Kelsey

Before our Fair-extravaganza, we had a very special visitor from Spokane.  Her name is Kelsey and she brought her new husband, son and step-daughter with her.  We haven't seen her since January 29, 2009, the day after Beau was born.  She was in the room when Beau was born and played a huge role in his birthmother's life then and now.  In the hospital we decided she would be Aunt Kelsey but once we came home we lost contact. I found her recently on Facebook and have been exchanging emails ever since.   We haven't had any contact with Beau's birthmother since he was born and that makes Kelsey that much more important to us, especially me.  I found myself feeling validated by her comments about how well Beau is doing and soaked up every tidbit of information about his birth family.  Validated is the only word I can think of at the moment to describe the feeling. Suffice it to say, it's a feeling only an adoptive mother can feel.  I hope to continue our contact with Kelsey and see her and her family in the future.

Evergreen State Fair

You know it's fall when 1) Football starts and, 2) the Monroe (aka Evergreen State Fair) and Puyallup Fairs start up.  We hit the fair in Monroe on Saturday evening.  Robert and I used to go every year and I always thought about what it would be like to take our kids.  It's one of those things about kids that you know will be fun and it far exceeded my expectations. 

After we ate a wholesome dinner of corn dog, a brick made of french fries and a beef brisket sandwich, washed down with ice cold Dr. Pepper, we hit the rides.  Lainey wanted to ride the biggest ride there but we thought it might be better to ease her into it.  We were a little gun-shy from last year when she rode the cars and absolutely hated it.

But what a difference a year makes!  

About her second time around, we started to hear her squealing.

Next, her and I hit this obstacle course thingy. 

I told her she had to go the whole way down the slide without stopping. She turned to look to make sure I was watching her just before she got to the bottom.

And she made it the whole way!

Then she picked the swings. We thought for sure she would hate it since she's not a big fan of swings at the park. But nope, she loved that ride too!

Daddy, Aunt Nan and Beau watching us

Then it was Aunt Nan's turn.  The swings made me more than a little nauseous.  Could've been the food I ate but I think it was more due to that ride lasting a good five minutes.  Too long! I needed Mini Donuts after that one!

She convinced Aunt Nan to "hold you please."  She was tired at this point but was not going to admit defeat and leave!

Beau wasn't big enough to go on any of the rides but he didn't seem to care. As long as he got to walk around, get some smooches and be silly, he was happy. 

All four of us hopped on the the carousel. I thought I might get a family pic but nooooo, Beau wouldn't look at the camera.

Except when he's the only one looking!

What makes me think we'll be embarrassing Lainey and Beau A LOT in the coming years?

Not perfect, but better!

Just happy to be out of the stroller

Nan showing a brat who's boss

Beau's goal for next year

Girl Power!

It was by far, one of my favorite days ever.  Lainey asks me a couple times a day, "Mommy, do you remember when we went on the rides?" 

I'm excited to go to the Puyallup Fair in a couple of weeks and soak up some more wonderful memories.  This is the stuff I dreamed about all those years ago.

Thanks Aunt Nan for taking photos for me!! 

Summer's Last Hurrah

Last week we hit 80 some degrees and the forecast was for 60's and rainy for the foreseeable future.  That pretty much ended our summer so we decided to take the kids to the beach one last time.

I should've known something was up by how cooperative and excited Lainey was to go to the beach.  It turns out, she thought she was going swimming.  She begged and pleaded for us to take off her dress and let her go skinny dipping.

Beau had no intention of getting in the water and did not care for walking on the rocky parts of the beach with his bare feet. He was much more fascinated by the driftwood and climbing.  When we got to the sandy part of the beach, Beau was much happier to dig his toes in the sand.

I wonder how many months it will be before we see Mt. Rainier out and proud again.

We finally got Lainey's kite that she got in her Easter basket up in the air.

And I just basically irritated the kids by taking photos the whole time. When I wasn't snapping away, I was attempting to stop Beau from eating the sand. You'd think after the first taste he'd realize it tastes like, well, dirt.

So long summer. We had fun while it lasted and are looking forward to next year.

The Great Un-Brassing of 2010

I never realized how much I hated brass until we moved into this house.  I'm surrounded by it and I can't stand it.  We're stuck in no-mans land right now, waiting to see what we're going to do to the house with paint, remodeling, floors, etc so I can't do too much at the moment.  If you don't know this about me, I don't have a lot of patience and once I want something gone, I want it gone now. Or better yet, yesterday!  I got to thinking (always a bad thing in Robert's opinion) and decided that I could replace the light fixtures and doorknobs.  I'm not gutsy enough to mess with electricity but I tackled the door knobs today.  I love the new ones!  I need to replace the door hinges anyway so I might as well combine the trips to Home Depot and do the rest of doors right?  

The hardest part was taking two kids to Home Depot.  I didn't get one for Beau's room since that may not be his room or any room for long so I'm stuck looking at that brass knob for awhile yet.  It did make for a good before and after photo.  Hopefully, I'll get the new light fixtures installed next week. Unless I can talk Robert into doing it this weekend.  Hmmm......

Before on the right, after on the left

Before. Yuck

After. Beautiful!

Did you see that?

You didn't see that did you Mommy?

Did you see that Mommy?

Watch this Mommy!

Khaki Pants

When will I learn not to buy khaki colored pants for my children?

(Welcome) Visitors

When we first moved in we noticed 6 different cats frequently traipsing through the backyard. Only one, whom I've named Miss Kitty, has stuck with us, possibly because we give her a tiny bit of whole milk whenever she stops by. She'll let us pet her for a second and then usually saunters around the yard.  Last night however, there were three cats, including Miss Kitty.  The other two weren't interested in us, but we sure were interested in them!  I only got photos of two of them. The other one was way more interested in chasing the squirrels up the tree than in having his/her picture taken. They are such a welcome change to those other visitors we get, the raccoons.

Lainey doesn't understand why "stalking" Miss Kitty isn't a good thing.

But apparently she was listening when I told her, for the millionth time, to let the cat smell her hand first.

This one's name is Buddy. I know this because he has a collar with a pink tag on it, marked Buddy.  

Miss Kitty making herself at home. 

Hmmmmm

My living room is a disaster area with a bunch of different toys strewn about.  I asked Lainey and Beau to clean up their toys a few times, even going so far as to sing the Clean Up song.  She replied, "I can't Mommy. I'm doing my puzzle."  I wanted to ask her which of the three puzzles that are out are you doing exactly?  But, it's Friday and I am plum worn out, so the mess remains.

Another reason I gave up-seeing the two of them sitting together playing makes my heart tingle.

Making my heart tingle even more-my always on the go, climb everything, leap off furniture, youngest, sitting, looking at a book.

At some point during their adventures, they made this little arrangement.  I'm pretty certain it was a team effort and would pay big money to have insight into what their little brains were thinking when they put this together.

4 B's for Beau

Beau needs just four things to be happy and they can all be found in these pics.  I think he's the easiest kid to put to bed. As long as he has these four items, he's happy as a clam and doesn't make a peep once you put him down.

Bunnz -a pink bunny we bought for Lainey that Beau has become super attached to.

Bear- the first thing I bought for him before he arrived.  You pull the tail and Lullaby and Goodnight plays. He has slept with it since the day he arrived home.

Binky-he gets more and more attached to it every day.  I'm struggling to wean him off of it but he screams and whines SO loud that even though I know better, I cave and give it to him.

Blanket-Grammy made that for him before he was born.  Even during our heat waves, he insists on having that blanket.

Big sisters are mean

Sometimes that is. I of course, was never mean to my siblings.  There isn't much that pushes Beau's buttons but with holding his binky, Bunnz or Bear will do it.  And Lainey knows it.

Enjoy the power while it lasts little girl. He's going figure out how to get to you very soon!