Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Uncle Nate, Jr

Nate remembers all sorts of things.  It's sometimes hard to keep up with his train of thought because he's remembering some random event from months ago.

The other night he asked me what "Jr." meant.  I asked him where he'd heard that.  He remembered that the mama elephant in "Dumbo" named the baby elephant "Jumbo Jr." (which it a name that lasts for about 2 seconds until the other elephants see his ears and change his name to "Dumbo").  We haven't seen that movie in a long time. 

I explained to him what it meant and he thought for a bit.

"So, my name Uncle Nate, Jr?"

Well, essentially, yes.  You're Uncle Nate and Daddy, Jr because you're named after both of them.  Way to make a connection, Baby Boy.

Monday, June 27, 2011

Birthday Tribute

The adoptive family of another child from Haiti recently sent a wonderful donation to Bèl Haiti. There was a note on it that said the donation was in honor of the adoptive father's birthday, donated by his parents. What a beautiful tribute and a great birthday idea!

It thrills us to see the generations of family that whose lives are eternally changed by these beautiful children.

I tell Nathan every day how grateful I am to be his Mama. I know his grandparents and great-grandmas are in love with him as well.

I'm so grateful that God knew where our son was when he was born and how to get him to us.

Worth every second of the long, arduous journey to get him home!

Thank you again to that family for the birthday tribute.  Harry will be thrilled!

Sunday, June 26, 2011

Buddies

Colly came to play this past week.

After the boys got all muddy in the backyard, they came inside and played "jump off the couch together" and "make a silly pose for the camera"

This picture reminds me that I took off their muddy shoes but didn't clean their legs before they started jumping.  :)
I'm so glad you have such a good buddy. Thanks for coming over, Colly!

Wednesday, June 15, 2011

Damn You, Dreamworks!

Nathan loves trains, elephants, whales and masha-tatoes.

He also loves dragons

He has a "Toothless" dragon that he loved to play with.

Until he left it out one day and Divot chewed the end of the tail off.

My sweet OCD son, who has to have things lined up and his toys clean, was heartbroken over the broken tail.

We explained that's what happens sometimes when you leave your toys out and that we couldn't fix it.

Daddy ended up putting the toy away for a few months.  Toothless recently emerged from the Toy Witness Protection Program, and Nathan has been having fun with him.

When he's not crying over his broken tail.

His language skills have improved since Toothless was originally broken.  After I explained to him (for the umpteenth time) that we couldn't fix it, he sobbed "but Hiccup fixed Toothless's tail!"

Damn.

So that is how I found myself fashioning a dragon prosthetic out of felt and sewing it around Toothless's stump.

Nathan is thrilled.  He's even told the dragon, "We fixed you!"

Now I know what I'll feel like when he comes home from school and excitedly announces that he's going to be broccoli for the school play.....

Monday, June 13, 2011

Sweetness 101

Sweetness,
You've said some very sweet things lately.  I thought I'd take a few minutes to jot them down here.

Daddy was laid off several weeks ago.  He's been working hard at home, putting in the backyard, and focusing more time on Bèl Haiti.  You have so enjoyed spending more time with Daddy.  Today, you came back from Home Depot with Daddy and were so excited to show me that Daddy got you your own "work glubs" (gloves). 

If there's anything you love more than trains and mashed potatoes, it's digging in the dirt!
___________
The other day you were listing off everyone in our family.  "Grandma love me; Grandpa love me; Aunt love me; Uncle love me... MAMA, EVERYBODY LOVE ME!" you exclaimed, throwing your arms wide and with a big grin on your face!

___________
Another afternoon you were whining and I said, "Nate, why are you whining?"

"I not whining," you said.  "I squeaking."

Oh!  My mistake, Son.  Sorry about that.
___________
Sunday afternoon you said, "Mama, this is a good house for me."

I'm not sure how much you knew what you were saying, but I think this is a good house for you, too, Sweet Boy.  This is exactly where you should be.

Monday, June 6, 2011

Comfort and Joy

Dear Sweetness,
Mama tells you your adoption story often. Right now you have no idea what I'm talking about but you can repeat all the parts. You know that Nathan "was born at Haiti" (that's how you say it) and you love to watch the little video clips we have of that first trip when Mama and Daddy fell head over heels for you.

Mama and Daddy soaked in everything about you that first trip. You'd think two people had never fallen in love with a baby before.

Mama took this picture when you reached out and grabbed Daddy's finger in your sleep.  It was so sweet, just like everything about you.

You love to know someone is there.

If Mama is holding you, you play with her hair.  If Daddy is by you, you like to hold his hand.

Mama took this picture while we were on Thomas the Train the other week.


You have always been a sweet, tender-hearted boy.


That is, after all, why Mama calls you "Sweetness".

I love you, Son.
Mama