Happy 1st Birthday Baby!

Olivia is a climber to the nth degree.  She has climbed the bookcase like a ladder.  She often climbs up on our kitchen table.  Our bed has drawers and she'll open one to step in it and get on our bed.

I just have Bradshaw and Olivia as a frame of reference, but schedule is very important to her, much more than Bradshaw (once the colic ended, he slept well anywhere and while occasionally pretends to be shy he loves a crowd and the attention.)  If I am not home when Olivia goes to bed (for example at a Relief Society activity or Ladies Night) she will sleep restlessly the whole night.  She'll let out a solitary howl and be asleep again--maybe 4 or 5 times a night.  She also has a really hard time with large groups.  She tends to cry and cling.  She likes mommy and daddy to be there for her bedtime routine, in her own bed, with her own blankets.

She loves her Bradshaw and seems to welcome his presence day or night in any activity.  Whether they are eating off the same plate or splashing in the bathtub or if he crawls into her crib and wakes her up.  She'll blink her eyes a few times and then curl up to him and go back to sleep.

However, I would say 95% of the time she is a very happy, active toddler!  (Wow, it sounds crazy to lump her with the "toddler" age-group.)

She has a very healthy appetite.  One morning for breakfast she had a whole small carton of strawberries (like 15, I just kept chopping them up and giving her more when she asked for them), a yogurt cup, half-a-banana, a piece of toast and an 8-ounce bottle of formula.  (Crazy right?  It almost made me wonder if her duodenum wasn't properly signaling when she was full.)  I know getting children to eat can be very stressful for many parents  and we've been very lucky that our children have always gobbled up the food in front of them.

Yesterday, she was really sleepy and just laying in my arms.  I love it when she's calm and wants to be cuddled. Kiss her warm brow.  Kiss her soft cheek.  Her eyelids getting heavier and heavier and then she's slumped against me.  Sweet little baby breathes as her chest is rising and falling.  I feel so happy.  But then the thought always enters my mind "they are missing out on this."  And I feel like I shouldn't enjoy it.  My happiness parallels someone else's sadness.  I wonder if it will always be like this--when she's 25 and getting married?  I wonder if it makes me less present of a mom?  And then I know that's the last thing in the world her birth parents would ever want.  But I know both have grieved greatly.  And I read her birthmom's sorrow frequently.  I just think it's so complicated.  Of course the whole world is intertwined, we all rely on each other in someway or another.  I feel like I'm putting on a front to say it's all sunshine and rainbows.  Honestly, the parenting is 95% bliss.  But me being a parent comes at a cost for someone else.  Of course, they chose to place--no where along the lines do I think there was any strong handing from anyone--in fact, I think everyone wanted to support her however they could.

The Lovely Beach

One of our favorite things about Chicago is the beach!  (aka the lake shore--but other than the absence of salt water stinging our eyes I can't tell the difference.)
My sister Katy explained to me how walking and playing in the sand is excellent for developing the kiddos' muscles/coordination/balance, so we've been trying to make it there as much as possible...and did I mention it's only two and a half blocks away from our apartment?  :)

Bradshaw was either chasing seagulls or riding his bike the whole time.
(My auto-focus is broken so I can only get pictures of subjects that hold still long enough for me to manually focus.  This is his only picture.  :) 

Who is pulling my hair?

adoption question

Do you tell everyone that your son or daughter is adopted?

When you have roots in an area, most people know, because friends support you and everyone else has questions when you have a flat stomach one day and a child in your arms the next.
Because of how much we have moved, the majority of people we meet do not know that Olivia is adopted.
In fact, I've had strangers at the library/park when looking at our kids, say "your daughter looks just like you."

Typically when someone comments on how cute she is, that out of respect to Stef & Nic (Olivia's birthparents) I should clarify that she's adopted, since what they are complimenting is simply not accredited to me.

So what do you think?

Hard Knocks

Bradshaw's had a hard couple of weeks.  :(
Today he did some sort of flip off the couch and caught his ear on the side of the coffee table going down. I saw it happen but I still don't understand how it happened.  It tore a rip in his ear.  He calmed very quickly (thanks to Katy) and luckily we had Dr. James (Uncle James) to access the situation.  We realized how very fortunate he/we are that it was in a place that is mostly cartilage with few nerve endings.  I am so grateful he did not hit his his face or neck.  I love this little man more than life itself and it breaks my heart to see him hurt.

Happy updates

On September 8th, my sister Lindy entered the Missionary Training Center and was scheduled to be there learning French until late November.  However, she went to language intake and they declared her fluent and shipped her off!
She's currently in Ottawa, Canada.

My sister dislikes this picture because she just got home from a 12 hour day, but look at that little lovey cuddled up next to her.  We get Katy for over a month while she's here in Chicago for a class. YAY!
There's 5 of us in just over 600 sq feet, but it's heaven.

Love

birthmommy love 

birthdaddy love

Dada & Mama love

plus lotsa grandma & grandpa, Fiddy, Gogo, Nonnie, Grumpa, jordyn, tayler, cousin, aunt & uncle love. 

Wiggly at Wrigley*

*now that Olivia can run, she does not like being confined to a seat, even for the Cubs.

Wrigley Field was awesome!
they have a guy who manually removes and replaces the wooden numbers on the scoreboard

Aunt Kaykay had just arrived in town and was able to come with us

fine baby hair + sweat = limitless possibilities

This sums up how Bradshaw felt about the game.
We now have regular batting practice in our living room.  :)

Paint the town Purple

even the fountains were dyed purple in support of the Wildcats.

books, books, books!

A few days ago I said, "Bradshaw what would you like to do when it's your birthday?" 

Bradshaw: "Hmmm....go a libwawy!

There are so many clever, entertaining hilarious children's books out there.  Here are a few of our favorites:

We love Mo Willems

I love anything Don & Audrey Wood (the art is beautiful)

The Skippyjon Jones series 

It's about a siamese cat that thinks he's a chihuahua. 
Dustinn reads it with a Spanish accent and I'm practically in tears it's so funny.

Anna Dewdney's Llama Llama series

This reads so rythmically and the message is really good
(Penny you've introduced us to so many books, recipes, activities, ideas that are amazing!)

Ted Arnold's Parts series

And Seuss, of course

Antoinette Portis'

reminded me a little of The Brave Cowboy and even Harold's Purple Crayon.  Love it. 

We'd love to find some new treasures.  What are YOUR favorite children's books?

*all images from Google Images

Book of Mormon Stories

This is Bradshaw's rendition of Lehi leaving Jerusalem (Bradshaw repeats himself, and pants, when he's excitedly trying to tell you something):


"bad guys, bad guys, bad guys mean-a Lehi!   Jesus say go Lehi!  Lehi wear fastshoes!  Lehi leavf all tings...him toys, him quarter, him penny.  Leavf diego bike!  Leavf him up n' down.* Leavf moonies.* Lehi go camping!             ...Jesus love yogurt crunchies." 




up n' down* = a tire pressure gauge he loves to play with
moonies* = movies

Bradshaw Turns 3!

Of course Bradshaw told us he wanted a backhoe.
Luckily my sister Kate is in town; in a matter of minutes we turned a cake loaf into a (quasi-recognizable) backhoe.  

He didn't have any friends over, nor did he think there were any presents but he was so happy. (Beaming!)
He was so grateful for his cake and felt so special that we were singing to him.
It made me emotional so see how appreciative he is of little things.

I hope we'll always remember his response to gentle admonition (such as explaining why he must leave his toys behind when we're going out).  As if receiving great knowledge, he says, "OH! dant-you Mama."
We love this sweet boy so much.

3pm

11pm

During naps and bedtime, Bradshaw keeps crawling in Olivia's crib to "cuddle wif baby."  (Don't worry we move him out--it's not super safe.)  It's pretty heart-breaking though, Bradshaw's been having a hard time and looking for extra comfort & security from all of us.   

Who taught him this?

The other day Bradshaw ran down the hallway towards his friends, showing off his biceps, yelling: "Watch out!! Big muscles coming!!" Val and I couldn't stop laughing. Who taught him that??? He doesn't appear to have a confidence issue, that's for sure.

PS: Bradshaw heard the word "delectable" and we explained something is delectable when you enjoy it or it makes you happy.  At every meal he says, with gusto, "deleckable!"