Being a Mother is not Just About Biology

Click the title to view an adorable video --

To be a dad.....

My sister-in-law just posted this on her FB page -- Had to steal it :)

Soooo see Eric in this video:

Birth Parents

(The dog after she was "coerced" into the pool - she was a good sport!)

We've been thinking a lot about T-Man's birth parents - maybe because his #4 birthday is quickly approaching. I've been working on his scrapbook on and off and have come across some photos of his birth parents not yet put in his scrapbook {don't judge me - it's only been four years :) }. I also ran across this poem we put in V's gift basket not long after T-Man's birth:

An Amazing Young Woman

The day we had the pleasure of meeting you we saw your beautiful face.
Our heart was filled with great love and peace and we felt our spirits embrace.

You have given us a treasure worth far more than silver or gold,
A beautiful son, a child of God, a precious new life to shape and mold.

We are grateful to you for giving him life. You knew earth life was to be his fate.
You chose to take the harder path. You proved your love for him was great.

We promise you that we will tell him of the great courage that you have shown,
And tell him that he is deeply loved by another; to him you will not remain unknown.

We hope you will find comfort in knowing he is deeply loved and cherished, too.
He will never want for anything - We owe his life to you.

We pray for guardian angels to guide you and ease your way.
We know you will feel our Savior’s love because of the sacrifice you made today.

~An Adoptive Mother, 1996.

We love birth parents!

A Shot in the Dark

I have spent the entire day packing for our trip to the National FSA Adoption Conference in Utah this weekend, cleaning the house, and scrubbing toilets. The little man thinks he can see better in the dark and prefers not to use the light while in the bathroom. A {poor} shot in the dark makes for much clean-up!

Even though my day has not been glamorous, I've worn the same clothes two days in a row since I knew I was just going to be cleaning, and I've seen better hair days, I wouldn't trade being a mom for anything!! This video is an excellent reminder of that... I don't even get past the first sentence without tearing up :)

Ice Cream Pizza

And who says T.V. is bad for children to watch?

T-Man loves to be in the kitchen. Two weeks ago he created a Mac & Cheese sandwich - it actually was quite tasty. Last week, he created a Pea Sandwich -- um, I passed on that one, but he ate the whole thing! This week he watched "Tea.m Umizoo.mi" and learned to make Ice Cream Pizzas; cookie crusts, ice cream for the "sauce" and he used mini-M&M's for the "colored candies on top. What better way to end our Family Home Evening on "God's Creations" than with a T-Man dessert creation -- YUMMM-IE!
Other T-Man "funnies" the past few weeks:

• (While putting a party hat on my head) T-Man: "Here you go little buddy"

• After I had a particularly rough day, I took a moment to shed some tears on the stairs. T-Man came and sat by me, but his hand on my shoulder and said, "I'm sorry that you're so sad"

• T-Man wanted to know if he could ask his T-Ball coach a question. "Sure", I replied. "What do you want to ask him?" "I want to ask Coach T-Rex if we can call him Coach Tyrannosaurus Rex"

• After being given a choice of leaving the park in 10 minutes or 15, T-Man replied, "Those aren't the choices I want."

• T-Man: "Water is made up of Hydrogen and 'Oxrygen' {he pronounces it ox-ri-gen}, right? My favorite element is Ununoctium"

• Mommy: "Hey T-Man, where did Grandpa go on his mission? " T-Man: "Australia and I am going to go on my mission to Madagascar (no connection to the movie; he hasn't ever seen it, he's moved on from the states (somewhat) and onto countries)

• Before T-Ball tonight he accidentally fell out the side door of the car. I panicked, "Are you okay???" T-Man: "I'm fine ..... but I think I might have hurt my first metacarpal and my femur." (After checking my map of the human skeleton, that's finger/hand and front of the leg that may have been injured. They looked fine -- all is well)
  

I have to walk around with cheat sheets, laminated posters and maps, and cliff notes just to be able to answer his questions!

"Blunch"

T-Man's Letter "B" Lunch

For "Blunch" we had:

• A bagel with butter
• Bananas on a blue plate
• Beans in a bowl
• Baked bone treats (Scooby Snacks) on top of an asteroid belt (space place mat) along with a juice box and a blue napkin
• We didn't want berries (straw or blue)
  

That's what the boy with a bug bite on his cheek ate while the birds outside watched.

There were no burps or belches.

Mommy was drinking "black juice" (Diet Pepsi) while we talked about traveling to Boise, Boston, Bismark, and Baton Rouge

by bus.

We talked about how to behave at his ball game tonight. He can't wait to run the bases.

We dreamed of taking a boat to the beach and biking to Bermuda, the Bahamas, &/or Brazil.

The End.

A "State" of Confusion!

Dollar store, shmollar store!

About a year and a half ago, I bought T-Man a puzzle of the United States at the dollar store. This $1.07 purchase (that's with tax) has now cost me upwards of a hundred dollars and most of my sanity, I am sure.

He has now become obsessed with the United States. (He is slowly moving into the World Map with much prodding). I think we need an intervention -- Someone please stop him/me!

They say when your child shows an interest in something you should foster that interest. Fostering or obsession? You decide:

1. We have recently checked out "The Scrambled States of America Book" from the library.
2. He owns "The 50 States" book, a place mat of the U.S., and soon to be the proud owner of state cookie cutters (shh, don't tell him - that's his birthday surprise)
3. He owns one of these:

4. He owns three different United States puzzles, one puzzle of the world, a box of flash card that teach the countries of the world and their capitals, and a car license plate game. (One of the puzzles had to be "repurchased" after the dog decided she needed relief and did so on the puzzle -- anyone need a white Maltese?)5. Last week he made this from Play-dough:
It was done entirely out of play-dough and he traced around each puzzle piece to make each state. It was easily a two-day project.

(Please note the shirt and refer back to this photo after reading item #13)

6. Yesterday he spent the entire church meeting cutting out the 50 states that he and I printed off of the computer (each on it's own individual sheet). What he didn't finish at church he finished at home that night.

7. Since 9:30 this morning (it's now 2:00), he has painted all the states he cut yesterday (along with the kitchen floor, his undies, his t-shirt, and every exposed piece of flesh. He won't even stop for lunch.8. Eric taught him the abbreviations for each state -- he now abbreviates long words he doesn't want to write.

9. Cars are beginning to look like states to him. "Mommy, Tennessee looks like a limousine!"

10. I cannot calculate the number of hours spent on the driveway drawing the states, writing names, capitals (each must have a star by it) and the abbreviations. I am getting a good start on my farmers tan -- (did you know that Broiler chickens, chickens 5 to 12 weeks old, are Delaware's most important farm product? You do now!!)

Some even have landmarks and tourist attractions listed. He INSISTS on writing 'Hollywood' by CA every time and 'Pottery' by New Mexico. Some days "the capital has to have parenthesis around them, Mommy". Sometimes the maps on the driveway have to have this:


11. Every month he receives two different state maps and a booklet to go with each in the mail. The maps used to adorn the walls of my living room, but have since been moved to his room. We hear him at night talking about rivers, etc. from the maps. Many-a-tear has been shed by he and mommy when maps don't line up right or don't fit correctly, or have to bend around a wall.

12. We went to visit a Montessori school to see if it would be a good fit for T-Man. I left the room for 5 minutes to see the other classrooms and when I came back he was on the floor working a world map puzzle with the teacher!

13. A recent trip to Walmart cost me $5.00 when he spotted a blue shirt of the U.S. Did I mention he already owns a similar one in grey? Oh, and one that says "Illinois Rocks"

14. He LOVES to watch Fox News weather -- state maps galore!!

15. Let's not even talk about the debate over Puerto Rico. He insists the capital is pronounced 'San June' in English and 'San Juan' in Spanish and he doesn't speak Spanish. 'San June' it is little man!

We have been through this obsession before: Presidents of the Church, The 13 Articles of Faith, The 12 Apostles, Puzzles in general, Little Einsteins, musical instruments, and the list goes on. Most have not lasted this long. I guess when there are 50 states, 7 continents, and countries aplenty it's not surprising it has lasted so long.

"Juneau" the capital of Alaska??

We made a feeble attempt to get him to talk about planets last night. Here's how it went down (warning: rated PG-13)
Mom & Dad: "Do you know the names of the planets?"
T-Man: "Jupiter, Neptune, Uranus"
M & D: "That's right"
T-Man: "Mommy, do you know why Uranus is so big?"
Mommy: (Through sobbing tears and laughter): "Krispie Kremes and chocolate, T-Man; Krispie Kremes and chocolate".

It's a "state" of confusion at our house I tell you, a "state" of confusion!

Five Pounds Heavier and the Finished Project

1. We mixed:

2. We ate (no photos of this gruesome scene)

3. We cut:

4. We ate some more (again, no photos - it wasn't pretty)

5. We baked:


6. We decorated:


7. We plated:


8. We ate some more and did manage to leave a few untouched for Daddy.

Project complete.

Celebration Cookies

Forever Family Day
April 22, 2007

Today is our official "Forever Family Day".
It was a beautiful spring day, much like today's weather. It took three women in the temple to actually get T-Man dressed in his suit. He was so sweet, so smiley, and quite the center of attention; as it should be! It was so wonderful to have my entire family together and to be celebrating such a long-awaited event.

We invited T-Man's birth family to be a part of his baby blessing the following day. We are so grateful that they are a part of his life -- so much love to go around for this one little amazing boy!

T-Man and I are going to be making temple shaped cookies and then if there is any dough left over after we consume our weight in dough, we might bake and decorate some and have a few left over to share when Daddy gets home :)
We'll hopefully have photos to post.T-Man with my dad
(Grandpa, former Chicago Temple President, and our sealer)

So grateful and feeling so blessed for the this day three years ago!
(miss those cheeks!!)

Matching

T-Man got his left flip-flop wet and had to go change shoes per his request. Being the mean mom I am, I kindly asked him to put on matching shoes before he came back outside. This was his idea of matching:


We were just hanging out in the backyard so I didn't really care that they didn't match.

OH, but alas, they did!
Just ask T-Man -- they matched on the inside -- both shoes said "OLD NAVY".

Touche` little man, Touche` :)