Weekly Update

Hey! I'm on time this week! Woohoo!

This was one of those weeks where it feels like our lives just stood still. Not too much happened, but it felt like there was plenty of work to be done around here. Brad got some kind of nasty stomach bug and stayed home on Thursday. He then passed it on to me, but I have so far just had a lot of feeling bad, no actual... you know... stomach bugging yet. Sweet baby L had the trouble with the yogurt I told you about last week, and I'm starting to wonder if that is what she had. I don't know if I want to try it again, though.

The biggest change I'm noticing in sweet baby L are those sweet little opinions. This week, she wouldn't take any vegetables. Things that I've given her with great success in the past, she has rejected this week. She will no longer eat carrots, peas or green beans. The surprising part for me was that instead of swallowing some and spitting out just a little, she amazingly would spit out all of the food I gave her. She wouldn't swallow any! I'm starting to worry that she'll never like vegetables, but I just keep on giving them to her. I'm going to try and have some faith in that "you have to let them try it 15 times before they like it" thing. We also tried cottage cheese this week, but she just spit that out too.

As of right now, here are the foods that L likes:

• Bananas
• Mangoes
• Avocadoes
• Applesauce
• Sweet Potatoes
• Yogurt mixed with fruit
• Baby Oatmeal
• Teething Biscuits (and oh, BOY does she!)

Here are the foods she does not like:

• Carrots
• Green Beans
• Peas
• Yogurt alone (I think the sort I buy is too tart)
• Cottage Cheese

Here are the foods I plan on trying this month:

• Tofu
• Egg Yolk (no white until one year)
• Asparagus
• Summer squash
• White potatoes
• Peaches (raw, pureed, she's only had cooked ones before and didn't care much for those)

I think, honestly, that her aversion to the veggies is more texture based than taste based, so I'm going to keep on giving them to her. I'm also going to try to give her something with texture at each meal to keep her trying to get used to it. I don't think she actually has some kind of sensory issue, I think that lots of babies don't like textures at first, but if she still rejects them at a year or so... I'll worry then.
Sweet baby L is turning into quite a busy girl. I told you last week that she was creeping. Last night she started getting up on all fours, rocking back and forth. She was doing the same thing this morning when I went to her room to get her out of bed. These days she's playing all the time on her tummy, and mostly wanting to play with whatever toy is just out of reach. It's really fun to watch her play. I love this age.
We took our bunny photos this week! I can't believe that she's already 7 months old!
AND... now the photos... Nothing too exciting this week, just some random playing photos and the bunny!






L's sitting usually ends up like this first, being all folded up, right before she rolls over to the side on her stomach.



Happy girl playing on her belly and slapping the floor. It's funny, I'm not sure why she does it, but she gets excited and those arms start going!







Bunny photos are getting harder to take these days with a wiggly girl. We'll see how next month's photos turn out!

See you next week!

What we're eating

Dang! I'm feeling awfully posty today. I just have to tell you this.

This morning gave me quite a fright. We had our Friday morning MOPS meeting and I needed to get ready so I plunked sweet baby L down and gave her the first thing that seemed okay, a container of body creme. It's her body creme, and she normally holds it while I'm putting it on her so it didn't seem like much of a stretch. I proceeded to get ready (closeby) and when I looked back, she had the lid off and was holding it cup style up against her mouth. I didn't know how much she'd had, so I called poison control. They let me know that there wasn't anything in there that would hurt her, but that she might have diarrhea later in the day. I felt like a big nerd and learned a lesson. She's been fine ever since.

I'm still waiting for it to come on out.

Race (not the running kind)

My thoughts on this are new and evolving, so bear with me.

Is it just me, or has race been more present in the media lately? I don't mean people of color, but I mean actually talking about race. It may just be the current presidential election, or it may be that I'm finally paying attention. Either way, I think the dialogue is good.

I'm really ashamed to say this, but before we adopted sweet baby L, I never gave race much thought. I mean, I always prided myself on being "color-blind." Even into adulthood, I thought that was a really good thing.

When we decided to adopt, we had a discussion about what "sort" of adoption we wanted. We knew that we wanted to adopt domestically, because we wanted to parent a child from birth, but we also knew that we were open to a child from any background, whether there was some drug use during pregnancy, or some health issues. We decided that God would lead us down the path we were meant to travel, and we'd follow wherever it went. We didn't actually even discuss race. When I called the social worker and she asked if we'd be willing to parent a child of a different racial background, I said of course!

I think this was naieve. Before I go on, let me say that I think that for us, adopting L was perfect. I'm just saying that we didn't consider what adopting transracially would be like, we just went into it with the feeling that we weren't racist and would be happy to have whatever child came. This has positive and negative aspects (in my mind the positive outweigh the negative, but we'll see as L grows). Our family is different from everyone else's and it's obvious as soon as you see us and we get attention everywhere we go. The negative side of this is certainly that everyone feels entitled to ask about our family. Well meaning questions are often actually rude and insensitive (seriously, you wouldn't believe some of the things people say). On the positive side of this, there isn't even a tiny part of me that can pretend that L isn't adopted, which I think is a good thing, it's caused me to confront some demons I probably didn't think I had. It also has changed our views on race and racism.

I do not pretend to understand what it is not to be white. I simply can't. I can't write from the experience of someone who has endured being the target of racism all their lives. I can only write from my very recent experience as a mom to a transracial adoptee and I do think that I have been the target of racism as a part of a transracial family. Some of those well-meaning questions that strangers ask have definite racial undertones to them (yes, she's from america, and seriously it's really just hair, like normal hair, I mean, yeah it's curly, but it's really just gorgeous, amazing NORMAL hair). In particular, I had a very painful experience at a hairdressers in December. The questions I was asked and the way that I was treated was unbelievable. The worst part, is that I think that the hairdresser and his son both really thought they were being clever and funny. I hate to think of the times in the future when I'm not around that baby L will deal with these same sorts of questions or even worse.

What I have learned in my VERY short experience as a mom, is that being "color-blind" is ridiculous. First of all, it robs us all of the differences that make us beautiful and unique. We are all different colors, religions, sizes and shapes and THAT is what makes us interesting. If we were all the same, what would be beautiful? Second of all, it's ridiculous to pretend that we aren't different. We are. Get over it. I think that some people like to pretend (those of us with the luxury to do so) that racism is a thing of the past. Growing up in a white home, in a teensy tiny midwestern town, we didn't talk about race at all (you know, part of the color-blind thing). I think that we think if we push it under the rug it isn't there. I know that the reasoning there is that people don't want to say the WRONG thing. We all know racism is evil and ugly, and we'd hate for something to come out of our mouths that made us look that way, so we just don't talk about it at all.

This is why I think the current dialogue is so awesome. I've had two conversations with dear friends this week about race, seen a lot of talk about it on the View (yes, I watch the view, and I know I should be cleaning or something, but instead I surf the net and watch tv :o), read about it in blogs and even hear lots of talk about it on the news. I love watching people discuss their views about what they consider to be racist or not to be racist, or what falls into that gray area in between. I firmly believe that when we don't confront evil, it just lurks into our living rooms and takes up residence and after a while, we don't even know it's there. I'm ashamed to say that I didn't know this before L, but I'm happy to say that I'm realizing it more and more now. There is so much evil in the world. Racism is everywhere around us, but maybe if we talk about it, we can shoo some of it out.

And I think I'm going to start saying, "Heaven" when people ask me where she's from.

Two Weekly Update!

We're back in town!



It's been a big two weeks. We spent some time in Orlando, Savannah, and Charleston and had a wonderful time! It was a great time to relax and unwind. Sweet baby L had a rough time sleeping just because we were keeping her out late or being out over her naps. She's just to the age where she is no longer interested in napping in her stroller. She wants to see everything!



She had quite a few things too look at too. L had her first experience with a swimming pool, her first trip to the beach, her first family vacation, her first carriage ride, her first time on a boat, and I'm sure that there are tons more!



It does seem like a lot has changed in the last couple of weeks. Sweet baby L is really growing! She's getting very "grabby" trying to get whatever she sees that she wants. She's also started creeping a little bit. She'll see something she wants and when her outstretched arms and reaching won't get it for her, she'll get up on her forearms and toes (lifting her entire body off of the ground) and push off causing her body to scoot forward. She can't get anywhere very fast, but she can get there eventually.



Sweet baby L has also FINALLY cut a tooth. I swear that we've been teething for something like three months!! You can't really see the tooth but when you feel her gums, you can feel that sharp little sucker in there. I can't imagine how that cute little grin is going to change over the next few weeks. I can't wait to see that adorable little two tooth grin.



Sorry for the short post. We're having a crazy day around here. Poor L has had some, uh, digestive issues today. As in, up her entire back to the tag of her onesie digestive issues. I gave her a different brand of yogurt than her normal brand this morning and it had a few different cultures. I think one of them must have completely run right through her. I'm hoping that she's doing better now. It was one of those down and dirty mom days with laundry and an emergency bath. Brad nearly threw up when he smelled it after she had another round when he got home. For some reason that made me feel like a super mom. I can take care of the poo, clean it up and still have time for cuddles! Woohoo!

Here are some photos from our vacation. Enjoy!



Mama's new haircut!



Looking out the window at her new shade. After an hour or so of driving in the sun we had to stop and get a shade for her poor face!



A happy girl in the first of many days in her stroller. By the end of our trip she was so tired of that stroller!



Happy St. Patrick's Day! This was actually the day before St. Patrick's, but in Savannah it's a big holiday. She didn't care much for wearing that hat, but it was sure cute!



Table tasting in Orlando. It's so bad, but it's pretty adorable. I keep joking that sweet baby L is going to think that vacation is just visiting a string of restaurants.



A girl has to try on some Mickey ears in Orlando!



She really enjoyed watching those spinning lights!



A family self portrait.



People watching at a restaurant. She was very drawn in by our waiter.



Sweet baby L had her first swim at the hotel in Orlando. I love a baby in a swimsuit.



Out of the pool after we got cold.



Friday morning at the beach. A sweet baby L and mama self portrait.



More L at the beach.



Okay, I'm just proud of that shot.



Kennedy Space Center





Waiting for lunch in Charleston.





Waiting for our turn on the carriage.



Enjoying her boat ride.

It's hard to believe that she'll be 7 months old tomorrow! You know what that means... BUNNY PHOTO TIME! See you next week!

More adorable photos

We went out this evening to get a few things for our upcoming trip. There was a little problem in there, but we made the best of it. I think sweet baby L likes her new van!
























Her favorite part of her new van is being able to look out the windows. She's loving seeing her world!
























Any girl needs some shades for cruising in her new ride.

























This was the little problem I talked about earlier (and the one that gave me all kinds of time to take photos. I locked the keys in the old car. It was pretty rough. Brad had to try to open it with a marshmallow roasting stick (no coat hangers in sight), and a neighbor finally came to our rescue with a pair of pliers and a coat hanger. We got the keys out without a locksmith! Woohoo!

Weekly Update

Last week I had the flu. It started innocently enough with a bit of a sore throat, but it grew and got ugly and bad. Luckily, Brad stayed healthy (although I maintain that he's the one who brought it into the house) and sweet baby L got a touch of something, but not nearly like I did. I was out the entire week and took no photos! SO... there isn't much to show for our week, but we did do a few things.

On Saturday, I really needed to leave the house. I was a little tiny bit sick, but was feeling much better and really needed some fresh air. We went out for breakfast, and got some books and clothes for our upcoming trip. The biggest part of the day was getting sweet baby L's ears pierced! They're so cute!

You can see them in her bunny photos. Can you believe this child is 6 months old?!

We also talked ourselves into buying a minivan. It's something we'd been throwing around for a long time, and with our upcoming vacation next week (really more of a business trip turned vacation) we decided to take the plunge. Brad (of course) researched and explored and ended up deciding to go with a lightly used, 2007, blue Kia Sedona. We're just thrilled. It's very pretty and I'm so pumped about being able to fit all of our stuff in when we travel or camp, and fitting in all of our family when they visit.

Next week we'll be out of pocket and I'm not sure about our internet situation. If there's no post you can count on a really great one the week after. See you soon!

Weekly Update

It's been a good week! I'm not sure how time got away from me, but this is the only photo I have! We were very happy to have had our weekend with Mawmaw and Pawpaw and then we had a fairly quiet week.

Sweet baby L is finally sitting up! I think she would have been doing it a long time ago, but she just prefers to stand. When she sits, she arches her back straight, as if she wants to stand up. (For a long time we've been holding her up so she can stand) It's been fantastic going to restaurants and putting her in the wooden high chairs. She loves it. She can see everyone and be a part of the experience. It's great! I haven't tried it in the cart at the grocery store yet, but we will soon.

We did a bit of sleep training this week. We had a big weekend and by Tuesday night sweet baby L was crying everytime we set her down and SCREAMING as soon as we left the room. We'd come back and comfort her and she would giggle and smile (sweet but UGH, right?). So, Friday we decided to go back and do what we'd originally done several months ago, which is just basically to go through a routine (baby massage, book, song) everytime we set her down, and then to comfort her only when she cries hard. It always works well, she goes to sleep on her own after crying a bit, and we're still not going all the way to cry it out (which is fine for those who it works for, I just can't do it all the way). By Saturday night things were going much better, although she did wake up at 2:3o last night. She is at least going down now without the crazy screaming that we were having before. That makes me feel better.

I don't think we've tried anything new foodwise this week, besides green beans. Her favorite meal by far is now mangoes with or without yogurt. She leans as far forward as she can to get the stuff in her mouth. She's crazy about mangoes! Today at the doctor's office I was listing the foods that she eats, cereal, plain yogurt, bananas, avocadoes, sweet potatoes and mangoes. She (the doctor) said, those are all really great sweet things, have you thought of adding some vegetables? So on our way home we went to the store picked up some frozen green beans, carrots and peas, and cooked and pureed them (one veggie at a time) in the blender. Sweet baby L went after her green beans, so apparently she likes them! My new plan is to feed her one meal with yogurt and a fruit, and then another meal with cereal and a veggie.

Sweet baby L weighs 16lbs 8 oz. and is 26.5 inches long. Just in case you are wondering, that is 75th percentile in weight and between the 50th and 75th percentiles in height. I was worried because she hadn't grown much, she was 16 lbs at four months, but the doctor said she's fine. The good news (as my friend Sherrie pointed out) is that it means she'll be in those 6-9 month clothes for a while (THANK GOODNESS!).

I need to get her bunny photos up, I just can't believe it's time again! Look for those sometime soon.

See you next week!