This Saturday's Excitement

So I know I haven't written anything in the last month about the actual trip to Ethiopia to bring home Gizatu.  And I have plans to do that in the near future, but just have been trying to process it all and haven't had the time with a 2.5 year old, if I'm honest. 

But I will give you a glimpse of the trip in a small way.  When we traveled to bring home Gizatu, we met 8 other amazing families who were also bringing home their children.  One of the many amazing things about that trip was that one of the families bringing home their 2 sons  lives about an hour away from us.  The boys and G lived in the care center together for 5 months.  They also lived in the same village. 

So this Saturday we are going to get the boys all together.  I am so excited about this.  I can't wait for the boys to grow up together and know who each other are.  I'm also so excited about seeing their family and getting to spend some time with the family that went through the most amazing trip of my life with me.  I'll let you know how it goes!

Oh what a day!

So for a side note on the blog.

Today I dropped my phone in the toilet.

YES I dropped my phone in the toilet, not Gizatu.

But I dropped it not into a toilet filled with only water, but one that was full with pee, because it hadn't been flushed!

I will admit it, a not nice word came out of my mouth.

Thankfully, G was in the living room watching TV, so I won't be hearing that word out of his mouth (at least not today).

So then I had to stick my hand into the toilet to pull out the phone.

This time I was saying not nice words in my head.

Still waiting to see if the phone will work after drying out ( I did stick it under the faucet and rinse off the pee water).

Thankfully I have a cheap spare phone to use until my phone dries out (hopefully that's not wishful thinking).

So there is my fun being a mommy moment.

One Month Home!

We've been home for one month this past Friday.  Its amazing.  Sometimes it feels like a day, other times it feels like forever.  I thought I'd give a listing today... So here we go...

Things Gizatu loves:
Uncle Daniel
Grammie
Peepaw
Dabo (bread)
Owa (water)

Things Gizatu likes:
Popsicles
Nutella
Mommy's drink
Cars
Sunglasses
Dog park
Giving kisses

Books we read:

Brown Bear, Brown Bear

     He will say Brown Bear, brown bear what do you see? I say I see a red bird looking at me.  He says
     Red bird, red bird what do you see, I say I see a yellow duck looking at me.  And so goes the rest of
     the book.
A Mommy for Choco
     Apple pie and piggy are his favorite. And we always give a big kiss and tight hug!
Goodnight Moon
     He always has to say Goodnight socks!

English words:
Obviously all the animals from Brown Bear
Nose
Ears
Eyes
Please
Thank you
One
Two
Three
Doggie

He is doing really well.  He usually sleeps 9 to 10 hours at night.  Now the going to sleep part can sometimes take hours and then he surprises me and goes to sleep in 20 minutes.  You just never know.

And here are a few random pictures for your viewing pleasure!

Making faces in the back door!

Sleeping with peepaw!

More faces!

It's been a full week!

This week has been a full week.  We started with the International Adoption Clinic as previously posted.  Then we went to the lawyers to start the re-adopt preceedings.  When you don't meet your child prior to foreign country adoption, you have to re-adopt them in order to apply for citizenship in the USA.  Then we went to the zoo, for our first zoo experience.

He had a blast, ran around, and wore himself out.  Twice we took Maddie (our dog) to the dog park to run around and burn off some her energy. (Poor dog hasn't gotten her normal walks, must do better on that one!) 

Tonight we ate mexican and then ran around T@rget with my brother, Uncle Daniel to Gizatu,  Aunt Kristen, Aunt Niki and cousin Andrew.  Gizatu kept giving Andrew hugs.  It was very sweet.  Tomorrow Peepaw and Grammie come ( oh if you could hear him say Grammie, it so cute!)  So there we are for now. 

International Adoption Clinic

Today was a good day.  I had been dreading the 3 hour appointment.  But Gizatu was a champ.  He sat through the talking and prodding with no problem.  He had 4 vials of blood drawn and at one point smiled while he watched.  He had at least 15 malaria smears and watched as the blood dripped onto the glass plates.  No crying, no screaming.  I was amazed.  And according to the therapist, attachment is looking good.  He looks at my eyes and touches me.  He wants to be with me and doesn't run to the first stranger he sees.  She says his birth mother gave me a great gift.  She truly loved and nurtured him. And I am thankful beyond words for that. 

So I know that you guys are wanting more pictures, and I promise I'm working on this.  I can't find the cord that connects the camera to the computer.  I will probably just go buy a new one, lets be honest it'll be easier and much faster.  But as soon as I do, there will be more pictures to come.  But hopefully this one from my friend, Daphne will tide you over for a minute or two.  The boy thinks his mommy is a jungle gym!

We're Home!

So Gizatu and I have been home for over a week.  We got home on last Friday afternoon and have been hanging out at home and at my brother's since then.  My mom ( whom I will be forever grateful for) has been with us and helping out as well.  My mother and father went with me to Ethiopia and I can't imagine not having had them with me.  We spent the Labor day weekend with my parents at their home and he has done remarkably well.

Let me say he's an amazing little boy.  Beautiful with the best smile ever.  He laughs and sings, dances and enjoys life.  He's learned the word sunglasses ( I believe his first real English word) and he loves them.  His peepaw bought him a pair, and if we put on our sunglasses he wants his.

But to be honest, this has been the hardest thing I have ever done in my life.  It's adjusting.  He throws tantrums and he's always there.  I knew that these things would be true, but after living the first 32 years of my life with solely myself (and dog and 2 cats) to be responsible for its been a big change.  I also thought that for that first month or so,  it would be me and him with no friends visiting to help us bond and attach.  Well lets just say that was silly.  I would be going stir crazy without my friends visiting.  Momma needs to be happy and in order for that to happy I need my friends.