My China Babies: 9 Month Anniversary

A moment in time...my kids, tonight, freshly bathed...5/2/10, 8:00 pm.

Hi Friends!

Monday May 3rd marks our 9 month anniversary with Brody! Looking back, his transition into our family has been remarkably smooth. He and Makenna adore each other, and of course we think he's been just what our little family needed! He has such a good heart-he loves everybody, and is always ready with hugs, kisses, and smiles whenever needed. Brody is very loving and compassionate, and is the first to comfort anyone who has a boo-boo or a tear! We feel so lucky to have such beautiful and wonderful children!

The last two months have been fast, fun, and essentially uneventful. Bernie had a birthday in the beginning of March, and he got a new bike with a "kid carrier" to tow behind it. He and the kids have been having a lot of fun with it. There is a nice paved walking/biking trail near our house, so they have been going there. Bernie is glad to get the exercise, and of course Brody and Makenna love it! I pretty much just hold my breath until they get home!

They love it! Go, Daddy, GO!!!

Look both ways!

Someone once wrote (I am paraphrasing!) that the definition of motherhood is the willingness to wear your heart outside your body for 18 years....how true! Bernie, bring my babies home safely!!!

It's never too cold to play on the swingset!

Brody enjoyed his first Easter! At first he didn't understand what was going on, but he watched Makenna and was soon hunting for eggs right with her! Makenna and Brody helped Grandma color eggs, and they all had fun (or at least Makenna and Brody did!!!). Makenna really enjoys ANY gift-receiving holiday! The egg hunts were the best part...I never imagined when I was young that the most fun thing EVER is watching your kids have fun!!!

Decorating Easter Eggs- he's very neat and fastidious (like his dad!).

In my last post, I told you that we were trying to decide whether to send Makenna to public or parochial school for kindergarten. Well, we have actually decided to hold her back a year. This represents quite a turn-around for us and our way of thinking! We think she needs an extra year of preschool, growth, and maturity to take to kindergarten with her. She's very bright, but we want her to be a leader, not a follower, and so we want her to be very grounded in the skills she'll need for success in school. She only makes the "cut-off" for kindergarten by 9 days anyway, so the experts we've talked to said it would most likely be better for her to keep her out for an extra year. Makenna doesn't seem to mind, and at her preschool she'll be in the "yellow room" which is where all the big kids are, so to her that means more than going to kindergarten! Also, for selfish reasons, we get to have her at home for an extra year!!

Speaking of preschool, Brody turned 2 1/2 last week and so was able to start preschool at the same place Makenna goes. He loves it! He has been with Bernie and me many, many times to drop off and pick up Makenna, and so he is accustomed to the place, and knows that Mom or Dad will eventually come get you. He doesn't seem to mind being dropped off and left there, probably since Makenna is there with him. The teachers say Brody is doing great and playing well with the other kids, and that everyone loves him! It is so nice to have excellent day care available for my kids! Their preschool is the best around, and I wouldn't change it for anything.

My baby is going to preschool!!! Boo hoo!

At preschool- really, he's happy to be here!

We are all enjoying the nice weather we've been having. I'm so happy all of our trees have leaves on them and the grass is green and everything is blooming, even if my sinuses are going crazy! The kiddos have been outside in the back yard as much as possible, playing and getting filthy like kids are supposed to! Bernie and I have spent the last few weeks finishing some painting and redecorating inside, and I think we'll have a garage sale in the next few weeks. Thanks to my friend Sandy for encouraging me to get back on this blog- I need to do better, I know!!!