Learning Safety and Colors

This week starts my first part time week at work! We didn't make it to Mother Goose time at the library today as we had other things to do, but hopefully next week. I'm already enjoying the extra time with Daniel.

Last week I talked with Becky whose little boy Andrew has already learned his colors. I asked her how she taught them to him and she said they used little cars. I've tried books on colors with Daniel and crayons but haven't had any luck. So today I pulled out 5 cars in the colors red, yellow, blue, black and gold. We went over the colors and I asked him to pick up a certain color car. It took him a few tries, but he got it! Then after we were all done, I sat down on the sofa and he picked up a car and ran over to me saying "Gold, Gold!" and sure enough it was the gold car!! I was so excited! Thanks Becky for the great tip!! Here he is holding up the colored cars for me!!

Also, on a funny note - Troy thought it would be hysterical to put a pair of goggles on Daniel and have him ride his riding toys. He said it was all in the name of safety. Poor kid - he'll do anything for his Papa.

From Full Time to Part Time – A Big Change For The Better

Three and a half months have passed since we brought Daniel home. For six weeks I was able to rock him to sleep every day for his nap and every night at bedtime. I sat with him at every meal, kissed every boo-boo, sang good morning when he woke up, met his every need, with Troy’s help of course. After six weeks I went back to work full time. It felt good to go back to work, but I started missing Daniel every day. After a couple of weeks he cried one morning when I left him at the sitters. Since then he doesn’t cry but stands at the door some mornings looking after me and sometimes banging for my attention. I hate walking away from him.

So, Troy and I finally came to the decision that I would stop working full time and ask my current employer if I could change my position from full to part time. After waiting a week for a response, I was informed that they would be pleased to have me remain with the firm part time!! I was so excited. I’ll only be working three days a week for seven hours each day verses the five day, eight hour a day, work week. That means four uninterrupted days with my baby boy!! It means not having to wake him up in the mornings to get ready to go and then rush through dinner and bath time in the evenings so I can get him to bed early enough to just have to wake him up anyway. It also means we can go to Mother Goose time at the local library! I have been wanting to do this for quite some time.

I’m also looking forward to returning to the SPCA to complete adoption paperwork and match families with their forever pets just for special events and to help fill in. I have not been able to return as I was not working a 6th day away from home and from Daniel. This will give me the opportunity to just go in every once in a while for my ‘not mine’ animal fix!! Life is looking good!

I’ll begin my part-time position in just two weeks! Now, I’ll have

More time to do this:


and watch Papa and Daniel do this:

Hey, Papa - now that Mama will be home more - how about you, because you're comin' with me!

Indoor Fun!!

This past weekend Troy and I picked up a sit and spin for Daniel and it was a big hit! Once I sat him on it, it was like he just knew what had to be done!! He would spin so fast that either he would fall off or he would stop, stand up and then fall over. It was pretty funny!! Here's the star of our blog, in his PJs getting dizzy!!

We also brought out the ball popper and Daniel had more fun sticking his face over the hole where the balls popped out. He would get nailed in the face and just giggle (don't worry, it doesn't hurt - don't ask us how we know, that's a whole other post I won't be writing!).

Attachment Part Two and Gardening Fun

This weekend we had tons of fun!! We visited Granny and Grandpa (Troy's parents) and had a great time. Troy's dad recently had both knees replaced and we were amazed at how well he was moving around! We had lots of fun swimming in the pool and had lots of good food!

I need to say a special thank you to Granny (Troy's mom Barbara). She loves, loves, loves children and we knew it would be especially hard on her to not be able to run to Daniel if he cried or pick him up if he fell or give him snacks if he was hungry as we needed to be the ones to do that in order to help Daniel understand that Troy and I were his parents and we would be his providers. In the pool this weekend, I would swoosh Daniel to Granny and he would start to fuss and instantly look and reach back for me. Granny let go every time and even spoke about how thrilled she was to see Daniel acting that way. I know it had to be hard though!! I do know once my little daredevil was laying on a raft that Granny was able to tip him over and into Papa's waiting arms and we had lots of giggles!! Barbara - we're so proud of you and don't you worry Daniel loves his Granny or as he says "nanneeeeee".

On Sunday we played around outside with our tomato plants. Last year we planted them against one whole side of our house because we dug out some other plants we didn't like and stuck the tomatos in for fun. Well, they grew like crazy so we did it again this year. We have the biggest darn tomato plants I've ever seen in my life. We also got our first red tomato!! Daniel loves to help us water them!!

Here I asked Daniel to look at Mama and say cheese and instead

I got this...when I squealed it became an all out war as he thought

it was hyterically funny to spray Mama!!
Not too sure about payback though!

Helping Papa tie up those huge plants.

Do you see how big the tomato plant is behind me? I mean seriously

it's so big I can't see the top of it!

Attachment Strides

This past week and weekend has really opened our eyes to some strides Daniel has taken in the attachment area. Each morning this week for the first time after I have dressed Daniel he has run into the living room and called for Papa. Then I have to take him by the hand and show him Papa isn't sleeping or in the bedroom and that he has left for work. Daniel seems okay with it, but will ask for Papa more often now. He also has started talking on the phone to Papa. Before he would hold the phone and not say anything but now he is babbling back and always says "I luv luuu" (I love you) back to Troy when he says it.

As for me the past two weekends have really shown me that Daniel is bonding with me well. At one of our July 4th BBQs, he got a 'boo boo' and when my cousin leaned down to check on him he backed up and ran straight to me. The same thing happened when my aunt held out her hand for Daniel's dirty napkin. He looked at her hand and then ran it over to me. Just Friday night we were out and I walked away to go to the bathroom and Troy was sitting with Daniel and for the first time Daniel yelled out "Mama!" after me. He also made the hand motion to "come back!" I was so excited. While he would always look for me, he never actually called out after me. Lastly we stopped by a farm with horses (I know, I know but you can do that in the country) and asked if we could pet the horses. The older gentleman grabbed Daniel right up and actually took us into the ring where the horses were eating and let us rub them. Daniel was amazed by how big 'horseys' really were. But the more amazing thing was he wouldn't really pet them because he was too busy twisting and turning in the man's arms to see me more than anything else. I explained to the gentleman what was going on and he handed him right over and we proceeded to pet all the horses! Fun times. Troy has a few pictures on his cell phone and if we transfer them over, I'll share!

One other thing we have noticed about Daniel is that his little personality and his understanding of everything is really coming out. He wasn't eating his lunch the other day and I started being silly saying "Scoop, scoop, whoop, whoop, scrunch" and making the gestures and of course a big loud "scrunch" for eating and he looked at Papa and then at me and started laughing and then waved his hand at me and shook his head as if to say "Mama, you're so silly" and Troy and I just got a big kick out of it. But guess what - he ate all his lunch!! It's neat to see how far he has come!!

Lastly a few photos...

Happy Fourth!!

I hope everyone had a great fourth!! We were so busy and Daniel had a fantastic time. I'll just let the pictures tell the story...

Waiting for the Parade

Waving my flag to everyone...and I mean everyone!
Uh...that wheel is bigger then me!!
Playing with Tess-Great Aunt Sarah's doggie at the BBQ after the parade - look at me giggle!
Another day, another BBQ. This is at Aunt Cat's house. The pool was full of little girls - Yuck!
Aren't I cool?

From Easy to Please to Picky & A Funny

I thought I would start out by sharing a funny story from trip 2 in Russia. We had our son for the very first night in Moscow (and with us) as we picked him up and immediately boarded the plane to Moscow. We arrived at the hotel and put our things in our room. I had to go right back downstairs to fill out paperwork with the representative and Troy stayed in the room with Daniel. Fast forward to me arriving back to the room. What greets me?

Our son lying on the bed with a blanket over him holding the remote control calm as can be. I say something to Troy to the effect that I can’t believe he’s just laying there so sweet and then I look towards the TV and I think I said something to this effect, “Troy, you might want to take the remote control from him because from the looks of it, he’s about to buy us an adult movie.”

Needless to say Daniel has a remote (without batteries) that he plays with at home!!

And here he is shortly after the remote was taken away...


Wow that seems like so long ago!

On to the real topic at hand!

Our son has decided to become picky about his food. From what I’m reading though it seems like this is pretty much the norm. Daniel knows he can be picky now. When we first picked him up from the orphanage and arrived in our hotel we gave him a drinkable yogurt and he sucked it down like it was going out of style. Once we were home he would cry when he finished a bottle for more. Now, he won’t touch yogurt in any shape or form. He also has decided against applesauce as well. What child doesn’t like applesauce?? Mine!!

Milk is another disaster. He will literally shake his head no as soon as he sees it and won’t touch it with a ten foot pole. I’ve tried Hershey’s chocolate syrup, Butterscotch syrup, Strawberry syrup, Ovaltine...nothing will make this child like milk. One thing I’ll never forget was when he took a sip of the milk with the butterscotch. He stood there with this shocked look on his face and then just opened his mouth and it all came running out everywhere. I think it was the one time he didn’t look in the cup before shoving it in his mouth expecting juice. I just stood there dumbfounded as the milk came out and hit the floor. I had no idea he could put that much in his mouth! The only way to give him any milk is in his morning oatmeal which I make with the milk and mix a fruit yogurt in. He’ll also eat cheese...for now.

He also has now decided he hates corn and peas. He used to love them too. What happened to my fantastic eater? A life with lots of choices, I suppose!!

Have a Happy Fourth of July!!