Six weeks

I cannot believe that Michael has been with me for 6 weeks and home with the entire family for 4 weeks!! I am sorry that I haven't posted many updates, I have just been busy with 4 kids under the age of 6!! I know, I asked for it, and I am glad that I did!! Michael is doing amazingly well. He seems to have attached well to me and is getting closer to his daddy every day. If given the choice, Michael still prefers me, but that is understandable considering I have been with him longer and I am home with him all day. Okay, some specifics...he still eats well. He will try anything that I make and I can't think of a single thing that he has rejected. He loves fruits and vegetables and really is a healthy eater. He is getting better with having his teeth brushed (dentist appt. is scheduled), but still doesn't like it (thus, the bad teeth). He loves baths and still likes to go swimming. He will play (aka steals toys) with his sisters. They really get along quite well - he even enjoys coloring with them. Oh, sometimes he has been known to put on one of his sisters' dresses, which stresses out Daddy!! I have been given permission to go shopping for boys' dress up clothes!! He still sleeps in our bedroom, but in his own bed. He does continue to have some night terrors occasionally, but is actually going to sleep without me in the room! If he wakes up and I am not there he will cry, but otherwise he is doing well. Every once in a while he will even crawl into bed with me to cuddle, which is totally sweet!!

We have spent most of our time bonding as a family so I haven't even started homeschooling yet. I am planning on starting "school" after Labor Day...or soon thereafter. Right now we are trying to get into some routines and get into somewhat of a schedule. I am able to take all 4 kids on errands - they are very well behaved and I have been able to keep track of them all. Stephanie, Liz and Danielle have started taking swimming lessons on Tuesday afternoons which they love, and Michael and I get some alone time (while watching the lessons). A friend of ours is a photographer and he took us out to a local park on Sunday and took our first family photos together - it was great!! I will post some pictures when I get them. Now, I must tell a funny story about our pictures...on Sat. night I trimmed all the girls' bangs and they looked good! After baths, Steve came out and asked how much hair I cut of Danielle. Well, it turned out that she crawled up onto the counter in my bathroom, grabbed my SHARP scissors and cut off her bangs!! All the way to the scalp!! UGH!! I about died!! After church on Sunday, I ran out and bought some hairbows to help to disguise the jagged edges. What a story that makes for our first family photo! Oh well, the pictures did turn out well!!

Since I have been home, Danielle had a birthday! On August 18 she turned 3!! We had a big party for her on the 15th with about 30 children!! It was crazy but fun. We used the pavillion at our church which has restrooms, a playground, and a sand volleyball pit (good for using sand toys). She was so encouraged. She still keeps talking about her party - I think that she is ready for another one!! She had a hard time deciding about her "theme". When I asked her what kind of cake she wanted, she kept changing her mind...Nemo, Mulan, Care Bear, Pony, Ariel, Monsters, Inc., Tinkerbell...she kept going back and forth! So, I decided just to make a sheet cake and add ALL of the characters that she wanted. She loved it and it was easy!! The only characters that I couldn't find were Monsters, Inc! Bummer! Oh well, the party was a success. I just can't believe that this sweet baby is now 3! She is having a hard week, though. I don't know if she is jumping into the troubled 3s with both feet, struggling with having a new sibling or if she is struggling because it is her birthday week (often times, adopted children struggle with loss around their birthday) or a combination of these. Anyway, I am trying to love up on her a lot and give her the love, security and attention that she needs. In fact, I am trying to do that with all of the kids - which is probably why my house is trashed!! I tell ya, I just can't keep up! The kids are doing well with cleaning up their toys most days, but it is constant! Not to mention the dishes and laundry! Unbelieveable!! THAT is why I can't blog very often!! I am busy, but I am truly loving the life, children and husband that God has given me!! Praise to Him!!