'Nother Monday

So here we are with another monday. Why is there such an abundance of Mondays... It's like they are stored somewhere and all of a sudden there it is shining at your front door. "GO AWAY" screams my "welcome" mat!

So we welcome it because what else can you really do? I just welcome it real slowly and by the end of the day when the boys are in bed i fully let it in. YES just in time for it to be over! It is just the getting into the routine of things I think. It seems that everything has to take place on Mondays. Phone calls, shopping, diapers (kidding that's everyday right??)... well at least all the phone calls...and catching up on all the weekend mishaps.

It is going to be a great monday RIGHT!!! I am going to change my attitude right now toward it. I think! Wait both boys are now sick. MOE came with a real bad cough and a bad runny nose. So now Bear has it! UGGGHHHHH! Welcome Monday!

Saying goodbye is never easy

So, yesterday was a rough one. I was so busy with all my household stuff and getting cookies ready for a Christmas party tonight as well as getting dinner ready and going to the grocery store for some groceries... I don't know that I really spent time with my boys yesterday. I regret days like that. I feel like I am always too busy to do anything productive with them. But what really do you do with them at 13 months and 9 months? They just really sit and play right???

I mean I know there is so much potential but does it stick when you sit with them and sing (or try to) nursery rhymes. I think this is the age that intimidates me most because I don't know what to do with them. Older I know how to create things and teach them how to do things. Younger I know how to cradle and love on them until they fall asleep. Diaper, feed, bathe it's all in a nutshell. In between I don't know how to chase them ALL DAY and REPEATEDLY tell them not to eat the dog food! (When I say them I really mean Bear, Moe is not even crawling remember... which I truly am grateful I was just shocked that he was not doing much of anything.)

Is there really any learning taking place in what Bear is doing wandering all over the house picking up everything and dropping it everywhere else. I want him to know that cleaning up is essential after making a mess but he isn't catching on to that. He puts his toys in his basket with me while we are "cleaning" but then proceeds to take them right back out. Is this ever going to come to an end, where he will just leave them picked up? I am asking for all you mommies out there to give some input here. Many of you have written in and given me wisdom on the crawling/pulling up thing and I appreciate you. Now I am pulling again from my resources (you wise, experienced women with older children) and asking for your help. What do I do with this two legged monster running a muck all over my house creating messes.

I read that it is not good to have them doing nonconstructive play but what is constructive play. We build with blocks (okay so I do while he just knocks them down and walks off with two in his hands to drop them somewhere else!) When he was little he was not allowed to roam aimlessly all over the house because that was nonconstructive. So we constructed a play place for him and he stayed there even when he was crawling we could tell him to play in a certain area and he would. Now, forget it! He acts like he has forgotten all rules and just goes and goes. I really need a mommy to a toddler 101 class. So for all you seasoned teachers out there I am seeking your brain.

Oh and the saying goodbye is never easy. The family friends of ours came to get our sweet Elli yesterday and I had to say goodbye. Ladies (and possibly gentlemen) I broke down and CRIED... I mean SOBBED when she left. To see her sweet little face so confused when we put her in the back of the car broke my heart. I didn't even cry this hard when Moe left for the first time folks... that is bad. I think I am just wound up tighter than a four day clock and my emotions are just everywhere so I exploded into tears. I think this will get easier, right????

HE IS HERE!!!

HE IS HERE!!! I cannot tell you how excited I am. He was asleep when they came and so I carried him in in his car seat. He is still in an infant carseat (9 months old mind you). So I sat him in the living room and let him sleep. Bear just sat and looked at him. After some paper work signing and such he began to wake up. I ran in there to get him and he looked at me and smiled! HE SMILED! I love my little boy! Such a smiley little man! He and Bear sat and played on the floor together. Okay so Bear sat and took all Moe's stuff out of his box that came with him. His caseworker brought some gifts (wrapped) from Moe's family to put under the tree. Yeeeaaaaah that lasted about 5 minutes before Bear tore into one of them. It didn't help that when the lady dropped the gift on the floor it started lighting up and singing. Hmmmm wonder what's in the package!
So my assessments so far are that he is BEHIND. He is not crawling and cannot pull himself to a standing position. I am big on milestones and getting them to where they are "supposed" to be so I love working with them on that! He is not really eating real food and they sent some stage 1 and 2 jarred baby foods with him. He cannot "feed" himself yet... meaning that he cannot pick up a cheerio and place it in his mouth. And he was progressing so well when he left 4 MONTHS AGO! It makes me sad. I guess everyone has their own parenting style but I would figure they would have kept up with him learning to develope!
I gave them a bath together tonight... It was so much fun to have both my boys together again. They play so nicely together. Getting them out and ready for bed is the hard part. My plan is to just bring clothes/diapers into the bathroom with us (it's nice and toasty in there) and take one out and dress him and then the other. Carry Moe while Bear walks to his room. Sit and read to them and pray together and put Bear to bed then carry Moe to bed.
Tonight he cried real hard before actually falling asleep. It was his hardest time yet. I have done it once with him (just held him through his fears and screaming) I am in it to do it again. I know it will take some time to adjust yet again. My heart aches for him and all he has been through at such a young age. Hopefully he will remain here until the parents either get their act together or TPR happens. One or the other. God don't let him continue on in this back and forth living. It has got to be hard on an infant. A parent/guardian's face is a baby's road map it is said. They study you and learn you and you become their safe haven and familiar place that they love to be with. So when you keep moving them then they become insecure and very frightened. I will earn his love and trust all over again and reassure him that WE ARE HIS SAFE PLACE AND WE WILL LOVE HIM ALWAYS!
I went through the box that they sent with him. I think 10% of what they sent he can actually wear. OH that irritates me to no end. I got a lot of the clothes back that I SENT WITH HIM 4 MONTHS AGO! OH AND.... 1 DIAPER! I am so glad that Bear just moved up. I had about 3 left of that size. I will have a trip to the store tomorrow for clothes, diapers, and food and hopefully a car seat and/or crib. We are going to need it all apparently.
so here is his new face and hair. I love this little man! So precious. He was attempting to eat a baby Mum mum. You will see it all over his face.



Thanks for all your prayers. Blessings!