HaPpY bIrThDaY bEaR!!!

{{October 18th 2009}}




Bear is finally a 2 year old little boy. NO he doesn't act any different than before. He is still ALL boy and just as active as ever. He has been acting a tad bit different but he is still calm and mild tempered for a boy being 2.



We don't really agree with people stereotyping children just because they are 2 but none the less I guess some will still say... "here come the terrible two's". We just take it with a cup of salt and continue to raise our son with LOTS of patience and repetitive redirecting and discipline. We know that Bear is not the model child by any means... but most that have met him agree that he is a great kid.


I say this not to brag on him but to give you an example of WHO Bear is as a now 2 year old.

Bear is kind. He says, please, thank you, and excuse me when need be. Some days it takes some reminding but he is quick in response.

He is determined. When he knows something NEEDS to be done he will not stop until it is done. Picks up toys and "Keam uh" (clean up) begins. He takes dirty dishes to the sink and drops them in... we have hidden the china. Oh wait, nevermind we don't own any.

He loves helping around the house. He will help me bring laundry to and from the wash room as well as load the dryer; (that reminds me ... don't let me forget to get the load out that's in there. THANKS). He tries to help fold it with me. He helps unload and load the dishwasher... he puts dishes away and even helps cook on occasion.


He loves is little sister and keeps her company when mommy can't quite get to her immediately. He makes her smile and gives her a pacifier... aka "femur". Yeah...not quite sure how he came up with that word for it but a femur it is for now. He can even say the word... but reverts to his own.

He loves to color and play with play dough "pray dough". Tractors "tactors" are a big hit with him right now as well as cars and trucks. He can push cars around for most of his free play time. He got a new train track for his birthday and he has pulled the track apart SEVERAL times and made his own route for his locomotive fave.



This boy LOVES without reserve. He is not a child that will just go to anyone and cling to them. He does learn you and when he has you figured out, you are a friend for life. I think he comes by it honestly :) He has always been a studier. He used to lay around and study people and what they were doing; their movements, their mouth as they'd talk. And he would mimic that.

He is brilliant in our eyes. He can now sing his alphabet... it doesn't always have ALL the letters pronounced but you know exactly which one he is on by his tone and rhythm. Potty training has been a give and go. He had it down to a T not long ago but we had a bought of rough road. Jacob left and he was teething for a bit... so it kind of took a downward turn. But he is back on track again and getting back to telling us he has to go. ((AND I Finally saw those teeth coming in today... I was beginning to think he was just going to teethe them forever))


He knows his basic shapes... in bear terms they are... "quare", "obal", "seekal", "cryaygal" (my personal favorite term for a triangle), "dymun", "crektangal" (I will help out there... rectangle). He has learned most of his colors (basics anyway). "Red", "Blue", "green", "urnch (orange)", "lellow", "peeple".

I love working with him ... he is a joy and LOVES learning. He is such a sponge and is ready for the next challenge. It gets hard some days when I don't feel like I have it in me to teach him.. but I press on in hopes that he will stand out and become someone he will be proud of some day.

I love you Bear baby... you are an amazing son and we could never have dreamed you up. You far exceed our expectations of what a son is all about!

Introducing the newest member of the Wachsmann Family!

Okay I know everyone has been waiting on pins and needles for this post. Sorry it has taken so long... a mom's gotta do what a mom's gotta do :). BUT in my defense I DID tell you all that it was NOT living NOR had it ever been alive... so that should have calmed you some :).

We welcome into our family HOOTY.



We took Bear to the Build - A - Bear workshop today (get it... BAB... hahaha okay that was for my facebook peeps :)) so anywho we were let in on an awesome online coupon for 20% off and decided the day had finally come that we would now go get Bear's adoption "bear" created!

We took a copy of his new birth certificate and a picture of his bio mother to have them placed inside Bear's new friend.

We let him choose which animal he wanted. And out of ALL the animals there... he wanted the OWL! It is a very cute... um handsome... owl so we are all good :).



It was a fun experience. I was very pleased with the way things worked out. Bear is loving his new friend. It even hoots when you push the button inside his foot. So fun.

Of course Bear calls him "Bully" because he cannot quite get the "hooty" part yet. Oh well Hooty doesn't mind one bit.



He makes a great addition to our family :).

***I will post more later about the process.. but for now... it's been a long day and it is going to be even LONGER tomorrow. We are traveling out of town to meet up with some friends and will be gone for a duration of the day. More pics to come soon :)

Moe Baby update

We got to see Moe Baby the other day! We met with Daddy F at a park and let the boys play while we discussed how he's been doing.

When they first arrived Bear was playing on the slide. He was climbing up the ladder and I told him that Moe was there. He quickly turns around and starts scanning for him... "daytob?", "daytob?"

Finally I put Bear down on the ground and point to Moe and he starts running. F puts Moe down also and they start running for one another. screaming their names to one another! My heart jumped into my throat. I couldn't catch my breath.

I watched as they ran for eachother squealing with delight. Finally they reached one another and Bear holds out his arms for a brotherly embrace and Moe runs right past him! Yep! He dodges him laughing and then continues on with his vision fixed on the goal... ME! He is running straight for me with Bear on his heels trying to get him to turn around by tugging on his shirt and craning around to see his face repeating "Daytob, Daytob! Hi Daytob".

Finally Moe reaches me and I kneel down to embrace my once son! Oh how I could have stayed in that moment forever! I breathed him in and hung onto the feel of my little boy in my arms once again.

He has lost weight. He has not been eating his father says and refuses to drink. I mean they do get him to eat bananas and he will eventually take some sips of his sippy but not like normal.

I explained to Daddy F that it is Moe's way of controling what he can in his "upside down world". Things are happening that he cannot control. Things that he is not okay with but he has been forced to be okay with them. Well the two things he can control are his eating and his attitude, both of which have shown dramatic change, and so he WILL control them with all his might. But I told him to not fear. A child will not starve themselves to death. His body will override his mind eventually and he will eat again. I told him to just keep offering fluids, pedialyte if possible, and even if it is 13 bananas in one day feed him whatever he will eat at this point.

The boys played side by side and giggled at nothing together. Moe kept coming back to see me and then he would smile and laugh and run off to find his bubby. At one point I caught him looking at me and I walked over to him, he reached up for me and I took him into my arms and he laid his little head on my shoulder and let me hold him there. I rocked him and told him how much I loved him and missed him. He sat up and looked at me and just smiled and said ... "luh lou" then cheesed real big and wanted down. I know every boy has a limit! :) Moms get that! :)

I was talking to Daddy F and he says it's hard. Unbelieveably hard. He is still managing but I reminded him that Moe always has a home with us. He will always be Moe's daddy and we will never fight him for that. But we want what's best for them both. Even for the mother.

Oh FATHER... lead my heart to understand what is happening to our little Moe and help me to accept them.