The Toys are Back in Town

Well, the toys are back. Scott deposited the piles of dolls, action figures, blocks, puzzles, and annoying noise making plastic junk, back in the family room. The kids put everything back in its place, sort of.


Of course, when it was time to play.... they fought over the BOX I had used to gather up the toys!!!
Figures :)

Perhaps I Overreacted?

"Time to clean up."
"Put away your toys, please."
(Insert catchy little Clean Up song here)
"Let's clean up."
"Mama said CLEAN UP!"
"CLEAN UP NOW!!!"

This is how my end of the conversation went yesterday. Actually, this is usually how it goes everyday. But yesterday, I was done being ignored. After my third request to clean up was seemingly disregarded, I grabbed a couple of big laundry baskets and started loading up the toys. The kids sat on our "time out" step, I think in disbelief. Justin was completely silent. Natalie just kept saying, "Stop it, mama." Lexi was soon transferred to the potty, so she missed the rest of my toy evacuation, but she got the idea. I left a basket of books, but that was pretty much it.

So, it's good news, bad news. The good news is, I think next time they'll do much better when it's time to clean up their toys (at least for a day or two, right!?) I think they understand I'm expecting them to listen... and obey. The bad news is... well, there's no toys! Which means it doesn't take long until they're looking to mom and dad for constant entertainment.

I'm completely perplexed as to how I am able to get a classroom of 35 kids to follow procedures, listen to directions, and take responsibility for themselves. But here at home..... not so much.

Three Little Pirates

Our craft project took a major detour today. What started as decorating little foam crowns, turned into making pirate costumes. With rolled up newspapers as our hooks, construction paper eye patches, and lots of tape... I soon had 3 little pirates. And thanks to the Backyardigans (A show I'd never heard of 2 months ago), we know that, "A pirate, a pirate, a pirate, a pirate says Arrr! Arrr! Arrr!"


After only a few minutes into our swashbuckling adventure, I soon found my littlest pirtate (still donning her eye patch) tucked away into a corner with a doll.
Here's a little taste of how the English is coming. It seems Pirate Justin has bought chocolate and ice cream at the store (That's my kind of pirate!). Still mixing the English and Russian, he says, "Pirate scora vernoos." (Pirate will be back soon)

Whoa Baby, Lexi Turns 3!

Yep, another birthday in the Mocabee house! :) Yesterday was Lexi's third birthday. Three years old, and still very much the baby of the house. Speaking of babies... Lexi LOVES dolls. They are really the only toys she plays with. Sometimes I'll see her with another toy, but usually it turns out that she's just using it as an accessory for her baby dolls. Her special birthday gifts were a new doll from Baba and Grandpa, and Grammy crocheted a cute little sling she can carry the baby in.

Here's the Proof

It seems that sticking out your tongue when coloring a picture makes it turn out better.
Just ask any 5 year old.

Needles... Round 3

This morning we made our third, a hopefully FINAL, trip to the lab. In all, each of the kids had 13 vials of blood drawn and we collected 1 urine and 3 stool samples from each. Yuck, yuck, yuck!!! Here's some pix of the kids enjoying their "You were so brave" ice cream treat.

The screaming you'll hear in the background is Justin... down the hallway... around the corner... in a separate room...

Off to church we go!

Here's a picture of us before heading off to church last week. Yes, finally a picture with ME in it.



We've been to Sunday morning church a few times now. We weren't sure about leaving the kids in child care so soon after coming home. However, it feels like attachment is going well, and to be honest, Scott and I needed a piece of our former selves back.

Our entire lives have changed. Some parts have changed a little bit. Some things have been altered so much I forget they even existed only a couple of months ago. Getting back to church, with the familiar faces, the familiar worship... It was important.

The kids seem to be doing just fine in child care. Justin and Natalie are together, in the same class. Lexi is in a different room with the toddlers. Lexi has cried a little when we drop her off and there have been a few whimpers from Natalie, but the teachers have told us they are okay soon after we are out of sight. From an adoption/attachment viewpoint, their reactions are actually perfect. And I LOVE picking them up after the service. The smile on Lexi's face is precious as she trots toward us with outstretched arms.

Here's some pix from a few Sundays ago, the day we made our church debut. It's next to impossible to get all three of them to stand still and smile! But that's part of what I love about these pictures. Just a little peek into our real life.