ONE YEAR!

I have so many thoughts spinning in my head that I can't even find the right words to get it all out. One year ago today we arrived home with our beautiful baby girl. We were thrilled to finally have her home with us and begin our life as a family of four.

The past year has been an experience in patience, love, learning, bonding, and simply enjoying our family. God has blessed us tremendously. Sometimes I forget that I didn't give birth to our little ball of fire--she fits in our family perfectly!

Miss Priss Pants, I'm so blessed to be your mommy. You keep me on my toes and have helped me learn patience that I didn't know I possessed. You bring joy to my heart. I often look at you and wonder how on earth I could be worthy of being your mom. I love you so much, and can't wait to watch you grow into a beautiful young lady. Happy one year home, baby girl . . . I hope you're as happy to be my daughter as I am to be your mama. Abrazos y besos mi amor!

Then: 5/29/08

Now: taken on our family day, 5/25/09

Happy 4th Birthday Critterboy!

Four years. Yep, he's really four years old. It was four years ago that our little miracle man arrived, 10 weeks before he was due, at a whopping 2 lbs. 11 oz. What a perfect little person! You can read the whole story HERE in last year's birthday post.

Matthew, you are truly an amazing boy. This year you've grown up so much! You were such a trooper through everything the past year has brought--becoming a big brother, travelling to Guatemala to bring your "sissy" home, having surgery to remove your tonsils and adenoids, getting glasses, etc. You are so smart and wise beyond your years. Sometimes I think we have an adult trapped in a little critterboy body! We love to watch you dance and listen to you sing. You love to drive your Jeep around in the back yard and are a better driver than mommy! You care so much about others' feelings and especially about your baby sister. We have enjoyed watching you grow and change this year. Mommy and Daddy love you so much buddy! Happy Birthday to you, and many more!

Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day! Today is my 4th Mother's Day, and my first as a mom of two. When I think back over all the years that I wanted to be a mom, but wasn't or couldn't be for all of the various reasons, I'm amazed at these little blessings that God has given me.

Being a mom is harder than I ever expected it to be. Honestly, sometimes I'm not very good at it, or at least I don't think so. My kids, however, don't seem to notice my motherly shortcomings, so I just press on, loving them with all my heart and working hard to be the best mom I can be while juggling what seems like 1,000 responsibilities. I'm so proud to be their mom, and I hope when they grow up and look back at their respective childhoods, they'll be proud to be my kids.

Today just happens to be Mother's Day in Guatemala as well. I think alot about Ryenn's birth mom and foster mom every day, but especially on these significant days. Without these women, we wouldn't have this fiesty little princesa in our family. Their love and sacrifice, along with their hardships, is imprinted on my heart forever. We're so blessed to have email contact with her foster mom--she even emailed to tell me Happy Mother's Day! Feliz dia de la madre!

I think about my mom, who even though she lives very close, we really aren't together all that much. I used to think (okay, sometimes still think) that my mom didn't really know what to do with a challenging child and young (or not so young!) adult like me. Or that I got away with wayyyyy too much. Or that she expected too much of me. You know, all those things a therapist would tell you. :) But when I look back, my mom gave me everything--she sacrificed so much to give me the opportunities and "stuff" I need and wanted. For that I'm so very grateful, and I need to tell her that more often. I love you mom!

My hopes for the today are simple: spend time with my family, and be thankful for being a mom. Oh yeah, no stinky diaper duty or housework either! :) I can't imagine my life any other way.

I wish all my awesome mama friends a very happy day. Let's all enjoy this wonderful gift of motherhood!

Just flyin' a kite . . .

Clear blue sky, light winds, kite actually flying, chicken on the grill, happy family times--what could possibly be better than this?

Mischief and deceit

Almost 4 year olds are imaginative little boogers. With imaginination, I suppose, comes lies. Bold faced lies. I know, I know, you can't believe that an angel as precious as my critterboy could ever tell a lie. You're wrong!

A few weeks ago he reached up and touched a hot pan on the stove (after warning him about 6 million times in his life not to do that) while I had my back turned (lesson learned, for both of us!). When I turned around I heard him gasp and pull his hand back. I said "Buddy, did you touch the pan?" He said, "No." I saw evidence of 3 nasty burns across his fingers and he was starting to cry. Every day it's something new. A few days ago I found him in our shed. Daddy-o was "watching" him, but he had snuck out of sight. He was standing by gas cans *gasp* and when I called out to him, he spun around and said "I didn't do anything to the gas." Wow, really, because that sounded really guilty. (Don't worry, I explained to him that he could look at things in the shed, but he could never ever touch, or smell, or taste anything in there. I also explained to Daddy-0 that the shed needs to be closed so curious critterboys don't kill themselves with all of the dangerous things stored in there, even if we're "watching" him.)

Yesterday he said the floor was coming apart, "Do you wanna come see?" Ummm, no, not really, because no matter what it is, I'm sure I'm not going to like it. I followed him anyway, and sure enough, he had been pulling the carpet up in the far corner of the living room. I asked him how that happened and he blamed it on two classmates from daycare. Two classmates who have never been to our home. He has told me numerous times that "Sissy hit me!" or "Sissy took my _______" when she is in a different room or not even with us. He makes up wild stories, too. I should be writing them down--some are really great! I love his imagination, but I'm not too fond of the lying. I'm working on an effective discipline for it, but everyone says he'll grow out of it soon enough. I guess I'll just enjoy the innocence of it all, and enjoy watching my little man's brain become more and more creative.

Miss Priss Pants isn't talking much, but if she were, I'm sure she'd be telling tall tales too. Instead, she has begun climbing anything and everything she can get her little monkey paws onto. We've found that we can't leave a chair back from the table more than about a millimeter without her climbing up. I've found her sitting and standing on the chairs, and most recently, on top of the table. Those darn salt and pepper shakers are mysterious, aren't they? Little monkey girls LOVE to pour them out, or hold them over the side of the table, threatening to drop them to glassy death.

Disclaimer: We really do watch our kids. We do the "divide and conquer" technique most of the time, but it really only takes about 1.46 seconds of someone not watching before all *&^L breaks loose. If you can't relate, well, then, you're obviously still in the running for mommy of the year. I gave up on that dream years ago! :)

They love to wrestle with each other--and with us, the bean bag, any large pillow or blanket, etc. I get so much joy from watching them together. This is what it's all about!