Santa is SMART!!

So, if you are wondering about Charlie and his understanding of Santa, here ya go...

Now, the funny part...Charlie requested a "car" (complete with hand motions, which I translate to be a remote control car) in the video, which he has never mentioned before today. And I just happen to know that Santa is bringing Charlie the biggest and best remote control car that he could find at Target! I'm thinking Santa must know Charlie pretty well!

You can also hear Sam and his super sonic voice say, "Sam presents?"...He just wants to make sure that he isn't left out of all the fun! I have answered that very question no less than 47 times today.



I'm going to get back to listening to non-stop Christmas music. (Kenny has threatened to turn it off. He is such a scrooge!)

Merry Christmas Eve to ALL...

CHRISTmas

We have done our best to point the boys back to Christ with all of the conversations we have had about Christmas and although I'm certain they don't understand it all, it's still exciting to see them learn. (The two facts we have nailed down are Baby Jesus' mom and dad's names and that Santa is coming soon...Charlie said in the car yesterday, "Santa Clause me's house 3 days?" Yep, that was a full sentence, folks!)

Sunday we had our Family Christmas Service at church (which ended up not being quite so "family" for us, since Kenny was home with Sam who was running a fever). They served communion at the end of the service and I mentally prepared myself as the plates passed for the onslaught of questions I knew I was about to receive as I partook of the Lord's Supper and Charlie was passed by. I could think of no way to really explain this ceremony to Charlie in words that he would understood, so instead when he looked up at me and the questions came, I answered him as simply as I could and said a quiet prayer over him that he would soon understand the love that Christ had for him. My answer seemed to suffice for the time being (either that, or he just decided the candle he was holding was more interesting), but I find myself having inner arguments about this all the time. It's so hard to look ahead into the future to a time where he will be able to understand the words needed to share Christ with him. Things that a typical 6-year-old understands are just jibberish to him at this point...evident by his scrunched up face as I try to explain things on a daily basis. It brings me to a realization that we have an important task ahead of us. Yes, I would seek to share Christ with him even if he understood my words, but because he doesn't always understand me, it seems to make it more special and even more important.

As we rapidly approach Christmas Day, I pray that each of you have the opportunity to point someone back to Christ...

LOVE these boys to pieces...

Give This Christmas Away...

My mom (well, now Gammie) has done it again.

As I mentioned last year, she always gets an ornament to celebrate life's events from that year. Today we received a package with the perfect ornament in it...

 

Gammie found this year's ornament on another adoptive family's blog...They are raising money to bring home their little Elijah. So not only do I love the ornament, but the purchase of it is helping to bring home another little fella! (Here come the tears...) Check out their website for way better pictures and to order your own.

Also in the package was a nativity set for the boys to play with (Sam said, "Mommy, baby Jesus??"...and my heart just smiles!) and the newest Christmas VeggieTales DVD, Saint Nicholas. We watched the video this afternoon (the boys were really more interested in the talking vegetables than the actual story this time around) and there was also a music video for Operation Christmas Child with the song Give This Christmas Away with Matthew West and Amy Grant........

Okay, so this is my new favorite song!! We watched the music video a couple of times and I was interested to see how Charlie responded. He was glued to the TV and kept asking what was going on and I just have to wonder...Were he and Sam ever recipients of one of those shoe boxes?? (Tears again...)



Wow. This post is jam packed with info. So, go buy an ornament and give this Christmas away...

Oh, and thanks, Mommy. You did good!

English as a 2nd language...

EDITOR'S NOTE: It's important to keep in mind that all things rendered said by the boys, are said with an irresistible Amharic accent, making almost all of the below mentioned events ten times funnier. Also, all things said by Sam are said about 47 octaves higher than your typical 2-year-old. Which adds to the hilarity.

We can't just say "stop". We must say "es stop". It's almost like Spanish, but instead of "el" or "la", we have "es". "Es stop, es stop!" Maybe it happens faster if you say "es" in front of things...

If you have seen some of my previous posts, you know that our word for potty is "shint", brought with us from Ethiopia. So last night while in the bathtub, Charlie called Sam a "shint head".... Oh, my...I think it's time to work on changing our potty language...

They still crack me up when they are trying to tell me something, but they repeat what they have heard me say...Instead of telling me he is cold, Charlie might say, "Are you cold?" or my personal favorite, "Are you full?"...meaning I've had enough!

Yesterday the boys had to go with us to sign some papers on the house, and in my attempts to entertain Charlie, I explained to him what was going on and I asked him to go downstairs and get something to draw on to take with us. "Paper? Colors?", he asked. I responded that was indeed what I wanted him to bring up. He returned a few minutes later with a giant pad of floor paper and fingerpaints. I laughed out loud just thinking about us sitting in this attorney's office with Charlie and his paints. He definintely understood my request, just not the details of it!

I can't wait to get Charlie on a roller coaster. Just taking him over a simple hill in the car has him screaming from the back seat, "Stomach, stomach! Slow down, Mommy!" I must admit...I sometimes go faster just to get a laugh out of him!

Not from my own kids, but our best buddies, Grace & Emma, now speak with an Amharic accent almost all the time. Why not? Charlie & Sam do it. So much for that whole exposure to English thing working for us...

We were working on names of body parts the other day. I can't really convey to you in writing just how funny it is to hear a 6-year-old say, with extreme seriousness, that his hiney is also his "buttocks". (I did not teach him that word. He came with it.)

We have been teaching Charlie to use more sentences instead of just the word when he is requesting things. So instead of, "Pancake, please!", we say "May I have more pancakes, please?" Our efforts are working and Sam is picking up, too..."May pancakes PLEASE!" It's really more of a demand than a request, but we'll work on his tone later.

All that being said, our English acquisition is going remarkably well. They are picking up SO fast and honestly, I think Sam picks it up faster than Charlie, although obviously Charlie understands more about what he is saying. Some days I feel like I have two toddlers, other days I'm shocked at what they actually know. And if we don't have a word, we just act it out. My life is one big game of charades these days, but I wouldn't trade it for the world.

A camel ate my camera.

We joined the Jolly's for one of their Christmas traditions this year and went to the Kentucky Horse Park's Southern Lights this past week.

The lights totally flipped the boys out...

...Charlie and the girls had a blast at the petting zoo while Sam kept his distance (check out that camel...he almost got Grace and literally almost took my camera out of my hand at one point. But not before I messed myself!)...



...kids and mommies all enjoyed a train ride (Yes, we are ALL in the caboose. You should have seen us before we reorganized ourselves and you should have seen the dads chasing the train trying to get a picture...Grace said, "This is soooo embarrassing!")...



...Charlie, Grace & Emma rode a pony and then Sam decided he would too (he sat and rode, but he was NOT touching the pony with his hands)...



...we checked out the train display and were thrilled to find several Thomas' (we are obsessed)...



...and then proceeded to make them all sit and smile while we attempted to get decent pictures of them (they did good and it actually only took a couple of shots!).



A stunning group of kids, if I must say so myself! And a definite recommend for family holiday fun!

From Ethiopia to Kentucky...

A year ago, these three were in the same orphanage, on the same continent, half a world away. And today...they sit together in their PJ's, in Taylorsville, Kentucky, watching Tom & Jerry and getting ready to go to church together. (No, we didn't sneak and adopt another just yet...We've had Eli for a sleepover this weekend while Mom & Dad enjoyed a night away.)

How awesome is it that our church has such an incredible adoption ministry that kids from the same place are now together again? God has such an amazing plan for these little boys!!

I know they don't remember being together, but I think it's pretty stinkin' sweet!

Smile Sam!

Awww...you let Mommy dress you up...now stand in front of the Christmas tree and smile!



Oh.......you wanted me to smile NOW?


Hold on, I think I left my smile in the bed this morning...


Is that good, Mom? I'm smiling now.


I can only do this for so long, MOM. Are you done yet???

1 year ago today...

December 1, 2008

At 7:40 pm, after an afternoon of swapping phone calls and emails, we FINALLY got the email we had waited 6 months and 12 days for (not that I was keeping count).

Our paperwork approved us for 1 or 2 related or unrelated children under the age of 24 months. But we told our agency that we were open to siblings as well. What did we really know about what God had planned for us?

Our referral was for brothers...thought to be 1 and 4 years old. We spent the evening of December 1st in tears, in prayer, in great conversation. We went to the Jolly's house and showed off grainy, black and white photos of the boys we would soon become obsessed with...


I think this is the first time I've shared these pics on the blog...Charlie saw them today and told me that wasn't him, but that was Sam. I kinda agree with him...looks nothing like him!

We talked and talked, but I think we both knew from the minute that we saw the boys that they were the children God had chosen for us. Two children was totally unexpected. A 4-year-old was totally unexpected. Could we jump into parenting an older child? What would we do about school? Were we really ready for a 1 and 4 year old, when in our minds we had been preparing for a baby?

The next day, we called and formally accepted the referral. We had NO clue what we were getting ourselves into, but were told we should be able to pick up the boys late February, early March at the latest. Ha...!

If you had told me then that we wouldn't pick them up until August 24, 2009, I would have told you that you were nuts (8 months and 24 days later)...but what do I know.

So, 1 year ago today, we saw the faces that we now look upon daily. I still sometimes forget I have kids, not to mention a 2-year-old and 6-year-old!! God has chosen us to be Mommy & Daddy to these precious, silly, challenging, loving, handsome little boys...I can't think of a better thing to be thankful for!

I won.

Those of you that know us well, know that I have a 2-year-old that has been resistant to naps since coming home. He took a nap everyday from 1:00 to 3:00 at the orphanage, but for some reason, we weren't able to make that transition when we came home. He yelled, he screamed...for hours at a time when I would try to get him to nap. The results were either a very cranky boy or one who wanted to be held constantly by the time 4:00 rolled around. Occasionally we would get a nap in, but only on his terms when he accidentally fell asleep on the couch when he was just too exhausted to continue.

About two weeks ago, I decided that I am bigger and I am in charge and we were going to take a nap. No matter what.

The results: Sam now lays down in the afternoon after lunch. He knows he has to lay down and stay in his bed until Mommy comes to get him. Sometimes he falls asleep for a couple of hours, other times we just rest for an hour or so. But...he is MUCH happier in the early evening hours now and Mommy gets a couple of hours in the afternoon to get some housework done! Or read a book. Or just do nothing. :) And if we happen to not be home or just can't get in a "rest" due to our schedule that day, it's not detrimental because he had a nap the day before. Works well for all involved!

Looking back, I'm sure our "no nap" days were the product of many things...lack of trust, strange place, being scared, being separated from Charlie and from me (although, I tried laying down with him a few days), testing boundaries, etc. And now that he is more established here and knows that I'm staying, he's staying, Charlie's staying...even if he goes to sleep, he lays down with absolutely NO fight.

I won. The end.

Earned Love

Sam called me "Mommy" from day one, was giving out hugs by the end of week 1 and free kisses by the end of week 2. And like a parrot, will repeat "I love you" at any given time, although has started using it spontaneously and without prompting over the last couple of weeks. Makes me spontaneously smile!

He is two-years-old and at the ripe old age of two, it is just really easy to trust and love anyone who is meeting your needs. He is hungry--I provide banana. He has tears--I provide comfort. He is sleepy--I snuggle. He has a snotty nose--I am prepared with tissue. Pretty much instant love and trust given.

Not with Charlie. I was "Hey, You!" for about 3 weeks...at least until I just stopped responding unless he said "Mom". He has tolerated our hugs and kisses and tokens of love over the last several months and after a while stopped stiffening up like a mummy any time we touched him. Around month 2, he would receive and give a hug if you were coming or going.

We did teach the boys the sign for "I love you" pretty early on...it's something Kenny and I have always done, so we just passed it on to the boys. Both boys picked it up fast and use it when we flash the sign to them. (Sam did have a little trouble getting his fingers in the right position to begin with, which resulted in me getting flipped off a time or two.)

Last week, the love given over the last several months was finally reciprocated.

During our normal bedtime routine, which includes lots of "Goodnight's", "I love you's", "Don't get out of the bed's" and many kisses, I thought I got the remnants of a kiss. When I gave him a kiss again on the cheek, he returned the favor. Then he told Kenny "I love you" while he was getting tucked in by dad. All in one night! Thought it was just a fluke, but almost every night since then, the kisses and "I love you's" have returned... as well as big smiles and a few tears (those were from me)!

In a time span of less than a week, Charlie was sent away with two people he had never met, who spoke a language he didn't know and was put on a plane to fly literally half way around the world into a land he had only heard about. I can only imagine the struggles and thoughts he had as he entered this new family, received love from practical strangers and having to process all the new things around him. Who cares if I was meeting his needs? Understandably, love and trust didn't just fall into our laps as easily with Charlie. I didn't mind having to earn his love and trust. It makes it much more fun to give when it is received easily.

He is snuggled next to me on the couch now, watching a Christmas movie and asking a million questions about Santa and reindeer...

"Mommy, deer fly??" "Ummmmm....yes...?"

It's taken a while, but I think we've earned his love.

The tradition continues...

I have a confession.

I went to Waffle House today and I think...I think...I might have liked it.

Last year, Kenny talked me into going to Waffle House on our way to go get a Christmas Tree and we mutually decided that since I forbid the consumption of WaHo every other day, that we would make an exception for one day a year. Only ONE day. And thus began a tradition...


Picture #1...picture #2...picture #3...oh, just forget it...

The boys thoroughly loved their first trip to Waffle House, seeing as they are obsessed with pancakes...waffles also fall in that category. Charlie even partook of some of Kenny's triple order of hashbrowns--scattered, covered, peppered and topped (otherwise known as a heart attack on a plate). The kid literally ate jalapenos by themselves. And never asked for a drink. Of anything. He also eats crushed red pepper flakes by themselves too, so I don't know why I'm surprised.


We proceeded to totally flip Charlie out by going to buy a tree, attach it to the top of the car and then actually bring it into the house. He has this little noise he makes when he is seeing something new and interesting...we heard it a lot today.

He helped Kenny get it off the car and bring it in and even helped me decorate some (in between working on his K'nex car). We had the whole "Santa" talk today because he kept asking who he was, followed by the fact that it is also Jesus' birthday and that is really the whole point of Christmas. We made the mistake of telling him Santa brought toys, so I'm pretty sure we'll have to talk about the whole Jesus' birthday thing again because he wasn't really listening by then...he was busy trying to figure out exactly when this Santa guy was going to be coming to "me's house".


We wrapped up the day by rooting on Bama (the reason for all the matching Bama shirts) to a somewhat pitiful win over Auburn...but a win, none the less...tackling some to the Thanksgiving leftovers and watching Home Alone for the first time this season. (Happy "Thankygivey", by the way. We are still having trouble with multiple syllable words...)

Sam had just joined us from his nap time and was doing his best Daddy imitation (notice the leg position) while watching the Tide.

I guess now that we've done it twice, it's a full fledged Cook tradition...

See ya next year, Waffle House!

"Kentucky no swim?"

Charlie loves to swim. Evident by the very few times that he has been swimming since coming home.

Also discovered over the last couple of weeks that Charlie loves leaves...

Today I went outside to check on the boys and they were meticulously piling leaves, "swimming" through them, re-piling...and repeat. Throughout this whole process, Charlie kept asking to go swimming and I kept telling him that it was too cold. He would tell me he wasn't cold and ask to go swimming again. In the end, he decided to go inside. Because he was cold. Hmmmm.....



I finally told him we don't swim in water in Kentucky, we swim in leaves. I don't think he's buying it. (And unfortunately he doesn't understand sarcasm yet...) But until it warms up, he's gonna have to do his swimming in leaves or the indoor pool when grandparents happen to visit and stay in a hotel. (Side note: He thought because we got to see all the grandparents when we went to Alabama, that we also got to go swimming. Unfortunately, neither set of grandparents live in a hotel with an indoor pool.)


Covering ourselves with leaves...they are gonna flip at the beach when they can do this with sand!


Not sure what just happen here, but I laugh hysterically when I look at this picture.


Learning to "float" on our backs...

MIA...

I know that many of you know that we do church just a little bit different from the average congregation...

We attend Highview Baptist Church: Spencer County Campus. Our Campus is growing and we currently don't have a permanent building, but instead hold our services each week at the local elementary and middle schools. What this also means is that we have to "set up" church each week and we have two large trailers that house ALL of our stuff that are brought to the "church" each Sunday and Wednesday.

This past Wednesday, upon arrival at the school, we soon discovered that we were missing a rather large part of what we thought we needed to have church...our Children's Ministry trailer...with EVERYTHING that we need for Sunday and Wednesday programs. I'll spare the details as they are still working on the particulars of what exactly happen, but it seems that someone "borrowed" our trailer and hasn't returned it yet...

So, while we thought we needed lots of "stuff" to have church, turns out, we just need a great church family with incredible attitudes in the face of potential disaster...and a little imagination!

I'm "borrowing" (haha!) this picture and quote below from Nicole, our Minister to Children...but this is just how awesome our church family is...


I love this picture! My teachers are amazing. They never complained, never said a negative word. Just jumped in, pulled chairs together in a circle in the hallway, and had Cubbies! No table, no toys, no glue sticks or scissors. Just kids and teachers, and a paper crown.

We had church Wednesday night with only the supplies we all happen to have in our cars, which wasn't much compared to what we normally have in a big 10-foot trailer. It was crazy. It was hectic. It was awesome seeing God's people pulling together to make things happen. We had fun and the kids didn't miss anything! And clean up was a lot easier this week! :)

I know God is just keeping us on our toes...

More PB & J

I never thought that I would be writing multiple posts about peanut butter & jelly, but now that it's such an important part of our lives, I guess I have no choice other than to document all of our PB & J fun!

As I've stated earlier, the boys are obsessed with PB & J and would eat it every day. Sam has a very unique way of eating his PB & J...he dissects it, taking it apart piece by piece, usually ending up with PB & J up his nose and all over his face! This particular meal time he actually had peanut butter on his shoulder and in his hair by the time he was done. How do you get peanut butter on your shoulder?? And just for his Uncle Steve, who was disappointed he didn't get to experience the PB & J madness...



This is also how we eat cheeseburgers, hot dogs, etc...anything that has "parts" to it...we take it apart and then eat it! It's really quite entertaining...

3 months

Really?

3 months already?

Well, not exactly 3 months, but we did have our 3-month Post Placement visit last night. Sounds very official and like we did something wrong, but really just a laid back chat about how things are going.

What a difference 3 months makes? Look at those eyes...he was so sick and yucky when we came home...Now we have a little boy who is hard not to laugh at every second of the day!! :)


Sam at the orphanage the day we picked up the boys...August 24, 2009


Riding trikes in Birmingham...November 14, 2009

And our shy and quiet one has turned into quite the little chatter box! There are days he talks ALL day long! We know so little English, but still manage to talk, talk, talk...


Charlie sporting dad's hat at the orphanage...August 24, 2009


Playing baseball in Birmingham...November 14, 2009

A week in Sweet Home Alabama...

Synopsis of the week...

Monday: Travel...the boys are GREAT travelers!! Give them a DVD player and we are set...just pray your battery doesn't die because then the incessant chatter begins! Charlie literally talks your ear off in the car..."Hey, where you going??" We got to hang out with Cousin Ty for the first time...not real fond of him in the beginning because he takes our toys away, but he grew on us as the week went on. Ty was able to elicit a high pitched scream from Sam that I had never heard before...somewhat humorous! :)


Learning to play with Cousin Ty...at a distance...


I enjoyed seeing Ty!!

Tuesday: Visited with Pop & Mom Peg, had fun playing with Lincoln Logs.

Wednesday: Hung out with some of Gammie's side of the family and got to meet more cousins. Had dinner with Papa John and Gran (Kenny's parents) and discovered that our fear of dogs also extends to cats...but loved playing with Gran and Megan!


Visiting with family, discovering that we like to sit in Papa's lap, and using Mom's 1985 Game Boy as a phone...

Thursday: Went to McWane Science Center and the boys had a blast...I had fun, too! Charlie got to touch a real live shark...after he confirmed many times that it wouldn't bite him. Sam feels the same way about sharks that he does about cats and dogs...



Everyone but Gammie waiting to "pet" the sharks...Sam is thinking real hard that he's not about to put his hand in that water...


How cute is this? They were watching the trains together!

Friday: Daddy joined us in Alabama...and boy were we glad to see him!! :) We had lunch with Gran...our first trip to Milo's! The boys can share their father's love for this fast food joint, because I can take it or leave it. They do have good sweet tea. Also had our first visit with an eye doctor...can't take a trip to Alabama without seeing Dr. Pair! (Our eyes are perfectly healthy, although we are not fond of having our eyes dilated.) Met more family as we cooked out that evening with lots of my family.


Catching up on much needed "Daddy Time" while Papa mans the grill...

Saturday: More family again as we visited with some of Kenny's family and had great chicken and dressing...Thanks Gran! They fit right in perfectly and loved playing with their new cousins. Met some of my college friends for a brief ice cream stop before heading home for the evening.


Charlie getting to know his Aunt Meg up close and personal...


"Charlie Cook STATS: 59 lbs, 4 feet, 2 inches, bats/throws: right, Rookie Season, recently traded to Team America"...Sorry, this just looks like it should be on the front of a baseball card...

Sunday: Headed out early and ended a busy week with a trip to Steak 'N Shake in Nashville.

All in all we had a great trip...I'll admit...I was a little worried as to how the boys would do with all the commotion and meeting new people, because let's be honest, neither side of the family is a quiet bunch! Hopefully the boys will come to know and love the craziness that compiles the family they have joined...because now they are a part of it, whether they like it or not!! :)

Road Trip!!

After you travel in an airplane for 17 consecutive hours, driving 6 and a half is really just a joke. The boys and I took off yesterday to Alabama for the week. They did a great job in the car, compliments of many hours of Disney and Tom & Jerry DVD's.

Instead of asking "Are we there yet?", Charlie just asked every 5 minutes..."Dis Alabama?", "Where you going?", and "Alabama now?"... And that started about 3 and half minutes after we left the house.


Taking a break to eat a PB & J...We look unhappy, but it was just bad timing and an even worse cell phone camera.



Tired of riding in the car, but doing great 3 hours in!



This is only funny if you were on the plane with us to Ethiopia (or you have ever been to Ethiopia)...All the Ethiopians cover their heads while they are sleeping or just sitting on the plane. Charlie asked for a blanket and I looked back a few minutes later...He also watches TV at home like this!

Stayed tuned for more Alabama pics...

Say Cheese!

HUGE thanks to Melinda Pepper Photography for spending her afternoon trying to capture the perfect smiles! I can't imagine what was going through Charlie's head..."Crazy Americans, always trying to take my picture!"

Melinda posted some of the proofs at her website...feel free to visit to check out the rest of the pictures. She did a great job, despite the boys significant lack of cooperation! They really did great, all things considered...Who can really expect a 2-year-old and 6-year-old to smile happily for an hour and a half??!!



Thanks Melinda!!

Lovin' fall...

There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven...He has made everything beautiful in its time.

Ecclesiastes 3:1 & 11

Handsome Boys!

In recent posts I've admitted my ignorance when it comes to hair. So, in my continuing process of learning how to take care of the boys hair, we made a visit to a local barber shop last week. (Really, I just needed someone to show me how to do that fancy little line all the cool kids have across their forehead!)

Charlie continues to loathe having his hair cut and let me know about it from the minute I informed him of his pending visit with the barber. "Yucky!" That's what we (aka Charlie) say about anything that is not fun or that we don't like. I promised a blow pop if all went well, so that made things a little smoother.

And I'll be honest. I was just a tad bit out of my comfort zone as I entered this tiny shop to a roomful of men all waiting their turn. They scattered to either side of the room and allowed me and the boys to sit right in the center, but I know they had to be laughing on the inside at this silly girl!

While waiting for Sam, we were sitting with a huge mirror behind us, covering the entire wall. Charlie was sitting beside me enjoying his sucker. He was checking out his new do and lickng his sucker when he had one of those moments where we discover something new and fun that we seem to have at least once a day...a Charlie Revelation! Now, let me preface this with the fact that he sees himself in a mirror AT LEAST twice a day while he brushes his teeth. But today he exclaimed, "Mommy! Two suckers!" as he pointed to his own and then the reflection. I told him it was a mirror and even took my own hand and grabbed the sucker, showing him it was just a reflection. He was not buying it and continued to be amazed that he now had two suckers!! It didn't seem to faze him that there was another little boy (who looked awfully familiar) licking that sucker...


Charlie enjoying his promised treat while Sam takes his turn.

Sam looking like a big boy in the barber chair.

Indoor Fun

Now that some wet and cooler weather has moved in and our African born sons think that our Kentucky Fall is brutally cold (don't know yet how we will survive the Winter...), our play times have been more focused indoors.

Some of our new favorite things to do...

Play in the sink with bubbles and water. I should just give him the dirty dishes and a scrub brush and save myself some time...although cleaning up after him probably wouldn't be saving me any time at all.



And puzzles! My, how we LOVE puzzles! He will work on one puzzles for hours at a time...and has even completed a 500-piece...completely on his own! Smart kid, I tell you. He gets it from his mom...


We also like to paint! (Thanks to Gammy for the paint and brushes!) Tried to get Sam to finger-paint, but he would only use one finger. He doesn't like to have his hands dirty, so I'm guessing that includes paint and just gave him his brushes back!

Punkins!

"What is 'dis? Pineapple?"

So, this was our first glimpse at a pumpkin. I was impressed that Charlie knew the word "pineapple", but quickly let him know that all the "orange balls" he saw were indeed pumpkins...not pineapples. (Or "punkins" as Sam calls them!) And were NOT for kicking...as we tried out our new soccer cleats on the nearest one!


The other night we introduced the boys to pumpkin carving with the Jolly's help, which was immediately dubbed "Yucky!", as is everything else that we don't like. We soon got past the yuckiness (once Sam put his hand in the pumpkin, Charlie couldn't be outdone!) and began cleaning and carving away!

They had a blast and Charlie leaned over everyone's shoulder after he finished his own pumpkin creation, critiquing each and every thing that was done. I guess in Ethiopia, once you have carved one pumpkin, you become an expert, as he directed each mark and cut that was made with a drawn out "Nooooooo" or "Yes! 'Dis, 'dis!"


After several picture attempts and trying to get Charlie to smile, I told them..."Show me your teeth!" hoping to see toothy grins. Instead, my very literal 2-year-old is proudly showing me his teeth...

Happy Early Halloween...pictures of Spiderman and Superman soon to follow...