School Days

First Day of Kindergarten

Last Day of Kindergarten

First Day of First Grade

The Finer Things Club (Junior Chapter)

Today's lesson: The Art of the Tea Party

The party ended when Holland started giving Ellie the raspberries.  I commented that she didn't have very good manners, and Ellie replied "Yeah, Annie's were better."

Six, Seven, Eight...

Six Months

Seven Months

Eight Months

And the inside joke for Susan: "And what did the honey badger eat for the next two weeks...COBRA!"

Ellie Day!

Every year we celebrate the day Ellie came home to Texas from Ethiopia (aka Ellie Day!)  I let Ellie decide what we will do, and this year she requested "I want to sleep in a hotel and order room service." This is an odd request from a 6 year old, but then I realized that all of our vacations have been in a friends' house, a rented house or a condo, so she's fascinated with the idea of a hotel where you get to eat right in your room!  We made reservations in Dallas and commenced our ambitious schedule:

First stop - Froggie's 5 & 10, where Ellie selected this as her treat.

Then some princess dress window shopping,

Then lunch and chocolate sodas at the Highland Park Pharmacy.

Then a mani/pedi for purple nails with sparkles (and in honor of Ellie Day, I didn't even try to talk her into a more subtle look.)

Heavenly Bed = permission to jump to her heart's content.

Admiring the view.

Mi Cocina for dinner.

And a Mambo Taxi for Mommy...

Watching the Olympic opening ceremonies in her cozy robe (she only made it to the K's of the Parade of Nations.)

Room service breakfast.

And last but not least, a trip to the American Girl store.  We went the night before and I had her pick one out and talked about how we were going to ask Santa for her at Christmas.  Then it seemed like EVERY LITTLE GIRL we passed had one - at the hotel, walking around the Galleria, at the restaurant for dinner.  They were everywhere.  I couldn't take the peer pressure, so we made one more stop before heading home.  I'm such a sucker. But look at that face... 

Happy Ellie Day, kiddo!  And happy homecoming, Ella!

Poolside

I asked for a chaise in the shade and yet I see dappled sun!

 This feels like a cotton/poly blend. 

 Hello?  I ordered a daquiri TEN MINUTES AGO.

Trying to relax is exhausting. 

Um...You've Got A Little Something On Your Face

My! How You've Grown!

One Month:

Two Months:

Three Months:

Four Months:

Five Months:

And a four month outtake.  I believe this face says "Do Not Want."

Now We Are Six

When I was one,

I had just begun.

When I was two,

I was nearly new.

When I was three,
I was hardly me.

When I was four,
I was not much more.

When I was five,
I was just alive.

But now I am six,
I'm as clever as clever.

So I think I'll be six
now and forever.

Happy Birthday, bunny!

Quotable Ellie update

What!  Two posts in one night?!?!  Don't expect to hear from me now until mid-summer.

Ellie has always had a very interesting way of expressing herself, and as she's gotten older it's just gotten more interesting.  Here's some gems from her lately:

"This car smells like my breath."

(on her first view of the ocean from our beach trip last fall): "The sea!"

Me: "Isn't this a nice song - All You Need Is Love?'
E: "All I need is a different song."

"Ok - now I don't even know what I'm saying."

"Hmmm...I didn't know there was a donut involved."

"Do I have to change?  I think I look pretty cute."

"Oh, my."

(about her grandfather): "I just don't get this man."

"Naps are the boringest thing I ever heard of."

(handing over a freshly spit-up baby sister): "Ew - she smells like mac and cheese."

And my personal favorite, also about her sister:

"If she poops again, I'm done."

How I Became a Mother - Part 2

Summer 2010:  Ellie's first anniversary of being home.  Start thinking about whether/when to adopt a sibling.  Quiz friends on sibling rivalry, appropriate distance in age, etc.  Work gets hectic - not a good time to think about taking leave.

Winter 2010-2011:  Start researching Ethiopia programs at other agencies.  Gladney closed its list to singles while I was waiting for Ellie, and only two agencies have both good reputations and are still accepting singles.  Governmental changes have made adoptions in Ethiopia more complicated - could take years and the outlook is very uncertain, at best, especially for a single mom.  Very anxious about getting comfortable with a new agency in the midst of an already difficult time.  Think about domestic adoption of a newborn. Babies are a little scary. 

Spring 2011: Babies are still scary.  People regale me with tales of sleepless months and time off for endless colds, ear infections, etc.  Stories do not make me feel better.  Ellie finishes preschool - thought of only one day care bill makes babies slightly less scary. 

Late Spring 2011: Call local agency I applied with when things got hung up with Ellie's adoption - are they still accepting single applicants? To my great surprise, they informed me that they had never taken me off the wait list, but had only changed my status to "inactive."  I was number 2 on the list. If ever there was a neon arrow from the universe saying "Hey dumbass, over here!" I'd say that was it.  

Summer 2011:  Update home study, submit updated application and update birth mother book to include Ellie.  Will be shown to birth mothers but am told that because I'm single, I will likely get a "hospital call" - a situation when the birth mother doesn't want to participate in the family selection and the agency gets to choose.  Warned that it could take a while.

October 2011: I get the call - a birthmother has selected me!  Over couples!  My ego is on cloud 9.  Begin panicked prep for baby to come home now that this seems like it will really happen.  Birthmother goes into labor early - calls for me to come to Houston to be there for the birth, but it happens while I'm barreling down I-45.  Share the good news with friends and family.  Spend two days in the hospital room and NICU with her and the baby, who is having breathing problems.  By end of second day baby is doing fine, but birthmother changes her mind. Barrel down I-45 the other direction. Cry the entire trip. Do not want to think about adoption for a while.  Friends and family rock my face off with their kindness.

November 2011: Caseworker in Houston calls - she was going to mail my book back to the office, but  has a new birth family coming in that week - do I want to be included in the showing?  They are looking for a traditional couple, so I figure there's no chance and no risk.  Get the call that I've been selected again.  Is my book that good or is Ellie just really cute?  Tentatively excited.  Birthmother goes into labor early again - does not want me at the hospital.  Caseworker says to come to Houston again - baby to be released on Wednesday.  Close down office, feeling silly, since this won't work out again and I'll be back Thursday.  Arrive at hospital but birth family is almost 2 hours late.  Wait in the lobby wishing they would call and say they changed their minds so I can get on the road to get home in time to kiss Ellie good night.

Birth family arrives.  We go to the nursery. This baby is not scary.  This baby is perfect.

Hug. Cry. Hug more. Say thank you, because what else is there to say?  Hug again.  Say goodbye.  And then I was walking out of the hospital with a baby.  My baby.  And just like that, I became a mother again.