A Quick Update...

Not much time today as I am trying to get the house back into order after the holidays -- even as I am beginning to accept that "back in order" has an entirely new definition these days :)

We are doing good! Prior to leaving for Ethiopia we were not sure of little Alexander's disposition & whether attending holiday celebrations and/or church would be an option but Xander has simply been a trooper! It was really fun introducing him to so many individuals who have been prayer warriors for us in the past months/years. Here are some current pictures, playing with some of his recent Christmas gifts.

He's eating good. We learned that we need to give him foods with lots of texture (i.e. rice/chunks) & spices (i.e. onion/garlic) since that's what he is used to. The Gerber baby food carrots/peas and such were simply NOT making the grade. For the sake of bonding/attachment, even though he was cup-fed at the orphanage, we have transitioned him to a bottle & he's adjusted really well...which delights his mama's heart! He has also transitioned well from the ET formula (Bebelac) to that recommended by our pediatrician (Similac). It seems to me that after just a couple of weeks on the more fortified formula his shirts & PJs are becoming a bit snug :)

He's sleeping good. WARNING: Those struggling to get a full night's sleep, please skip over this paragraph! On average, we put him to bed about 9PM and he wakes around 8AM. Naptime is a bit less structured but he'll either take a short nap in the AM and longer nap in the PM or vice versa.

He's catching up quickly development-wise. Originally he was unable to put any weight on his legs when we pulled him upright but now he's pulling himself up quite easily & has begun 'creeping' along the couch. Getting down is a bit more complicated. He gets especially frustrated when he wants to continue playing with a toy he's leaning against but his little legs get tired/shaky :) He was initially unable to self-feed due to not having the opportunity to practice Now...the Cheerios are finding their way into his mouth quite quickly. Here he's having 'Cheerio time' with his cousin, Jared (just one week older than Alexander).

There are so many moments that have delighted us in the past weeks. The kind of things/events that you are not even consciously aware of but then they happen...and you cannot help but feel blessed beyond words. One of those moments was Alexander sharing a bath with his cousins, Jonah & Jared. They were having SO much fun splashing around and I leaned over to my MIL and said, "Do you see that? I have a little boy in that bathtub. Amazing, huh? He's actually here."

Well...my little guy is having a meltdown in his crib right now. I guess naptime is over. Gotta run...

The Joy of Naptime...

My little guy is down for his afternoon nap. Since he slept almost 2 hours this morning, I am sure this will be an abbreviated one.

Did I mention this morning's naptime? Yeah...so this is how it played out.

Mama put the little boy in his crib.

He cried for 2.3 seconds, gave a half-hearted 'I do NOT like it when you leave me in here alone' cry, stuck his thumb in his mouth and fell soundly asleep.

The washing machine & dryer were buzzing.

The dishes in the sink were piled high.

Toys were strewn about the floor.

Knowing 'productive' time could be limited, the mama looked around...and spied the unmade bed.

She took one step towards the freshly laundered sheets.

Then another.

A list of ToDo's filtered thru her mind. She pushed them away.

The mama would like to confess the the distraction was only mometary.

It was not.

It lasted an hour.

Naptime. SWEET naptime.

Country of Birth: Ethiopia...

Although our days were mostly centered on our little boy & spent at the care center/orphanage, we were able to take an 8-hour round trip to the southern part of ET, into the Hossana region. While the capital of Ethiopia, Addis Ababa (population 3 million), is a relatively 'modern city' for the continent of Africa, the countryside is like stepping back in time. The landscape is expansive, tranquil and absolutely stunning. It was commented by several during the bus ride, "It kind of looks like how I imagined the world appeared when God created the earth."

Many of the country's inhabitants live in mud huts with thatched roofs like that seen in the image below. Family members AND livestock live together inside these dwellings. The walls/floors are made of cattle dung which hardens over time. The soot from the indoor cooking fires/heat source blackens the roof & aids in drying the reeds & sealing out rain. We were able to see the inside of one of these dwellings, very similar to the hut in which our Alexander was born/lived in for several months with his first mom & family. I cannot imagine...
Following are a few additional images I took from the bus window. The first is a picture of an eucalyptus tree. If I have the translation correct from a social worker travelling with us, these trees were introduced into the country b/c of their beauty. Unfortunately, the trees are very aggresive and require ABSURD amounts of moisture; moisture which they steal from neighboring farmland & sources of drinking water for the people.

Alexander's Christmas List...

The ORIGINAL VERSION

1. an activity table to engage/entertain with songs, sparkling lights and lots of great things to spin, slide, push, pull, open and close
2. fashion-forward clothing designs to accentuate the 'cuteness' factor
3. CDs and videos which include learning activities to help build phonics skills, vocabulary & reading comprehension

The REVISED VERSION

1. drool (dribble) bibs of any shape/size/color/texture
2. plain white onesies
3. stain remover & laundry detergent

Unlimited quantities of the above items accepted.

I Never Knew...

I never knew that such a small child, practically a stranger, could capture my heart so quickly & completely.

I never knew it was possible to be positively exhausted & fully alive at the same time.

I never knew that a giggle could make me cry.

I never knew how special it would be to refer to my husband as 'daddy'.

I never knew how much a little boy with a runny nose, wet kisses & a sweet smile would so change my life.

I just never knew.

Oh, praise be to God, NOW I know...

A Quick Post for Now...

Sorry. We were unable to post while in ET...blogs blocked by the government.

I hope to share details of our trip in the next few weeks but we're preoccupied right now with introducing our little boy to his grandparents, aunts & uncles and getting thru the jet lag.

Thanks for ALL the prayers. God is so good!

An Early Departure...

We are leaving...TODAY! Yep. In a couple of hours! Due to some forecasted harsh weather (rain, freezing rain, snow flurries) for tomorrow we were able to change our tickets and will be catching a late flight out. It's all good! I am SO ready to be on our way!

Being a task-oriented person, these past few weeks of preparations have been kinda fun (albeit exhausting!).

• Christmas baking. CHECK.
• Last-minute errands...and another round of errands for the things I had forgotten (even though some were ON my list). CHECK.
• Christmas presents purchased/ordered (and most of them, wrapped). CHECK.
• Nursery arranged, re-arranged. CHECK.
• Floors scrubbed/polished. Kitchen cabinets re-organized. Bathrooms scrubbed. Underneath the bed swept. CHECK. By the way, I caught my husband last week signing an email as: Blake and 'the Nester' :)
• Bags packed & weighed. Re-packed, re-weighed. CHECK. (and just in case, DOUBLE-CHECK)

Here are our packed bags sitting by the front door. THANKS to all who contributed donations for the orphanage and/or items for our use while travelling internationally. Notice the monkey that my hubby has attached to his backpack...a sure sign that he is TOTALLY excited about his little boy.

It was REALLY fun to decorate for Christmas this year, inside & out. My favorite part is unwrapping each of the figures for our Nativity scene. This year's newest additions (which I received as gifts last year) are the goat & the oxen seen here. Love 'em!

And, I will leave you with this one. A sweet & soft monkey perched in the tree just bursting with excitement to welcome home his newest, bestest friend -- little Alexander!

I am not sure if I will be able to blog from Ethiopia but am planning to make an attempt; it is all dependent on the phone lines/computer connections at the guesthouse.

Thanks to EACH of you for your friendship, your love and your prayers. We love you all. So very much!