Science. Macy enjoyed playing the piano in the children's area.


Felix did puzzles, of course, that's his favorite thing to do these days.


We also got to see Sea Monsters in the Imax theater there. Macy was a bit frightened, but the both both loved it. Fletch is "very interesting in dinosaurs" as he tells me. I don't think he knew or realized that there were dinosaurs in the ocean. After the movie Felix was reenacting everything and telling me "AAAAARRRRRR, dinosaur EAT YOU!" So darn cute.

Stay tuned for more photos...I have a lot of catching up to do!

Felix the cat

Felix's thyroid seems to be improving with the medication he's been on. His T4 is now at 11.3 (up from 1.45) and his TSH is at 8.03 (down from 18.36). I actually have ZERO idea what that means, but the doctor seemed pleased. We increased this thryroid meds slightly and will test him yet again (because the last blood draw was such a pleasure!) in 2 weeks.

Although the last doctor was sure that this would be a life-long condition, our current doctor was very positive that he could outgrow this after as little as a year of being in the US and getting proper nutrition.

And just for kicks... I had to post this photo. These are a pair of the pants that we brought to Ethiopia with us at the end of April. We had to roll them up at the time. Think he's grown a little???


He looks like he's about to go wading in a creek. Thank goodness Christmas is coming up. I hope Santa brings him some new pants!

(Note to self: Must moisturize your son and clean the bottom of your fridge more often!)

Home Depot Day

On Saturday we stopped at Home Depot to pick up a night light, but found that they were doing one of their kids' workshops.

Macy girl can really swing a hammer. She did a great job.


(Excuse Macy's crazy hair. Like I said, I wasn't planning on a photo op. But, um, obviously never leave the house without my camera.)


At home we painted our wagons red and yellow. (Note to self: oil-based paints and kids are not a good combination!)


Wearing Daddy's painting shirt...


I've always seen the signs at H.D. advertising the kids events, but never took the time to bring Fletcher to one. I'm glad we happened to run into this one. It was a great {FREE} activity to do with the kids.

And on the way out, the hot dog cart man gave all the kids free hot dogs because he is an adoptive parent as well. I could see Marc thinking "Score! These kids are really paying off!" Hahahaha!

The Puzzler

I bought this 24 piece puzzle for the kids at the thrift store earlier this week. Felix took it out yesterday while I was getting Macy & Fletcher ready for school. The next thing I knew he was putting in the last piece!


He also likes this big iSpy puzzle. And being a little OCD myself, I love how he puts the outside together first.


Now I'm not bragging or anything but............He is SO SMART! ;)