three months!

we have (almost) been a family for three months. it is sometimes hard to believe it's been that long and at other times it feels like we've been together much longer. c and e.b. are both thriving in their classes at nursery school and church. it is fun to see how much each is learning. c is chatting up a storm and we have conversations all the time. it is amazing that at this time last year he was still barely putting two words together. e.b. loves to sing and even though we may not always understand her version of a song we can pick up the "tune" she is trying to communicate. they both love to sing, dance, play chase, hide and seek, build with blocks and play trucks. e.b. has really been getting into her special toys these days too...a learning, singing mirror; a singing tea pot set; doll house; play kitchen; dolls and stroller. they both enjoy pretend play too and it's so cute (albeit super messy) to see where their imaginations take them. just thought i'd put up some more pics for our family and friends to see what our two have been up to these days...

halloween costumes! 

digging into candy on the front porch of our neighbor's home

(this was the first home we visited!)

what could be better than wearing pjs all day?

oh, yes...pjs and a cookie!

e.b. has to agree!

our two with daddy at a fall festival

(we were on a hayride)

the daily shaving cream ritual!

another pic of our family!

(you guessed it...another visit from our lovely social worker...we're getting there!)

"...'For the foundations of the earth are the Lord's; upon them He has set the world.'"  1 Samuel 2:8b

our normal continues to change...

life seems to have increased in craziness...by that i mean it now feels much busier than it did just last week. e.b. has decided that sometimes she is not up for c's antics and when she has decided this, it is total drama. our little girl knows how to "work" the tears. this proves to be difficult sometimes, as she will bring on the tears even when c has not been near her. thankfully c is so honest that if i ask him if he's done something to upset e.b. he will give me an answer even if he knows it won't be received well by me. e.b. has also decided she wants to be my shadow now at times...it feels good to have her little arms wrapped around my legs as i'm trying to make breakfast or do the dishes or laundry...but as you can guess it slows down my effort to take care of the house. c on the other hand has increased his efforts to get under e.b.'s skin -- not in frequency but in intensity. there are some happy moments interspersed during the hours in a day and below are some photos to prove it!

my big helpers "cleaning" up the driveway...

helping daddy with shaving cream in the morning...

at our local oktoberfest celebration...

the kids loved this ride (and as you can tell

the day was beautiful!)

c having fun by himself!

e.b. loving the air on her face...

e.b. with her BIG chocolate chip cookie 

(a treat for doing well at home while i was out...

yes, we had a babysitter!)

c keeping his cookie in the bag...

he's excited though!

waiting for daddy outside on a friday evening (our pizza night!)

(and yes, as c's aunts have noticed...c's fire truck sweatshirt is his favorite

thing to wear this fall...just as his semi t-shirt was this past summer.)

"But you, dear friends, build yourselves up in your most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit.  Keep yourselves in God's love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life." Jude 20-21

e.b.'s birthday and 2 months as a family...

e.b. turned 2!!! her 2nd birthday also corresponded with 2 months as a family...it was just 8 weeks ago that e.b. joined our family. it is amazing to see how far she has come from that broken hearted, scared child on august 7. we know she still remembers her foster family. she enjoys looking at photos from her time in korea and especially those with her foster mother. but she also enjoys seeing photos of herself with us and especially with c! she will pour over and over her photo book. 

things e.b. loves: oppa (c); lollipops; dried sea weed; ramen noodles; watermelon; grapes; chocolate milk; chocolate; ice cream; apples; pizza; bananas; getting dressed up; wearing hats; singing; dancing; running; going anywhere; shopping; trying on shoes; anything oppa loves; playing with balls; playing musical instruments. she chats up a storm in english and korean (many times a mixture that only c can interpret.) she can now get up and down stairs with ease. she can walk backwards and spin and dance. when she first joined our family, her core strength and balance were lacking and now she can accomplish most feats that her size allows her. she wakes up happy and pretty much is on the go and ready for anything all day long until bath/bed time. things certainly are not perfect (how could life be  with two toddlers)...there are lots of tantrums (so normal), fighting, saying "no mommy!", making huge messes with food and drinks on purpose (sigh.) e.b. is stubborn and very opinionated too. but those are the personality traits that also helped her get through those early days of heart break and all the many many (okay everything!) changes she had to make to her tiny life. she is still learning we are her family...but this takes time...months, years...it develops slowly and we are okay with that. we are thankful she is home and she is a precious blessing to our family!

here are photos (yes, way too many again...but how can i resist?) in no particular order...

enjoying a chocolate lollipop

(a special treat from our dear friends in arizona/minnesota!)

our same sweet friends sent c some special trucks!

he has been taking the front loader everywhere with him.

(he already has a few trucks he takes everywhere with him so we have

a truck bag that gets packed up and carried around from room to room all day!)

c playing with his fun new trucks while wearing a plastic bowl

on his head as a hat. he's the cutest construction worker ever!

c leading the dancing to "mighty machines" again!

c sitting on the box of lollipops on top of another box...

he's a train engineer! 

e.b. is his willing passenger. 

e.b. received some gifts from our wonderful friends and neighbors, k,g & j!

you can feel her excitement from the photo. 

they also were so kind to remember c!

e.b. is figuring out that birthdays are fun!!!

e.b. carefully opening her birthday card.

c received a fireman's hat and a curious george book!

so great considering he is hoping to be a fireman for halloween.

e.b. received the coolest sushi play set!

she uses the chopsticks well.

daddy's co-workers gave e.b. a princess outfit.

she adores dressing up (you can't tell but she's wearing "glass" slippers too!)

c had a really difficult time with the concept of e.b. having gifts.

here he is "helping" her open one of her birthday gifts.

a moment of "loving!"
(notice their reading chairs...the lamb and bunny...
it is too cute to catch them "reading" quietly side by side)

"jamming" to their favorite song...
"me without you" by toby mac
(look it up it will make you dance and jam too!)

finally daddy & c put together e.b.'s birthday piano.

it has been a huge hit with both kiddos.

sweet girl (still in p.j.s) with her new baby doll and stroller

(thank you aunts buff, cindy and amy!!!)

c enjoying a bounce house at a fall festival from our adoption agency.

e.b. loving it too!

boxes are a great source of entertainment at our home!

e.b. at our local pumpkin patch...

c more interested in tractors than pumpkins...

jamming to toby mac in the car

had to add this "real life" pic...

sometimes life at 2 years old is rough.

(c is truly being 100% sweet here...

he thought he could calm her down -- no luck!)

c using the iphone to take a photo...hilarious. 

he was cracking up!

"Yet to all who received Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God -- children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God."  John 1:12-13 (NIV)

is it october already?

so september is gone and e.b.'s birthday is four days away! what did we do? wish i could remember it all but it's a fast and furious pace from 7am till 7pm keeping the two littles fed, clean, dry, happy, etc..  add into our schedule Bible study at church on monday mornings (thanks to the wonderful children's program that allows me to attend) as well as nursery school two mornings a week. we have slowly introduced e.b. to these places, then started going with her to nursery and "school," and now have been able to leave her with her teachers and friends for 2 weeks with church activities and 1 day (yesterday) at nursery school! she did amazing at nursery school and came home one happy girl. she is thriving in these new learning situations and has time to spend with other children (especially girls...her nursery school program has 11 girls (including e.b.) and 1 boy!) c is more accepting of e.b. and loves to watch her and inquire about what she might be doing. she adores him and copies EVERY LITTLE THING HE DOES!!! EVERYTHING!!! there are many "fights" daily and tantrums from both but even in that chaos we are slowly settling into our own pace. i am learning slowly what will work for each. it's certainly trial and error and i've had many errors. i am thankful for the grace that our two littles grant to me. 

below are photos taken since the last post. they are in no particular order and most were taken with cell phones so the quality is lacking but you can still see the cuteness shine through in both! 

the mall...

the kids enjoying a "ride" at the mall

(yes, we did attempt the mall with two toddlers on a saturday!

i ran into a past co-worker and while i was talking to her c started digging with his hands

in the dirt of the potted plants!)

our friday pizza night ritual...

c loves to use the rack for the pizza as a "hat."

here he is as a "king!"

one flip and....

he's a "lamp shade!"

i love his creativity.

outside after Bible study...

c always has to do two things after Bible study:

1. see the church buses

2. play with the rocks in the fountain

here e.b. is joining in on the second tradition!

random day at home...

c playing in his car "garage" and e.b. is never far away from oppa.

a "shower" for e.b. from marshall's co-workers...

daddy and e.b. checking out the doll house items

it was so sweet for everyone to remember c too and he received several gifts!

at a park with our small group from church...

c squealing with happiness as he swings...

e.b. giggling through her ride on the swing!

"Before the mountains were born or You brought forth the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting You are God."   Psalm 90:2

i can't resist...

how can i resist showing more pics of our two? 

we picked up daddy this week for lunch out at our favorite korean restaurant (yummy) but had to wait a little bit in the car while he finished up in a meeting. the kiddos kept themselves busy though...

first, e.b. does the splits!

now c shows us he can too!

discovering they can touch feet!

e.b. and i met up with another mom and s, her 2 1/2 year old son on thursday. i don't have photos from our play time but here is a quick snap shot of e.b. before the two got started. they were both very busy and e.b. is gaining strength and balance that she lacked just 5 weeks ago!

she's always ready to ham it up for a photo!

later that same day we enjoyed time outside in the rain. this was easy as the kiddos always want to have on their rain boots and they love to use their umbrellas too.

yes, we are playing in the gutter again!

we joined j and his mom, k, again this week for some outside play time!

starting off slowly with lollipops and trucks...

creative kids!

e.b. showing some love...

j & c with sticks

j & e.b. on the bench

"The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance."  2 Peter 3:9