Happy Halloween!

Before Halloween is a memory, I thought we would post some "just cute" videos.....they crack us up but part of the humor was in the moment so it is in our hearts and won't come across in the video. Enjoy!

cool evenings and confidence abounds

We have been enjoying cool fall evenings. While allergies keep us in on windy days, we make a beeline for the park when it is calm and cool. Nick loves the park and I am so thankful that Nick's daddy loves to be right in the mix. They run thru the playground, climb, and crawl. It is a treat to just sit back and watch them play.

Well, our next second time around event came and went today. We had Nick's second halloween party at preschool. Last year, he did not have a clue what was going on and was quite ambivalent about the whole affair. He would not participate in the program and would not even stand with his peers. He had to be with me almost the whole time. While I am so glad that we still had him attend all of the "first time" events, it was hard as a new parent to go thru those events thinking that maybe "this time" he would enjoy it and be like the other kids his age. Most people knew that he was adjusting to a new home and family but there were times that I still found myself wanting to "explain" why he was having a meltdown at a party, sporting event, carnival, etc. I would get so hurt by the "looks". I just wanted to scream with him. I wanted to get a shirt that said "my child is suffering from post traumatic stress, what is your child's excuse?" :) But we have all survived. Nick has really taken on a new confidence lately. He has matured in many ways. Again this last week, his speech teacher said that she has seen a big difference just since August. I think she is as amazed as we are. Today's Halloween Party was huge for me. I got to be a "normal" mom. I watched my child, antsy with anticipation, hurry to his classroom so the party could start. I watched him sing songs, shake his booty, do almost all the hand motions, and even crack a joke that everyone laughed at in the crowd. It was a grand moment indeed! I could write on and on about all the little things that he is doing now that just amaze us but it is hard to describe the change in words that give the full extent of the metamorphosis. Nick went to bed tonight so excited that tomorrow is halloween and that this year he will go trick or treating. He has been talking about it all week. It seems that for us, second time is the charm and the fun and the joy!

Once again, I felt the need to post this year and last year pictures. The pictures are of the same party at his preschool just one year apart. The turtle is last year, and of course, what else but the Pirate this year!

I will finish this post with a sweet Nick-ism from Pat. We were a part of the church service last week as they were speaking on human trafficking. Adoption was discussed as one way we can all be a part of aiding and rescuing children at risk. While we were at the front of the church for after service questions, Pat was walking Nick around and talking about the stage and such. Pat said he asked about the baptismal area and Pat gave him a 4 year old version answer and Nick said "so, like a bath, you go in dirty and you come out clean" ......no wonder Christ told us to have the Faith of a Child.......they get it. So simple, So sweet.

Kazakh kid fun and apple pickin'

My mom and dad have been in town which has been great! Mom came a little bit under the weather and our allergen laden air has not helped at all for either of them. But, we have been able to get out and do some fun things together.....oh, and Pat and I got to go to a movie, yes, an actual movie. The last one we saw was in Wisconsin in July while around other grandparents! Having family in town would be such a luxury to us....those of you who have it, don't take it for granted! Shower your family with gratitude even if they just watch the kids for a minute so you can run to the store.......trust me, it makes a big difference when you don't have them around!



We (Nick, my mom and dad and I) met two kazakh adoptive families in Cinci for a farm visit. Muriel (the famous mom of Sophie and Jack) and one of the great coordinators of Kazapalooza along with Max's mom (one of the infamous 3 Karens) gathered at Karen's Cinci home and then caravaned to the farm. Karen had bags of goodies for all of the kids (THANKS, Karen!) and she had a special donut just for me because I found out she lived near one of the top 20 donut shops in the nation.....so I asked her for a sample. Very, Very top 20 tasting. She also had cookies for the kids from the same bakery. Nick doesn't know that he had cookies in his bag.....I'm a bad parent! (yes, I still have one left for him but he doesn't know it exists just in case I change my mind) :)




My pictures are random and we did not get a group picture which I cannot believe but we did have 3 two year olds, a newborn, and a 4 yr old so I guess it is not that hard to believe that we didn't get a picture. Muriel treated everyone to pony rides (Thanks Muriel!) and they all loved it......I believe the great Kazakh horse tradition runs thru their veins.





Below, Nick and Max are waiting in line for the ride. At one point during the day when Nick could not find Max, he said "where is my brother"? It was so sweet.


Nick loved the pony and rode like an expert. He looks so grown-up and even less like a preschooler and more like a boy. You know how I love to compare pics. Look at his first pony ride almost a year and a half ago. I cannot believe how much he has grown and the confidence and joy in his face makes me get all teary.

NOW



and THEN (july 2007)






Max looked great on his noble steed also. He wasn't scared at all. This was his FIRST pony ride!



They had little tractors to ride. Nick was loving it except they were really hard to pedal!





This picture just cracks me up. The moms were having Sophie give hugs to Max and they got some great shots. Absolute classic sweetness. BUT, this is the picture that I ended up with and Max is most likely saying, "If this is how it is now, I think I am going to skip Prom and homecoming!" LOL!






Nick loved this pig. It was very verbal and Nick was just mesmerized by him/her?

They had a great big playground that looked like a barn, waycool! Nick called me over to meet "my new friend". She then told her mom that she had a new friend. They were so cute but I hope he realizes that he is not allowed to date until he is 30. I am not kidding!

They did not have tons of pumpkins but I thought this was a cute shot as he was trying to roll this pumpkin away from its original display. Nothing is safe with Nick around! ;)

Nick wanted to push Max at the mall. He was not a focused driver especially if he sees his reflection in the glass doors! lol!

We could not get all the kids to sit at once! Imagine that!

Muriel, did you notice the advantageous shot that I used that will not give away Sophie's feet just in case you want to use this pic to show your mom! lol! The beautiful long curls belong to Sophie's BFF Teagan! I realized that we have no pictures of The Prince, Jack. Sophie's new brother. He was so good all day and added such cuteness factor!

We rode this merry go round over and over again.

All of the kids hit maximum stimulation at the same time so we packed up and headed out. Max was the only one that had a "laid back" attitude.....the rest just had attitude?!? :)

It was a great day of visiting and celebrating our cute Kazakhs! Adoption will bond any families together but Kaz adoptions make you family!

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We went to Evan's Orchard on Saturday. Nick was thrilled to be in Ata Bill's truck again so he could watch movies. That day, he decided that he needed his hat on all of the time even if he had headphones on.......can you say, goof ball!

Daddy showing Nick what the good apples looked like in the tree.

Daddy is tall and that has its advantages when the good ones are up high!

The orchard had a great play area and we spent the majority of the time there.

They had the boy mecca.....a dirt pile with ropes. He looks like quite the mountain climber...he is the one pulling up on the rope!

They had a corn maze and these fun tubes to roll/walk down lanes of tubing. Nick was exhausted at the end of the trip!

We have a few more outings to accomplish while we have "help" so I must finish this post but wanted to get the pictures out for everyone to enjoy.

"I just being a barber "

We thought it would be better if Nick told you what he did............






And then we took pictures of Mikey so he could SHOW you what Nick did.......

Yes, we were having a playdate and in less than 5 minutes, Nick had stealthed off to our upstairs bedroom, gone into our bathroom, climbed onto the toilet and then reached up into the cabinet where daddy's mustache/nose/ear hair clippers were stashed and became a Barber all on his own! So proud of his willingness to get a job in these tough economic times!

Luckily, Mikey already had his 3 year old pictures taken and his mom is one of my dearest friends so she will not refuse further playdates. He kind of has forgiving hair and you don't notice unless you look twice.

Nick is so speedy and tall now that I have to watch him almost every minute as he still likes to reach and touch and investigate.....and now obtain .....and then cut, draw, eat whatever. We have always kept things high and behind closed doors but he grabs things before you can even turn around and put them away. The fact that he even knew daddy had small scissors upstairs amazes me.......nothing gets past him now. I want to install video cameras everywhere so I can just watch him without being with him every moment of the day....it gets exhausting. There are things that he has learned are "off limits" but for him and his "way too creative" mind, we never know what he is going to go for next. I expect GREAT things of him some day with all of this creative and investigative energy. Our challenge is how to remain calm and get him to tell us what he did and not lie or sneak. At least for now, I know the look he gets when he instinctively or obviously knows he has done something he is not supposed to so as long as he tells us what he has done he gets a consequence but not as severe as if he continued to hide what he did. Parenting is so hard...........these are the days when I have to talk to God again about why we didn't get Nick as a baby so we could just have survived the sleepless nights and crying for a few years before he started locking himself in lockers and cutting his friend's hair! :)

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Speaking of how smart and observant our son is.......

A few weeks back, we had a conversation regarding Nick wanting to go to a hotel. He loves hotels and wanted to go swimming. I explained to him that we stay at hotels when we travel and that they cost money so we only stay at them when we travel. We had another conversation on another day regarding why daddy goes to work. I explained that he worked so we could have a home, food, and travel to see our families. A third conversation regarding what travel toothpaste was for and when we use it.

The following conversation brought all those ideas together in the most hilarious dinner talk one night last week.

Nick : I want to use my travel toothpaste (pause)

Nick:(with very serious look on his face) Dad, you need go to work!

Dad: No, I have been at work all day long already

Nick: (we) need to travel! (pause) You need to make money so we can travel!

Pat looked at me like are you kidding me....did my son just tell me to go work so he could travel? I thought in my head....well, yes, I agree, Wyoming , Utah, Idaho, California here we come! LOL!

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This months phrases......

1. ummmm, mom (or dad)......"problem is (weak excuse for why he can't do something)"

2. "not exactly"

3. While walking by a stroller at the store....."cool baby"

4. OK, whatever! (followed by me saying, what did you say?) "I mean, Yes, Man (mam)! :)

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We sure do love this crazy boy! He charms the pants off of all his teachers. They think he is just so cute! (he is) This week his speech teacher told us that she sees great improvement in his ablility to sit and attend to his lesson or task. She is so pleased. So are we!

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Hope everyone is having great fall weather like we are.....my folks are coming on the 14th. We can't wait and then we just found out Pat's parents may try to make a trip in November. Soooo exciting! Nick said he wanted Ata Bill to bring his big truck so they could go on a "benture" (adventure). He is so his mom's son! Now, if we just had some $$$$ for gas! I think it is a sad representation of our nation when we need to encourage our children to be a college athlete vs. a college graduate, a college coach vs. a college professor so that we can make a comfortable living! oops, off my soap box....lets just say, I am not surprised AT ALL with our economic crisis......Our priorities are reflected in our current mess. 'nuf said"

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Just one last picture for my sister and her family. Nick is loving the police uniform. BJ did he learn to pull up the socks all the way from you?? :)

For Cousin Dakota................

Dakota passed along his first "guitar" as he is playing the real ones now. Nick enjoys it and I thought everyone would enjoy watching. We have been trying for several hours to figure out how to compress videos so they will fit on blogger....anyone have any tips? I hate being just outside the "computer generation" and not being able to flawlessly flow with ease thru technology....I scrape and claw and somedays just turn the thing off. ugh!

Pat is hoping that he has a chance with the next generation Metallica......maybe?

and then there was the locker incident

We had a great week starting school and BSF. Nick was thrilled to go to both and went into his classrooms with great confidence and absolutely no hesitation. I have several friends that have first day of school traditions so I stole one for our family. We had pancakes made into a "P" for preschool. He thought they were fun and started his day off right with a good breakfast!
Last year, I could tell that many of his "art" projects were made by the teachers because Nick did not want to do crafts. Just in our first week, I can already tell that he is doing his coloring and gluing....very exciting!





We took our first day of school picture at the garden next to the school but he slipped and got water on his shorts so he was in no mood to take a picture. :)


We had a playdate with my allergist/friend Jody and her daughter Haylie along with our new friends Kim, Eli and Ava. We all adopted with the same agency and are, shall we say...."mature" first time mothers! Eli and Ava are the newest arrivals and have incredible stories of their own. We had a great time talking and Jody was a much better photographer and has pictures on her blog.( click here to go to her post)




We seem to post more often about our bad first experiences with Nick as he learns about new things but we have now started the adventure into the "second" times for several activities and we started with a great success. The school carnival was a disaster last year with screaming and biting/hitting as he was totally over stimulated and we had to sit in the car waiting as daddy finished our "preschool parent" duty at one of the booths. This year was awesome. He had a great time actually enjoying all of the activities.



My proudest moment was the waiting in line success. He stood with his friends and waited his turn and played the games with such 4 yr old maturity that I was almost teary because of the great strides he has made over the last year and a half!

Look how orderly he is......anyone who is around him for a minute knows that this took such inner fortitude for him to stand this calmly! ha!

I am excited to see how he does in more preschool activities this year. If he can keep from getting in trouble for talking this year, I will feel like we have had a fabulous year!

FUNNY NICK STORIES

Nick loves Pringles. When they have a good sale at the store, I will usually get him some. Dad bought some the other day and brought them home and Nick quickly claimed them as his own .....at least, in his head. Nick and I had gone to the pool for a swim and came home and Daddy was already home from work. We said our hellos and proceeded to throw some trash away. Nick immediately saw the can in the trash can and asked why the can was in there.....he remembered that there was still a few left from his last "snack". Daddy proceeded to say that he had finished them for a snack. Nick was so disgusted....."I told you one chip, not 5 chips" so daddy said I am sorry that I ate them all and Nick said. "I (for) give you, sometimes things happen"..... It was so cute! Although he continued to be a little obsessed about the fact that "his" chips were gone and proceeded to tell us that we needed to go to the store "tomayo" to buy some more.

AND THEN THERE WAS THE LOCKER INCIDENT

We were again at the pool. As we pack up our things in the dressing room, Nick always plays in the lockers. He loves to pretend that they are cages, caves, rockets, etc. I figure at least I know where he is...... I usually have a combination lock that he uses as his pretend clock and/or timeout timer. Tonight, we had daddy's key lock. While I was putting the towels away, he grabbed the lock and I really didn't think much about it but as usual, our son has been a little too observant and knew how to use it. In no less than 1 minute, he had put the lock on the locker and closed it, stepped in the locker and proceeded to pull the door shut with yes, you guessed, the key in his hand. He was laughing and having a grand ole time and I turned around to see the locked lock and said Nick, where is the key? "In here mommy" For some reason, I did not panic but felt compelled to tell the lady in the area with us what he had done as I proceeded to calmly walk out side the dressing room to the hall and tell Pat what "HIS" son had done and could he please go ask for the bolt cutters. So, I come back and start tugging at the door to see if there is a gap anywhere and Nick is telling me to open the door and I am trying not to get a big case of the giggles (what kind of mom am I?) Pat knocks on the door and hands me the bolt cutter and I proceed (with the other moms help) to break the lock. Nick is kind of confused inside but never really panicked. When we broke it loose, he stepped out and kind of hugged me and I promptly sent him out to his dad while I packed up our stuff. The other mom said wow, this is a baby book moment and I said yes, for us it is definitely a bloggable moment. We returned the bolt cutters and chuckled out the door to the car.

Life with Nick is NEVER boring! :)

2 Karens + 2 Kazakhs = one great day!

Finally, Finally we gathered in Cincinnati. My blog friend Karen has been following our blog since we were in Kaz and has provided tons of encouragement and yahoos! along the way. Well, she and her husband Glenn recently arrived home with her sweet Kazakh Max and of course we returned the favor by following along with required yahoos and "you can make its" also! Nick and I drove to Cinci on Thurs morning and had a fabulous day with Karen and Max (and Glenn, later in the day)! We tried to get first thing first pictures but even then Nick was ready to go and a little excited. Max was mesmerized by Nick! Here is sweet Max before we convinced Nick to take just "a few" pictures! ha!


Max is just the sweetest and cutest boy! He warmed up to Nick on our car ride around town and would just look over and smile at him. so cute. Below Max is wondering if he really wanted to spend quality time in the car with this loud boy! hmmmmm!


Max is telling Nick that he is going to have to keep it down in the car. Nick is saying yes, I know my mom says it hurts her ears and makes it hard to be a safe driver. LOL!


Surprisingly or not so surprisingly, I got very few other pictures while keeping up with Nick but Karen took a few others that we can share later. We went to Jungle Jims ( a huge international food store) to seek out R.ussian/Kazakh food. We did not hit the jack pot as there wasn't even a R.ussian aisle only E. Europe BUT we did go thru the asian aisles and find some noodles to bring home and some Juice in the E. Europe aisle that is very similar to our favorite juice in Kaz....it even tastes very similar (sour cherry and black currant) I took some pics.




We fortunately had long drives between venues and it gave us great talking time without chasing children. We had so many questions and topics to discuss, I dare say, we didn't finish one of them but it was fun trying. I can't wait for our next visit. We were able to look at a few of our videos while Karen's husband Glenn occupied the boys outside! Thanks Glenn!!



I am slowly but surely meeting my blog friends in person and it is such a thrill. The adoptive blogworld is so supportive and fun. We have "met" so many wonderful people and each time we actually meet each one, it is like catching up with an old friend. What a blessing!



Back on the homefront, we had a great first UK game day with the Livesays and Andersons. UK beat Louisville so celebrations all around. Nick, Libby and Peyton had great fun. Libby had a special UK cake that she shared with the boys!

Even after sugar overload, they settled down for 5 minutes or so (ha!) to watch some Thomas the train. How cute are they?!?

We visited Nick's preschool this week and met his new teachers for the year. He is excited to get started and didn't want to just visit, he was ready to stay and play. School starts next week and so does Bible Study Fellowship (BSF) so we will have a busy week. We are studying Moses this year and it will be fun to talk with Nick about how God had a great plan for Moses thru his own "adoption" story although I don't think Pharoh's daughter had to Apostille! ha!

Have a great weekend everyone!