So we take our first vacation in several years that didn't involve driving somewhere to pick up a baby, or to finalize an adoption, or celebrate a holiday...just V-A-C-A-T-I-O-N. Awesome. We're on the Chesapeake Bay in Virginia and we had planned nothing more than fishing with the boys, putting out a couple of crab pots to see if we could catch any, and a whole lot of playing in the sand. I think it's perfection when you have a 16 month old and a 2.5 year old. Then hurricane Earl had to show up so we spent 3 perfectly fine days worrying about a hurricane that in the end, didn't even give us any rain. Oh well. We did a little fishing, and caught 5 crabs, 3 of which we kept and cooked up. One was soft shell even...pretty neat-o.
Over all, it's been a perfect place. We can look out the window or hang out on the screen porch and the boys have a plethora of things to see on or near the water. Boat! Boat! Bird! Bird Momma! Bye bye Boat! Bye bye! Bye bye Bird! Needless to say, the boats, birds, and "Dewey's" (dogs) that they see never fail to entertain them.
Dewey, our corgi is actually here on vacation with us, while the two big dogs are at home with a dog walker. We weren't supposed to have any dogs with us, but Dewey pulled a fast one and almost died in the two weeks before vacation and was touch and go (to put it nicely) right until the car ride down here. I'm pleased to say he's doing fabulous now and our biggest concern is keeping him out of the Bay because he really wants to go swimming, but he can't...he has a bunch of staples in his stomach from an emergency surgery 4 days before we left. We are glad he is here and doing well though!
Matty is having an amazing vacation, but he looks like hell. The mosquitoes LOVE Matty...they always have. He's one of those kids that can walk from the house to the car and come in with 5 big bites that all swell up into welts. Right now he has one 2 on his forehead, one on his cheek, one under his eye and big one on the end of his nose. It swelled his little nose up and turned it red. Looks like he's been drinking. His back, arms and legs are covered with them. The coconut oil seems to help them a little. I don't know what to do. I can't bathe him in mosquito repellent everyday! All those chemicals can't be good for him either.
Tyler's speech has really blossomed in just the week we've been here. He turned to us both the other day and in his toddler drawl said, "ya-wan-doe-dow-a-beach?" We were very impressed! He starts playgroup when we get back, and I'm excited for how that will challenge and improve his social skills. He should have a one-on-one for the first few weeks at playgroup anyway.
Yesterday we went for a drive and happened on a dollar store that had swords. Tyler HAD to have one, and so we got two. They were called Robot Swords, and light up and make a noise like a robot booting up, but it ends with a cha-ching! It sounds like a robot playing the slots or something. We have heard nothing else for 24 hours. They are currently on the top shelf in the closet. We're hoping they will forget when they wake from their naps!
Friday, September 3, 2010
Thursday, August 19, 2010
And then there were two...
Please stop. Look back. Notice my last posting. Tyler's last outing as a single child, and my last blog post in over a year...coincidence? Not even a little bit.
So who wants a quick catch up? Let's see...
Matthew Malachi Isaiah: Matty came home. We started Early Intervention immediately. At 3 months old he was at a newborn level in almost all evaluated areas. We worked our butts off...Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Neurology, Orthopedist, MRI's, hearing tests, feeding specialists, hypertonia. This year was straight out with specialist appointments, and doing PT with Matty, at times, 5X a day. As of 2 hours ago, Matty tested out of EI with average scores between 15 and 18 months old. He's almost 16 months. He was pronounced (through tears) by his therapist, to be a "Rock Star"...well...of course!
Matty is an amazing little boy. He's completely different than his brother. He's really funny, and very sweet. He's my little Stewie Griffin lately though! Mommy, Momma, Mama, Amy, Mom, MOM, MAMA, MOMMY!, AMY!, MOMMY!...he will NOT be denied. Typically once I answer him he will then smile and maybe point to a tomato and say, Yummy! (then move to the next tomato and do it all over again...we have a lot of tomato plants too!) He's a great eater, very laid back, gives lots of hugs and many, many kisses each day. He loves to swim and is fairly certain in his own little head that he knows how to do so...underwater. He spend as much time in the water as possible trying to prove he can (he can't)...He loves animals, bugs, airplanes, and motorcycles. He's a lot of fun, and a pretty typical 16 month old. He needs to do everything his big brother is doing, including climbing to the top of the couch. He is the most amazing mimic I've ever seen and he will certainly be the child that is in the back seat repeating the naughty words Daddy says while driving! We finalized Matty's adoption in July, just short of a year after he came home.
Tyler David: Tyler has, for the most part, really enjoyed being a big brother. We had some transitional time when Matty was first trying to get around where Ty really struggled with his brother being in his space. Matty had high muscle tone, so he was walking pretty well by 10 months old. Size-wise, Ty was still much bigger than Matty then and sometimes he would put Matty right over onto his head. Thankfully, we passed that stage and now Ty can see that Matty is fun to play with...although that does seem to still include putting Matty onto his head at times. In January 2010, Ty was almost 2, we had him evaluated for a speech delay, which we were pretty much expecting since some of his biological sibling had speech delays. He tested into Early Intervention with Speech, and some oral sensory challenges. I was totally floored when they mentioned Sensory stuff, especially oral. Perhaps the fact that he had been chewing his way out of his wood crib should have clued me in. Amazing how a parent can turn a blind eye to her child challenges and see only perfection :) Eight months into EI, Tyler's therapy now includes and OT, and MA Ed. (Masters in Education therapist) three times per week. He's making progress and learning new words at a surprising level. We've added behavioral challenges to his therapy plan. He is just a kid that will throw you for a loop at every turn. In Mom's eyes...he's still perfection.
We still have three dogs, although Dewey is currently at the vet. He was signed in for "Supportive Care"...that is actually what they wrote on his paperwork. I'd like that. I want to be signed in somewhere for a few days of "Supportive Care" ! He actually has pancreatitis, and after about 5 days of doing really well, he stopped eating again and was looking like death warmed over. Give we leave for vacation in a week, we thought we better send him away so he could make a full recovery. We were worried about him getting dehydrated too. I wish two things regarding my dogs. 1) That if they HAVE to get sick they could get sick for less than $1,000. That never seems to happen. 2) If they HAVE to get sick, could they at least get sick with something that we can get an answer on how it happened and how to prevent it? Okay...once when Dudley was sick we were finally able to pinpoint why (he had eaten both a Frisbee AND a rope toy) but typically it's a line like, "Well, we think it's this, and that could have been caused by this, this, thingabob, or stress..." Stress...they always throw that in there, and I'm convinced it's to make you feel bad...like you stressed out your pet, made them sick and now you're even a little upset that they are costing you thousands? Well you suck as a pet owner. I feel like telling the vet...they wouldn't feel stressed if they stopped eating the kids dirty diapers! Then I wouldn't have to scream at them! ... These dogs can't understand basic commands by boy are their brains smart enough to figure out how to open the trash can and get trash, the TIED bags in the recycling to get cans, or the pantry and a rubber maid to get to their food. Selective intelligence I think.
Let's see...the past year.
Well we had a little chicken episode. I guess it was more than an episode since it started back in March and is just now ending. It all started with me deciding I wanted to raise chickens for eggs. Great idea right? Except anyone that knows me, knows my intense level of ADD when I have a project. As soon as it's started, I am no longer interested and I start something else. Mike had a valid concern that he would soon have a back yard flock of chickens to care for, feed and collect eggs from each day. He wasn't interested in that. We compromised when I did some research and found out about Cornish Meat chickens. We would raise them a mere 8 weeks, pay someone to butcher them, then put them in the freezer. That way it was a finite commitment. So I ordered 25 little fluff balls from a hatchery and all was going well till I bought another 12 from the grain store. 25 + 12 +1 freebie "exotic" the hatchery sent = 38 chickens. 38 chickens who grow very fast, eat a LOT and poop to match their rate of intake. They didn't last in the house long. They soon moved to the garage, then out to the shed. But I loved it, and so did Ty. Ty LOVED his chickens...feeding them, tossing out corn...all that. So we raised them for 12 weeks, and then...we actually processed them ourselves. That part wasn't easy, but honestly, it wasn't hard either. I'll spare the details for this post though... Anyway, Mike agreed that I could raise layers, so we bought some at the grain store and we were loving it. To make a long (and emotional) story short, our neighbors reported us. Not the neighbors that live next door or even anywhere on our street kind of neighbors...all those people loved our chickens...the people that own (but do not live in) the duplex next door reported the chickens. They...suck. So the chickens have to go. I'll be working to change the chicken laws in Amesbury, but for right now, we had to say goodbye. Nothing like watching your 2.5 year old wave good bye and yell, "Bye bye shicen" while standing in the drive way as his chickens drive off to new homes. Heartbreaking I tell you.
Mike and I have been doing really well. Both of us are plugging along health wise, and Mike's recent testing on his heart function has been amazing. Mike has started riding his bike more, back and forth to work, and for longer rides on the weekends. This weekend he will do his first 1/2 Century (50 miles)...he is really enjoying it, and I even have a bike now too. Most weekends we'll put the kids in the trailer and ride to the farm to get our CSA share instead of driving. The kids like the ride, but hate their helmets with a passion.
I'm sure there are a million things I'm forgetting from the past year, but this is a long enough post for now I think...
As always, I'll try to be here more ;)
Amy
So who wants a quick catch up? Let's see...
Matthew Malachi Isaiah: Matty came home. We started Early Intervention immediately. At 3 months old he was at a newborn level in almost all evaluated areas. We worked our butts off...Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Neurology, Orthopedist, MRI's, hearing tests, feeding specialists, hypertonia. This year was straight out with specialist appointments, and doing PT with Matty, at times, 5X a day. As of 2 hours ago, Matty tested out of EI with average scores between 15 and 18 months old. He's almost 16 months. He was pronounced (through tears) by his therapist, to be a "Rock Star"...well...of course!
Matty is an amazing little boy. He's completely different than his brother. He's really funny, and very sweet. He's my little Stewie Griffin lately though! Mommy, Momma, Mama, Amy, Mom, MOM, MAMA, MOMMY!, AMY!, MOMMY!...he will NOT be denied. Typically once I answer him he will then smile and maybe point to a tomato and say, Yummy! (then move to the next tomato and do it all over again...we have a lot of tomato plants too!) He's a great eater, very laid back, gives lots of hugs and many, many kisses each day. He loves to swim and is fairly certain in his own little head that he knows how to do so...underwater. He spend as much time in the water as possible trying to prove he can (he can't)...He loves animals, bugs, airplanes, and motorcycles. He's a lot of fun, and a pretty typical 16 month old. He needs to do everything his big brother is doing, including climbing to the top of the couch. He is the most amazing mimic I've ever seen and he will certainly be the child that is in the back seat repeating the naughty words Daddy says while driving! We finalized Matty's adoption in July, just short of a year after he came home.
Tyler David: Tyler has, for the most part, really enjoyed being a big brother. We had some transitional time when Matty was first trying to get around where Ty really struggled with his brother being in his space. Matty had high muscle tone, so he was walking pretty well by 10 months old. Size-wise, Ty was still much bigger than Matty then and sometimes he would put Matty right over onto his head. Thankfully, we passed that stage and now Ty can see that Matty is fun to play with...although that does seem to still include putting Matty onto his head at times. In January 2010, Ty was almost 2, we had him evaluated for a speech delay, which we were pretty much expecting since some of his biological sibling had speech delays. He tested into Early Intervention with Speech, and some oral sensory challenges. I was totally floored when they mentioned Sensory stuff, especially oral. Perhaps the fact that he had been chewing his way out of his wood crib should have clued me in. Amazing how a parent can turn a blind eye to her child challenges and see only perfection :) Eight months into EI, Tyler's therapy now includes and OT, and MA Ed. (Masters in Education therapist) three times per week. He's making progress and learning new words at a surprising level. We've added behavioral challenges to his therapy plan. He is just a kid that will throw you for a loop at every turn. In Mom's eyes...he's still perfection.
We still have three dogs, although Dewey is currently at the vet. He was signed in for "Supportive Care"...that is actually what they wrote on his paperwork. I'd like that. I want to be signed in somewhere for a few days of "Supportive Care" ! He actually has pancreatitis, and after about 5 days of doing really well, he stopped eating again and was looking like death warmed over. Give we leave for vacation in a week, we thought we better send him away so he could make a full recovery. We were worried about him getting dehydrated too. I wish two things regarding my dogs. 1) That if they HAVE to get sick they could get sick for less than $1,000. That never seems to happen. 2) If they HAVE to get sick, could they at least get sick with something that we can get an answer on how it happened and how to prevent it? Okay...once when Dudley was sick we were finally able to pinpoint why (he had eaten both a Frisbee AND a rope toy) but typically it's a line like, "Well, we think it's this, and that could have been caused by this, this, thingabob, or stress..." Stress...they always throw that in there, and I'm convinced it's to make you feel bad...like you stressed out your pet, made them sick and now you're even a little upset that they are costing you thousands? Well you suck as a pet owner. I feel like telling the vet...they wouldn't feel stressed if they stopped eating the kids dirty diapers! Then I wouldn't have to scream at them! ... These dogs can't understand basic commands by boy are their brains smart enough to figure out how to open the trash can and get trash, the TIED bags in the recycling to get cans, or the pantry and a rubber maid to get to their food. Selective intelligence I think.
Let's see...the past year.
Well we had a little chicken episode. I guess it was more than an episode since it started back in March and is just now ending. It all started with me deciding I wanted to raise chickens for eggs. Great idea right? Except anyone that knows me, knows my intense level of ADD when I have a project. As soon as it's started, I am no longer interested and I start something else. Mike had a valid concern that he would soon have a back yard flock of chickens to care for, feed and collect eggs from each day. He wasn't interested in that. We compromised when I did some research and found out about Cornish Meat chickens. We would raise them a mere 8 weeks, pay someone to butcher them, then put them in the freezer. That way it was a finite commitment. So I ordered 25 little fluff balls from a hatchery and all was going well till I bought another 12 from the grain store. 25 + 12 +1 freebie "exotic" the hatchery sent = 38 chickens. 38 chickens who grow very fast, eat a LOT and poop to match their rate of intake. They didn't last in the house long. They soon moved to the garage, then out to the shed. But I loved it, and so did Ty. Ty LOVED his chickens...feeding them, tossing out corn...all that. So we raised them for 12 weeks, and then...we actually processed them ourselves. That part wasn't easy, but honestly, it wasn't hard either. I'll spare the details for this post though... Anyway, Mike agreed that I could raise layers, so we bought some at the grain store and we were loving it. To make a long (and emotional) story short, our neighbors reported us. Not the neighbors that live next door or even anywhere on our street kind of neighbors...all those people loved our chickens...the people that own (but do not live in) the duplex next door reported the chickens. They...suck. So the chickens have to go. I'll be working to change the chicken laws in Amesbury, but for right now, we had to say goodbye. Nothing like watching your 2.5 year old wave good bye and yell, "Bye bye shicen" while standing in the drive way as his chickens drive off to new homes. Heartbreaking I tell you.
Mike and I have been doing really well. Both of us are plugging along health wise, and Mike's recent testing on his heart function has been amazing. Mike has started riding his bike more, back and forth to work, and for longer rides on the weekends. This weekend he will do his first 1/2 Century (50 miles)...he is really enjoying it, and I even have a bike now too. Most weekends we'll put the kids in the trailer and ride to the farm to get our CSA share instead of driving. The kids like the ride, but hate their helmets with a passion.
I'm sure there are a million things I'm forgetting from the past year, but this is a long enough post for now I think...
As always, I'll try to be here more ;)
Amy
Friday, July 24, 2009
News!
When you have to go look for a link you posted somewhere else to find your blog...that's bad. Well it's no secret for those that read along that this isn't a steady commitment by any means. I wish it was, I often think..."I should blog that!" I just never seem to get around to it. Tyler is grown by leaps and bounds and so it seems is our family. We decided several short weeks ago that we would be open to adopting again domestically, rather than through foster care, and before we knew it, we were matched! Not only were we matched but it's with an already born baby who is 3 months old today. We have decided to call him Matthew Malachi. We are so in love. Haven't picked him up yet, but are in love none the less :) We will meet him on Tuesday, July 28th, which is also happens is Mike's birthday. We plan to have an open adoption with his birth mother, and hopefully his 1/2 birth siblings as they get older. We can't wait.
Tomorrow we are taking Ty for his last "only child" outing. We are planning to go to Richardson's Dairy. It's a working dairy farm that makes it's own ice cream, and has mini golf too. I don't know why, but I want to take Ty mini-golfing. I'm sure it will be a spectacle. Oh well.
Mike and I are both doing well. I have stopped working because 2 boys, 15 months apart will be work enough, thank you! We still have all the dogs too. I think Daisy will live forever. She's slowing down and turning more grey daily, but she's still a love. Dudley and Dewey are about the same.
Let's see, Ty will be 18 months old on Sunday. Time has flown. I could never have imagined how emotional adopting our second child would be. The raw emotion of Tyler not being my "only" and the deep, intense fear that I will never be able to love another as much as Ty. He's my baby, my little guy. He makes discipline nearly impossible by covering his face with his hands when he sobs. A quick word from Mommy seems to shake my rough tough guy to his very core. Thankfully a hug and kiss and he's quick to forgive and forget, till he does it all over again. He still loves to clap his hands, blow kisses, and call the doggies to come and play. He now calls me "Amy" which is interesting. Loud and clear at the top of his lungs. I'm sure other mothers at the play ground get confused.
Mike has taught him the wonders of puddles, just in time for all the rain we've had. He loves them. Loves all water really. Everyone gets soaked at bath time and he was a star "swimmer" at his lessons earlier this summer. Plays in his little pool for hours, very content with a cup and a couple inches of water. He's a good boy...except when he's not :)
Well I should sign off. I would make all the pretend promises to be here more, but let's be honest, you get what you get. I'm going to have even less time soon :)
Tomorrow we are taking Ty for his last "only child" outing. We are planning to go to Richardson's Dairy. It's a working dairy farm that makes it's own ice cream, and has mini golf too. I don't know why, but I want to take Ty mini-golfing. I'm sure it will be a spectacle. Oh well.
Mike and I are both doing well. I have stopped working because 2 boys, 15 months apart will be work enough, thank you! We still have all the dogs too. I think Daisy will live forever. She's slowing down and turning more grey daily, but she's still a love. Dudley and Dewey are about the same.
Let's see, Ty will be 18 months old on Sunday. Time has flown. I could never have imagined how emotional adopting our second child would be. The raw emotion of Tyler not being my "only" and the deep, intense fear that I will never be able to love another as much as Ty. He's my baby, my little guy. He makes discipline nearly impossible by covering his face with his hands when he sobs. A quick word from Mommy seems to shake my rough tough guy to his very core. Thankfully a hug and kiss and he's quick to forgive and forget, till he does it all over again. He still loves to clap his hands, blow kisses, and call the doggies to come and play. He now calls me "Amy" which is interesting. Loud and clear at the top of his lungs. I'm sure other mothers at the play ground get confused.
Mike has taught him the wonders of puddles, just in time for all the rain we've had. He loves them. Loves all water really. Everyone gets soaked at bath time and he was a star "swimmer" at his lessons earlier this summer. Plays in his little pool for hours, very content with a cup and a couple inches of water. He's a good boy...except when he's not :)
Well I should sign off. I would make all the pretend promises to be here more, but let's be honest, you get what you get. I'm going to have even less time soon :)
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Wonderful Mother's Day
So it's a few days too late, but I just thought I would let everyone know I had a wonderful Mother's Day. I was lucky enough to be driven (by Mike) 8+ hours down to VA so I could spend Mother's Day with my Mom. It was really nice. To top it all off, she sent me home with her "old" embroidery sewing machine since she got a new one. As my mother's day gift from Mike and Ty, I got 3 hours of private lessons on learning to run that thing! It is basically a computer that also happens to sew.
Obviously by this point Ty is walking. Running even. He's into and onto everything he can get his chubby little hands on. He loves being outside, playing in the dirt, or running down the side walk. He also favors walks around the block in his wagon with Daddy pulling. I'm not sure I ever guessed that life would be this great :)
We decided that we're going to wait till after the summer to start foster care. Okay, I think *I* pretty much decided it, and I'm not sure that I'm sure. I think I just want to spend this summer with Ty. I want more kids, but at the same time, I really love this little man. He makes me laugh, he makes me cry, he makes me swear I'm the luckiest Momma in the world and alternately if God hates me all in one day. His complete amazement when his grandmother points out a caterpillar makes me almost cry. Then his complete determination to pick it up and eat it makes me fall over laughing...
He gives kisses now, and even enjoys kissing the picture of his girlfriend Ella that we just got in the mail. He's going to be pretty upset when I break the news to him that I don't think we can make the trip to WI for her birthday party. We'll have to send her something nice :)
Well I have a 30th birthday party to finish planning for this weekend, so hopefully I'll remember to blog again before 2 months goes by!
Obviously by this point Ty is walking. Running even. He's into and onto everything he can get his chubby little hands on. He loves being outside, playing in the dirt, or running down the side walk. He also favors walks around the block in his wagon with Daddy pulling. I'm not sure I ever guessed that life would be this great :)
We decided that we're going to wait till after the summer to start foster care. Okay, I think *I* pretty much decided it, and I'm not sure that I'm sure. I think I just want to spend this summer with Ty. I want more kids, but at the same time, I really love this little man. He makes me laugh, he makes me cry, he makes me swear I'm the luckiest Momma in the world and alternately if God hates me all in one day. His complete amazement when his grandmother points out a caterpillar makes me almost cry. Then his complete determination to pick it up and eat it makes me fall over laughing...
He gives kisses now, and even enjoys kissing the picture of his girlfriend Ella that we just got in the mail. He's going to be pretty upset when I break the news to him that I don't think we can make the trip to WI for her birthday party. We'll have to send her something nice :)
Well I have a 30th birthday party to finish planning for this weekend, so hopefully I'll remember to blog again before 2 months goes by!
Monday, March 23, 2009
Back by popular demand...an update!
So once people start commenting that I haven't posted to my blog in a while, I realize...yes...it has been a while! But..but...we've been busy. Story of our lives right?
In the last month or month and a half, we gutted the two upstairs bedrooms completely. We had the roof done, and added a tube skylight to the upstairs landing. We had new framing, pocket doors, spray foam insulation, blue board and plaster done in the rooms. With the help of my mother and step father, we painted, and laid new bamboo floors. The following week, two new windows went in. During the process, several credit cards melted, Mike hurt his right wrist, and my left wrist swelled to twice the size it should be, also developing a large very hard lump that might be a cyst. Trim and touch up paint to go, and Tyler will be OUT OF OUR ROOM! I'm a little tiny bit sad, but mostly, very excited. I do still have to paint a tree on his wall, refinish his dresser, and do some work on his taller dresser. But he can live in there before I do everything but the tree...and I hope to do that this weekend. I can't wait to see all the beautiful things Ty has all set up and in his room. It will be great for him to have his own space, and for us to have another space where we can put some of his toys.
The second room we have other plans for. We have a spare crib that I bought when Bridget was born, and a spare twin bed (there will also be a twin bed in Ty's room). We plan to set the room up, and then submit an application to begin the process to become foster parents. Tyler is 1 now, and it could take us quite a while to get approved. Once you get into classes, it takes 8 weeks just to complete them. A local woman I met is a foster mom and it took her 2 years to get through everything. We might be starting another long road but hopefully it will be worth it in the end. The road to Ty certainly was :)
Tyler's "road" is wrapping up. We got his birth certificate, and it was so wonderful to see that legal document say in black and white our names as his parents. I went to social security today to apply for his SS#. We should get that in 8-10 days, which should be just in time for us to squeak our taxes in before April 15th! Can't wait for that tax return to start paying off all the $$ we paid out to work on the house. Wish there was a flat screen in there somewhere, but there isn't!
Ty isn't walking yet. He walks behind his toys, and cruises everywhere...he's into everything. He is ALL B-O-Y! Over the weekend he gave me a bloody nose when he headbutted me. He likes to scream, and have tantrum. Already. He loves to climb and climb and climb...get everything he shouldn't. He just cut his 5th tooth. 3 new teeth in the last 2 weeks! 6 is right around the corner and 7 and 8 are just starting to swell. He might have been slow to start, but he's fast to catch up!!!
Other than that, I am waiting for summer. We visited the farm yesterday and it was wonderful to be out and see all the new animals, and visit the greenhouses to see all the food that has been started. I can almost taste the tomatoes now :)
Dogs are all good...Daisy keeps jumping the fence though, and that's a real bummer...limits their free time outside.
In the last month or month and a half, we gutted the two upstairs bedrooms completely. We had the roof done, and added a tube skylight to the upstairs landing. We had new framing, pocket doors, spray foam insulation, blue board and plaster done in the rooms. With the help of my mother and step father, we painted, and laid new bamboo floors. The following week, two new windows went in. During the process, several credit cards melted, Mike hurt his right wrist, and my left wrist swelled to twice the size it should be, also developing a large very hard lump that might be a cyst. Trim and touch up paint to go, and Tyler will be OUT OF OUR ROOM! I'm a little tiny bit sad, but mostly, very excited. I do still have to paint a tree on his wall, refinish his dresser, and do some work on his taller dresser. But he can live in there before I do everything but the tree...and I hope to do that this weekend. I can't wait to see all the beautiful things Ty has all set up and in his room. It will be great for him to have his own space, and for us to have another space where we can put some of his toys.
The second room we have other plans for. We have a spare crib that I bought when Bridget was born, and a spare twin bed (there will also be a twin bed in Ty's room). We plan to set the room up, and then submit an application to begin the process to become foster parents. Tyler is 1 now, and it could take us quite a while to get approved. Once you get into classes, it takes 8 weeks just to complete them. A local woman I met is a foster mom and it took her 2 years to get through everything. We might be starting another long road but hopefully it will be worth it in the end. The road to Ty certainly was :)
Tyler's "road" is wrapping up. We got his birth certificate, and it was so wonderful to see that legal document say in black and white our names as his parents. I went to social security today to apply for his SS#. We should get that in 8-10 days, which should be just in time for us to squeak our taxes in before April 15th! Can't wait for that tax return to start paying off all the $$ we paid out to work on the house. Wish there was a flat screen in there somewhere, but there isn't!
Ty isn't walking yet. He walks behind his toys, and cruises everywhere...he's into everything. He is ALL B-O-Y! Over the weekend he gave me a bloody nose when he headbutted me. He likes to scream, and have tantrum. Already. He loves to climb and climb and climb...get everything he shouldn't. He just cut his 5th tooth. 3 new teeth in the last 2 weeks! 6 is right around the corner and 7 and 8 are just starting to swell. He might have been slow to start, but he's fast to catch up!!!
Other than that, I am waiting for summer. We visited the farm yesterday and it was wonderful to be out and see all the new animals, and visit the greenhouses to see all the food that has been started. I can almost taste the tomatoes now :)
Dogs are all good...Daisy keeps jumping the fence though, and that's a real bummer...limits their free time outside.
Saturday, February 7, 2009
A Year Ago...
So the last week or two Mike and I have been having a lot of important 1 year "anniversaries"...On January 26th, Tyler was a year old (Happy Birthday Big BOY!) January 27th was the 1 year anniversary of when we were notified we had been chosen. One year ago on that day, we cried and called family to tell them we were going to be parents. January 28th was the first day we met Tyler, all squished up and wrapped in a blanket, which such a huge head of hair his hats barely stayed on. The 31st was the day we knew for sure he was "ours". We had gone to court and the TPR was no longer revocable. We went and picked him up at Cradle Care, which had been our "home" for 4 days while we spent time with Tyler. We brought him back to our hotel, and were alone with him finally. We spent several days alone with Ty, curled on the couch, watching TV.
One year ago today, February 7th, we were finally able to fly back to Massachusetts. Tyler would finally meet our families. At the airport, hustling toward Tyler and I while Mike waited for our luggage were Erina, and a VERY excited Bridget. I think Erina would have stripped him naked just to see all of him right then and there if she could have. It was wonderful to finally see my sister hold my son.
We have several not so fun anniversaries coming up over the next few days though. Mike's hospitalization and emergency transport to Brigham and Women's....
We'll get through that...we have so much to be thankful for :)
One year ago today, February 7th, we were finally able to fly back to Massachusetts. Tyler would finally meet our families. At the airport, hustling toward Tyler and I while Mike waited for our luggage were Erina, and a VERY excited Bridget. I think Erina would have stripped him naked just to see all of him right then and there if she could have. It was wonderful to finally see my sister hold my son.
We have several not so fun anniversaries coming up over the next few days though. Mike's hospitalization and emergency transport to Brigham and Women's....
We'll get through that...we have so much to be thankful for :)
Monday, January 12, 2009
Why am I so Awful at THIS?
I am a terrible blogger. Just accept it, be grateful when I do blog, and don't be angry when i don't...
So we're several days into the new year, and hoping for a calmer year than 2008 would be a useless prayer so why bother? I feel like we live most of our lives in fast forward these days. Something to do, somewhere to be, a task to complete, go to sleep. I made several "resolutions" for our new year as a family, and most of them are looking pathetic so far. I started a journal for Tyler, and I do enjoy writing in it at night. I need to get a little night stand to go on my side of the bed so I can put it there and remember to jot a few notes down each night...maybe a little reading light too, so I don't have the whole room lit up. I'd like to say that blogging more even made the 2009 list, but in reality...it just didn't!
Some of my resolutions for the new year include:
Our family finances. I'd like to have all our debt paid off with the exception of the home equity line, the cars and the house. Those are our "good" debt :) Like that exists right? Those are tangible debts that I don't mind I guess. The home equity line was from Ty's adoption...so it's a large sum indeed, though I'm actually pleased with how little we borrowed compared to how much the adoption total was. You don't want to know. Highway robbery. Someone's getting rich off adoptions...not sure who yet!
Starting a new "addition" to the family. We have several choices for this, and honestly I won't know what road to take till I know. Right now I feel a strong pull towards adopting a sibling group from foster care. We'll see how THAT party goes down when we get started. I wouldn't rule out adoption domestically again, or even Ethiopia.
HOME. We need to get stuff done on our home. By the end of 2009, I would like every room in our house, with the exception of the kitchen and bathroom to be at least 95% done. I don't honestly care that most rooms don't have baseboard. We can tack that stuff up when we go to sell!
FAMILY! We made a huge change moving into 2009 where I am a SAHM. Most days! I work 1.5 days outside the home, but Tyler comes with me. I want to get it all balanced and working a little smoother! So far I enjoy it, but I'm having a hard time not obsessing about the house, and Tyler and everything being perfect. I mean let's face it, this house isn't going to be perfect...Neither is my nose picking, back talking one year old...so I should just relax. I'd like to read to Tyler more too. We sing to him a lot, but he enjoys books, so we should work reading in more too.
FOOD: Eat more locally, continue the CSA from March-December. I also have pledged to try and make my own bread, yogurt and cheese while I'm home. It's really important to me that Tyler not eat junk. Okay...mostly not junk with the occasional fish stick. What can I do? The kid loves fish, and I can't whip up a fish dinner a couple nights a week! I also want to work on his palete a lot this year. Studies show that between 1-2 children develop a preference for 90% of the foods they will enjoy the rest of their lives. So the more foods you can cram in and have your kid try between 1-2, the better. We do pretty well with Ty. Haven't found a veggie he won't eat (he eats raw peppers, eggplant....you name it) Fruits also always get the green light. Protiens are hit or miss...usually depending on texture, so I think tha will get easier as he gets more than 2 teeth. He eats whole wheat bread and I'll be hoping to move him over to whole grain, home made bread in the next couple weeks. I think we have a good base. Just have to start on the exotic fruits and sushi before he's two and we'll be good :)
ME: We're going to join the YMCA, and I'm going to GO. And not feel guilty that I'm a stay at home Mom who let's the Y babysit her kid so she can swim a couple mornings a week.
I think that's it? When you read that do I sound nuerotic? I am. I can accept that.
In other updates, Tyler, at less than one year old, has learned to say NO. It comes out sort of like DOE!, or DOH!...very clear what he is saying though. I gave him his first tap on the hand a few days ago when I asked him to stop throwing food off his tray to the dogs, and he said, DOE!. I tapped (and I do mean TAPPED) him on the hand and he desolved into a puddle of crying mush. I'm a monster. He stopped throwing food off his tray though, and ate his lunch. I think I have to ignore bad behavior, it just feels like this baby was born knowing how to push my buttons. He will snuggle up to me, give me a hug, look at me and smile...then whap...slap me upside the head and knock my glasses off my face. Sneak attack.
Miek washed all three dogs yesterday. That might not seem like something worth mentioning to YOU, but in this house, that's a major event. The tub was full of hair, I brushed them all, and got enough hair to full a stop and shop bag, and they are SO shiny and smell nice and are clean. They just fell better too...you can tell that they might not love the bath (well Dudley did) but they love how great they fell after. Dewey, our overgrown guinea pig, is a total brat about getting brushed. He's really sensitive about his butt. No idea why, but our trainer tells us that we didn't pull his butt fur enough when he was a puppy. What ever THAT means. They all seem to love that I'm home now, and they are in and out of the house constantly through the dog door. They do still enjoy dragging things they shouldn't have through it outside so they can enjoy them though. Mike makes a regular trip through the back yard to find the remains of their naughtness. Last trip he found one of my pairs of shoes that I got for Christmas. I got a black pair and a brown pair. I was impressed that although the shoes are stored right next to each other, they got both black shoes, instead of one shoe from each pair. There was also one of Ty's bottles, which I can't for the life of me figure out how they got. It had no top on it, so either that's how they got it, or one of them ate the nipple and ring. We're on poop watch again...YIPPEE! I'm sure the snow is hiding other treasures, not to be found till spring.
As far as work on the house, we are at somewhat of a stand still. When we gutted the first upstairs bedroom we found out...SURPRISE! We need a new roof. Which can't be done till spring. So we'll be tarping the roof on that part of the house, and then we just have to dry out the boards on the underside of the roof before we continue to replace the drywall and flooring. It was no small task. There were 3 layers of wallpaper, 2 layers of drywall, then the horsehair plaster and lath. That is all out, but we're leaving the carpet (pink of course) in there till the last second to help absorb some dust. We took out one wall, which we'll be putting back, but in a different spot. It enlarges the room some, which will help...when we have 12 kids :) Erina is pretty sure we can fit 2 sets of bunk beds in there...in the very least 1 set of bunk beds and 2 single beds! For now when the room is complete we will put our spare queen size bed in there, a twin bed, and the spare crib. I want to have the flexibility in case we do foster care, and for guests. If there is room, I might put the twin bed in Ty's room, so I have a place to sleep in his room in case he has a bad night. Course if the spare crib is in the other room, I could always move him in there, and sleep on the queen bed, which is SO comfy. Love that bed.
Okay well there you go. Not posts for over a month, but that one was a long one. Hope you all enjoyed it, and I'll get here to post more...yada yada.
Happy 2009!
So we're several days into the new year, and hoping for a calmer year than 2008 would be a useless prayer so why bother? I feel like we live most of our lives in fast forward these days. Something to do, somewhere to be, a task to complete, go to sleep. I made several "resolutions" for our new year as a family, and most of them are looking pathetic so far. I started a journal for Tyler, and I do enjoy writing in it at night. I need to get a little night stand to go on my side of the bed so I can put it there and remember to jot a few notes down each night...maybe a little reading light too, so I don't have the whole room lit up. I'd like to say that blogging more even made the 2009 list, but in reality...it just didn't!
Some of my resolutions for the new year include:
Our family finances. I'd like to have all our debt paid off with the exception of the home equity line, the cars and the house. Those are our "good" debt :) Like that exists right? Those are tangible debts that I don't mind I guess. The home equity line was from Ty's adoption...so it's a large sum indeed, though I'm actually pleased with how little we borrowed compared to how much the adoption total was. You don't want to know. Highway robbery. Someone's getting rich off adoptions...not sure who yet!
Starting a new "addition" to the family. We have several choices for this, and honestly I won't know what road to take till I know. Right now I feel a strong pull towards adopting a sibling group from foster care. We'll see how THAT party goes down when we get started. I wouldn't rule out adoption domestically again, or even Ethiopia.
HOME. We need to get stuff done on our home. By the end of 2009, I would like every room in our house, with the exception of the kitchen and bathroom to be at least 95% done. I don't honestly care that most rooms don't have baseboard. We can tack that stuff up when we go to sell!
FAMILY! We made a huge change moving into 2009 where I am a SAHM. Most days! I work 1.5 days outside the home, but Tyler comes with me. I want to get it all balanced and working a little smoother! So far I enjoy it, but I'm having a hard time not obsessing about the house, and Tyler and everything being perfect. I mean let's face it, this house isn't going to be perfect...Neither is my nose picking, back talking one year old...so I should just relax. I'd like to read to Tyler more too. We sing to him a lot, but he enjoys books, so we should work reading in more too.
FOOD: Eat more locally, continue the CSA from March-December. I also have pledged to try and make my own bread, yogurt and cheese while I'm home. It's really important to me that Tyler not eat junk. Okay...mostly not junk with the occasional fish stick. What can I do? The kid loves fish, and I can't whip up a fish dinner a couple nights a week! I also want to work on his palete a lot this year. Studies show that between 1-2 children develop a preference for 90% of the foods they will enjoy the rest of their lives. So the more foods you can cram in and have your kid try between 1-2, the better. We do pretty well with Ty. Haven't found a veggie he won't eat (he eats raw peppers, eggplant....you name it) Fruits also always get the green light. Protiens are hit or miss...usually depending on texture, so I think tha will get easier as he gets more than 2 teeth. He eats whole wheat bread and I'll be hoping to move him over to whole grain, home made bread in the next couple weeks. I think we have a good base. Just have to start on the exotic fruits and sushi before he's two and we'll be good :)
ME: We're going to join the YMCA, and I'm going to GO. And not feel guilty that I'm a stay at home Mom who let's the Y babysit her kid so she can swim a couple mornings a week.
I think that's it? When you read that do I sound nuerotic? I am. I can accept that.
In other updates, Tyler, at less than one year old, has learned to say NO. It comes out sort of like DOE!, or DOH!...very clear what he is saying though. I gave him his first tap on the hand a few days ago when I asked him to stop throwing food off his tray to the dogs, and he said, DOE!. I tapped (and I do mean TAPPED) him on the hand and he desolved into a puddle of crying mush. I'm a monster. He stopped throwing food off his tray though, and ate his lunch. I think I have to ignore bad behavior, it just feels like this baby was born knowing how to push my buttons. He will snuggle up to me, give me a hug, look at me and smile...then whap...slap me upside the head and knock my glasses off my face. Sneak attack.
Miek washed all three dogs yesterday. That might not seem like something worth mentioning to YOU, but in this house, that's a major event. The tub was full of hair, I brushed them all, and got enough hair to full a stop and shop bag, and they are SO shiny and smell nice and are clean. They just fell better too...you can tell that they might not love the bath (well Dudley did) but they love how great they fell after. Dewey, our overgrown guinea pig, is a total brat about getting brushed. He's really sensitive about his butt. No idea why, but our trainer tells us that we didn't pull his butt fur enough when he was a puppy. What ever THAT means. They all seem to love that I'm home now, and they are in and out of the house constantly through the dog door. They do still enjoy dragging things they shouldn't have through it outside so they can enjoy them though. Mike makes a regular trip through the back yard to find the remains of their naughtness. Last trip he found one of my pairs of shoes that I got for Christmas. I got a black pair and a brown pair. I was impressed that although the shoes are stored right next to each other, they got both black shoes, instead of one shoe from each pair. There was also one of Ty's bottles, which I can't for the life of me figure out how they got. It had no top on it, so either that's how they got it, or one of them ate the nipple and ring. We're on poop watch again...YIPPEE! I'm sure the snow is hiding other treasures, not to be found till spring.
As far as work on the house, we are at somewhat of a stand still. When we gutted the first upstairs bedroom we found out...SURPRISE! We need a new roof. Which can't be done till spring. So we'll be tarping the roof on that part of the house, and then we just have to dry out the boards on the underside of the roof before we continue to replace the drywall and flooring. It was no small task. There were 3 layers of wallpaper, 2 layers of drywall, then the horsehair plaster and lath. That is all out, but we're leaving the carpet (pink of course) in there till the last second to help absorb some dust. We took out one wall, which we'll be putting back, but in a different spot. It enlarges the room some, which will help...when we have 12 kids :) Erina is pretty sure we can fit 2 sets of bunk beds in there...in the very least 1 set of bunk beds and 2 single beds! For now when the room is complete we will put our spare queen size bed in there, a twin bed, and the spare crib. I want to have the flexibility in case we do foster care, and for guests. If there is room, I might put the twin bed in Ty's room, so I have a place to sleep in his room in case he has a bad night. Course if the spare crib is in the other room, I could always move him in there, and sleep on the queen bed, which is SO comfy. Love that bed.
Okay well there you go. Not posts for over a month, but that one was a long one. Hope you all enjoyed it, and I'll get here to post more...yada yada.
Happy 2009!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
