Friday, November 14, 2008

Operation Christmas Child

Tonight the kids and I went to our homeschool group to assemble boxes for Samaritan's Purse: Operation Christmas Child. Great organization that sends shoe boxes full of goodies to needy children around the world at Christmastime.

Talk about choking a mom up... I had known that our kids were recipients at least once of these boxes back at the orphanage, but I wasn't prepared to hear Adam speak up voluntarily at the meeting and tell everyone not only that he'd gotten such a box, but also share how he felt when getting it, etc... My normally tongue-tied and silly Adam was very articulate and mature. Coulda heard a pin drop.

Very proud mama moment... Had to share.

Thursday, November 13, 2008

Happy Birthday, Abrielle!



Yesterday's big day was also celebrated by going outside and enjoying her first snow. We've had snow before, but nothing stuck. I thought it was only fitting that as a birthday treat, we head outside and check out what the white stuff was.



She was so curious, and careful! I loved watching her in the snow! We hadn't bought her any boots yet, so I just threw some socks over her shoes to keep her feet extra warm and dry. Worked slick, especially since she was so bundled up otherwise, the poor girl could hardly move!





The big kids made her a snowman for her birthday. She seemed to like it, but she knocked the thing over after about five minutes. Oops.





Here's her smash cake, which true to her nature, she very hesitantly dug into. She sat and looked at it a good long time before someone took her hand and stuck it in the cake. She sat there a while and wondered what to do next with her poor hand all covered with frosting.

Oh, Abrielle, your siblings have so much to teach you! lol!

Tuesday, November 11, 2008

Birthday Girl!

Well, tomorrow is the day. My baby turns one year old. It's been a rough day... Days before birthdays are always tough on me. I've been known to be a blubbering mess at tuck-in time the night before birthdays.

Last Saturday John's family came up for a little party for the birthday girl. I had a little meltdown right before cake time. Had to get a hug from my mom-in-law, who is always good for those. :o)

She's taking several steps at a time now, stands very solidly, and is even starting to jabber now! Our little girl's vocabulary as of right now is: mama, papa, Brella-brella (it's soooo cute to hear that!), baby, pretty, poop (sigh), bye-bye, bear, and ball.

The most important word on that list is definitely "Ball." I'll be rocking her to sleep, and she'll shake herself awake and say, "Ball!" And then I'll ask her if she likes to play ball, and then rock her some more and she'll fall asleep. She'll wake up in the middle of the night saying, "Ball! Ball!" It's also the first thing out of her mouth when she wakes up, or when you pick her up. She lovvvvvvvvvvvves to play ball. Any ball. It's her favorite thing in the world, and she thinks about it a LOT. lol!

Our biggest trouble with her right now is that she is overly cautious. She's a regular chicken, in fact. At the table, she will NOT open her mouth for the first bite of anything - even food she's eaten many times before. She thinks she might not like it. We have to actually pry her mouth open for that first bite - and she fights it bigtime. After that, though, she realizes, "Oh, I like this, I remember." And then she'll open her mouth for us just fine thereafter. It. Is. Weird. And she doesn't like mushy textures. No pureed food, baby cereal, etc. Gotta be able to chew it, or she won't eat it. She's a strange one alright. Still primarily nursing her for her feedings though, and she doesn't seem to mind that. ;o) Not planning on weaning her any time soon. I can't even fathom weaning her yet, in fact. She isn't five years old yet, afterall. *wink*

She also has a new trick of scowling at people. Like out-and-out dirty looks! It's hilarious! She actually has MY scowl. She can go from being a "total Fisher" to being a "total Shelly" in a split second. Cracks me up!

Abrielle, you have sure been a fun addition to this family! Don't grow up too fast, my sweet girl... your older siblings haven't listened too well to my telling them that, but I hope, my baby, that you'll stay little for at least a little while longer yet...

Tuesday, November 04, 2008

Shorty

That's what Adam calls his baby sister.

For some reason, that just melts my heart...