Weekend Update!

Good evening~
Well it has been a beautiful weekend weather wise. We really have been lucky to have such great weather the first week Isaiah has been here.
I was thinking of what to entitle this post and had so many options. So I figured I would list all the options and then explain the occurrence that made me think of them.
1. I need a bigger purse: Seriously, I HATE carrying around big purses, but with wipes and neosporin and everything else that comes along with a 3 year old, I now understand why some women carry purses that really look like carry on luggage. Today we went to the fair and I just made Isaiah carry his back pack with everything in it...including the camera. LOL, he loves to wear a back pack...what's the big deal???
2. Poop success: Isaiah has pooped successfully in the toilet TWICE since my last update. There has been huge progress in the potty training area. In fact today we left the house and napped in big boy pants with zero accidents. We also had to use a port a potty at the fair (vomit) but we avoided any accidents! YEAH!
3. "Is she a delivery person or something?" This is a quote by Gabe. We were watching Dora THE EXPLORER and he asked about the premise of the show. I explained that she has to help people by getting something from one place to another. He asked...so she is a delivery person or something....no she is an EXPLORER! That was a big laugh!
4. Grown up fun. Both Saturday and Sunday night, Gabe and I enjoyed our chiminea outside. It was so beautiful out and there was a full moon, we just sat out there with some adult beverages and relaxed! Saturday it was just the 2 of us after Isaiah went to bed and last night we had some friends over and let Isaiah come out and roast a marshmallow before bed. He inhaled it whole and nearly choked on it. I think he even scared himself.


So we ventured to a local fair today, just me and Isaiah while Gabe rested his sore back. We rode some rides and had lunch. He got a hot dog, instantly had it slip through his fingers and then got another hot dog!

Tomorrow we attend a hearing in court. We have NO idea what it is about. We received a letter on Saturday indicating a hearing this coming Tuesday and next Tuesday. Luckily my mom will be able to come and stay with Isaiah tomorrow morning and next week he will be in school. Talk about short notice. I am not really sure what to expect..not sure if Mom will be there, not sure what the reasoning is...I am just referring back to not anticipating things. Either way it will be an interesting day. I also start back to work tomorrow. Interesting all right!

Until then...

Sprinkler Fun!

It was HOT in CT today...so we hit the sprinkler!

This is a WEIRD experience!

As I write tonight we are on our 7th night. Last night was interesting. I was up a total of 3 times at various hours. Once at 11:30 when Isaiah fell out of bed. Once at 4am when JP had diarrhea and again with JP at 5am. Each time I woke up I felt horrible. Like I was hungover, but wasn't. This morning when I woke up I still felt badly but rested a bit while Gabe fed the wee one. I am feeling better now and think it was just the disrupted night.
Today, Isaiah spent most of the day outside, since it was beautiful again in CT. He is really mastering his bike now, even making turns. He played baseball and golf and of course the sidewalk chalk.
Today we were anticipating his visit with his mom all day. I think that is why my stomach was sick most of the day. We just didn't know WHAT to expect. Isaiah took a nap and then got ready to see his mom. He was very excited to see her. As we drove there, Gabe and I were on pins and needles. When we arrived she was not there yet so we left Isaiah playing with the social worker and jetted. We figured it would be a smoother meet and greet at the end of their visit. Gabe and I went down the road to Target for some shopping. Nice and therapeutic. As we finished our shopping, I got the weirdest feeling in my stomach. I stopped into the ladies room and just talked to myself and said, this experience is so WEIRD. Like, we are now going to pick up this little boy from visiting his mother and take him back home with us. And we will be friendly to her, but then take her son. WEIRD. Nauseatingly weird.
When we got there I held back my vomit and was pleasantly surprised. Mom was very friendly and instantly commented on how much better Isaiah looks since last week when she saw him and he was at the foster home. She said his speech was better and he looked happier and cleaner and she thanked us. We chatted a bit and she asked a few things about him and his transition.
We started a communication log to go back and forth and in it I placed a pouch for pictures we take of him. We will copy the great ones and give her them too. Well today she got a copy of Isaiah riding his bike yesterday and she wept. She was so happy to see it and so thankful for us sharing it with her. She asked, "is this for me??" Absolutely.
Unfortunately it became clear where Isaiah gets his food issues from when she told us she brought him donuts and chocolate milk and he ate something like 4 donuts. I believe her quote was "I may have ruined his dinner tonight". She was right, he didn't eat a thing for dinner.
BUT that is not for us to address, the worker will address that and I will now know not to give him chocolate milk on Fridays because she will!
In the past, Isaiah has cried after every visit with mom when he had to leave. Today she walked him to our car, helped him get into the seat and thanked us again! No tears.
See, it is weird. Surreal. Unique. Difficult.
He was quiet for about 20 minutes in the car ride then he got back to his chatty self again...only amplified X4...for each donut. He was very energetic tonight and helped me put away some things we got at Target. We also put together a collage frame of the pictures his mom sent to hang in his room. He loved that project.
So, we are now winding down and reflecting on the day. Anticipation can be a devilish thing, both good and bad. It certainly played tricks on my body over the past 12 hours.
Tomorrow..I have no idea what we are going to do...perhaps I just shouldn't anticipate anything.

Until then...

I don't really like my new haircut

Greetings and Salutations~
I just thought I would start out tonight's blog saying that I don't really like my new haircut. It is nothing drastic, and I hope it is still lin the shock phase after the cut, but eh...
On to other things. Today was a decent day. Gabe got up and went to play golf so it was me and buddy solo during the morning. We ran a bunch of errands, one of which was looking for a small back pack for him for school....this is hard for such a little guy. Any tips???
This afternoon, Isaiah did great on his bike, as evidenced by the below picture. He was so happy for himself....as were we. Then he napped and when he woke up we went on another day care shopping trip. This time it was a huge success. We found a great day care that has openings and we all loved the visit. It was GREAT! We will go back tomorrow and fill out paperwork and he will spend a little time there next week before transitioning there and to school the week after.
He loved it!
Tonight we had meatloaf and mashed potatoes on the menu and he chowed down...of course.
We continue to have struggles with meal times...he always wants more but we have been leaving out fruits and veggies for him every day and when he gets hungry he can eat them. But the meal times are tricky.
Tomorrow he has a visit with his mom and we just have no idea what to expect of that.
Until then...

BIG Day!

We learned to pedal our bike today. Thanks, Auntie Paula. We don't even care that it is purple!

Seriously, Bipolar!

Good evening~
It has been gorgeous here all week. We are so lucky that this is the first week we have Isaiah and we are both off with such great weather. Today was another good day. See the pattern...good, bad, good. Thus the title of tonight's post. A lot of people emailed me after last night's post and if I summarized all their comments it would be "welcome to parenting". I am comforted...a little!
Today we started out with a fresh slate. Had a great breakfast and went outside to use the sidewalk chalk....in his brand new school shoes. CURSES! Once we realized, the crocs went on the Fred Flinstone feet. That was a little better.
Then it was time for a bath and to shop for day care. We visited one center but didn't really get a good vibe from the owner. I think what did it was a. she fed him 2 cups of animal crackers right before lunch without asking us, b. she walked through policies and told us "please pick him up on time...i don't want to have to call DCF on you for not picking up on time". Now I have called DCF on a number of parents in my life and NEVER has it been for a late daycare pick up. What IS it with some people?
Isaiah didn't want to leave there...nor would I at 3 years old with the bottomless animal cracker cup. He had a little fit but then we moved on. He took a nap and then we went on another adventure...sneaker shopping and grocery shopping at Stew Leonard's. Oh did I mention that on his way to nap he whacked his head on his bed and now has an egg? Right smack dab in the forehead. His mother will LOVE this when she seems him Friday for their visit.
He did great in the shoe store and got himself some sweet kicks...which will not go out to sidewalk chalk playtime. Then we went grocery shopping. He couldn't go into the front of a cart because...well, he weighs too much. They didn't have any of those "car" carts, which I hate anyways...so the little man walked the entire store with us. Along the way, he put stuff in the cart, picked out stuff he liked and replaced the Oreos that fell from the Oreo tower, which he knocked down. We left there totally unscathed and I stopped on the way out and thought, how on earth does a 3 year old do an hours worth of grocery shopping with ZERO problems but yet has a total meltdown in the doctor's office? The missing element...the nap. Had it today, didn't yesterday. All hail the nap.
So Gabe and I are settling in and having an evening cocktail while we catch up on some shows. Isaiah is in bed, but chatting to himself right now. Tomorrow is another new adventure.

Until then...
HA Just got summoned to the upstairs for help. Poop explosion in the pull up.....Sip the cocktail.

We feel Bipolar!

Good evening~
So today was rough. We were on such a high from yesterday and now feel so low today. Thus the title of the post. Today was rough. I think I already said that.

We started the day ok. Isaiah spent most of the day testing limits...particularly around the stairs, which resulted in him slipping down a few stairs and having the crap scared out of himself. He then got mad at us. Huh? We told you not to go down the stairs til we got there. Where is the logic there?

Then we went to get him new shoes. They are cute!!! He was very happy to get new shoes. His shoes were a size too small, thus the difficulty getting them on his Fred Flinstone feet. Then we hit McDonald's for lunch. He CHEERED when we pulled in. This will not be a regular occurrence. Clearly it was for him in the past. Cheering on the way in, crying when we left. It made me sad.

Then he had to go for his annual check up at the pediatrician, where he spent a lot of time with his mom due to frequent asthma issues. So as soon as we turned into the parking lot, he was asking for Mommy. Forget the fact that it was his nap time. Then, get this...we walked into the most overstimulating pediatrician's office I have ever seen. Apparently one of the doctors collects things...creepy things. Harry Potter things, star wars things, comic things. All on display but not to be touched. Um, this is a place where tons of kids go each day. Combine that with a nurse who continually called us Mommy and Daddy to Isaiah despite us correcting her, called Isaiah Isreal and reeked of cigarette smoke. None of us were pleased! The difference was that Isaiah could flop on the floor and scream and we could NOT! Damn it.

The evening was okay but there seems to be a recurring theme of getting mad when mealtime is done. He always wants MORE!
He finally went to sleep around 8:30 but that, too, was a battle. So I am typing thru some tears tonight but knowing this will happen in the process. Perhaps I needed a nap too.

Tomorrow we go check out a home daycare for him. Let's hope it is a better day.

Until then...