Crazy Cousin Fun

The cousins have moved back to Columbus so they are enjoying lots of summer fun. Today we left the babies at Nana's and took the big kids to the Splash Park in Dublin. They had a great time and the best part is it's FREE!!

 Brylie, KC and Collin

Poor Uncle Wyatt!

June Playgroup

We love our playgroup. We belong to a larger group COFLAC (Central Ohio Families with Latin American Children) but it isn't a very active group. We were lucky enough to form a small playgroup of 6-8 kids around the same age and we have managed to keep it going for at least 2 years now. I really look forward to meeting with the group and hearing about their experiences as our kids get older. The kids are getting old enough to start asking questions about adoption and recognize difference so it's great to hear where the other kids are in terms of these issues and share stories. And the kids have a great time playing together. It has been fun watching them grow up and blossoming out of their initial shyness. They are like extended family and it is a great support system for us now and hopefully for the kids in the future.

This month our newest member Olivia and her mom and dad hosted in their beautiful backyard!

Collin giving the "Back away from my baby brother look".

They had an awesome Koi pond in their backyard!

CLOWNS!!!

The group-except for Olivia who didn't want to be in the picture. =*)

It is really funny how we come into each others lives! I meant Olivia and her mom in a very random way. When Collin was in soccer last year there was a little girl from Guatemala on his team briefly. I exchanged emails with her mom and we decided to have a "play date" at the Firefly Cafe in Clintonville. She said she was bringing a friend that had a little girl also from Guatemala.

Our play date seemed as if it wouldn't happen when Collin started coughing and coughed so much threw up all over just as we pulled in the parking lot. I had to get him out and strip him down, ran in and said we had to go because I didn't have a change of clothes. I drove all the way home and Collin flipped out because he wanted to go back and play. We drove back assuming they would be gone but Olivia and her mom were still there. They had a great time playing and that is how it all began!

Collin is a Big Brother

We're back and Collin is officially a big brother! My hope is to link a blog for Tyler about his adoption story and then start a family blog that will cover everything. Who knows how long that will take to accomplish but that is the plan.

There is so much to share but I'll just start with some pictures!

While the eye doctor is away the children will play.

Among the many differences in mine and Wyatt's upbringing is a something I'll call doctor's office etiquette. According to Wyatt, he didn't ever go to the doctor but when he did they would goof around and play with the gadgets and basically have fun. My memories of doctor visits were far from fun filled afternoons of laughter and tomfoolery! Don't get me wrong, I don't have bad memories of going to the doctor but if I was at the doctor I was sick or getting shots, neither of which rates sunshine and rainbows in my book.

My first experience with Wyatt in a doctors office was at the gynecologists office, of all places, during one of our many baby making attempts. I'm sure you can imagine my horror when he started checking out all the gadgets and wanting to play doctor! LOL! He had to touch everything, opening doors and picking everything up. It freaked me out. I just go in and sit on the chair and wait for the doctor to come in. I do what I'm told and that's it. I don't feel the need to explore every stinkin thing in the room. 

Well, since that day we have spent a significant amount of time in doctors offices together, especially since Collin has come home. I spent a lot of time scolding Wyatt for his behavior and warning that the doctor is coming and he's going to get us in trouble. But, quite frankly, it was usually funny and I couldn't help but laugh. I started to think; what is so bad about having a little fun at the doctors office? It certainly makes life easier with a toddler in the room and daddy can be VERY entertaining!

So off we go for Collin's check up at the eye doctor. We have known since Collin was about 8 months old that he will have to have glasses when he starts Kindergarten or first grade. He is near sighted so he will have a hard time seeing the board. We are supposed to keep checking in with the eye doctor periodically to keep track of things. Let me just say, these people are amazing! They were able to evaluate an 8 month old baby and they can deal with a squirming, uncooperative toddler as well. Of course that wasn't Collin, he was perfect! =0) 

Doesn't he look so happy to be there??

Now for the cool glasses. This is the first time they have used the glasses and he did great. But as soon as the nurse left...the craziness began! First daddy wore the glasses and tried to read the charts.

I can't let daddy out "cool" me so I put them on too...of course my heart was racing just knowing the doctor would walk in on us, namely ME, wearing the funny kid sized eye doctor glasses. Luckily, that didn't happen.

So then Collin had to get in on it and we played "the doctor is coming" and we would take the glasses off and put them on the table and run back to our chairs and sit down staring at the floor like nothing happened. Collin would crack up!

 

I guess it's not so bad to have a little fun at the doctor's office after all. When the doctor was done she told us to make glasses seem really fun because it's only a matter of time-pretty sure we've got that covered!!

The Party!

Last year, due to the small fortune we paid for Collin's birthday party, I swore we would only have a big party every other year. But, Mama has a really hard time passing up an opportunity to plan a party...especially for her favorite soon to be 4 year old! So the party was on!

Originally we had planned on having the party at the Grove City Nazarene Church Play Zone. It was the perfect venue for a bunch of sugared up crazy kids and it's cheap! Unfortunately, it was booked for months. I guess my little secret is out! On to plan B.

I started calling around and the prices for kids birthday parties are outrageous! Every party package based on 6-8 kids. I don't know if we just have a lot of kids in the family or what but we always have way more than 6-8- kids. Finally, I found the perfect place for Collin's DINOmite Birthday Party! Score one for Mama!!

We ended up at Indian Village which is a part of Columbus Parks and Recs. It is very close to our house. They run summer camps and various nature based programs for kids throughout the year. We love Indian Village! It is surrounded by wooded trails, the river and you can't forget the "CAVES"!

I was on the hunt for all things dinosaur. Here's some of what we ended up with.



Dino Gift Bags



Some of the gift bag items for our friends...Dinosaur Activity Books, Dinosaur Tattoos, Dinosaur Gliders, Stampers, Dino Suckers and Candy  and Glow sticks for our cave adventure.



I made dinosaur candies and suckers-my first experience with candy molds. Definitely a learning experience. Note to self...next time by several of each mold, not just one!



What is that you ask???

Dino and #4 Chips-Yummy and super easy to make!

After our friends arrived we all learned about fossils and made our own fossils to take home.

Then when everyone was finished we got bundled up and headed out to the caves to look for fossils.

 

Everyone had a great time on our adventure. We saw lots of fossils and even some bugs.

Then we trekked back to the lodge for some hot chocolate, cake and a little more play time.

This is pretty much what Collin did for the entire party. He and Austin ran in circles around the tables non stop. Last summer on vacation Collin didn't really want anything to do with Austin but now they are "best friends" and had a blast! It's kind of hard to explain to a 4 year old that he should really play with all of his guests but I think everyone had fun.


Finally, it was time for presents! It was so funny to watch all of the kids crowd around. I had to keep moving Collin back up to the chair because he kept scooting away and the swarm of kids just followed.

At one point he was under a table trying to open his presents.
 

I think Collin really enjoyed his party and I hope he did because by the end of the night he would end up with a fever of 104.  Poor little guy!

Collin is 4!

In our family it seems that birthdays go on and on. For the BIG 4th BIRTHDAY we had lots of fun planned! On the actual day  we told Collin he could go to breakfast anywhere he wanted. Of course he picked...Waffle House! He loves Waffle House, me, not so much.

We were invited to Ella's Baptism so we went to Amy and Ems house for a little celebration. Collin and Ella are just getting to know each other but I'm sure they are going to be very good friends!

Everyone sang "Happy Birthday" to Collin and he got to make a wish and blow out his candles.

I have to wonder what a 4 year old wishes for, if anything? He seems to understand the concept but I have no idea what he might wish for in that young interesting mind of his.

We had intended on taking him to his favorite Chuck E Cheese to celebrate that evening but everyone was tired so we decided to hang out at home instead. Noni and Pop came over and we had pizza, opened gifts and Collin got his special cake from Mama.




Putting his new stethoscope and magnifying glass to work making sure the dart board is okay.




And his new remote control truck!



This year was Tow Mater from the movie Cars, one of his favorites. I saw the idea online and thought I had to try it. It didn't quite turn out like the picture but it was fairly close. I spent a fortune on all the items needed to decorate Mater and I think he ate about 4 bites. But, it was cute and I think he liked it. I think next year will change the tradition and let Collin decorate his own cake.

The next night we went to Chuck E Cheese and Collin played his favorite game "Dino Dash" aka Running Dinosaur. It is amazing how much he has improved as far as his coordination. He also played other games instead of just playing that one game for hours on end.

We had to push his actual birthday party back to the next weekend so the party continued!

Timing

Last night Wyatt asked me where I wanted to go to dinner for our anniversary. Sadly, I didn't even realize that Monday it will be March 1st. Wow! Where did the time go and where is my brain lately? I guess I've been caught up with all the adoption stuff, money,work, home, trying to be a good mom and a good wife. I'm doing an okay job at all of them but not a great job at any of them. Anyway, the date made me start thinking.

We had expected to have a referral by now. Our coordinator was pushing and pushing us to get things done, making us think we would have been there and back by now. Yet, here we are, no referral. On top of that our agency is encountering some "drama" which I have been assured will not effect our adoption but I know better than to completely believe what the agency tells us.

Adoption is not something you can control or plan-kind of like life-and kind of like Collin's adoption...which also made me think. We encountered a bump like this in Collin's adoption and we made it through and look where we are now. Actually, we encountered many more bumps, yet he is here with us and although I still remember it vividly the sting is gone and it is ancient history. Probably because I get to see his sweet little face every morning and get to hear him say "Mama, I love you" and my day is automatically brighter.The memories of that miserable yet incredible journey no longer haunt me, rather it is "The Story of Collin". Because of him, I also know that the right child will come to us in the right time, just like he did. All we can do is roll with it and know that eventually it will all work out how it is supposed to.

As much as I would have loved to have had a stress free and drama free experience this time it appears that is not the case. Although I think it is much easier for me the second time around. The hard part is that we have Collin and he is expecting to get on an airplane and go get this baby brother we have been talking about for so long. How do you explain all this to a four year old? We want him to be prepared for a sibling but how do you explain to a child something you don't even understand? I just know when it is finally time to go he is going to be one super excited little boy! And we will be right there with him!

I keep trying to find positive in the longer than expected wait. Like, we have more time to save money, we will have more vacation time, more time to prepare. Although, there isn't much preparing going on! It also dawned on me that when we adopted Collin we got his referral right after our anniversary-March 9th to be exact. How cool would that be to get his little brother's referral on the same date 4 years later??? Pretty cool...I won't hold my breath BUT I will keep my fingers crossed and hope for the best!

Que sera,sera!

Silly Boys

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Good friends

Collin and his gal pal Addison hit the "baby" swings at the park.



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New hat

My little cutie sporting the very special Army hat given to him by his Uncle B. That hat has been all over the world!


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Makeup party!

Kenzie decided to give Collin a "mustache" with her new makeup!




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