Now A Family of *gulp* Six.

This is always a crazy time of year. Doug's birthday, my birthday 4 days later, our anniversary (10 years this year!) a week after that. Throw in a scrapbooking convention that I attend every year, Mother's Day, and various other family birthdays, and it's a wonder I can keep anything straight! This is also the time of year when Doug's golf league starts every Monday, baseball starts up for Roman in another week or two, and generally Charlie wants to be outside in the sandbox every. single. day. Throw in some weekly therapy to keep us all sane, a moms' support group every other week, and again - it's a wonder I can keep anything straight! The boys are fabulous, except when they're... not. Charlie is really showing signs of having inherited my temper, and being 2 doesn't make it any easier. Tomorrow night we have an appt. with the Early On specialist to do his regular 6 month followup for his speech delay. We definitely are noticing improvement and some ...

So many cute, funny things occur that I think, "I should blog about that!" but then the moment is gone when I finally sit down to the computer at night. And much of it is funny in the moment. For example, Roman made a prayer box at Sunday School this morning. I asked him, "so do we write down a prayer & put it in the box?" "THANK you!" he says emphatically from the backseat. Apparently I was the only one who "got it." It's just funny to hear him speak like a grownup. And Charlie - my gosh, is he in caveman-speak now. Simple 2-word sentences mostly, although "up with Mama" or "up with Daddy" is what we hear the most. Where did something go "Ro-Ro go? Car go? Daddy go? Nemo go?" ad nauseum. And speaking of Ro-Ro, he said Charlie is the only one who is allowed to call him that anymore. Sheesh. Charlie also gets his feelings hurt by his Daddy often - like when he plays with the dirty dishes while trying to load t...

If you haven't heard about the 7-year-old whose adoptive mother sent him back to Russia , you should check it out. It's horrible. My heart aches for the boy - and the mother. Granted, she's an idiot for just sending him back - legally he's her child for goodness sakes! But information I saw in the first story (which I haven't seen repeated) is an interview with a psychologist stating that adoptive parents are not prepared for the psychological wounds that many adoptees have. We truly cannot appreciate the backgrounds many of these kids come from, or the neglect or abuse they have suffered. I can only imagine what life must've been like in that home. A woman at her wit's end, a child so needy & damaged. What had this child seen & experienced? Clearly the woman was not prepared for it. Of course, she should have been prepared for anything & everything. However, I must admit even Roman's behaviors have made me think more than once "What th...

Roman was up first around 7am and found the note from the Easter Bunny, detailing which eggs were his and which were Charlie's. After a hunt which included shoes & the chandelier, Roman settled in to build his Lego tank the Bunny brought. Soon after, Charlie awoke & Roman was thrilled to assist him in finding his eggs. Charlie liked the hunt too, but was so excited about the ocean toys that the Bunny brought that he gave up after a few eggs, so Roman finished the hunt for him. Charlie likes dumping the jellybeans out of the plastic eggs and feeding them to the rest of us. His report on them is "yucky." Roman has done a good job of controlling his candy intake. We're preparing for church now, with ham, au gratin potatoes, & cake as our noonday "dinner." I think Doug will take Ro out later to see "How To Train Your Dragon" and otherwise it will be a stick at home day!

Charlie, pointing at bird: "Chicken!" me: "That's a robin. That bird is a robin." Charlie: "Robin." me: "Yes, a robin." ...5 seconds later... me: "What kind of bird is that, Charlie?" Charlie: "Peacock!"