Me? A Book Reviewer?

Yes! I am going to begin reviewing books for Thomas Nelson Publishing. The first book I will review is Through The Storm. Look for a review coming soon!

Now I just have to find time to read again!!

How he's grown!

It is amazing to me how much C has grown! I really notice it when he's in his bouncy seat, he's really filling it up now!

Here he is on Sept. 2 -

And here he is on Oct. 13:

And here's a little bonus up close cuteness:

Pumpkin Contest

D's school is having a pumpkin decorating contest. They are not allowed to carve them because they'd get all icky before the judging time.

So, here is D this morning with her Clifford the Big Red Dog Pumpkin. It was her own idea and Daddy helped only a very little bit.

Great News for a Blog Friend!!!!

TxMom2B got a wonderful call today!!!! ;o)

Go and congratulate them on their big news!!!

Free Advent Devotional Guide

I'd like to pass this opportunity along to my blog friends as the Christmas Season Approaches.

Our Agency's "Parent Arm" is offering this free Advent Devotional Guide. Advent will begin on December 1.

There is also the opportunity to receive the Devotions Daily via E-mail.

I love to celebrate Advent. If you've never celebrated Advent, please take this opportunity. It really helps you stay focused on the true meaning of Christmas.

The Amazing Seven-Year-Old

Ok, D deserves her due credit for her amazingness!

Check out these 2nd grade spelling/vocabulary words for the week:

• Purse
• Holster
• Chimpanzee
• Tassel
• Apron
• Bald
• Candle
• Bucket
• Jester
• Leash
• Spike

She has to spell the word correctly as she matches it to the appropriate definition. Her words the last two weeks were equally impressive and she's made 100% each time.

Now, don't you think that's amazing? I do!

The Amazing Two-Month-Old!

We've been waking up to music the last four days and it's not the music on the Clock Radio Alarm on my bedside table. It is the music of the Fisher Price Peek-a-boo Rain Forest Soother coming through the baby monitor!!

Every night we put C to bed with his head in the middle of the bed and feet toward the end like this...

(Sorry it's blurry, I took this picture in the dark and the camera couldn't focus well)

And every morning, he somehow gets out of his swaddle blanket and scoots his way completely opposite and turns on his Rain Forest Music!! Like this . . .








We don't know if he is batting it with his hand or feet, but Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday morning between 6:06 a.m. and 6:07 a.m. we hear the music begin!! This morning he slept until 7-ish because he went to bed later last night, so we were already up and getting D ready for school before the music began.





If it had happened only once or even every once in a while, I'd think it was an accident. But with it happening now four days in a row, I think he's doing it intentionally!!


Isn't that genius!!??!!

By the way, he's sleeping through the night!! Six nights in a row he's gone to bed about 8:30 and wakes up around 6 (or however long it takes him to do his little scoot maneuver!!) We hear him around 6 I should say.

D's Family Day

Tomorrow is D's actual Family Day 10/12/01. SEVEN years! But since it is Sunday and one of our busiest days of the week, we've been celebrating throughout the weekend.

She had a friend to spend the night. Hubby made Chicken Kiev, Russian-y mashed potatoes and green peas (we ate them warm instead of cold). We ordered lots of Russian food from Moscow on the Hudson in NY, NY. It was delivered just in time. We had white Russian Bread, Russian Chocolates, Cookies, Salami. Our neighbors dropped by just before we ate, so we invited them to join us. We hung our Russian Flag for the weekend.

D's little friend had a great time playing with D's (one) doll (that D never plays with) with all the real baby stuff (swing, bouncy seat, bottles, changing table etc.) We took D's doll out of the doll cradle and put C in there. Her friend thought that was wonderful, I even let her feed C a bit of formula.

"Grand" Babies!

Last Thursday we went to visit my Daddy and step-mom. Also visiting were my nephew and his wife who had a baby boy just 2 1/2 weeks after C was born and we hadn't gotten to meet him yet. L and C are just about the same size. L looks a bit smaller in the pictures, but he actually felt a little heavier to us. It's crazy to be having a new baby at the same time as my nephew who has always been "my baby" no matter that he is nearly 23! So, here is a picture with my Daddy and his new Grandson and his new Great Grandson!

Pray for Jeff and Jenny

Jenny and Jeff, one of the final waiting families from our "original" group of bloggers, are finally on their way to court for their two girls!

After waiting 10 months between the first trip and this trip, they are about an hour into their flight from JFK to Moscow.

My prayers are definitely with them.

As much as I love C and am beyond thrilled to have him in our lives and family, a part of my heart will always belong in Russia and long to return there. I'll be following their journey to bring Sugar and Spice home and living vicariously through their journey!

Another of my Pre-Adoptive friends, K and her husband M left Saturday to meet their hopeful son-to-be, baby I. They have been waiting for a referral since about the time we went to meet Viktoria in March of 2006! So they are really due for an easy breezy process from here on out! Nope, she doesn't have a blog yet no matter how much I've begged her to make one. So, please pray for K, M and baby I as they begin their journey to family-hood!

Blog Friends Scrapbooking Weekend

I had so much fun with Debbie and Jessy this past weekend scrapbooking! I just wish it could have lasted longer and that Debbie and Izzy could have stayed longer.

C began having spit up problems (we're still dealing with it, so I don't think it was a bug, Deb). So I felt a little torn being away from him. But his Daddy did a good job! Hubby was great all weekend! He made breakfast for all of us on Saturday morning, homemade waffles and bacon.

In case you didn't see the pix on Debbie's blog, you'll have to click on her blog to see them because I've uploaded them to my computer and can't find them now! My camera was on it's last leg and I didn't take it.

Smilies

C's first real interactive "for sure" smiling! Just took a little "boogie boogie booooo". I tried the same phrase this morning and it worked again. Funny Mommy!