Weed and Court Visit--Photos

Missy's sister Weed and friend Court are in town. Here are some photos from the adventure files.

We are weaning off the plug but it's a still a "must have" in the car.

The Office trivia game was fun. (That's what she said.)

Little Bud got some love.

Missy, Court and Rachel chillin' at Mudlounge.

Auntie Weed and Zeke.

Check-Up

Zeke had his 18 month check-up Thursday. He's 2 ounces away from 20 pounds. Ugg!!! But he's growing taller and his head is growing. We had a visit from our Parents as Teachers lady Tuesday. She gave Zeke a game and Zeke did exactly what was required for the game and she said she had NEVER seen an 18 month old do that!! Of course, Brad and I just laughed and told her we already knew he was a genius! He's more verbal, saying words like cookie, chicken, puppy, baby, cat, and (his favorite) ball. It's funny because I remember when my "little" brother was this age and said "ball" all the time. That's exactly what Zeke is doing. Zeke's receptive language skills are excellent...that just means he understands what we say to him.

So, what's on tap for today? Aerobics, then a Cardinals game, and we're thinking about trying the drive-in. It's about 40 miles outside of town. People usually arrive early so their kids can play on the playground that they have set up in front of the screen. The movie starts at dusk (around 8PM). We think Zeke will be asleep by then so we can enjoy the movie. Honestly, the movie is one that we don't give a flip about seeing (The Fast and the Furious) but I told Brad we needed to try this to see how Zeke does. Next weekend, the drive-in is showing the new Wolverine movie. Weed and Court will be out here and we'll see if they want to go to the drive-in to see it. Brad and I have been chomping at the bit to see the Wolverine movie. Brad and I had so many lovely dates pre-Zeke at the drive-in. It's so much fun to people watch because you're out in this tiny town and the drive-in is THE BIG DEAL in this town. We took my dad to see a movie at the drive-in several years ago when he came out for a visit. It was fun!

Hope you have a super weekend!

Back from Vegas

We had a wonderful time in Vegas and Zeke had so much fun with TT and Big Daddy! We came back to warmer weather than we had last week. Whoo-hoo! This has been a busy week with two trips to Jeff City. Next week, my sister and her friend Court will be coming in for a visit. We can't wait to see them!

Fwd:

Looks Can Be Deceiving

Watch this and witness a British woman's triumph.

Vegas

Brad and I will be heading to Vegas Friday and will come back Monday morning. Zeke will stay here with his grandparents. They're coming in Thursday evening. We're looking forward to our trip but I will be sad to be away from Zeke, even for just a short trip like this. But I think it's great for Zeke to have some one-on-one time with his grandparents.

Good News!

Easter Bunny

Here's Zeke's Easter basket. I took some Easter eggs he already had and packaged them up with a new book about Disney's Cars (his favorite!) and some Oreo Cakesters. These are soft cake-like oreos...3 in a package. We'll see if he likes them. I thought that was enough of a sweet treat and a true surprise since he's never had them before. We'll have Easter lunch at Riverside Inn. We eat there once a year and always for Easter. We really like it. I hope Zeke isn't too nutty and actually eats some good food while we're there!


More photos tomorrow...

To Bunny or Not to Bunny

We had decided not to get Zeke an Easter basket. After all, he wouldn't really "get it" at this age and he eats very little candy. However, I think I will feel bad if we don't give him *something*. So, we'll see. I waited until today to buy his Easter outfit. A button-up shirt and matching sweater vest, along with a linen "pappy hat" were all cheap and deeply discounted this close to Easter. We'll post some photos of Zeke all decked out in his Easter cuteness.

We were at the mall today and while I was in a store, an old lady approached Brad and Zeke (who was asleep in his stroller). Brad said she asked him, "Is his mommy Mexican?" Brad said no and told her that he was adopted from Vietnam. This was about the time I walked up. She asked us "why we didn't have any babies of our own." I replied that he IS our own. She proceeded to tell us she had 5 children, blah, blah, blah. I was really ticked but I maintained a polite and direct approach. Of course, Brad was right when he said she was a crazy old mall lady. Still...it was irritating and I suppose what really annoys me is the possibility (probability?) that someone will say something like that when Zeke is old enough to understand. People are ignorant sometimes...

Home Skillet

We like to think of this as Zeke's urban phase.


Rasta Baby

What up, Home Skillet?

Zeke Videos

I'm a little horse (hoarse).

I've been hoarse since Saturday night. I wonder if I have the congestion/cold that Zeke is just getting over. Oh well. At least I feel ok.

We actually had SNOW Saturday night. Can you believe it?!?!

Zeke is doing better. His cough has decreased significantly. He finished his antibiotics. Here's hoping we're done with coughs and ear infections for a while!!

Zeke's first school photo

So, we didn't even know he was going to be having his photo done or we would've chosen a different outfit.  When I picked him up one day, his teacher said, "We did school photos today but Zeke didn't seem to like it."  I didn't think much about it.  Then today, the school's director told me she had the photos for me to review.  Before she brought them out, she said, "I just want to warn you.  The photographer showed up late and so the toddlers had their photos done right before nap time.  They were not happy about this.  We're having photos re-done on the 10th.  Anyway, here are Zeke's photos.  You don't have to buy any of them."  Well, I couldn't help myself...I burst out laughing when I saw them.  I mean, he looks so pitiful but of course, that's not why I laughed.  It's because his face perfectly expresses how I have always felt about school photos.  Between my cackles, I told the director that I just had to buy a sheet of these because someday, when Zeke is much older, we'll look back at these and we'll all laugh our heads off.  So, Zeke, I'm afraid that this is the start of a long line of school photos.  At least next time, we'll dress you better, buddy.

Zeke & Mom @ Gymnastics

Mizzou-Rah!

Take that, Cornell!!

Zeke eats!

If I Had a Rocket Ship, I'd Never Want to Land

Brad and I caught a glimpse of the space shuttle and the space station in the night sky yesterday. At least we're pretty darn sure that's what we saw. It's neat! Zeke was in bed by then and even so, I'm not sure he would've been impressed. It was just a small bright light moving across the sky.

What's floating my (Missy's) boat these days?
*Taking Zeke to the park when the weather is nice
*Watching the entire series of Freaks and Geeks on DVD (this is what we do after Zeke goes to bed)
*White cheddar breakfast sandwiches from Panera Bread
*Wearing flip-flops in March
*Preparing for a short weekend away in Vegas in April
*Contemplating the possibility of adopting from Ethiopia
*Survivor and waiting to see when "Coach" gets voted off
*Re-reading Duma Key by Stephen King
*Eagerly awaiting Twilight coming out on DVD this week!

Happy St Pat's!

It's time to sip your Shamrock Shake! We've got another warm day here and we're LOVING it! It was lovely yesterday and Zeke and I enjoyed being outside for a while before I had to teach my class. Zeke is now in "eating mode" and has had several meals in a row where he's eaten like a little pig. Thank goodness! Of course, I figure the pendulum will swing in the other direction at some point so I'm trying not to get too excited.

I've enjoyed having a few chances to look at Zeke clothing for the spring and summer. I think it's too early to go buying him a warm weather wardrobe because I hope he gets bigger between now and May. So, I'm trying to hold off. I have bought him a few cute t-shirts because I can buy those a little big. Pants are always the problem. He has a tiny waist so it's hard to get pants that are long enough for his legs and small enough for his waist. When shorts season arrives, that will make it much easier since length won't be an issue.

What Recession?!?!

That's a phrase we often repeat these days. We went to the mall this afternoon and it was packed. People were lined up at various stores to buy clothes, shoes, jewelry, you name it. The only bread line Americans are standing in is at Auntie Anne's. After the mall, we made a few other stops and we ended up at Jump Mania. They have those huge inflatable mazes and slides indoors. They have a small area for kids 3 and under in the back. We took Zeke back there and he seemed to have fun. There was only one inflatable for his age group and he didn't want to go in. He would've been the only one in there but he still didn't go for it. He did enjoy playing with all the Fisher Price toys they had scattered around in the baby area. Oh, and we got in free since he's under 3...that was nice.

Zeke had a good day yesterday at the doctor. He had gained 12 ounces since his last visit and he did NOT have an ear infection (Praise the Lord!) even though his nose is runny. This is a FIRST! So, the ear tubes are helping. He had a horrible night last night. I bet he was up 8 times or more crying and carrying on. He got some vaccines while we were at the doctor's office yesterday and I think he must have been fussy from those. Also, he's teething and I think that was bothering him last night. At any rate, he was NOT a happy camper. He woke up at 5AM...we all did. Ugg. Prior to last night, he had been sleeping through the night so here's hoping we can go back to that routine tonight!

Hoping for a Big Number!

We take Zeke to the doc this afternoon for another round of immunizations and we also will check his weight. He had been down last time because of his pneumonia. He has done ok with eating since then...but it's a struggle to get him to focus and eat. He did well at dinner last night and I think breakfast today went ok. FINGERS CROSSED! My mom told me that I was not a good eater when I was little. And thanks to others who have shared info about their child not eating as much as you'd like. We'll see what the scales show today!!

Eat, baby, eat

Zeke goes through phases where he won't eat much. He's in one right now. We offer and offer and offer him food, all kinds of food and he just won't eat a lot. This is especially frustrating because he's getting weighed this Friday to see if his weight is up. The last time we saw the pediatrician, she told us to put him on two "fattening" baby shakes a day. Well, we can't even get him to drink one whole one. We started using the shakes to wet his oatmeal, instead of water but that doesn't work if he won't eat his oatmeal. He ate it this weekend with the shake mixed in and seemed to like it but then rejected it this morning. Yesterday, he didn't even eat a whole meal, though I offered him one of his favorites: mac and cheese. Please pray that he will open his mouth and belly and will eat. I don't know what to do. We have avoided loading him up on sweets because we don't feel that's healthy for him but if that's how people fatten up their kids, maybe that's what we should do. We add butter to everything he eats and we mix in sour cream, when appropriate. Any ideas?!?!?!?!?! I am about to panic over this!!!! Last week, I weighed Zeke and he was below 19 pounds. But when I weighed him this weekend, he was over 20. I'm happy his weight was up this last time but I know that it could go down again this week, especially if he continues to be a picky eater. This is so frustrating. HELP!!!!!!!!!

Demotivators--Hilarity Ensues

Check this out. There are some really funny gems...among my favorites:

Procrastination: Hard work often pays off after time, but laziness always pays off now.

Mediocrity: It takes a lot less time and most people won't notice the difference until it's too late. (accompanied by a photo of the leaning tower of Pisa)

Achievement: You can do anything you set your mind to when you have vision, determination, and an endless supply of expendable labor. (accompanied by a photo of the Pyramids)

Breaking Dawn

I'm so glad that when I drive in to work before 7AM, the sun is coming up. It makes it easier somehow to be awake. Take a look at Brad's cell phone pics from last night's gymnastics class with Zeke. Brad thought this would be a fun activity for him and Zeke on Monday nights when I teach my class. I love that they have this bonding time and look forward to being there myself in a few weeks when my students are on spring break.

A word about Zeke's birthmother: We sent her a photo album and Christmas card (no letter) and it was actually delivered on Christmas. Last week, we received a thank you letter from her in the mail. It was such a lovely surprise! It was in Vietnamese and a good friend helped us get it translated right away. Her words were so sweet and kind as she thanked us for sending her such beautiful photos of the baby. It just confirms my committment to send her 2 photo albums each year. I'm also working on finding someone to translate a letter into Vietnamese so she can know our impressions of Zeke and how he is doing. Each adoptive family ought to decide what's right for them and what they are most comfortable with when it comes to communicating (or not) with the birth family. I actually prayed that we would be matched with a child whose birthmother we would meet. I felt this would be such a blessing for Zeke as he grows up to know something about his birthmother and most importantly, to know that she loves him.

Zeke Goes to the Gym

Zeke is now enrolled in an eight week "gymnastics" class at Springfield Aquatic & Gymnastics Center.  It's more about being active than mastering the rings.

Zeke Eats!

Zeke LOVES blueberries and even tries to say "blueberries." He has done extremely well post-surgery. No complications and he doesn't seem to have any pain. He runs around and plays just as hard as ever. There is one big difference: he seems happier than he has been in weeks. I think it's because the pressure on his ear drums has been relieved. Here are some photos from this morning. Enjoy!

Zeke's adventure

Zeke is done with his procedures. All went fine. We'll be home soon.

Update

Zeke will have surgery on Monday. He's having tubes put in his ears. Please pray that all goes well. We will post an update once we come home, which should be late that morning or early afternoon. Zeke is pretty miserable right now because he has a stuffy nose, a slight cough and a definite ear infection. We started antibiotics yesterday. Poor doll. I just hate to see him sick.

Sunday night are the Oscars. As many of you know, Brad and I have our own Oscar Derby where we see who can accurately predict the most winners. Brad usually wins but I've upset him a couple of times. This is a fun tradition that we started back in college, before we were married.

Our latest guilty pleasure is ordering Pizza Hut for delivery online. You can get some good deals and they bring it right to your door. We've only done it a couple of times (including today for lunch) and the convenience is great.

Anyone else ready for flip-flop weather? We woke up to a light blanket of snow on the grass. It's already gone but it's quite cold. I'm glad this will be the last week of February. C'mon, March, let's see some SPRING weather!!

Another Adoption Miracle--Congrats to Vince and Alisa!

Check out their blog!! You can see a slideshow of their son, Micah. They just passed court today, which I believe now allows them to travel to Ethiopia to get Micah. Praise the Lord for this news!

What's That In Your Weave?

Only in Missouri, folks...

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) - Other than having a bit of a headache, a
Kansas City woman is uninjured after a bullet fired at her ended up
tangled in her hair weave.
Police said the 20-year-old woman was in a convenience store
parking lot late Wednesday when a man flagged her down and told her
that her ex-boyfriend still loved her. She replied, "Well I dont
love him," then heard gunshots.
She said she looked behind the vehicle and saw her ex-boyfriend
firing a handgun at her. She stomped her accelerator and fled, then
turned into another parking lot and called police. She told
officers she recently had ended an eight-month relationship with
the suspect.
Police arrested the ex-boyfriend and his friend in a car.

More Zeke!!

Some Recent Zeke Cuteness

From his first Valentine's Day box from school to playing his kitty keyboard to running around with his lego box on his head to sporting his first pair of chucks (thanks Kel!), Zeke's been one busy little dude. Enjoy!

The Shack

If you have not read this book or heard of it, I suggest you pick up a copy. It will challenge your thoughts on God and the Trinity...and it will challenge you in a good way! I am about halfway through this book and I find it very moving and eye-opening. I've asked our pastor to hold a group discussion on this book since so many people in our church have read it or are reading it. Have any of you read it? You can read more about "The Shack" here.

Tubes

Zeke visited the ear, nose and throat doc yesterday. He recommended putting tubes in his ears. The surgery is scheduled for Monday, February 23. While I don't like the idea of Zeke having surgery, it's so good to know that the tubes will reduce the number of ear infections he gets. He's probably been on antibiotics more often than not since we got him because of the ear infections. Poor baby!! Pray that it goes well. Apparently, it's such an "easy" procedure, he'll be fine that afternoon and will be back at daycare the next day.

Zeke Teeth

More teeth are coming through, prompting Zeke to randomly yell out during the night. He just has one big scream and that's it until the next one comes a few hours later. Poor baby. We're contemplating a trip to KC tomorrow, spending the night and then back home Saturday evening. It's supposed to be (drum roll, please) 70 degrees in KC Saturday!!!!!!!!!!!!! Yep, that's prime Plaza walking weather. This has been an exhausting week for Missy--two trips to Jeff City. Blah. We need a little vacation.

Recent Z Photos

The many faces of Zeke...you will note that he's quite drool-y. He's got two new teeth coming in up top...maybe more are on the way. His daycare teacher, Miss Jan said Zeke was dancing today. We have seen hints of his desire to bust a move at home. He continues to be well (thank you Lord!). He goes Friday for his 15 month check-up. I hope that he is back up close to 20 pounds. He's becoming more picky at meal times. He still eats but he really, really wants to feed himself. He feeds himself at daycare most of the time so he wants the same privilege at home. We are having to re-strategize what we feed him to make sure he eats enough and eats good stuff.