It's confusing, I know.

This morning I met up with a friend at a different Y than I normally go to and used this location's kid care for the first time. When I went to pick them up, Simon came right up to the door and was let out so he could get to me. 

Cecie was sitting in a little baby stroller and got one look at me and started bawling. I told the nearest worker that she was mine and she asked, "The one in the stroller?" I confirmed and continued to check them out of the system. 

Next thing I know there's a pale, bald baby practically thrust into my arms. Nothing against pale, bald babies but my baby just doesn't quite fit that description. 

I looked behind me and saw nobody waiting so it was clear this baby was, in fact, headed for me. I sort of put my hands up, took a step back and said, "She's not mine." The worker was utterly confused because there was no other baby in that area that could possibly be mine.

Meanwhile, Cecilia was picked up by another worker who was trying in vain to console her (because, after all, she was so close to her mommy but couldn't get to me). I looked square at this worker, pointed, and said, "That one's mine." She literally turned around to see who was behind her, just like I turned around earlier to see who that white baby must belong to.

"Yes, that one. I know it's confusing." 

Eventually she made her way to me and Cecie dove into my arms and stopped crying immediately, but that woman still looked uneasy like she just handed the wrong baby to the wrong mom and was worried about it (never mind that she was about to mindlessly give me a baby that was actually not mine about 1 minute earlier). I just ignored her and went about our business. Seriously, though, are we the first transracial adoptive family ever to set foot there? I doubt it.

Luckily there is a pretty good system in place for matching parents and babies for just this reason (I never would have been able to walk out with that white baby despite it getting as far as it did). Thank goodness for that!!

On a related note, Cecie has been called "Thea" a few times at the kid care we normally go to. Why? Because Thea is another little brown girl with a white mom who goes there. Nothing to do about that but laugh a little!

And I realize these pictures don't really have anything to do with anything, but here they are just the same :)

Halloween.

Every week Simon asks to be something new for Halloween. Every week. Sometimes multiple times a week. I love his imagination and his love for make believe, so I just say "okay" and off he goes to play some more. 

This is one of those things that I will miss with all my heart once I realize it's gone. I wonder when he'll dress up on a non-October day for the last time. Hopefully, that day is still far away.

This week we got a little cowboy. 

And here's a truly SMALL sampling of what else we got from him over the past few years....

Love him.

Photoshop? Eh.

As I mentioned last week, I recently took a beginner's photography class and all they kept talking about was how great Photoshop is. They had it on sale for half off, so I gave them my money and hoped I could learn to use it. So far I'm either unimpressed with my ability to use it or unimpressed with the program. Not sure yet. 

I was able to remove some toys from a picture, which was a good start. See those toys behind Cecie here? Yeah, they were good and gone in a photoshopped picture, but alas, the edited file is too big to even upload so you'll just have to believe me. {Insert frustrated sad face here.}

So for now, I will stick with the comfort of iPhoto.

Loving her Minnie Mouse look these days. I'm especially loving that the last time we did her hair this way it lasted for a good two weeks!! Can't beat that :)

Doctor, Doctor, Give Me the News

Today I took both kids in for their check-ups. This was the first time having one of these done together, but it worked great and saved me a trip! Our regular pediatrician is on medical leave so we had to see a different doctor. I loved the nursing staff and the doctor was fine, but she was no Dr. Solberg. I'll definitely be going back to him again once he is better.

Simon was WIRED. He was all jacked up to be there and the nurse remarked how it was refreshing to have a child come in who was so outgoing and unafraid. She also noted that he "has the gift of gab" and was impressed with his level of confidence for a young lad. I think he surprised us all even further when he was genuinely disappointed that he didn't need any shots. He really wanted to show everyone how short of a time he could cry for and asked for a shot about thirty five times, getting more and more crabby with every "no." Dead serious.

Here's what his five year stats are:
39.8 pounds (44th percentile)
42 inches (27th percentile)
20/20 vision

Cecilia could feel Simon's excitement I think so she was all over the place exploring the doctor's office and getting her hands on as much as humanly possible. Unfortunately for her, today was a day for shots but she handled them like a champ. She cried for a couple of minutes, but settled down pretty quickly thank goodness.

Here's what her one year stats are:
22 lbs 12 oz (84th percentile)
32 inches (100th percentile)
48 cm head circumference (100th percentile)

Fun fact: at one year, Simon's head was bigger by almost 2 cm, he weighed about 2 pounds more and he was about 2 inches shorter than Cecilia. Ha :)

Bottom line? They are both growing, healthy and doing exactly what they should be doing for their respective ages.

Feeling so completely blessed today. 

1st Steps Today, 5K Tomorrow

A friend and I took a photography class recently and wouldn't you know it, my attempts at getting the picture I wanted of Cecilia today was almost impossible. Every picture was either too bright, too dark, too grainy or too blurry. So much for learning a thing or two, I thought. The real problem likely wasn't my inability to implement new techniques as much as trying to do this with a wobbling baby as my subject. When it comes to trying to capture a one year old, right now I'm probably better off just blindly pointing and shooting and hoping for the best.

This picture perfectly illustrates how our morning looked. Is it wrong to think she is adorable here even though she is so clearly unhappy?? I think it's the bell bottoms that get me.

 

Eventually I got her to smile a little...

And after about five hundred pictures were snapped, I pretty much got what I was looking for: a happy Cecie up on her feet, rocking her Run Like a Mother onesie :)

Mission accomplished!

In related news, on Sunday the 17th she was in the toy room with Simon and he yelled, "Mom! Cecie's walking!" I peeked in and sure enough, she was walking all the way across the room to get to the door.  She's been taking steps here and there for three months, but never like this! I've been trying to get it documented ever since, and finally today I got her taking a few beautiful steps :)

Simon Simon Simon

Simon's hair was getting a little out of control.

I can't quite pinpoint what or whom he looks like when he has bangs like this, but he looks more like Simon to me when they are gone....

I love that Cecilia is entering what I think is the best part about having kids: learning to talk. Once they start talking you can say hello to years of thinking did he really just say that?? every single day. And at age five, Simon still catches me off guard all the time. Most of the stuff that really stops me dead in my tracks is pure sassiness, but sometimes the pure sweetness catches me too.

So here are a few things he's said lately that will not be nearly as funny, sweet or clever to you, but captures his essence perfectly to me nonetheless :)

Simon: I'm thirsty.
Me: Ok
Simon: You can choose.
Me: Choose what?
Simon: Something for me to drink.
Me: I didn't hear you ask for anything.
Simon: That's because your ears aren't open.
{Eventually he asked properly and was given a drink.}
Simon: I finished it, when can I have my next drink.
{Note this doesn't end with a question mark. It was more of a statement. What a sweet child.}
--

Bryan told him to clean something up and Simon said this with complete and utter indignation, rage, shock and disgust:
"YOU'RE gonna tell ME to clean up?"
{That one bought him a one way ticket to his room pretty quick.}
--

Bryan was sick with the flu and was laying on the couch, where Simon clearly wanted to be. He said ever so sweetly, "I suggest you go upstairs on your bed. You'll be more comfortable"
{Thank you for the suggestion.}
--

I told Simon I didn't want him to come in our bed that night, something he will do on and off.
Simon: Why don't you want me to sleep in your bed?
Me: Because there's not enough room.
Simon: That's because YOUR pillows take up too much room.
{Well, gosh, I'm sorry.}
--

We were at the Y and Cecie was crawling away laughing hysterically that I had to chase her.
Simon: I just love Cecie's laugh. It's so cute and it makes me so happy.
{See, I told you he could be sweet, too!}
--

I love cashews so much I just can't stand it.
{Just cute. Makes me wonder how much I say things like this.}
--

"Mom, I know you're going to think this is totally weird. {Long, serious pause.} But I want to be a puppy." He got a hold of a harness leash and was holding it in his hands with a look on his face that was encouraging me to just roll with it. I declined his request so he proceeded to dress up like a cowboy and fixate on the fact that cowboys ride horses so they should be called horseboys, shouldn't they? He was genuinely concerned that the english language failed on this one. Ha :)

A Day (Part 2)

I wound up doing a little more to celebrate Valentine's Day than originally expected. I followed Simon's lead and we had a very red, very heart filled day. From our attire to our food, were in celebration mode (as much as one can celebrate this day on the fly anyway). It's great fun having a five year old....his excitement is downright contagious. 

And outside of him telling me he was going to throw me in the garbage and what did I think about THAT?! he was quite a loving, snuggling, hugging little guy today. Ha.

I almost forgot about a festive onesie that I bought for C last summer, but luckily Simon's insistence on wearing red reminded me about it. I didn't plan on taking a thousand pictures of her today, but she was in a great mood this afternoon and those little puffs were just screaming TAKE MY PICTURE! So I did. I took a lot of pictures. Here are some my favorites!

I think I could look at this last one for hours and never grow tired of it. 

And below are my two other loves, sporting their "shiny" shirts together. Simon really is Bryan's kid...the boy could wear that spandex-like shirt every day and I'm pretty sure Bryan could too :) 

Love them. 

Feeling complete today.

A Day

I have a few friends who make Valentine's Day really super special for their kids. Gifts, projects, special meals and treats, a week of mailbox surprises leading up the big day...the works. I heard about all these things and thought, crap. I thought all I had to do was buy a box of cards for Simon's class and another for my hubby.

Despite my lack of preparation for this day and after he told me I was "wasting his time" by having him sign all of his cards for his classmates, my sweet boy decided all on his own to make a special card for me. When he gave it to me he came up on my lap, gave me a giant head down hug and said "I love you Mumma." Sometimes I think he's trying to kill me.

On the other hand, since Cecilia can't quite make a card for me she is showing me how much she loves me in her own special way. She is dropping a single tear for every little bit of love she has for me. C, message received, I can see you love me A LOT today. I think she is trying to kill me too. Ha :)

He's making a heart :)