Our Big Step – Continued

We were asked for us and Aman to participate in a nation-wide study of Kindergartners and our interview was this morning. The nice lady asked a bunch of questions about Aman’s background, our background, and what we consider important for Aman to know. I think we will end up skewing the numbers. Yes, we gave the limited information we have on his birth family. No, we were too busy working on bonding instead of making sure he could count to 30 before starting Kindergarten. No, I don’t believe food stamps or WIC were available to him in Ethiopia, but since I can’t say for sure, I’ll just answer “don’t know.” LOL!

We are very happy with his progress. When he came home in June, he could sing the alphabet, but only recognized A, B and C. He could count to 10 or 15 (depending on his mood), but he did not recognize numbers. His teachers told us that he’s testing right at the class average. Average is average, but since he’s only been exposed to this stuff a few short months, we think it’s pretty fantastic. He can write all of his upper case letters, and most of his lower case. He can write his name. He can also write numbers up to 29! Amazing.

Serawit is catching on as well. She can pick out letters that show up in her name. She’s also recognizing numbers.

We’re so proud of both of them!

The St. Louis EKC Fall Gettogether was at Thies Farm & Greenhouse, which in October is transformed into Pumpkinland.  There were lots of firsts today.  This was the kids’ first pumpkin patch, hay ride, pretzel and corn maze.  On our way out there, we talked about the trees changing colors, and how later on, we will get snow and hopefully we will get enough snow we can build a snowman.  I guess the kids are learning about snowmen at school because Aman asked if our snowman would have a carrot nose.

I definitely want to take the kids to Pumpkinland next year.  There were so many things they can do.  There was a big area set up with different mazes, slides, and swings, along with the hay ride.  Across the little road, there were pony rides, face painting, concessions, and a country market.  They had so much fun.

I’m just so amazed by how much more English they can speak every day.  We are having small conversations now, one of which was at dinner tonight.  I had grilled pork chops, and had that with roasted potatoes (that I bought at the country market) and steamed veggies.  While eating I told the kids how happy it made me that they like just about everything I cook and they don’t mind eating stuff other than pizza and hamburgers.  I told them that some kids only like that.  They both told me that even though they like pizza a lot, if they ate it every day it would make their “tummy sick.”

October 7 – To anyone who has asked us why we did not adopt domestically, you need to read this. This happens more often than we all want to think. My heart breaks for those parents.  Adoptive Parents Ordered to Surrender 3-Year-Old to Biological Father – ParentDish

October 6 – Every day before meals, and before bedtime, the kids say their prayers in Wolayta – they have been doing this since we got them. Now they are starting to “forget” them, and no amount of encouraging from us will help them to “remember” them. That’s the last bit of their native language.

Today the kids did not have school, and I was off work, so I planned a trip to Eckert’s to go apple picking and my niece joined us. A few days ago I told them what we were doing, and they were excited. Just recently, they decided they liked apples. As we got closer to the date, however, both Aman and Serawit started telling me they did not want to go. It took a little while, but I figured out they did not want to go because they learned in school that apples grow on trees, and they thought I was going to make them climb a tree. Serawit told me that she can’t climb trees, but Aman can. I tried to tell them they were little trees, but they did not believe me until we got there. Then they decided apple picking was fun, especially if they can eat an apple while they are picking others.

OK, we are lazy.  It’s much easier and quicker to update Facebook than it is to update the blog.  In order to get caught up, below are all my kid-related Facebook posts

October 3 – 1:30 p.m. – The kids have been seeing these pies at the farmer’s market, and in the store, and they are fascinated. They think it’s a type of pizza, and they want to try one. It’s fascinating to watch the kids see things for the first time that have always been there for us, and hear them describe it. While they are napping thi…s afternoon, I’m going to bake an apple pie. I hope they like it.

7:06 p.m. – and the verdict is… They didn’t like the pie. That’s ok, they have yet to really like desserts anyway, other than the occasional shortbread cookie and a few bites of ice cream here and there. I’m definitely not going to push it on them.

7:11 p.m. – I did explain to Serawit that different people make their apple pie differently, like different people make injera differently, and she did say she wants to try someone else’s apple pie tomorrow.  Aman is through with anything apple-related. In fact he said when we go to Eckert’s tomorrow, we can only pick one apple. LOL!

October 2 – Adam is back to work, so we are off to the farmer’s market, so he can get some sleep. Then over to my sister in law’s so the kids can play with their cousins, and I can look at Halloween costumes.

September 26 – Our kids were baptized today – thank you to everyone who came to share in their special day.

September 22 -Serawit got the show & tell bag today at school. I asked her what she wanted to take for show and tell tomorrow, and she ran to her room and brought out the picture book we sent to her when we got the referral. She said she wanted to show her family to everyone. Then she wanted to know what was wrong with me because I was crying.

September 19 – We are all craving comfort food, and so is everyone I’ve talked to. I guess I’m making home made macaroni and cheese – only because we have spoiled our kids to home cooking and they don’t like Velveeta, LOL!

September 18 – Wonderful time at Monkey Joe’s for Aman’s birthday. Thanks to all who could make it. Aman saw so many of his friends and cousins and had so much fun! Also thanks to my sister, Carissa, for surprising us by taking both kids tonight so Adam and I could have some honey time.

September 10 – Countdown to 2003. Well, in Ethiopia, tomorrow starts the new year. Melkam Addis Amet!

September 5 – I wish it didn’t take forever to do Sera’s pigtails and 2 strand twists, but it’s sooo cute when it’s finally finished.

September 5 – I’m so proud of our kids! They each got 5 shots at the doctor this morning and neither cried.

September 1 – I should hire this person to write my blog for me. She said it so much better than I ever could have. http://adayatthebeauchamps.blogspot.com/2010/08/not-ok.html

A CRISIS COUNSELOR!!!!

Last night, Aman was trying to talk the kitty out of suiciding from the half-wall in our foyer.

Mommy and I look over to see Boris (the kitty) on the wall, and Aman standing on the chair next to the wall saying in a very calm, but insistant voice… “Don’ jump kitty!! Don’ jump!”

I had to laugh

Sleep, who needs sleep?  The flights might have been long, but they were pleasant.  We might have been delayed a bit, but it was nothing compared to the nice Indian couple sitting next to us who missed their flight to Mumbai because the flight to Amsterdam was late.  Also, surprisingly, the airplane food was pretty good and KLM likes to feed you, even in Economy class.  We got fed 3 times for the 7 hour flight.

We spent the day packing and preparing, and being distracted. My friend and former student Todd called in the early evening. Todd, his lovely wife Melissa, Felicia and I, Kevin and Carissa, and Karen all met at the Tilted Kilt in Arnold to have a drink and dinner with friends (and relax before we finished packing for the trip)

WELCOME!

To our new and improved blog.

Join us as we pick up our children, and follow our adventure as we all learn to function and live as a family.

Our Ethiopian Adoption Journey continues.

The 1st part of the process can still be found on our old blog.