Olivia: 5 Months Old

What a fun age! She's rolling and pivoting to get where she wants. She's examining the world by tasting it. She sings and squeals her sounds. She reminded me that her fine motors skills are developing when mid diaper change, I'd pulled the messy diaper to the side and she stuck her hand in it then swung it around her head.

It's only been a few months but none of us could imagine our family without her. We love OKJ!

Question

Our adoption lawyer emailed and asked us for a current family picture for the court/judge. So tonight we set the camera on self-timer and sat across from it.

If it were you, which would you send?

#1

#2

#3

#4 (Bradshaw's saying "All Aboard")

#5

#6

#7

#8

#9

Captain Bradshaw

5 Months Old

While we can't see any teeth yet, she has begun the "I'm teething drool.

She and Bradshaw are now sleeping in the same room together (we kept her in the bassinet in our room for a long time because just in case she wakes up it's much easier to get her back to sleep then to tandem sooth both kids.

really doesn't like rice cereal. This is about 2 weeks after first introducing her. She shows all the signs of being ready smacks her lips while we are eating, reaches for our food, supported sitter and often still hungry she has 6 feedings in a 24 hr period of 6-8 oz

size 3 shoes. 6/9M clothes,

squeal

dn like bathtub

slowly but surely moves to what she wants now. Occassionally she'll roll into the kitchen, the living room used to be her terrain but she's expanded (keep in mind our apartment is not very big.)

New Tricks

Sweet commercial.

Mr. Imagination

We were having a "picnic", i.e. eating our meal on a blanket spread out on the carpet in the living room, when Bradshaw pointed out the "monsners" across the room. Bradshaw grabbed his wooden dowel (the same one he uses as a fireman's hose, a horse, a ladder) and immediately began sword-fighting the imaginary monster. In very few words, he conveyed to us that he was protecting "baby." The monsters knocked him down a few times but he always got back up. He returned to the blanket with a few wounds, but victorious.

He's only 2...I mean how did he learn how to receive a punch from an invisible man?
Experiencing this for the first time as a mom is SO COOL!

Bradshaw, what's that?

"har-tuh" (said with both hands over his chest)

"star"

"cur-cul"

"CHOO-CHOO!"

Christ-like service award

I've noticed one of our neighbors, an older Indian man, has been tirelessly shoveling snow.

His shovel is broken and difficult to use (we know because we borrowed it to dig our own car out) but he used it to crack and brake-up ice all along the walkway.

And when I saw him hours later he was going, spot-by-spot, un-burying cars in the parking lot. He doesn't work for the complex, he doesn't even know the owners of the cars, he just saw the need.

Aftermath of the Storm

Our car:

(See the red spot? That's the top of the trunk.)

Pile of snow-ice preventing us from getting out:

Our dust pan is the closest thing we have to a shovel. (In case you were wondering, it doesn't work. )

4-foot icicles:

Stairs to the laundry machines:

Cool bush:

Only a week ago there was nothing on the ground.

"Let's Hear it for the Boys Girls!"

A very important person (my sil, Elisse) just found out she's going to have a baby girl.
We are so ecstatic for her & her husband Brad!!!

The sweetness of little girls:

(this picture totally makes me melt)

(Already well-versed in the arts. This is her impression of Rodin's The Thinker.)

Hooray for the Weinerts! And thank heaven for little girls.

For Colton

(Not that I can envision you checking blogs.)

I wanted you to know that "boy-boy" has not forgotten the lessons you've taught him.
Several times a week, he insists on eating directly from a bowl on the floor:He completes this ensemble by crawling around on all fours, barking, and licking us.

And, like you, he loves meat.

During dinner, he often demands in a low grunt, "meeeat."
When we ignore his request because he isn't asking nicely, a low voice belts, "MO' MEAT!"
When that still doesn't work, his voice returns to it's sweet, natural octave, "more meat pwease mama." He promptly scarfs the food and skips off to hug, kiss and baby-talk to "Lila."

Snowmageddon Update

Baltimore (part of the same storm) has implemented Phase 3 of their snow plan which means only emergency vehicles are allowed on the road.

Locally, we've been told:

"These are extremely dangerous winter weather conditions. Do not attempt to drive. Life-threatening blizzard conditions are occurring across the region."

"People are encouraged not to panic, just to please remain inside."

"If you become stranded in your vehicle, do not leave your car to try to walk for assistance. You can quickly become disoriented in wind-driven snow and cold. The snow will subside this evening so wait in your car for emergency help to arrive. Tie a colored cloth to your antennae for emergency vehicles to see. Move your arms legs fingers and toes to keep blood circulating."

Blizzard of 2010

Thursday night: We went to the grocery store and it was a mad house. Huge lines. Noisy. There were only 3 or 4 loaves askew on the shelf where normally the whole wall was lined with bread.
A snowstorm had been forecasted for Friday-Saturday. Dustinn and I both laughed and said, "these people are crazy! They are getting so worked up over snow."

Friday morning: Light flurries. Sticking to the grass but melting on the sidewalks.

Friday night: Everything we could see, including the entire parking lot and the cars in it were hidden under a thick, white blanket. The snow fell angrily and the wind was banging against our windows.
I was in Bradshaw's room putting him to bed when out of the corner of my eye I saw a flash of green light followed by the sound of a generator powering out.
We lit candles, brushed out teeth, and went to bed.

Saturday morning: The power was still out.
Luckily, we have a gas stove and matches to light it. Bradshaw had been vomiting and was in desperate need of being washed. Since the tap water was icy we spent 45 minutes boiling pot after pot of water. All that work for just 2 inches of bathwater.
Because of the anticipated storm, we had crammed our fridge full of food. Ironically, the same storm that prompted us to go on a shopping spree, kept us from eating that food! Without electricity, a fridge only stays cold if the door isn't opened. By mid-afternoon we gave in. We needed milk.

(We did enjoy the unique circumstance of spending time as a family cut-off from television and internet.) Saturday 4pm: We were all wearing 4 or 5 layers...and freezing.
The thermostat said the apartment temperature was in the 40's. It was getting dark quickly.

Saturday 6pm :Totally dark inside and out (because Bradshaw kept blowing out our candles.) Our apartment was very cold. Even if we were able to find our car out of the hundred others buried in the snow we wouldn't be able to move anywhere. We were worried about spoiled food, running out of food, and freezing.

Virginians at the grocery store:
You were right. I was very wrong. This storm was a big deal.

Humbled, penitent and worried about our kids,we were very grateful when the power began flickering at 6:30pm. (Our electrical company said over 2,000 of their customers in Alexandria were without power during the storm.) As soon as the heat started flowing Bradshaw crashed.

It's been 4 days and we are still snowed in. Our car is trapped behind a 4-foot mound of ice. Dustinn walked to the store for milk and wipes.

There's another winter storm warning for tomorrow night. :)