Life down south

We have had some wonderful days lately. I can't tell you just how much Eli and Ru have exploded in their language skills. I gave Eli a cookie for dessert (had to support our local breast cancer fundraiser!) to which he replied "Dank you mommy!" Three words in a row! He melts my heart. Ru is really quite something. She is still my cuddle bug. If the lap is available, she wouldn't mind sitting for a spell and listening to my heart beating - unless Eli and/or Anna are trying to grab the toy she left on the ground to come and sit with me. She is very possessive. So possessive and repetitive of some things that we are seeing signs of OCD in a fairly mild form (therapists have noted it as well). Somebody tell me, is that nature or nurture? Is it because of how her life has gone in the past 2 1/2 years that she wants to make sure everything is ok in the world and that Mommy knows if something is not quite right so that I can fix it and make it all ok? Does she keep showing me her ouchy that healed over 4 months ago so that I can reassure her it will not come back and even if it did, I would kiss it and put a bandaid on it again for her? She was such a good girl last night in the marathon detangling session - I hate shed hair at the changing of seasons! We left her hair au natural last night since it was too late to braid it. She looks adorable.

Noelle desperately wants a twin. We tried to explain that it isn't possible, but that doesn't matter to a 7 year old who has felt lost in the shuffle. We had a good cry session the other week, but it isn't fully worked through yet. We told her about the other babies that we tried to have and that she could have been triplets (yes, the Lord knew what he was doing when she came out a single!) and that helped a little. She wants us to adopt again - someone closer to her age. Sorry sweetie - that is not in the cards right now.

Anna is thinking about walking. She can't decide if she should do it. She has decided she doesn't want to be a baby anymore. She will not eat baby food, do not even try to mask it as real food. Ain't gonna work people. I want food and it better be what everybody else is eating. She growls nicely the therapists swear she said "thank you" this past Monday. Well, she is a year old now :)

People say ya'll here. I find myself slipping back into the Texas accent that I developed way back in 1988 thanks to my friend Severine - Teen Missions Forever!!

Welcome to Charleston!

We have arrived in Charleston and are settling into our new home and new routines. I have been at work since the 16th, Noelle has started public school since the 18th and the twins have awesome DT and Speech therapy here at the house on Mondays! They have set up a mock preschool to work with the kids since they will transition to the school system when they hit 3 yrs old. I can't believe we are already talking about "transition" time. It seems like just yesterday we were in Ethiopia to get them! Wow! Jeff is discovering the joys of being a stay at home daddy. They wander to the park, play at the house, don't get to play outside in the fenced in yard yet since there is still poison ivy or poison oak out there.

I am completely overwhelmed with work, but I know it will get better. Kids have been eating a lot of pbj and pasta for lunch :) Jeff tried to make homemade mac and cheese today since I ran out of boxed stuff. Way to go honey!

Noelle is having a good start to 2nd grade. She has a teacher who understands and appreciates the nuances of her personality. I think it will be a good year for her.

Eli is in a stage where he doesn't want to obey which is definitely a challenge at this point. He thinks he can get away with it by smiling or sing-song responding to you when he doesn't like what you've said. I've got news for you buddy boy. Momma doesn't fall for that!

Ruthie is doing well with the move - much better than I thought she would given her transition issues. Our friends came over to go out to DQ with us and took Eli in their car with them. They left a few minutes before we did and she didn't really cry - looked nervous for a few minutes but never went into full on wail and gnashing of teeth! IS she growing out of it? I don't know. We will keep you posted.

Anna has completely given up on baby food. You cant fool this princess. Jeff tried putting baby food in a real bowl like we do at dinner when I grind up whatever we are having. She took 2 bites, looked at him and shook her head no. She wouldn't open her mouth again. too funny. She is growing and makes us laugh all the time. in a week she will be 11 months old. how time flies!

I will try to get some pics up in the near future of the new place and town and the kiddos too of course.

Thanks for hanging with us!

Moderation

Really tired of having to delete comments from folks so I am engaging my comment moderation rights! Please still leave comments, but I will need to press ok before they show up. Sorry to my happy and true blog followers. I don't know any other way to stop the spamming.

I Need Africa More Than Africa Needs Me

If you are unfamiliar with the Mocha Club, I invite you to check out their website and see the great work they are doing in Africa, not just Ethiopia but all over the continent. I have added a link to them by the blog roll so it would be easy to find. Very compelling non profit org. Can you give up 2 mochachino frappalicious goodness to help out 2 of my kiddos homecountry? We are going to and I invite you to join my team! I will post when it is official and we will be supporting the Education work that they do (what a surprise huh?) If you don't want to join education, there are many other opportunities out there.

I will post family stuff soon, we are just going kind of crazy trying to pack up everything, sell our house, find a place to live and prepare for a new semester. Ugh.

Garage Sales!

Oh the joy that summer brings when we can once again hit garage sale season! Noelle and I found this fabulous Santa for 50 cents at a garage sale in Charleston, the town that we ar moving to, brought it back to DeKalb and will be moving it back to Charleston once we move. Crazy I know, but the kids just love it :)

Hair night!

This was my third attempt at cornrowing. Ru doesn't really mind sitting for me now because she really likes to have her hair all pretty. This one wasn't exactly what i had planned, but it's up and she is happy. Happy cuz mommy put in all the barrettes she wanted. kind of overkill, but Ru likes it!

New pics of all kids!

Mostly shots from May

Puttin on the Full Armor of God - Last chapel of 1st grade

Love my froggy pool!

Plans of twins. only they know.

SPlish SPlash! Slip and Slide never goes out of style.

Chillin with Dad after much water play

Yes, he is pulling on his sister's braids

This is what happens after a day of water and no nap.

He couldn't finish his cheetos, but wouldn't let them go either!

Did someone say CUPCAKE?!!!!!

Boy meets cupcake. Doomed from the start

You want me to do what???

I love it when Noelle shares her food! Frozen yogurt anyone?

Anna is all about Joy!

Time Flies!

Wow. I am a bad blogger. Then again, life is busy and I love it! Some news:

Noelle finished 1st grade with all As so we celebrated at "A"pplebees of course! which of course only happened because God gave her a great brain so we had to go to "O"llies for frozen custard dessert. get it? A to O? Alpha to Omega? She is sad to be leaving her friends and her school but is already excited about her new school and new house. She is an avid reader and hopes to become an Author (Book Writer in Noelle speak) so we are working on putting together some stories this summer with me teaching her about plot, characters, settings and such.

Eli is a horse. There is just no other way to describe this child. He is as solid as a boulder but falls over as easy as a danelion in full bloom. He loves speech therapy and is catching on to signing pretty quickly, but really would rather speak and so is working really really hard on making his mouth do what his brain would like it to do. He has gotten brave enough not to hold onto the railing all the time while walking downstairs now. He is a nature lover and water maniac. I can just hear some damsel crying out for "Pool Boy" in his future - my already buff (Yes he has defined muscles) and beautiful baby boy! Dogs are his joy and terror rolled into one. They just have really big teeth. We have our appt on June 16th to get some clarification possibly on why his body isn't moving like it should or how he thinks it should. Here's hoping the experts will comeup with a diagnosis and plan for his next year.

Ruthie is my passive aggressive queen of clean. Maybe a bit OCD?????? She has a true servants heart at only age 2. She loves to help, but not to share (Just ask Eli about the teeth marks on his arm!) She is in love with her baby sister and tries to help with feeding, nuking and burping the baby. She loves puppies and babies, but like Eli can skip the whole big teeth thing. She is finally letting me do her hair! She is all girl. Loves dresses and pretties in her hair. FLowers and sparkles and beads oh my! Still me nervous Nelly when it comes to physical adventures like stairs and jumping and such, but we have time for all those things to develop. It's okay Ru-ster.

Anna. Where to begin. Well, thanks to Brad our babysitter, Anna is crawling and trying to pull herself up on the bookcase to reach books on the top shelf. Her first word was Mama :) Atta girl! She hates babyfood breakfasts (including all those cereals we are supposed to feed her) but loves her veggies and fruits. She has major skin issues that we are trying to deal with and appears to be allergic to carpet (well, something in new carpet at least). It looks like we may finally have a red head for Gramma - jury is still out since my babies never have hair. She is large. She is in the 75th percentile for height and weight without adjusting for being a month premature. She is wearing 12 month clothing with a few smaller 18 monthers thrown in. She loves her brother and sisters and thinks they are a riot! No one makes her laugh harder than Noelle. Instant belly laugh when she sees her. They are also now sharing a room.

Jeff and I are doing fine with the usual amount of stress in trying to sell ahouse, buy a house and raise 4 precious gifts from God. Not going anywhere on vacation this year but we would love to have company once we move! I will try to update more frequently. Sorry anybody who still reads this.

Really? an update?!

So, its been awhile. Sorry friends. I got sucked into the world of Facebook and ignored blogger. Can you forgive me?

We are all doing really well. Big news again from our household but does not include the word pregnant this time. I got a new job that starts this coming August so we are putting our house on the market in the next few weeks and prepping the house for a big move to Charleston, IL.

Updates by person:

Jeff is really looking forward to being a stay at home dad in our new home. work is still work for him and he is trying to find time to do the repairs needed to our current home before we put it on the market.

I am finally about healthy! Woo Hoo. Semester is going well and I have agreed to teach an intersession course for NIU so I will be done working by mid June.


Noelle is having a pretty good first grade year. Her academics continue to be top notch and she is really enjoying having siblings. She likes to hold Anna and play with the twins. They have built tents and made a very cushy spot to relax under Anna's crib!

Eli is still the big boy cruising around the house dancing and singing or shrieking all the time. Therapy is going well and we may have a diagnosis for some of his issues in the near future. He is a cuddle bug lately and I love it!


Ru is still the shy one but has gotten very gutsy with her brother and is aggressive right back with him if he tries to take her toy! She really enjoys Anna and tries to mother her. Then she goes and gets her own baby doll and mimics what I do. She is such a lover.


Anna is still the best baby ever. She is smiling, giggling and guffawing. Almost rolled over the other night! Absolutely a blessing and brings joy to everyone.


It's too late for pics but I promise I will post some good ones really soon. For now, these are all that I have.