Lil' Miss Sassy Takes Mommy's Purse & Decides to Leave

I guess everyone at some point in their life decides they are going to run away.  I know that my sister did once.  I helped her pack, gave her an orange and watched her make it to the end of the driveway.  She then turned around and came back. It was a quick trip.  She didn't even eat the orange I sent with her.  (I am 10 months younger so it was great that I was so caring and made sure she had food).  That said, Lil' Missy decided she was going to 'head out' today.  Not sure what her business itinerary was but she had my purse over her shoulder and was saying "BYE BYE" like she had been saying it for all 3 years of her life.  She spotted my wallet on the table and quickly turned back around to grab it.  (Smart girl... not a lot of $ in it but DADDY'S CREDIT CARD IS so again.... VERY SMART GIRL). 

 Approach to the Car

 Closing the Door

Pushing as MANY buttons as possible.

I was able to snap some photos of where she went.  She went somewhere very near and dear to my heart... "GANGSTA".  Yes, Gangsta is my car.  I am weird about cars (and many other things) but I just feel that you should really like what you drive if you can and since my husband was so kind to get me a new car for HIS birthday I feel it even more important to love it more than normal. 

She played for about 5 minutes then was done.  We then baked cookies.  More photos later of that one.  It was interesting to say the least!

What Did I Do with my Time?

A juggler I am not but I certainly need to be one.  Honestly I thought I would be better at this than what I am but oh well.  I remember thinking the same thing when Luke came home.  Suitcases are still not unpacked.  My glasses have been missing for two weeks now and I have looked everywhere for them.  NOW MOST UNFORTUNATELY my rings are missing as well.  The glasses can be replaced and yes the rings can too but I am just heartbroken.  This morning I broke down over them and then realized how incredibly selfish I was being.  They are just rings... just material things that don't mean you have a good life or not.  I am most hurt that my 5 year anniversary band is gone.  I would do just about anything (Except give my children away) to be able to have that ring.  Forget the custom ring with the nice diamonds...it is just a 'thing' but the five year band was one of the most special gifts I have ever received.  Feeling like I need to gain control somehow and just can't get grounded enough to do it.  Luke has his moments and so does Avay Maran.  I have mine as well.  I am getting frustrated easier and I hate that because I simply shouldn't.  Here we have Luke who has been our complete world for 3 1/2 years now and Maran whom we have journeyed to for 11 months and who speaks no English and feels probably like she has been kidnapped.  She is a loving child and a caring one.  Luke is as well but Luke is used to our entire family being "ALL ABOUT LUKE".  The 'attention split' has really knocked him for a loop.  In time this will pass and get better I know.  It takes extra nurturing and extra love which we have and are more than willing to give.  I guess I just need a hug from my mother.  I feel like if I could have that then I will be fine.  I can hear her telling me now to "SUCK IT UP ANN, you don't have time to be all icky over nothing you need to get these kids on a schedule and teach them what they need to know".  OK Mama Joyce I am going to do just that but it would be a WHOLE LOT EASIER if I had my glasses and could see what I am trying to teach them.  Maybe they will show up.  Who knows. 

(NOT SURE WHY THIS DIDN'T POST but as you may already know my rings have been found).  For some reason this was not posted two days ago as I left it in draft form... see I truly do need to figure my new coma out as I am really dropping the ball here). Can't promise I may find my mind but I am looking for it so if anyone has seen it let me know... it's pretty small... about the size of a pea so it may be impossible to locate.

Sharing for Snickerdoodle Luke & Miss Sassafras is NOT AS FUN as it was the first Day!

Ohhhhhhhh...........if only the sweetness of the first days had lasted JUST A LITTLE LONGER. Needless to say Mr. Snickerdoodle Luke is NOT at all happy with sharing his things with Avay Maran.  (our two weeks of calling her AVAY MARAN is up tomorrow so we then switch to Maran). We are still torn on this because we believe that AVAY is a beautiful name and are somewhat heartbroken that we weren't pronouncing it correct from the beginning.  What a difference a pronunciation makes!  That said our entire family and world here in the US knows her by her English name so we are going to go with our original plan.  Since I have called her 'AVAY' for a month now I am not sure that it will be so easy for me to drop.  It may just have to stick for me.  I'm not looking to 'rip' her of her life before us and don't know that a name being different would in essence do that.  We will just have to wait and see.  We are still enjoying being home and have been SLOW to get back into the groove.  We are still very tired but that is from the 'extra' pitter patters around here.  The adjustment has been hardest for Snickerdoodle Luke and Abbey the dog.  Poor Abbey just looks at us as if she is saying "Why was I not enough for you two".  What a wonderful dog we have (But I have already said that many times before).   David and I have just continued the coma that we have been in since we got Luke it is just a heavier one now.  I have to admit that our luggage is still not unpacked.  The house still looks like a whirlwind of little people and big people have muddled through it.  My car went for 11 days (after I got home) before it got washed.  THIS IS A RARITY.  For a girl who washes her car twice a week whether it needs it or not then this small fact has indeed rocked my world.   A dirty car is no big deal when you have small ones at home and they need, want and deserve your time and you need and want all the hugs and cuddles they are willing to give.  For some reason my car has always been something that I have always taken care of.  "Gangsta" rides better when she's clean.  (Yes my car has a name and a very fitting one at that I shall say). 

Luke wants to prove to Maran that this was 'his house first' and Maran is not at all afraid to show that she can hold her own.  She is INTO IT ALL.  It is so good that we 'baby proofed' the house a lot before we left because she gets into things Luke never thought about getting into.  Her curiosity has brought Luke to a level that he was never at before.  Maran said 'HELLO" into the outlet the other day and Luke decides he needs to put his tongue in it.  LUKE NEVER WENT NEAR AN OUTLET BEFORE AND COULD HAVE CARED LESS ABOUT IT.  What a difference another child makes.  This is fun but I STILL WANT TO FIND MY GLASSES especially since my rings have been found (THANK GOODNESS).  Sleep in peace -----

New LUKE-ISM

For Some reason this post didn't get published so this is from last week but I wanted to still share it). Luke played hooky on Tuesday from playschool. Since he was still wide awake at 1:30 am it was the best choice (he was going to stay home anyway as I had to just stare at him after 19 days away).  When he went back to school on Wednesday he asked if his sister could go with him. I explained that she didn't speak English and that I needed to teach her many words before she could go.  After a couple of tries he could say the word "English" himself.  While in the carpool line he says "Maran say English so you can go to school with me".  Oh, can't we just clone the innocence?  PRECIOUS beyond words!!!

Life's Daily Adventures Still Make us Smile

We are still in such a discovery phase.  It is interesting to see Avay Maran's reaction to things that we take for granted.  Every time she gets a WHOLE banana her entire world lights up.  I am guessing she never got an entire one to herself.  She lights up when she finds some toys that are LOUD and LIGHT up and move.  She and Luke yesterday rolled around the den to the kitchen to the living room and dining room on scooter toys for about two hours.  Mommy thought "OH GOOD... nap time is forthcoming". Well, they showed me that there was going to be NO SUCH THING.  Luke enjous playing with her OFTEN but Sharing brings on it's challenges.  I can only imagine how Luke's world has been rocked.  We have found that POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT for the smallest of things to him has worked well.  Wow... what have we done to be so blessed by these two beautiful children who simply want to be loved?

Luke Lays Down the Law

Maran was trying to undo her car seat belt and I had to tell her no. She did it again and I told her no again.  Snickerdoodle Luke pipes in and says to her "Maran, if we have to tell you NO again then you are going back to China".  That's it...Luke has spoken!