TANGLE TEEZER

If you have a child of some sort of African decent, BUY THIS!! I read about it on Treasures for Tots. But kept putting off the purchase. Well, a friend bought it for us and it cut braiding day by at least 20 minutes. It was AMAZING! I still had to use a comb after but I can't believe the ease of this brush. Please do yourself a favor and buy one. Click here

February

I was reading my first blog entry the other day and it's so weird what has happened in that short amount of time. I was expecting to start the paperwork for an Ethiopian adoption this past February, well a year later we ended up with our daughter and she will be officially ours this coming February. I didn't have to travel half way around the world to find her. My heart is still in Ethiopia and I would still love to adopt from there. I would also like to hire a surrogate (using my eggs) and I would also like to adopt from our county again. So who knows what our family will look like in the future. There is no sense in planning it now. If you would have told me a year ago that our next child would not come from Ethiopia I would not have believed you. Who knows, maybe the only chance I will get to go to Ethiopia is to visit our sponsored child. I hope that's not the case, but it's crazy how you really have no say how your future will turn out. It's so exciting and such a surprise. All I know is that I am so grateful to have my amazingly sweet baby girls.

Halloween

Last week I called about a sibling set needing an adoptive home. I have yet to hear back from the county, but I am anxiously awaiting some news.
In other news, E and L had a BLAST trick-or-treating. It was so much fun and I am so grateful my in laws could pass out candy while we did our street.

Creepy I know



She needed to sit not even half way through to look at all of her candy :)


Best dad ever


Her side eye is saying, you better not take this sucker away from me (and she is wearing my head band as a necklace. I have no idea where she learned that, but it's adorable)



It was time for bed

Pumpkin Patch

I wish I had video of her laughing and bouncing in here

Love my girls

She fell on the vines about every other step

Gram, Gramp, E, and E's pumpkin


Rocks, enjoyment for a few minutes

Needing Help

I have two areas of concern and would love your advice.

First, I have been avoiding church because I didn't want to leave L in the daycare. I finally felt like we were at the point in our attachment where I could. I dropped E and L off in the same room and neither one noticed or cared I was leaving. But when I came back to pick them up E ran over to me to be held, but L didn't. In fact, she refused to come back to me. She fell on the floor and started crying. I know she had fun (she got chocolate donuts thanks to my Aunt T, which she has never had in my presence). But is that a normal reaction for her age? Or is that a sign of something else? I hate that this is something I have to worry about, but it is a real concern for me. I am going to go again this week and see what she does. If she has the same reaction we may have to forgo church for a while. :/

Second, she HATES getting her teeth brushed. When I say HATES, I mean it. She is in hysteria. Mainly when I get to the front top teeth. I have tried waiting until she calms down and continuing. That just draws out the process. I always give her the toothbrush after I'm done so she can "brush" her teeth. I have tried letting her brush my teeth. I always show her how I brush my teeth. E goes first and does great. L watches her the whole time. I just don't know what to do.

Help!!

Officially matched

Even though L has been with us for a couple of months and I really didn't even know this was a step in the process, it's still exciting news. This week we had a meeting with the county and they "officially matched us". I am thinking our adoption hearing is in the beginning of February, but I should know for sure when our new adoption worker comes to our house. EXCITING!!!

Loving my girls

I never thought I'd be this mom.


But man, I love dressing my girls alike.

Today we went to our first pumpkin patch of the year. It's crazy that a week ago they were in coats and hats. This week they are in summer dresses. We went with my wonderful MIL and my friend that fosters met us with her two foster kids. It was an awesome day. Until E was bit by a rooster.

I really can't get a good picture of them together

Hay-rides