The real Batmobile

Seats two


Breakfast service (the other Batman had a cup of coffee but he must have lost it)


I'm told the tailpipe shoots fire


And weaponry. But be careful, front Batman, or you'll get your arm shot off!

Well that's embarrassing

Today I lost my temper and yelled at Andrei. Then later I apologized and said sometimes mama gets angry and is the bad guy. He asked me if we wanted to pray that Jesus would help me not be angry.

So he did.

It was very cool and very humbling.

Here comes the sun

I haven't written in a while, I know. The past month or so has been really hard. I think it was a really difficult getting used to the life of a mom - a working mom at that. It was nothing like I could have ever expected - and not in a good way. It's hard to write about, because I don't want to imply that I don't like it. I think I'm finally getting to like it.

When a woman has a baby, her body actually produces hormones that causes her to love her baby. Birth and breastfeeding are designed this way. Adoptive parents don't get that boost. I guess even when people adopt babies, they get lots of squishy cuddly time, but we don't have much of that. Andrei is just starting to feel comfortable enough to relax by us on the couch. Not trying to make excuses or anything, but it's been hard.

I love Andrei, intellectually. I know in my head that he's my son and my responsibility and I'm his mom. But to really start loving him, it's more difficult than I thought. When you marry someone, you at least get to know them before they move in with you and encroach on your personal space.


Anyway, I titled this post with a much happier title than I what I'm writing about. Things have been better this past week. I am taking better care of myself than I was before - I have to. I have learned that the hard way - I'll go crazy I've found. I hooked myself up with another mom and she listens to my situations and offers advice and accountability. The weather is helping too - the sunny days - I even hung clothes out today.
So I'm sure everything from here on out will not be all rosy and wonderful. It is a work in progress. But things are getting better. We're getting to know each other. And I'm finding out he's a pretty cool kid. Even if he did just fart in my face....

Two more things

that I've learned in my week or so of motherhood....

1. When you put catsup on your kids plate, put it on the edge away from them, and not the side. They will get their sleeves in it otherwise.

2. If you promise your kid a candy if they go to the store with you, make sure they can fully understand in their own language, that the candy is at the store and you don't actually have it yet. Or they may go stomping around for their candy and you have to somehow mime yourself going to the store and getting it there. Not easy. Also, when you get to the store, just buy some extra for the next time.
Or maybe you should just not bribe your kid with candy.

Wise words of parenting, I tell you.

Games and toys for little boys

I'm working on a packing list right now, and brainstorming what in the world will keep A (and us) occupied in the hotel room for a week, and on the plane for 12+ hours.

So far I've come up with this:
Cards and dice (no idea what games we'll play, but at least they're versatile)
Jacks
Hopscotch (bring roll of masking tape)
Finger puppets
Coin toss (masking tape square on the floor)
Ipod with Russian fairy tales or music
Couple of videos loaded on to my laptop
Memory game
Puzzle or two
Crayons
Activity books that don't require reading
Beach ball
Stickers
Russian/English picture book
Sewing card or some other craft that doesn't require glue

Obviously most of these will only work in the hotel room and maybe the Airport Terminal, but I'm hoping that a good dose of Melatonin will help him sleep most of the plane ride. I'm saving the fairy tales and movies for then.

Searching online for this kind of stuff is hard because we're really not able to communicate anything, and I don't think he can read Russian either.

Help me out with some awesome ideas. The smaller and lighter to pack, the better.

Random Life News

I haven't been able to post as much as I'd like mostly because things are super busy around here, but also becasue my life is more boring than normal at the moment. I have been having a lot of extra work hours because of vacations. Good because of the extra money, bad because I'd like to get more than 5 hours of sleep once in a while. At least it's a holiday weekend coming up.

After a much too long sabbatical, I'm following Weight Watchers again. That's taking some getting used to, but mostly I feel good because I'm eating less junk. Much easier to avoid the vending machine when your choice may use up half of your point allotment for the day. Brent finally hit 50 lbs. lost too - I'm so proud of him!

I was going to write a whole post devoted to how I tried Diet Coke Plus - the new Coke beverage with vitamins. But I can pretty much sum it up in two sentences. It did not taste like Coke or Diet Coke. It gave me a headache and kind of made me ill. As much as a Coke addict I am, I was ashamed to throw half the bottle away, but it was really that bad.

Hmm, what else is new? I am making Pad Thai for dinner tonight. Did I link to the recipe here before? Even if I didn't, it's so yummy, it bears a repeat - so here it is - Pad Thai for Beginners via Chez Pim

Last week was my mom's birthday - happy birthday a little late, mom! Her birthday gift has not arrived yet. I have been very bad ordering online lately. I don't think her mother's day gift has arrived yet either. And I apologize in advance to Lincoln, because I have a feeling his birthday gift will be late also - but I don't think he'll notice much :)

Since I have nothing interesting to say - I'll link to some interesting blog posts I have enjoyed lately

- My problem with prayer via Internet Monk

- Grace is as dangerous as ever via Internet Monk

- Thoughts that come when immediate gratification is gone via No Impact Man

Stillness (on being a Stay at Home Mom) via Close to Home

And a comic about how to be environmentally friendly the easy way - here

For real first parenting class

I said before that we didn't have to go to the first class in Green Bay because we went to that class in Milwaukee, but we did actually have to go, and it was last night.

There were three other couples there from the hosting program and one couple that didn't host, but is adopting two children that another family hosted. Out of the eight hosted children, seven are being adopted. Actually there were 16 couples there, some domestic, some international, and some foster parents. Since the class is new, we're all lumped together, but in the future there will be seperated classes for international and domestic.

There were two social workers teaching the class. They started out with an overview of the class, and asked if anyone had any fears about their adoption that could be addressed. That took up about an hour, and then there was a guest speaker on SIDS and Shaken Baby Syndrome. That started out interesting, but she soon delved into the entire history on research about SIDS and repeated herself a lot. I realize it was not relevent to us, but to others in the room, and I agree that it was important, but it got kind of long. Then she talked for about five minutes about Shaken Baby Syndrome and that was the end of the class.

Our next class is on Saturday.

Kids and TV

I started a Netflix profile for A today. It has 12 movies consisting of Sesame Street, Electric Comapany, and Mr. Rogers. I'd put School House Rock on there, but we own it. Also I like Magic School Bus, but I think that is a little to advanced for at first.

We don't have TV at all outside of movies, and we don't really have many kid friendly movies. I know some families severly limit TV and some watch none at all, but I really think that it will help him learn the language faster - especially when it comes to reading.

Also, I may be overanalyzing, but I think that getting mail with his name on will be exciting and help him feel part of the family.


Anyone else have any educational movie/TV show suggestions? I know Netflix has Baby Einstein, but I didn't know if that would be too young for him. He seems to like real people better than cartoons anyway. Let me know what you think. Uh, no Dora please....

My most favorite-est website in the entire world.

Gentle Christian Mothers - specifically the message board.

Now, I always feel a little weird saying that I am a member of this site, because I'm not a mom yet, but I've been a member over there for over 4 years. Brent can attest to my complete addiction.

I have never met a more caring, gentle, Godly group of women in my entire life. There are all kinds of women there, not just mothers - some who are not even married yet - and in every stage of life. Many of us have different views on things, but it is all dealt with love and respect. No trolls or flaming and very little petty infighting. Not like any other message boards I've been on.

I have learned so much about God's love, healthy living, attachment parenting, gentle discipline, adoption, infertility, general parenting, and every topic imaginable. Check out the articles to see what it's all about, and if you're a chick, check out the message boards too. :)

GCM Rocks!