One Year Ago

One year ago today, I remember sitting in Ethiopia, getting ready to return home with my son Nur.  A year ago, October 17th was a Saturday, and unfortunately our plane didn't leave until approximately 10pm local time.  We had to check out of our guesthouse around noon, so all the families there together chipped in to keep one room so we could all hang out in that one room for the day and wait until it was time to leave for the airport.

I sat Nur in his crib, directly in front of the TV that got one channel, so I could pack a bit.  Everytime he would see me, he would smile.  He still didn't know who I was, but I think even at this point, he realized I was going to be someone special in his life.

I don't know if I've ever experienced a longer day.  The day you leave a trip is filled with so much anticipation. I knew the long traveling we all had in front of us.  I missed my 3 month old TT so much, that I could almost feel my heart breaking right through my chest.  Without a doubt, I have never felt so much hurt and so much love, all at the same time.  I pray continents NEVER divide me from my kids again. It was too much to bear.

All the families hung out.  We all spent time going through our suitcases, making sure we had everything we needed.  Making sure we had all of the important paperwork, and making sure we had plenty of diapers and food for our children.  One man I met on the trip who traveled alone while his wife stayed with their daughter back home, had to run to the local store to get diapers, so we were entrusted with watching his beautiful daughter for about 15 minutes.

Nur really liked this girl, and we've been lucky enough to get to see her since our return home.  While in Ethiopia, we had to be leniant on the bonding process.  We were in a foreign country, and we all needed help. I knew I would become stricter once I arrived home with Nur.

It was finally time to go to the airport, and we all got in the van with the kids on our laps.  I always thought traveling with a child on my lap, in a moving vehicle would feel really unsafe.  But ironically, it didn't.  We got to the airport, much too early and we sat.  It felt strange being in Ethiopia, holding my Ethiopian son, and being so aware that I was about to remove him from his country. I experienced such a wide array of emotions.

It was finally time to board the plane.  Being that it was so late, Nur slept almost the entire way to Amsterdam in the bassinet that the airline provided.  My mom and I slept almost the entire way as well.  Approximately 6 hours later, we landed in Amsterdam, and it was very early in the morning there.  This was the point of the trip where all of the wonderful American families I had met were going to head off in different directions.  I was lucky that I only had one more flight ahead of me. . . a flight that would take me directly to Minneapolis, and my waiting family.  Most families had 2 more flights ahead of them.

Our 4 hour layover seemed like it took forever.  My Mom was starting to feel very poorly. Her ears were killing her, and she was completely losing her voice.  I was exhausted, and Nur was confused.  It was FINALLY time to board our final plane.  I've taken the trip from Amsterdam to Minneapolis several times, yet the flight never seemed so long.  Nur was awake for almost the entire thing, my Mom was in so much pain she was clutching both ears, and was rendered useless to me.  I longed to be reunited with TT, to assure her that even though I left her for 8 days, that I was still her mama and loved her so very very much.  I JUST WANTED TO BE HOME. And that 9 hour flight could not have seemed any longer.

We landed in Minneapolis, and got off that plane as soon as we could, only to get in a very long line of people going through immigration.  Someone motioned us forward, and told us we could skip the line because we had a young child.  We gave the immigration officer Nur's sealed package, and he went through each document.  He then congratulated us on the adoption of our son, and we were through.  We got our bags, went down an elevator, and as soon as we got out of the elevator, I saw our family waiting for us.  T was there, holding TT.  Little 3 month old TT had a purple headband on, and a brand new purple outfit T had gotten during our week away.  I saw my Dad, and my sister S, her husband R, and daughter C.  I saw T's brother and his brother's wife, and two children, holding balloons.  I was holding Nur and literally ran through the doors.  T took Nur and I grabbed TT from him and head her tight.  She felt so light. . . so little, next to that 15 pound Nur I had been holding for days.  I nuzzled my head in hers and sobbed.  Just sobbed.  My sobs were for so many different reasons.  Perhaps I was overly tired, or perhaps my favorite and safest place in the world is with my family, and after years of waiting, the four of us were together. 

We have coined today "Nur Day" in our family.  Today after work, we'll be taking the kids to Chucky E Cheese to celebrate.  I can't wait to share pictures later this week.

Feeling very blessed today to be where I am.

Ode to the Pumpkin Patch

Sunday October 9th we loaded the kids in the car and headed to the "country" to go to our very first pumpkin patch.  (T and I are pretty sure we had never been to one either)

It was a beautiful location.  There was a live band which the kids loved and as soon as they heard the music they both started dancing.  There were helicopter rides, hayrides, a huge corn maze, petting farm, bouncy houses, food, and of course pumpkins!

The kiddos favorite part was definitely the petting zoo.  Both Nur and TT are way into animals right now, so this was a really big deal to them!

TT liked to hug all the animals.  She then hugged a little girl who was petting the animals.  I thought it was precious. . . the little girl on the receiving end of the hug did not.  Oh, and notice TT's black eye? That's a story for another day! Nur was fearless and even pet a big cow as he moo'ed at it.  Precious!

After the petting zoo we went to pick out our pumpkins.  The kids thought this was pretty cool!  And my dear TT of course had to hug the pumpkins.  My kids really make me smile.

I love this time of year, and I love creating these memories with my family.  It was an oddly warm 85 degrees on Sunday as well, and after an hour at the pumpkin patch, Nur and TT had had enough and we headed home.

Cooking Attempt. . . #1

Yesterday when the kiddos went down for a nap I decided I would attempt to cook.  My hometown friend, Elissa, had posted an enchilada recipe on her blog, and I thought that was something I could handle, and perhaps even something the kids would enjoy.

So, I started with all the ingredients. 

When people write recipes, I don't think they always keep in mind just how stupid uneducated some people trying to cook really are.  You see, the recipe said to cook the chicken.  I didn't know how to cook chicken. The only way I had ever prepared chicken was on the frying pan, but I thought that would dry it out too much.  So, I called my mom and she told me to just boil the chicken in water.  Good to know!  I did that for about 15 minutes and it worked perfectly!

This recipe calls for green enchilada sauce.  T does the majority of the grocery shopping in our home, and he brought me this.

Deep down, I knew this was not the right ingredient, but I'm not going to lie, I did think about using it anyway.  But then I decided to quit being lazy and run to the store while my chicken was cooling off.  So me, in my state of being a complete hot mess, ran to the store.

The most labor intensive part of this entire recipe was cutting up the chicken, which was still pretty easy.  I cut the chicken into really small pieces with my kiddos in mind.

Then I put all the ingredients in the tortilla.  My friend told me that she fits about 13 in the pan, and I only fit 7.  I wasn't really sure how to roll the tortilla correctly, and I'm not sure if I bought the right size?  Hmm.  But here is what the dish looked like right before I put it in the oven.

And here it is right out of the oven.  Oh, and I had time to shower while this dish was cooking.

And how did it taste?

AMAZING! I seriously loved it!  So did T, although he suggested less cheese next time.  (He is lactose intolerant after all) 

Nur loved it, TT liked it okay, but she is the pickiest eater ever, so I was fine with her just liking it okay.

Some things I'm not sure if I did right:
did I roll the enchilada correctly?  Did I get the right size?

I will definitely make that recipe again.  I was very proud of myself and I can now add 1 more dish to my repertoire.

Be sure to check Elissa's blog for the recipe. :)

TT is 15 Months

TT now weighs 20.6 pounds which puts her in the whopping 14%.  Okay, I have a bit of a peanut on my hands.  Her height soared to the 68%, and her head circumference is in the 57%.  Her hair in front has been falling out which has me concerned, and today the doctor took a lot of blood to test for a variety of things, including autoimmune diseases. I'm nervous.  Any words of comfort who have seen someone TT's age lose hair?

The days and weeks are flying by in our household, and I see a baby tranforming before my very eyes.  Everyday this girl loses more baby, and is more of a little girl.  She amazes me in every single way.

Development
Have you ever heard parents say all the words their babies say?  I've had parents tell me that their children can say this, and that, and well, sometimes I wonder what is wrong with my child.  Well, TT says stuff.  ALL THE TIME.  It just takes a lot of imagination to figure out what exactly she is saying.  This girl talks constantly though, and her intonations are spot on.  But it's still most jibberish.  Things she "kind of" says:
All Done = ah do
Uh oh = Uh ooooo
Yes = ya
What's that = wha da

Okay, I could go on and on, and I'll be the first to admit, I usually have no idea what this girl is saying.  She talks constantly, and I get the feeling that these words really mean something to her.  But umm. . . yeah, T and I can't figure out what she's saying half the time. 

Excited about seeing the monkeys at the zoo.  She was "ooo ahhh'ing" at them in this photo.

TT is really interested in feeding herself.  She has been feeding herself with her hands for quite a while, but now she's interested in using the spoon.  Only, she is SO messy!!!  I know I shouldn't care as this is something she should learn, and this is probably the correct age to start trying this with her, so I think I'm just going to have to put a plastic bag down under her high chair every day. 

It's hard to believe TT has only been a walker for 3 months.  She now runs and climbs, and she is such a steady walker.

Miss Independent insists on pushing her own stroller. We get no where fast in our family!

TT's comprehension is great.  She imitates really well, so when I stomp my feet during the song "If You're Happy and you Know It" she'll stomp her feet.  If we are reading a book and she sees a picture of a dog, she'll bark at the book, etc.

TT loves animal sounds and can currently do:
Lion
Cat
Dog
Monkey
Cow
Duck

TT is really getting better at communicating in general.  On of the hardest things in being a toddler I would imagine, is the lack of ability to communicate.  She is very good at letting us know exactly what she wants.

Food
Oh, this daughter of mine is a picky picky eater!  One day, she'll LOVE something, so I excitedly make it for her the next day.  Then the next day, she is totally over it!  Some of her current favorites are:
Homemade chicken noodle soup
Chicken nuggets
Yogurt
Cheese Sticks
Strawberries
Applesauce
Cereal
Breakfast Bars

And yeah, that's about it.  She used to love peanut butter toast, nutella on toast, hummus on pita, and apparently she is over this at the moment. It's hard finding food this girl will consistently eat.  Except chicken nuggets, and yes, I realize the lack of nutritional value in that particular food, but MAN! She loves them.

Personality
TT is a total charmer.  She is for the most part a really happy girl, and will scream in delight when she likes something.  Her teachers at her "school" love her, she charms people during trips to Target or the grocery store.  She is just a magnet.  She is also very stubborn.  If she doesn't want something, she'll let you know.  She can also be a bit tempermental.   She loves to cuddle, and gives hugs and kisses.  She also gets frustrated easily and has been known to hit.  (working on this one!) She can be very sensitive and emotional, so we try to take a gentle approach with her.  She has a great sense of humor and is often giggling at one thing or another.

TT is also in this intentionally naughty stage.  And I am the worst at discipline.  I just laugh, which is not a good example!

TT purposely drew all over her face.  Thank goodness for washable markers!

Things She Enjoys
Reading
Playing with Khalil and other kids
Being held
Cuddling with her baby
Singing and listening to songs
Any push toys, her current favorite is a popcorn vacuum machine
Going for walks
Playing outside and exploring

The kiddos go to bed around 7:30 every night, so at 7, we put on kid videos on the computer, the kids have a snack (hence the yogurt on Nur's face) and we wind down.

Things We Are Working On:
Hitting! Yes, TT has become a hitter. I don't like it!
Tantrums. Her favorite thing to do is to bang her own head on things to get our attention.
Not throwing food overboard when she isn't interested in it.
Sharing.

Overwhelmed by FOOD

Everyday I get home from work, and I think, what the heck will I feed the kids tonight?  When it was just T and I, I didn't stress so much.  Afterall, we'd probably just order Indian, open a bottle of wine, or perhaps I would make ramen noodles and have a peanut butter sandwhich.

Yes, I DO NOT COOK.

Some of it's laziness.  Some of it is I'm not good at it.  And then some is when I do cook, I feel like I make too large of portions, and I'm throwing some out.  And then another aspect of me not cooking is that T and I like very different foods and it's hard to find dishes we both enjoy.  (case in point, one of the things I do know how to make is lasagna, and well T happens to be lactose intolerant.  Hmm)

So, during the week, I always make a homemade chicken noodle soup for the kids.  I realized I can by chicken broth and some veggies and noodles, throw them in the broth and I have soup.  But umm. . . yeah, that's about all I can do.  We spend A LOT of nights in our house eating soup. 

My kiddos don't have a ton of teeth, but I know I can puree whatever we eat for them, only, most nights Taher eats a bowl of cereal, and umm. . . I eat. . . a cheese stick?

Yes! Must get out of this cycle.

Do any of my readers know of easy (I'm cooking illiterate) recipes that would work for adults and kids?  Please please give me ideas.  I did steal a couple recipes off a friend's blog and will be attempting echiladas and homemade mac-n-cheese.  Wish me luck!

Baptism

I remember being pregnant with TT and also expecting Nur when baptism was brought up to me the first time by my parents.  I had a very laid back attitude about it, and it hadn't even occurred to me, and perhaps we would do it, perhaps we wouldn't.  Of course that response was met by a lot of negativity by my parents, whom I love dearly.  However, they claim that this is my life and I'm free to do as I choose. . . but they should also preface that with AS LONG AS YOU RAISE YOUR CHILDREN IN THE CHRISTIAN FAITH!!!

Baptism is just one of the MANY issues that comes up when marrying out of your religion.  I know I've mentioned this before, but my husband's family is from Egypt and they are all Muslim.  T practiced Islam for the first 20+ years of his life, and in his mid twenties, he took a more non religious approach to life. With that being said, I can always find him reading up on Buddhism and/or spirituality, which I think is how he lives his life.

I on the other hand was raised Lutheran, baptized, did first communion, and all of that stuff.  I even went to a Lutheran College (and ironically enough, so did T) so I guess you could say I've been involved in the church, but as I've grown, I've also taken a different approach to religion, and I myself have become more spiritual in my life.

But, disappointing my parents isn't something I want to do in life.  And I knew how important baptizing Nur and TT was to them.  But I wanted to do it my way.  I didn't want to do it in a church in front of a congregation.  Instead, I wanted to do it in my backyard, and I was lucky enough that one of my very best friends from childhood was in town for a weekend in August, and he happens to be an ordained Lutheran Pastor and knows T and I very well, and agreed to baptize our children. I also wanted T to be comfortable.  Now, I am of the belief that most people in this life have religion chosen for them. . . and that choice is mostly based on where we happen to be born.  I think all religions are beautiful, and I didn't want T to feel uncomfortable with baptizing our children into the Christian faith.  I wanted him to be comfortable, and I knew that would most likely happen best if this was all done at our house.

The only people that attended were immediate family.  My parents, and Nur's Godparents who are T's brother, his brother's wife, and my oldest brother, and TT's Godparents, my sister, her husband, and my youngest brother.  We didn't invite T's parents, and of course there were opinions about that.  But they are Muslim, and however much we all claim to be tolerant of other's religions, T and I made the decision that they wouldn't want to be their at the Christian baptism of our children. 

Instead of going with the traditional baptismal gowns, both Nur and TT wore traditional Ethiopian outfits.

This is my immediate family.  My oldest sister, who has since had that baby that was in her belly, and my two younger brothers, as well as my parents.

It was intimate and personal, and I am so grateful to my very good friend who performed the baptism. I'm grateful that there are people in religion who are as tolerant and understanding as this friend of mine.

So, in August, my two 1 year olds were Baptized.  It was a beautiful ceremony, and ironically enough, my kids are exactly who they were before the baptism.  But it gave my family the reassurances that they needed, and perhaps when I feel bravely enough to bring my children to church all by myself, we will become more active members of a local church.

Nur is 22 Months

Development
Nur has almost been home for 1 year, and it's so hard to believe.  He's just a different kid all together.  It's hard to believe that when he came home at 10 months, he was sitting up, but wasn't mobile at all.  He couldn't pull himself up or anything.  Now, he can be found running around the house or the yard.  He jumps and climbs things, he runs backwards, just for fun, and he is so physically strong. Someone who has become a dear friend of mine recently came to visit.  She had also met Nur when he first came home.  She couldn't get over how differently he was.  As she perfectly said, "Nur now has so much light in his eyes."  He really does. 

Nur's comprehension is also wonderful.  If we say something to him, he knows what we are talking about.  One of the things he loves to do is put TT's pacifier in her mouth when she drops it.  I'll say Nur, but Sissy's paci back in, and he gets so excited, picks it up, and plugs it in her mouth and they both laugh.

We have started working with Nur on drawing and he's pretty good at it.  We haven't figured out if he's right or left handed cause he's always switching hands, but I wouldn't mind my child to be a lefty like his mama. :)  He loves when we let him scribble on things, and often times he likes to hold a crayon in each hand and color with both hands at the same time.  Our fridge is currently covered in his artwork.

Nur still hasn't found his words.  I've been thinking a lot about this lately, and I think his inability to communicate with us directly affects his tantrums.  His tantrums are out of pure frustration.  He WANTS to tell us something.  To get his point across, but he still can't, and when we guess his need wrongly, his tantrum ensues.  I'm thinking about calling Early Intervention again to have him reevaluated.  He tested out of this in May, but I am noticing how far behind the speech aspect is. Nur will find his voice.  That I'm sure of.  For now, he babbles constantly, and often times imitates our sound very well.  Some of his favorite sounds are:
Baba
Mama
Dada
Papa

Food
Nur is the best eater ever, and has gotten so good at feeding himself, and will actually grab the spoon out of my hand so he can hold it and feed himself.  Some of his current favorite foods are:
Oatmeal
Animal Crackers
Peanut Butter Toast with Honey on top
Homemade chicken noodle soup
Spaghetti (or any pasta with red sauce)
Mac-N-Cheese
Yogurt
Applesauce

Nur is our easy child to feed.  He will eat what his mama makes him.  YAY!

Personality
Nur is very laid back and easy going.  He loves to cuddle, and be held.  Nur is no hurry for anything, and takes his time with everything.  He always gets things, but on his own schedule, and not anyone elses.  Nur is very kind to his little sister, but sometimes he lets her get her way too much, although he is starting to fight back a little and take back what is his. Nur loves to laugh, and has one of the most infectious and beautiful giggles I've ever heard.  Nur is also very sensitive, and his feelings can get hurt easily.  When something doesn't go his way, Nur tries so hard to be brave, but his bottom lip will come out and quiver, and it just breaks my heart. 

Nur has the funniest jog I've ever seen.  Taher and I have coined it the "Jovial Jog."  I tried to capture it on film, but a front view would have been better.  He almost gallops.  It's hilarious!

Things He Enjoys
Pushing trucks around all day long
sitting on T and I's lap to read books
Going for walks
Pointing out every bus, car, garbage truck that drives by our house
Pointing out airplanes in the sky
Playing outside
Snack time
Listening to music and watching You Tube videos
Running in circles around our house while giggling
Playing with markers, crayons, paints, etc
Puzzles

Things We Are Working On
Tantrums and unecessary whining.
Sharing toys
Verbalizing

Happy 22 months Nur!!!  So hard to believe that in 2 short months, you will be a 2 year old! Love you so much little man!

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