Miscellaneous Happenings

Don't worry, I will resume the vacation posts at some point. I need to blog more often because the days are slipping by and so much is happening that I want to document for our family's memories and it's hard to post all the events and pictures from the week just once a week! This post is going to be a hodge podge of recent happenings. We put up the Christmas tree. We haven't put up our (cheap, fake) Christmas tree for 3 years. We were worried about how Charlie (before Logan) and now Logan would be with it. They are both fine with it. Logan loves it. I don't even think Charlie has realized it's here!

Logan loves eating cheese (if you can call it that) from a can.

Poor Charles. Logan just tortures him. He chases him around, asks him for kisses, asks him to sit on his lap, etc., etc. Charlie still hides out in the dryer. Logan hasn't yet found him there!

But every once in a while, Charlie will give in and give a kiss. Logan loves it. I know that some of you probably think that's gross, and you are certainly entitled to your opinion. So far, Logan hasn't gotten any strange diseases from it, so I'm okay with it for now.

I took Monday off work to spend the day with Logan. This is how he took his nap. I love how he holds as many pacifiers as he can in his hand. We ARE going to take them away at some point. We had some things going on that we felt the "security" of the pacifiers was a good thing for Logan, and those events have passed, so we're talking about it....seriously! I have to be honest...it warms my heart to see his face light up when it's time for him to go to bed and he gets his paci. I know, it's silly, but I love that he loves something so much. It's going to be just as hard on me to break him.

Ahhh, the snow! I'm over it! It was beautiful for the first day or two. I took Logan out just for a few minutes on Monday, and he absolutely loved it. I'm quite sure he doesn't remember snow from last year, so I'm excited for him to enjoy it this year. But other than letting my son play in the snow, I have no use for it.

Are you kidding me? This kid is cute!

After the first of the year, Logan is going to be switching daycares. We are so sorry to be leaving Miss Carma's house, as we love her so much and she has been a great part of our lives for the past two years. However, we all (Miss Carma included) feel like it's time for Logan to move to a more structured setting where he will receive teaching. Carma's is primarily a baby daycare. That's the age she loves. We are so blessed that Carma recommended a little daycare/preschool in a church. We checked it out and we loved it! When I told Logan that he was going to be going to school, he started running around the house saying, "YEAH!! School!" I have no idea how he even knows what school is, but he's excited! This change will take place after the first of the year. The daycare teaches the kids to count, they do arts/crafts, they sing, they pray, and there are about 7 kids his age. It's right around the corner from our housing addition. Logan is going to love it! God's hand was certainly in our search because I hate to think about what a terrible dilemma we would have been facing if we did not find a place we liked.

Random things I want to remember:

Logan calls Christmas trees "Trick or Tree."

One of Logan's favorite lines (when he's asking someone what they are doing) is "A doin'?" We heard that about a thousand times on vacation.

We got Logan new shoes a couple weeks ago. He moved from the baby section to the bigger kids section. Size 8 1/2! He didn't like his new shoes, so we told him that they help him run fast. Now, whenever we put them on him, he has to run from the living room to the kitchen and says, "I run fast!"

Ever since we got back from vacation, he has been super affectionate...many hugs and kisses. It's WONDERFUL!

He says "thank you" to everyone for everything. Even nurses and doctors who inflict pain on him still get a thank you!

He loves to look at the Christmas lights out the car window. When we're driving, we'll tell him to "look out Logan's side" or "Look out Ol' Ma's side" and he loves that.

He can point to his left and right foot (correctly) when asked.

He loves to look at the "search and find" books. His favorite is his Thomas the Train one.

Unfortunately, once we got back from our vacation, my travel for work kicked into high gear. I hate being away from him so much. I saw him on Thursday morning and didn't see him again until Saturday morning and it felt like he had changed/grown so much.

He's been whiney this past week, but we've tried to be understanding for medical reasons. But we were starting to stress because it was getting really bad. However, today, we had a wonderful day. So, instead of blaming the "terrible twos," I'm going to chalk it up to the medical issues...which are hopefully done and over with!

I'm not one of those people who has a long list of things that I want to do in my life...but there are certain things that deep down inside, I've been waiting to enjoy as a mother. Today, I realized one of those dreams when I decorated Christmas cookies with my son. Sure, he got sprinkles all over the place. Sure he licked the frosting right from the knife we were using to spread the frosting. Sure, he was sticking his hands right in the frosting and sprinkles. But it was wonderful. He didn't stay interested as long as I would have liked though. He just decorated three and then he was over it. No humans ate the ones he decorated...we gave them to Charlie :) (sorry, they had A LOT of slobber on them!). It's these little things that bring me so much joy!

And no, we didn't use these same sprinkles and frosting to decorate the other cookies. And no, I didn't actually eat the frosting in the picture below!

It didn't take long for Logan to start biting the cookies and eating the decorations. We just pretty much let him enjoy it.

Potty training is still going okay. We are excited that his new daycare works very hard to potty train children. This was a big concern for us, too...again, God's hand was in this!

Logan got a new bed! It's a toddler bed. I was scared to move him into a regular twin bed, so we decided to spend the money and just get a toddler one. He loves it. After we set it up, he kept running back to his bed and said, "I go night night." He would get in his bed, cover himself up and lay there for about 3 seconds, then he would run out to the living room and repeat. He did that about 20 times tonight.

Here is he giving daddy a hug for setting up his new bed. Seriously, as Zeb was putting it together, and Logan started realizing what it was, he just kept saying, "thank you, daddy!"

Of course, Logan wants to help with everything. We haven't taken the crib down yet (although the mattress is now on his bed). I just KNOW that as soon as we put the crib away, we're going to get that call for baby #2....you know how things like that go!

I know this was random and long, but thanks for reading (if you still are!)

Vacation -- Part IV

Warning: I'm off work today and Logan is taking his nap...there are A LOT of pictures here...

On Tuesday, we went to the Naval Aviation Museum. Logan loved it!

I hate that it's taking me so long to record this, because my mind is completely blank when it comes to describing what we did and saw...just know that Logan loved it!

I love his face in the next one...he was scared of this "shark" at first!

One of the best parts of our vacation...the beach! The water was too cold for Logan. After stepping in it once, he was over it. Then, I ran in the water and had that look of excitement on my face, so he graciously allowed me to carry him in the water (I only went out to my calves or so, but when a wave came, it went up to my knees...still, Logan didn't get wet!).
The above picture is one of my favorites from the trip!

I also love this picture a lot:

Logan wasn't as impressed with the water as he was with the sand. He could have stayed there all day long playing in that over-sized sandbox!

Zeb covered Logan's feet with the sand and Logan would say, "Mommy, where'd feet go?" And then he would pull his feet out and say "here they are!"

Vacation -- Part III

I don't know how many "parts" this vacation is going to take...a lot, that's for sure. I forgot to mention that the second part of our vacation was spent in Florida!!! Florida is nice & warm & sunny, but it has....lizards...creepy green/change colors as it needs to type crawly things. Gross. But Logan spotted one and loved it! Fortunately, Grandma Alice was willing to chase it around with Logan.

Logan kept trying to touch its tail, but it was a little too fast. When he finally did touch it (or at least he thought he touched it, I can't be sure!), he got this excited look on his face and ran the other way!

I was seriously considering moving to Florida, what with the 80-ish degree weather on Thanksgiving. But I think the lizards may have changed my mind to stay put.

Adoption Awareness Month

Today is the last day of November. November is Adoption Awareness Month. I've been mulling over what to write all month. Truth be told, there are times when I don't think about adoption all that much. But then there are times when I think about it all the time. Some days, Logan being adopted is like me having braces on my teeth. I did have braces. I don't now. They did change me, but they didn't define me. It's a good conversation piece, but not who I am. The fact that I HAD braces did change my life in some ways (hey, straight teeth change your self image...I'm just sayin'). Okay, so maybe the braces/adoption is a bad comparison.



Logan was adopted into our family. It's simply how he came to be a part of our family. I hope that as he grows, he doesn't feel like it defines him and he doesn't feel like he has to talk/think about it all the time but that he looks at his adoption with fondness and gratitude.



But, on this last day of Adoption Awareness Month 2010, what do I want you to know about adoption?



*First of all, adoption doesn't have to be a defining moment for a person/family. It's all about how you choose to process it.

*Adoption is not something we are ashamed of. We are PROUD of the way that Logan joined our family. It makes him extra special (in my humble opinion!). And I gladly welcome any questions (when asked appropriately). If I don't feel comfortable answering them, I will tell you so, but please don't be afraid to ask.

*All adoptions are different, just like all families are different. All birthmothers are different. Please don't make assumptions about my son, his birthmother or our family based on an experience you have had or an experience you have heard about or something you dreamed in your mind!

*There are many, many, MANY well-adjusted children who happen to be adopted. Just because someone is adopted, it does not mean that they are destined to be confused or feel like something is "missing" in their life.

*In our life, we did not adopt because of selflessness...it was pure selfishness. We wanted a family. We wanted to be parents. God bless those people who are angels and adopt children as a call to their Christian duty. They are wonderful people. I'm just being honest about my motivation. Please don't feel like "Logan is so lucky..." (other than lucky that I'm an awesome mom and Zeb's an awesome dad...but not lucky because we "saved" him, as some people think - hah!) It IS true that Logan is blessed to be raised in a Christian home. All children who are raised in a Christian home are blessed.



The older Logan gets, the less important his adoption is to me. (I couldn't believe it when the 1 year anniversary of his official adoption came and went and didn't even cross my mind. Important dates are not easily forgotten by me!) Please don't interpret that as disrespect towards him, his birthmother or his adoption. I have nothing but gratitude and love in my heart for Logan's birthmother and I think you pretty much know how crazy I am about my son! It's just that as we experience things, as we grow together, as we watch him learn, as we fall more in love with him each and every day, adoption just happens to be the way we met. There are so many other things that I think about when I think about Logan. And every once in a while, I'll remember his special beginning.



I am so honored, so humbled by the fact that God chose Zeb and I to experience adoption. I've said this before, but I don't believe adoption is a path we would have chosen if we were not led by God to do so. In the midst of all of our grieving, suffering and questioning, God was preparing our hearts for blessings beyond what we could imagine. I am so thankful for that we live in a country where adoption is possible...and yes, thankful for the Adoption Tax Credit :)

So, this past month, adoption has been on my mind more often than usual. I pray that if you are considering adoption, that you seek honest answers and educate yourself on the matter. Or, even if you are not considering adoption, perhaps you will educate yourselves on ways that you can become involved in assisting with adoptions and the care of orphans. For the Glory of God.



"{In love}, He predestined us to be adopted as His sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with His pleasure and will." Praise God for Adoption!

Vacation -- Part II

One of the best things about this vacation was just being able to relax. Logan and I took a lot of naps and we also got to bed at a reasonable time each night (compared to when I usually go to bed...Logan stayed up later than normal because of the time difference). Logan found Grandpa & Grandma's sprinkler, and if you can see in this picture below, he started singing into the spot where the hose meets the sprinkler (not sure what that's called). He was singing his signature song, "Baby, Baby" by Justin Bieber, but he sang it "Baby, baby, like a baby." That kid cracks me up.

Aunt Michelle made Logan some tie-die shirts and let him help. She's studying to be a teacher (graduating from college when she's 20 years old...yes, she's very smart!). She is going to make a great teacher because she is very patient!!! Logan loved spending time with his Aunt "Shell."

We only took a few toys for Logan to play with, but somehow, he came home with A LOT of toys!!! Here he is playing with his new legos...Grandpa is reading the directions on how to put it together.

Grandpa was excited to be able to show Logan off to his work friends, and of course, Logan was excited to see all the big trucks

Logan wasn't going to get a free ride, so they put him to work! He was happy help though.

The next few pictures I included just because they're cute. It didn't take long for Logan to feel right at home at Grandpa & Grandma's as these pictures demonstrate!!

I'll write more later...there are still a lot more pictures!!!