'"Friend" the Finest Word in any Language"

Superman has his first ever imaginary friend. 
This delights me to no end.  
Her name is Mom and she lives under the table in our kitchen.  I'm sure if you were a feminist or a shrink you could pull a lot out of that concept. 
I asked him if it was his first mom that he had in Ethiopia, but nope, a third mom has appeared.  Or not.  :)

Sample conversations, in which I find it hard not to laugh out loud.

Superman yelling from the bathroom:  "Mom?  You doing good?  Mama, Owlie?  You guys being nice to my mom?"

Superman to me:  "Mama can I have candy?"
Me:  "No, not right now."
"That's okay.  I'll just ask my mom.  Hey mom?  Can I have some candy?  Hey!!  My mom said I could have some candy!!"

"Hey!  My mom just said it's going to snow promorrow!  I'm so exciting to see snow promorrow!"

Several times I've found myself asking:  "Are you talking to me or your mom under the table?" 


I'm hoping your Tuesday is filled with as much whimsy as mine is turning out to have!

 

The People Have Spoken

Did you know that I'm not so much of a morning person?  Here's the catch:  I'm not much of a night owl either.  I guess this makes me a rockstar at late mornings (provided I know that I'll be able to sneak in an afternoon nap). 

Jon makes breakfast for our boys 5 days a week, while I get ready.  When Saturday rolls around and Jon sleeps in, Superman (who is nothing without his routine) is never happy to see me.  It's going to be bad oatmeal day.  I try to talk him into cereal or pancakes, but he rarely budges. 

Superman was talking about all the good food we have in our house today, because Bear is working on potty training.  Nothing says potty training like a house full of treats and juice galore.  He then got onto the topic of cooking.  "Some peoples just good at making yummy things, and some people just make yucky things.  Ababa's weally good at making yummy oatmeal.  Mama.....  you good at making yummy noodles."

Our family has voted, three to one think Mama should sleep in every day. 

A few of my Favorite Things

I woke Bear up from a nap yesterday at 3:15.  You type A's out there are nodding your head in agreement, "yes, don't let him sleep too long, he'll never sleep at night!"  The laissez-faire folks have gaping mouths... "wake a sleeping child from a nap!  Are you nuts?"  I pretty much fall in the type A category, but all my favorite families fall on the laissez-faire side of life, so it appeals to me to try and lean that way (opposites attract, right?). But not with matters of sleep.  No way. 

When I got Bear up he just wanted to continue sleeping in my arms.  After trying to get his eyelids to stay cracked for 20 minutes he said, "mama, I gumpy."  Yep, buddy ain't it the truth.  The same thing happens to me when I get woken up.

Superman is stumped.  Why admit your weaknesses?  He responds with, "no, not me.  I'm never grumpy when I wake up."  I cleverly turn my snort in a cough. But, I do need to give credit where credit is due.  These days he hardly ever is grumpy when he wakes up.     

Once again, I found myself thinking about all the ways my boys have grown in the last year +.    Heck, not just my boys, but let's throw me, Jon, our marriage, my faith, and my knowledge of child development and adoption onto the growth side.  This seems to be on my mind a lot lately, possibly since everyone is doing year end reviews and reflections on their blogs.  Or maybe just because my boys have changed in a million ways.

Anyway, it got me thinking about how Bear has been our son longer than he hasn't.  And that is a lovely thing to think. 

Easy Tomato Basil Soup

 

Here's a picture of the amazing Caire family, the family we bought our van from back in August, packed up and headed to the mission field. 

 

And here's a really easy, Mott-approved recipe from their head chef.  Superman probably said, "mama this is the best soup ever!" 13 times during dinner.

Easy Tomato Basil Soup

Simmer together for 20 minutes:
2 28oz cans crushed tomatoes
2 T chopped fresh basil
3 cups chicken broth
1/4 cup butter

Add
2 cups of cream
salt to taste

It's way super creamy so I added a couple cups of water when done, but that step is up to you.  Your prerogative.

Enjoy!
 

 

The Best of 2012

January

February

 

March

 

April

May

 

 June

 

July

August

 

September

October

November

 

December

New Year's Eve!

I just read on a friend's fb status that how you spend your New Year's Eve is mostly likely how you will spend your year.  I hope this is true!  It's 2:11 and I'm still in my pajamas, my kids have played darling all morning, my living room has 3 forts in it, my husband is napping watching football, my kitchen is a mess, but I'm caught up on laundry, and I'm looking forward to Super Mario Bros on the wii after my kids go to bed.  I really do love our life.

Our little guys are down with some kind of cold (flu? rsv?), so that's the only thing about today that we don't want repeating.  This seems like our first real sickness since being home, so I'd say we are coming up on top. 

 

Even Norman is fading fast.

 

Happy New Year's Eve! 

 

E and T!

Science Spectrum time!

The water table draws kids of all ages.  :)

Book lovers unite!

My favorite picture! 

 



Lego time!

 



Farkle.  Grandma Grace would be proud.

 



Fire Trucks bedtime stories.

 

 



 

The Christmas Run Down

Superman mixing up some birthday cupcakes on Christmas Eve.

 

We finished off our advent calendar by celebrating Jesus' birthday.

 

 

              Yum!

 

Opening one present each on Christmas Eve!

Reading our new books...

and wearing our new pajamas!

 

 

Hot chocolate in our sippies, we are off to look at Christmas lights! 

Bear was not too impressed.  After 20 minutes or so he said, "I'm sleepy.  I bed.  I nap.  I change diaper" until we got home. 

Superman's best line was, "Golly!  Look at those lights!  We need to go home and do that to our house!" 

 

The next morning we woke up to a white Christmas!

Christmas morning, let the fun begin!

The Tree House.  Superman saw this laying around a month or so before Christmas and the anticipation about killed him.  "Where that House Tree at?  When can I play with that House Tree?"

 

Books with mama...

 

and puzzles with Momo!

 

Later we had our Christmas dinner at the M&M's.  I'll have to see if Mimi got any pictures...  oops!

The next day the boys built their first snowman...

and his little brother. 

 

 

 

We really tried to keep the focus on Jesus' gift to us and why we celebrate Christmas.  We talked in detail every night during our advent calendar about how we can give to others because God has been generous to us in His son Jesus, the best gift.  We hope you had a great Christmas as well and enjoy the gift of Jesus as well! 

Merry Christmas!

 

The theme of this photo shoot:  Just because you put us in Christmas sweaters, does not mean we have to smile.

Enjoy! 

 

 

The Force is Strong with this One

“Size matters not, … Look at me. Judge me by size, do you?”

 

 

Superman's First Dance

Someone remind me to find this on S's wedding day, mmm k?