I love a rainy day ...

Despite the crappy weather Lucy and I had a great day. We started off with swimming lessons. Lucy has come a long long way in swimming lessons. From aggressive and defiant to star student! This morning Lucy was a rock star. She (with no warning to momma) dipped her whole head under water several times. She zoomed to mama and to the teacher underwater for quite a distance. She was so excited about every part of the class. So much fun! We went to brunch afterwards with Mel and Morgan. The kids were great, the service was not. Lucy had a nap after swim class and woke up a little bored. Originally we weren't planning on going anywhere but I could sense that things were going to go downhill quickly unless I came up with a plan. We ended up going to the zoo and I let Lucy walk some of the indoor trails. She is finally noticing the animals and really interested in watching them. We spent a long time standing at the aquarium and Lucy was following the fish back and forth back and forth. The zoo was very quiet so we really got to enjoy ourselves at our own pace. Lucy was very cooperative about walking and holding hands. After the zoo we played at Bennett and Amelia's house and had dinner with them. What a great way to end the weekend.

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MINE MINE MINE MINE

Thanks to all of you for your thoughts during Lucy's recent rebound into the land of sickness. She is feeling better right now. Lucy is being treated for a sinus infection and the doctor is testing for various other possible causes for all of these little bugs that keep hounding her. Now on to the blog post for today.

I thought I would do a little list of some of the things that currently belong ONLY to Lucy:

1. the air vents at the daycare (three times she's reminded me of this)

2. the pretty moon

3. something was hers at 3 this morning, it was hers and not Lisa's (I don't know who Lisa is and what it was Lisa was trying to take, but for crying out loud Lisa please don't take Lucy's stuff in the middle of the night, we all suffer)

4. Anything that Morgan looks at

5. all of the stuff in Isaac and Nathan's house

6. bubbles floating in the air

7. grandpa

8. anyone elses grandpa

9. the entire contents of Target

10. the rice krispies that are stuck in the grill of her play stove

11. my bedroom

12. did I mention the air vents at daycare??? she loves the air vents, and they are HERS

Here is one thing she'll gladly leave to anyone who wants it (unless it is in use as a dance floor)

BLANKETS ... she hates them (unless they belong to Isaac, Nathan or Morgan).

I keep thinking that Lucy somehow got ahold of the three toddler books I possess and studied what she should be doing at this stage of her life and I keep giving her A+++++ for being the textbook toddler.

Hysterical group photo attempt

Deja vu

I don't know if you all remember the cronic sickness last year that ultimately led to the decision to have Lucy's adenoids removed. Well ... I wonder what else could be removed now that the sickness parade has started up again. I am very worried for her. She had first round of puking on Thursday night and by Friday midday I thought, well wow, that was a quick recovery for my girl. Saturday morning she seemed fine. Saturday afternoon she started seeming a bit unstable. Saturday evening she seemed ok again and I left her with her auntie Jen at night so I could go to a fund raiser for The Blue House and then continue for beers at an Irish pub (first time in over two years). I returned home around midnight and Lucy was sleeping soundly (in my room, but that's a different story). Around 2am the vomit fest began ... by 6:00 a.m. she had thrown up on EVERY TOWEL AND BLANKET in the house. She was vomiting so often I couldn't get these into the wash. I called my mom. At 6:30 I called the pediatric nurse who told me to bring her to the ER if she vomited again in the next 1/2 hour. She did. We went. Somehow walking into the ER was a miracle cure for her vomiting and her limp energy. She seems better now but ... I am on eggshells. Plus my poor girl weights less now then she did in May. We're going to her regular pediatrician to see if any thing else could be happening. Here is a photo from about 6:45 on Sunday morning when the girl had no spirit left at all.

Lucy's first live show

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gifts of adoption

When I adopted Lucy I expected to be in awe of the gift of a beautiful daughter (and I am). I expected that my life would be changed by travelling to Ethiopia and learning about Ethiopia (and it has). I promised to involve Lucy in activities that would incorporate Ethiopian culture in her life and mine (and I have). Quite unexpected were the many many many gifts I have received in addition to Lucy ... to name a few: Morgan, Mel, Bennett, Sarah, Jesse, Amelia, Nancy, Tesfaye, Makenna, Sherry, Rick, Harper, Masresha, Hana, Jayme, Jon, Elijah, Izzy, Shebre, Aster, Mekonnen, Diane, Kathy, Mark, Tarique, Cathy, Cindy, Lucie and her girl, Anne, Hayat ... I could really go on and on. It's a gift to enter motherhood as a single mom and find myself suddenly the furthest place from alone I have ever been in my life. Like Nancy mentioned in her blog ... sometimes we've had to stretch the boundaries of comfort and sometimes we've had to travel from our homes ... but we've travelled into the arms (and minds) of many wonderful people! Thanks to all of you mentioned and thought about who enrich our lives every day.

OH AND HAPPY INTERNATIONAL TALK LIKE A PIRATE DAY!!!! YARRRRRRHHHHH YE SKALLEYWAGS, THE PARTYING WILL RESUME NEXT YEAR WHEN THE WEE LIL' LASS ISN'T THROWING UP HER RATIONS

Stillness ... Sickness

Lucy sat on the sofa for over two hours this morning. She had a rough night last night. Throwing up while mommy was working late. Poor Lucy, poor grandma, poor auntie Jen. This morning she's been vomit free (so far) but she hasn't really moved a muscle. She ate a lot of dry cheerios and a whole bottle of water. She watched two whole videos, had a brief meltdown and fell asleep in my arms at 9:30 this morning so I know she's not feeling well yet. Here is photographic evidence that Lucy can sit still.

Chicago photos

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Dear D. Smack

It was so fun meeting you. I can't believe you would come to a casa de toddlers after a long week of work when you could have cheated and stayed somewhere at a hotel and slept past 7 etc etc or gone home to be with your family. That was giving! I just want to say a few things:

1. I found this while googling Scottish Leprechauns: Weans: The little dear darlin' Scottish leprechauns, who find the pot o'gold at the end o' the atm card and proceed to scatter it hither and yon in joyous abandon, as in "Hey Mom! Look at this cool..." SO there are Scottish leprechauns and their names are ...

2. Eating the veggie omlet this morning was enjoyable but even more enjoyable was watching you teach Tesfaye how to cook them. You're a great teacher.

3. The gossiping was fun.

Dear Jayme ...

FINALLY we met! I should have asked for your autograph. I felt like I've known you forever, how nice to be able to just ease into a relationship with little or no weirdness! Just a few things for you:

1. You put together a fondue for lots of people in like 25 minutes ... it takes me that long to find my keys to get to the grocery store.

2. You looked perfect sitting between your two kids at that restaurant. I couldn't stop smiling.

3. I might drive to Chicago just to go to that park. Perfect for our kids!

4. I and E are too cute and uber smart ... I kinda thought you were exagerating on your blog but nope!

5. I hope you are able to receive as much as you give J from that short time I could just sense the compassion in you ...

6. Soon ... I will put a montage with loads of cute photos of your kids ... wait for it

Dear Nancy....

Thank you thank you thank you for taking the two of us on during an already stressfull time. You were a great hostess and I so enjoyed having time to talk with you and be with you... later this morning, staring out the window being with you in silence for awhile felt very comfortable and homey. Thanks again ...

Here are a few memorable moments:

1. You fought the woman parking enforcer and you won. My friend Deb will NOT believe what Lucy was not in while in a moving vehicle! I was pretty impressed with the way you sped past the woman with her stop hand out ... I thought maybe it was a Chicago thing but now I know ... now I know ...

2. Thanks for not freaking out when my kid bit your kid. I freaked out enough for both of us but I would have understood if you got upset ... but again thanks for being mellow (it was stressfull enough).

3. Thanks for stopping for the diet cokes. I love them. They sustain me.

4. Thanks for the key lime pie and the chocolate cake.

5. You have to tell me what ended up happening with the odd event that transpired as I was leaving.

6. Your daughter is a joy and a wonder. She is happy and balanced. You are a great mommacita.

7. Thanks for introducing me to some of the Chicago area crowd. The gossiping was fun.

8. I wish I was wittier.

A conversation with Lucy

Momma: Lucy, tomorrow we are going on a plane to Chicago!
Lucy: No no, no bite Chicago.
Momma: That's right Lucy, no biting Chicago. We are going to see Nancy
Lucy: Nany
Momma: and Makena ...
Lucy: No no, no bite Kena
Momma: and Tesfaye
Lucy: FRENCH FRIES!!! Eat Eat ... Lucy eat ... french fries!

Dear Lucille,

You started swimming lessons with mommy today. I am really proud of you that you aren't scared (at all) of the water. I am smiling with happiness that the things that got the other kids down barely made you blink an eye. I LOVED that while the other toddlers gingerly stepped off the floating piece of foam during the "jumped over the candle stick" part of the song you LEAPED over that dang candle stick (even if mommy hadn't quite made it around the foam to catch you. I do ask a couple of favors. (1) During swimming lessons, while we are in water WAY over your head and while we are in group instruction, I can not "put you down" no matter how loud you scream it, or how hard you try to push away from me. At times you had me tempted to "put you down" but again it was a group lesson and we were already getting lots of looks. So please, use your brain ... I simply can't "put you down" in the middle of a swimming pool (maybe after we make it through the lessons). (2) The pool is not yours. (3) The pool toys are not yours. (4) That little boy's daddy is not "momma". (5) Mommy's swim suit is meant to stay on her shoulders, trust me no one needs to see it off. (6) Please don't try to kick your friend Morgan in the face again.

As you guessed, we had a rough go at it this morning during our first swim lesson. Lucy was a super rock star 2 year old and mommy hadn't had enough coffee to dull that pain. I was also in a swim suit in public. Next week I will be prepared, coffee, coffee, another towel and some more coffee.

We had a better afternoon. Lucy showed her rational side by being a better balanced two year old at the zoo and we had a blast.

Blast from the Past

This is Tesfaye he is holding Lucy in Addis Ababa. He has an important role in Lucy's history. The last time we saw him he gave us a hug goodbye at the airport in Ethiopia as we headed home. Tesfaye is a link between Lucy's first family and our family. I am so excited to see him again this coming week. I will also be seeing my friend Nancy and her daughter Makena. I remember when Nancy and I started "talking" shortly before she travelled to get her tiny little girl. It's been a year since we've connected in person and I just can't wait can't wait can't wait to see her (and her daughter) again. Wednesday Lucy will take another plane ride. It will be much shorter then the last one! Sorry this post it written in short sentences. I feel simple right now. Maybe it's the advil p.m. talking.

Prepare to be angry

Give me down to there hair shoulder length or longer

Dear Lucy

You are a pistol! It's what I wanted. I looked into your sweet little face when you were about 7 months old and I said "please be a fighter, please don't be a little wimpy girl who doesn't fight for what she wants". You were oh so compliant with this one request of mine. I just have to put in one little amendment to this request ... please turn off the "fighter in you" from the hours of 8 pm until about 7 a.m. thanks. Love momma Here are some photos from a recent trip to a park on a hot hot day in early September. Wow was it hot.

A Dad a Daughter and a Deck

This weekend my dad and I built a deck. We built it in Sassy's old kennel area and I plan on doing a little Sassy tribute when I decorate the new outdoor dining area. My dad and I built it in two days. Day one was very hard and exhausting (and hot), day two there was more for my dad to do and less for me. My mom helped move a couple boards. Oh and she entertained Lucy so we could focus on deck building. Tomorrow is BBQ day! It's been great having a long weekend together. Here are some before, during and after photos. Hope you are all having a wonderful weekend. Summer's fading.

Celebrate

Just had to share that all the right factors were put in place: 1. Lucy was tired from a day at the state fair, 2. She had a good dinner, 3. no one had to be awake early in the morning. The result? Lucy slept all night in her own bed and woke up HAPPY at 7:30 this morning. That is hours longer then she's been sleeping for over a month. We feel good.