Random things the Little Bug did today

No pictures again- I guess we have to have dinner with Mam and Pap soon to get Mam to deliver the memory stick so I can download the pictures from her camera.

Little Bug has started something new the last 2 days, he picks up a book and opens it up and starts "reading" it to me. His favorite book is "A mother for Choco". He opens the book and every other word is "Choco". It is so precious. I hope that we can continue his love for reading.

His vocabulary is growing so quickly- each day there are new words that he learns. On the way home tonight he learned "in front" and "back seat". He likes to ask about Mam, Pap, Momma and nene. So I asked if I was "in front' and he replied yes, then I asked if he was in the "back seat" and he said yes. A few minutes later, I asked him where he was and he replied "back st", then I asked him where I was and he said "n fron".

It is exciting to hear him growing his words and vocabulary each day.

We have forgotten to to thank our friend Ms. Dianne who sent us a gift card in June. Little Bug has a sort bins that I thought about giving him for his birthday as a gift from her and her family. He plays with many more of his toys now that he can see them.

I think that is all for tonight.

Love to you all,
Momma Bug

More pictures from Saturday

These photos are from S's momma- Little Bug is chasing down S so he can give him a ride. Little Bug is certainly thinking "Would you get on the tracker!!!"
Here they are waving at Momma S. I have them from the other side on my post from Saturday. I think I am going to get this one printed and enlarged to send down to Little Bug's first family.

On a birthday note- Little Bug is getting one of these tractors for his birthday. I am swapping it out for the table and chairs. I think Little Bug will get more fun out of the tractor right now. Maybe he will get the table and chairs for Christmas. Our friend A. sent a link where I could order the tractor and then she went and ordered it since they only had 2 left. So it should be here within a week. Hopefully it will come during the week so that I can hide it in the extra bedroom until Little Bug's birthday.
A final picture from the picnic- these are 2 of our agency's in country coordinators. They came to the picnic along with their 2 month old son. He was born while I down in Guatemala. When I took pictures of them, Little Bug wanted to see and they said he did the same thing when they would come to take his monthly pictures. They were also happy to see him smiling. They said how hard it was to get him to smile at the end- which I noticed in his pictures. I am glad they got to see him smiling and happy. They are just a wonderful couple and I wish them all the happiness in the world.

In other news, Little Bug made a huge connection tonight. We were looking a photo album I had send down with pictures of our house. One of the pictures shows our shed out back and I pointed and the picture and then pointed out the window to the shed and said "our shed" and he got up to look and when he turned around, there was this huge grin on his face. He kept pointing at the shed and the picture and saying "ou sh" which means "our shed". It clicked!!!! The pictures I sent down last year for his birthday finally have meaning to him. We went back and looked at the pictures of his room and he pointed out his toys that could be seen in the pictures. It is so cool to see the comprehension in his eyes and to hear his words.

So on that happy note, I wish you all a good evening. Pleasant dreams.

Love to you all,

Momma Bug

FTIA celebration of Children pictures

Well, it did not rain- it was misty on the drive to the picnic and it misted us once during the day- but other than an overcast sky, the day was perfect.

Here are some of my pictures- tomorrow I will post pictures from Mam's camera and hopefully in the next few days I will get pictures from all the other mommas to post out here.


So to start you off: Little Bug climbing the stairs to the slide. He was not too sure at first, but then another little one went down and he was all for it.

See the excitement!!!! He liked this slide!!! Perfect for an almost 2 year old big boy to play on. This was the other slide that I let him go on, it was smaller than the previous slide and was smack in the middle of a sand box. I decided that a sandy Little Bug was not the thing to put in the car for the ride home, so we went back to the other slide- which he like much more.
We took a turn on the teeter-totter. This is Little Bug deciding he was "all done" in the middle of the ride.
A turn on the swings that are really for slightly older kids (he nearly feel off backwards at the end, but Momma was very vigilant and caught him. He thought it was not so funny as momma tried to laugh it off in the hopes that he would not start crying. It did not work, and there were a few tears (he only napped for 15 minutes on the ride to the picnic and this is about 3 hours after nap time).
Swinging with Martha-Kelly. Some how, we always end up with pictures of Martha-Kelly and the Little Bug even when the Little Bug's future wife is near by. Yes, I have him married off to a wonderful little girl (they are all wonderful). her Momma is not going to let her date for many years (read after college- which is right on track with my plan for the Little Bug. Yes, you all can laugh now and remind me that I wrote this when he is 16 and wanting to date.)

We rode the carousel. When it started up, Little Bug's face just lite up with excitement, then the horse started moving up and down and he was not to sure. By the end of the ride, he was loving it and before we left the play area, we had to ride again.

Momma, trying to get him to wave to the camera- he was not letting go of the ride.


On to the pictures for Little Bug's first family. Here is Little Bug on Stephen's tractor. Little Bug loved it and I am reconsidering his birthday present.

Little Bug and Stephen trying to figure out who was going to be playing with the tractor. Stephen was not pleased with Little Bug for playing with his toy.
A compromise is reached. Little Bug will push Stephen.
They are off and running!!!
Having a great time together.
Waving to Stephen's Momma- she had better send me the picture- I think this is one that is the best.
Although, this picture is too cute. Just checking each other out. They appeared not to have any memory of each other which is sad. But they were playing happily together by the end of the day. Hopefully Stephen will be able to come to Little Bug's birthday celebration in 2 weeks and then we will go to Stephen's birthday celebration in September. Stephen's dad promised us a ride on the real tractor and a chance to pet a real cow (they are farmers)!!!!!

Tomorrow, I hope to have more pictures and I am going to talk about Little Bug's names.

Love to you all,

Momma Bug

Another big weekend planned

Well, Little Bug is fast asleep and I am busy getting things ready for tomorrow. We are off to the FTIA Celebration of Children Reunion. Mam and Pap are coming along and we are caravaning with a few of the single moms from our area. It should be a good time. I had hoped the other boys that were fostered with Senor Carlos and Senora Mireya's family would be there, but only S. will be there. It is still cool- S. and Little Bug were fostered together, and S came home to the US about 14 months before Little Bug did. I know that it is unreasonable for them to remember each other, but I sure hope they get along.
I am hoping to get a bunch of pictures of them together to post to Carlos and Mireya (I have to ask permission from S's parents first), otherwise the pictures will be coming in a private email. I am also taking the video camera to capture them together.

This will be the longest car trip Little Bug has been on. I sure hope he does well. so 3 cars, 4 kids under the age of 2, 3 mommas and the open road are beckoning. If you are in the area- watch out, we will have talking babies in the backseat.

Sunday, Uncle Dave is coming in town and the whole family is coming to our house for a BBQ dinner. I am grilling hamburger, hot dogs, and brats. Thankfully there will be enough eyes and hands to keep Little Bug away from the hot charcoal grill.

2 weeks until his birthday weekend celebration. I think I am not prepared.

Well, I have to get some sleep to prepare for the drive and the the final organizing I need to do tomorrow morning.

Love to you all,
Momma Bug

More pictures of the Little Bug having fun

Here are pictures taken over the last few days. Starting off - this is Sunday when Little Bug met the extended family. Here he is playing with cousin Lo. Lo was in charge of collecting the balls that the 2 year olds threw over the fence. Little Bug never actually made it over the fence, but his cousin Lu. threw the ball over the fence with much regularity. Little Bug and Lu. They were actually banging on the screen in the window and thought it was funny when the adults corrected them. They would bang on the screen, then turn around to see if anyone saw them.
Little Bug just being cute.
This morning- Little Bug all sacked out and sleeping soundly. When we were in Guatemala, he never slept with covers on him he hated the blankets. Here at home, he actually starts the night with 2 blankets and then ends up with one in the morning. The blanket I originally made for him and took to him in 2006 is what he sleeps on. When he came home, it had the smells of his foster family and Guatemala on it. Now it just warm underneath him.
Today, while at my sister's , they took a road trip to see Jason at band camp. For those of you reading who are not familiar with Band camp- this is for High school Marching band students. They go away for one week in the summer to learn the routines they will use in football games and to learn the music for the shows. Jason is in pit crew- meaning he plays the bells, the xylophone or anything the drum section needs that is not a drum. I can't wait to take Little Bug to see one of the shows.

Apparently they arrived just before the students were going swimming. They practice in the morning and in the evening and during the afternoon, they get to swim. They go off to a college campus, so they get to stay in the dorms. Jason's roommate did not come to band camp so he has a room to himself, but apparently the room is right next to the room with the chaperones. Smart thinking on the chaperones part.
Charming the girls. Little Bug apparently prefers older women since he is being cute for this young lady, but he has bitten the girls his own age.

Saying Good bye to Jason. Jason comes home on Friday and he is more than ready. He does not like the food at band camp- Little Bug had to take home made chocolate chip cookies to Jason to tide him over until he comes home. Checking out the view from up high.
Since he went to band camp, I met them on the way home at McDonald's for dinner. Little Bug was so surprised to see me walk up to the car. Whenever I pick him up from my sister's, he gives me huge hugs and will not let go of me. I know that he is still sorting all the changes out in his mind and probably concerned that I am not coming back for him. But, I love the hugs and the clinging. Just holding him and loving on him is so comforting at the end of the day.

One of our favorite things to do is share food. I will feed Little Bug something and he will feed me. He loves to take a bite of something and then share it with me. He we are sharing a french fry. I have learned though, that if I take a bite of an apple, he wants the whole thing and will not share it will me.
On to new skills- or at least the first time seen in my sight (he apparently does this all the time at my sister's house).

He now climbs up the high chair and can climb back out!!!! While it is a bit unnerving to see this, it is also very age-appropriate. He can be fearless when he wants to be.

Step 1: step up on the bottom rung of the highchair.

Step 2: climb to the second rung and then get one foot over the top
Step 3: Beg momma for help getting the second foot over (he missed the 3rd rung that would have allowed him to get in all by himself)
Step 4: turn around and sit down
Step 5: stand up and show off how talented you are.
That's my Little Bug, venturing out into the world of toddlerhood, some days fearless and other days clinging to Momma and saying NO.

Love to you all,

Momma Bug

Just words- again

Well, no pictures. Momma has been a slacker with the pictures Sunday - today. But I am going to send the camera with Little Bug tomorrow at Day care. He is taking a trip to see Jason at Band Camp. This should be fun, so hopefully tomorrow, there will be pictures of Little Bug and Jason hanging with the drummers from the High School Marching Band. I sure hope it does not rain.

This week marks 8 weeks home for Little Bug and I am seeing more signs that he is settling into the house and we are becoming a family. This morning when I went into wake him up, he was laying on his stomach, across his pillow. It was so cute. The camera was on the desk by the computer so no chance to run and get it and then come back to take the picture. Anyway, this is a sign that he is comfortable, it puts him in a vulnerable position- can not see who is looking at him. It is such a big step.
I was also going to report that he has not bit anyone (meaning me mostly) in a week, then he went and bit me tonight. But he made it a week without biting and that is good. So, he did get told no biting, but he did not get a time out. Which for all you parents out there, how do you give a time out when you're in the car?

So we continue to bond. The books say it will be another 4 months before I really see all of his personality and it will be 2 years (the length of time he was in Guatemala) before our bond is totally set. It seems so far away, but yet, the last 8 weeks have flown by and it feels like he just came home yesterday.

People told me that the stress and pain from the journey to bring Little Bug home would fade once he came home, but it hasn't. I find myself reliving the struggle and the pain each time I read a note or posting from someone who is waiting. A friend posted that she is getting her 5th KO from PGN and she will miss her son's first birthday and it brought everything that I felt last year at Little Bug's first birthday. The pain and feelings are not with me each moment of the day like they were when I was in process, but they are certainly there and come flaring back when I least expect it. That said, I don't want to lose the feelings because then I lose the perspective of knowing what the other person is going through and being able to empathize with them.

So that's all for tonight. Hopefully pictures will be coming tomorrow.

Love to you all,
Momma Bug

An Exciting weekend- tons of pictures

Here are is our weekend in pictures- working backwards:

Saturday afternoon, we joined the single moms group for a pool outing. The group is made up of moms who have adopted from many countries. Little Bug, MK and N. were the youngest kids by far. The next closest in age were 4 and 5 years old.

Little Bug in the wading pool- he did not like the bigger pool- the water was much colder (and Momma did not the like the water temperature either).

Julie and N, MK1 and MK2- just hanging out.
After the pool, we all had a picnic dinner- here are the kids- MK2, N and Little Bug. Little Bug started calling MK2 "Kelly" and he tried N's name- but it is a harder name to say. I thought is was neat that Little Bug would play near MK, but actually would play with N. It solidified the decision for me that Little Bug needs a little brother. Not sure when a little brother might happen, but at least I know the gender. Now, I say this here, but it could all change- I am open to whatever the future holds for Little Bug and me. God has a plan and we are busy trying to be in his will for our lives.
A vain attempt to get all the kids to look at the camera and smile. N. has it right- the older 2 are much more interested in everything else.
Little Bug and N- they were laughing up a storm and Little Bug was watching N very carefully- so protective of him.
A beso (kiss) for N. Little Bug was giving him besos through out the day. I got to hold N at one point and Little Bug came over to hug on him. It was so cte. We will be with the gang this coming Saturday for the FTIA reunion picnic and I can not wait to see Little Bug with S. and all the other kids. The picnic will be the first time since April 2006 that S and Little Bug are together, I sure hope the boys like each other- I am so hoping for a great picture to send to their first family in Guatemala.Friday:

After work, Little Bug and I played in the backyard (this was also after dinner). I am getting ready to take him on a ride through the backyard in the wagon. He stayed seated the entire time- so he got 4 trips around the yard.

Dinner was a riot!!! We ordered Pizza and the salad I ordered came in a bag. This is what Little Bug decided to do with the bag. He loved the pizza and the croutons from my salad. He spit out the lettuce from my salad. But I faked him out, he still veggies, cause they were on the pizza. And he eat all his pizza- just gobbled it down.

Back to playing outside- this face shows up frequently. He loves to stick his tongue out.
Tigger came outside and this is the attempt to move Tigger to a new location- the stairs!!! So not happening. I really have to replace the railing in the back- it scares me every time we are out in the back that Little Bug will grab on to the railing and it will fall down. Hopefully in the Spring, I can have a small porch put on the back of the house and replace the railing.
Here he is trying to get to the stairs. I sat blocking the stairs.
When he could not go down the stairs on Tigger, he decided to take Tigger "off roading" and into the grass they went. Unfortunately, Tigger does not roll very well in the grass- so they came back to the patio.
Friday night/Saturday Morning: AKA: the Harry Potter book release. Little Bug slept from 7:30 pm until 11:15 pm, when I woke him up. he was so confused why I was putting him in the car, why cousin Tink was with us and why we were at the bookstore. He got happy when he saw Jason and Uncle Darrell waiting for us. This is us outside about 11:40 am, waiting to be called into the store. Note: we have orange wrist bands, meaning we are in the first group to get the books.
The nice security guard took these picture for me- this is looking toward the back of the store after the orange group was called in. Darrell is in the red in the lower left hand corner- we were just left of him (out of the picture). The place was packed. The book went on sale, we got ours and were home by 12:30 am. Little Bug went back to sleep at 1 am, I stayed up to read for an hour, then I went to bed. I read for another 1.5 hours on Saturday when Little Bug napped and I finished the book at 10 pm on Saturday night (3 hours of reading after Little Bug went to bed). So 5.5 hours of reading and I know the ending. I can not wait until Little Bug is older and I can start reading these books to him.
Well, that is the update so far of our weekend. We are heading over to meet the rest of my extended family this afternoon. This should be interesting.

Just a note: I am still collecting wishes for Cheri and Erin's quilts- if you leave a comment, I will print the wish but I will not publish the comment.

Love to you all,

Momma Bug

Finally- some pictures and I have been tagged

here are pictures in no particular order

On Saturday evening- dinner with Mam and Pap- Little Bug decides to "drink" the tarter sauce that I have for my Big Boy sandwich. Yes, Little Bug has some strange food choices.
Here he is saying "this looks sort of like milk, why doesn't it come out like Milk?"
Taking his peeps (people) for a ride in his car- Pooh, Mickey and Paco (Pablo from the Backyardigans).
Saturday morning, we came home from our walk and found Mrs. Bunny Rabbit in the front yard eating the grass. Little Bug was so quiet while he watched her eat.

Peering through the banister at the bunny
Little Bug decided to move and Mrs. Bunny was watching him carefully.
Saturday afternoon, we had some friends over- this is MK and LB trying to share the same chair. Little Bug does not like to share his toys. MK was in the chair first and he just pushed her over so he could sit in the chair with her.
Here, they are having a rest- playing next to each other and being worried about what toy the other baby had was hard work. MK laid down to rest and Little Bug had to copy her.
Tuesday, while I was working, the UPS truck pulled up to my house. I was not expecting anything, so I wondered what I was getting. The box!!!!

The box inside the box!!!
The TREATS!!!!!!!!! A stranger-friend (also known as someone you only know via email or a chat group) sent me this gift as a way to encourage and cheer me up. Zingerman's is a deli in the town I used to live in and I had forgotten how great the cookies are from there. I think I might have to get some when I up visiting friends and send them down to Guatemala for Little Bug's first family- they are delicious. Of course it is going to be 2008 before I get up to visit given how quickly this year is flying by and the realization (yes, you all told me this) that packing up the Little Bug for a 4 hour road trip north is just not something that I can do on a whim anymore. He might not like the time in the car or the change in environment too much.

This is the Little Bug tonight out on the sidewalk. He found a slight dip in the elevation (a small hill) and he rode his Tigger up and down that hill until the neighbor boy came out with his motorized skateboard and started going up and down the street. Little Bug thought the motor was too loud and he wanted to go back inside. I agreed- the thing sounds like a weed trimmer on steroids.

Here he is going backward down the dip. He thought that was cool!!

I should have some fun pictures on Saturday. Little Bug is going to the bookstore for the release of the Harry Potter Book. When I ordered it for Jason, Tink, S. and myself, I was thinking either the Little Bug would have been home for many months or that I would still be waiting for him to come home. So, since we have never had a babysitter here at the house after Little Bug has gone to sleep, Little Bug is going out for all the fun tomorrow night. It is either going to be really fun to watch his reaction or it is going to be disaster getting him up at 11:15 pm to go to the book store. And when I will find the time to read the book is a mystery to me.

edited to add the tagged (tagged is when another blogger says you have to answer some questions- this is my first tag, and I am tagging anyone who reads this)

Four things I've done in the past four years:

1. Become a Momma

2. Had amjor surgery on my left foot

3. Visited Disney World (2x)

4. Found a job I love

Four things I'd like to do in the next four years:

1. Take Little Bug to the Beach- either the Atlantic coast or up to visit friends in BC

2. Adopt a sibling for Little Bug

3. Take Little Bug back to Guatemala to visit

4. Take Little Bug to Europe- this one is planned for 3 years from now provided Jason does not change his mind on where he would like to go as graduation trip.

Love to you all,

Momma Bug