What's cookin'?

I didn't have time to run to the grocery store today....


I guess we are just going to have to bake up some Tiny for dinner!

Storytime

Retail Therapy

Like I really need to be spending more money on t-shirts.......

But I just HAD to have it :)

Sick

That is the only way to describe how I am feeling tonight. I am just sick.

We received an email from CHSFS tonight stating that effective immediately they are suspending any contact with our children's birthfamilies. For the families that are travelling soon, this means that they will not have the opportunity to meet any family members. For us, it means that we will not be able to have any ongoing contact with Nora's family in Ethiopia. I had just sent in the required paperwork to Post-Adoption Services and was anxiously waiting for word of what to do next when they dropped this bombshell.

How could they do this to our children?

How could they do this to all of the families in Ethiopia, the parents and grandparents wondering what has become of their children?

From what I can gather, the very new & sudden rule has something to do with the US Consulate in Ethiopia and the wording of "true orphan". CHSFS is sending representatives over to Ethiopia and hopefully they can work all of this out soon.

I am just so sad and worried. Life is so fragile and I don't want to lose Nora's family, lose the chance to connect with them. I don't want Nora to lose the chance to connect with them.

My heart is just so heavy tonight.

Sometimes I don't like my dogs very much

While in Ethiopia I purchased a bunch of little things to give to Nora as she got older. One of these little things was a teenie-tiny, green mesob.

In fact, Nora found it today and was playing with it.

I should have known there was going to be trouble when Nora kept "feeding" it to Peanut......

Damn dogs!

Kitties?

Nora's new thing is to hiss.

Yes, hiss. Just like a cat but a bit more phlegm-y.

It is so weird since we don't have a cat.

Since I don't have a photo of her hissing, here is one of her getting into trouble.

*I know the towels in this drawer "look" dirty but really they are not. They are only used for wiping dirty paws and nothing else:)

I was brave today.

Nora & I went out for lunch at Noodles & Co.....just the 2 of us in a restaurant eating a meal. It went really well, and I was actually able to eat something!

Mmmmm......mac n' cheese :)

We love new toys!

My 1st 'do

Hair-do that is!

I don't think it came out too bad....my baby still doesn't have much to work with in the back and on the sides so I did my best :)

A relative (who shall remain nameless and isn't my husband) said to me after seeing her new 'do

"Wow, Mommy is really going to have to get better at doing your hair."

What!?

Have you ever tried to put 3 little ponies with even parts in someone's hair, who happens to be under a year and you have to bribe with cheerios AND the entire time they are still trying to "see" what you are doing??

I didn't think so!

And I think they look cute for my first attempt :)

My big girl!

We just returned from our 9 month check-up (even though we are almost 10 mo!) and the numbers are in!

Nora weighs a whopping 19lb 6 1/2oz and is 27 3/4" tall!

For comparison, at our 1st visit at 5mo she weighed 13lb 1/2oz and was 24 1/2" tall.

Wow, I can't believe how much and how fast she is growing:)

She is saying mama & dada along with baba, nana, and other sounds- she loves to babble.

She can wave and sort of point-it's more like a whole hand gesture at whatever she is interested in. She also claps when you say YAY! or if she hears cheering/clapping-very cute!

She is crawling, pulling up and starting to cruise-she really enjoys endlessly jumping up and down in her crib ;)

She will eat almost anything (except spinach!), we tried fish for the 1st time last night and she loved it! We are pretty much done with the jar baby food-she gets whatever we eat within reason (no peanut butter n' chocolate ice cream-that's mine!) She is also sort of getting the hang of drinking out of a big girl cup-although most of it still ends up down her shirt.

She is also showing a defiant side-she is the queen of dramatic meltdowns-I keep telling her she has a whole year before she's 2! Forget about quick diaper changes anymore-she is all over the place-rolling, flailing, screaming-she does it all!

She *loves* danger and goes to ANYTHING that she shouldn't (cords, outlets, sharp objects...) and when you tell her "no" and re-direct her to something else she has taken to slapping the air! Oh boy!

Swimming with the fishies!

Nora had her very first visit to the Shedd Aquarium and loved it!

She was a little wary at first, especially of the giant bass-like fish that just floated in front of her face and stared straight at her. I wish I had a video of the weird shaking thing she did and the crazy face she made when she touched the glass-it was too funny!

She also really enjoyed the dolphins...and hanging out

with the wonder twins!

*we missed you Makenna & Sitota!

Thanks Jenny & Brian for coming over and hanging out with us!!!

We had a great time!!

TOUCHDOWN!

While watching the Colts v. Chargers on Sunday Nora spontaneously
did this




and then this


when Indianapolis scored.

Note the very unhappy look on her father's face :)

1 year ago today....

We heard from our caseworker that our dossier was in order and we were officially waiting for our child. It seems like it was just yesterday, it's amazing how time flies and it is also amazing how much our lives have changed in the past year :)

Toothy McTooth aka Tiny No Nap

Tooth #2 has arrived!!
I can't seem to capture The Teeth on film but I'm sure you can imagine what they look like :)

She is also pulling herself up on things like mad AND yesterday started crawling like a real baby!!!

We have also come to despise our naps. Y'know in those horror movies where you think the monster is dead but he just keeps getting up and stumbling forward, unable to be stopped?

Yeah, that's her.

I lay her down and no matter how tired she is she just keeps crawling forward and pulling herself up on the crib, over and over again. All the while chanting "Mamamama Nanana!" It's kinda funny for the first 2 minutes but gets old real fast :)

The Money Pit

How come everytime I walk into Babies R Us with the intent to just buy a pair of socks and a bib I end up spending $80???

MELKEM GENNA!!!

Is it too early to start planning T's 1st birthday party?

To be honest, I have no idea what is supposed to "go down" on a 1st BDay ...I mean c'mon, isn't it more about the adults at this point since she's not really going to have any idea what is going on (kinda like Xmas!)?

The only thing I am sure about is that we are going to have cupcakes instead of cake. And those scrumptious cupcakes are going to come from that fabulous cupcake place in the city, who's name escapes me. Nancy? I know you know the name!

I am toying around with the idea of having it at an Ethiopian restaurant...or my Mom's with Ethiopian food catered (my house is way too dirty and has too many dogs for company)

The party will be in March so it will be a tad chilly to do something outside.

Hmmm...anyone care to share what they did for that very 1st celebration?

WE HAVE A TOOTH!!!

I thought maybe we were being a big crank the past few days because of our ears but this morning I found another reason for us to be angry.......OUR 1ST TOOTH!!!!

I never thought I'd be so excited about teeth.

YAY for teeth!!

*ok, so you can't see THE TOOTH in this picture but it was taken right after I found it

Orange-a-licious

Is it too orange?

I changed the blog around a bit because as much as I love the other photo, it seemed it was a little too difficult to read the blog description.
I like this photo alot too, and it makes it easier to read the heading but it is a tad blurry....

There is an awful lot of orange here....orange is my favorite color (it makes me happy!) but what does everyone else think?

Is all of the orange burning your retinas??


*edit- I changed the photo again since the other 1 was blurry.
I really like this pic except you can see our dog crates and dirty floor. Oh well. Such is life.

Creeeepy

The first time she did this I about had a heart attack (mind you, it was dark). My 1st thought was "What the?? Did one of her creepy dolls come to life!?" I was almost too scared to go in her room!


My 2nd thought was "Wait a second...that's not a doll...OMG! Is she alive??!!" I thought for sure that something horrible had happened! Did she hang herself on the crib? I started shaking, threw open the door and realized.......



We fell asleep sitting up!

It's back.....

Or maybe it never really left!
We finished the antibiotics for The Ear Infection on Sunday and had a recheck appointment yesterday, at which we found out that the infection is now in BOTH ears but the right ear is improved. Fan-freakin'-tastic.
So, we are back on the antibiotics...Augmentin this time, which is making for some lovely diapers.

Our anniversary was yesterday and we were going to actually go out to dinner tonight sans baby but neither of us feels right about leaving a very cranky, painful, soupy-diapered kid with the G'parents.

Oh well, I'm good with take out & a movie :)

Whaddya think?

I've decided to start up a new blog focusing more on my life as a mom since that is where my adoption blog was starting to go. I haven't decided if I am going to incorporate both blogs together or really what I am doing. Maybe I will keep the other blog going as more of an informational thing-adoption links, that sort of thing.