Bear with me- settling back into a routinue

Little Bug, Mam and I spent Sunday evening, Monday, and all day Tuesday in Indianapolis. I had work meetings, Bug and Mam hung out that the hotel. I will work on posting pictures tomorrow.

I will say, apparently Bug lives the charmed life. He had the Marriott staff getting him food and drinks all day- it pays to be the only kid in the lobby. He also had the shoe shine man, valet parking attendants and the restaurant staff looking out for him. And if all that was not enough, Little Bug met Tony Dungy (the head coach of the Indianapolis Colts) and Mr. Dungy told him he could come play for football for him in a few years.


Other than the reports of freebies and celebrity meetings, our trip was uneventful. I am looking forward to going back when the weather is better and hopefully seeing some more friends from Guatemala. I did find out that the Guatemalan adoption world is very small, when one of my work colleagues mentioned that her friend also adopted from Guatemala. When she told the name, I knew exactly who she was talking about- we had the same agency. Small, small world.

Little Bug is fast asleep and Momma needs to go to bed too- the driving and the 2 days of 8 hour meetings wore me out.

This weekend is the home and garden show at the convention center- finally the "official" start to Spring- if only the weather would cooperate and decide to warm up. Bug and I are so tired of being cold and seeing the evil white flakes (snow) from the sky.

Love and hugs to you,
Deb AKA Momma Bug

Fun in the snow and tea time with momma

Our weather is turning bad here- someone please explain to me why the worst winter weather seems to come at the end of winter when I am ready for Spring instead of at the beginning when we are all resigned to the fact that it is winter?

I decided to go and get Little Bug from daycare early- we were getting snow and then changing to freezing rain. So before the roads got bad and we were stuck in traffic, I ran out and brought him home and then finished my work day- including a conference call. I am very thankful that my brother was off work today and he entertained Little Bug with the cats while I was working.

After dinner, I decided that we should go out and play in the snow. Since the freezing rain was coming later, the snow would be ruined. So here is our night-

Getting ready- this is what happens when you let a toddler put his own hat on. In his snow suit and thinking he is cooler than cool with his hat. He was so excited to put his snow suit on.
All bundled and ready to head out- check out the gloves.
Checking out the snow on the back porch- note the sandbox in the front- filled with water, ice and snow. I had to dump it all out and set it up on its side - we need that for the Spring and Summer months.
Off to explore the backyard. My yard looks so huge in the pictures, but it is not as big as it looks. Usually I never set foot in the backyard during the winter- the snow stays pristine. I think it will be a long time before I have a pristine backyard during the winter. I am so happy!!!
Uncle Dave came out to play too

Momma and Nene playing in the snow- we were throwing snow at each other- the snow was too dry to make snow balls. The white flakes in the picture- snow!!!!! The flakes were huge
Showing Nene how to make snow angels
Not quite getting it
But, he totally loved falling face down in the snow and eating it.

I thought he was getting cold and needed a scarf- he told me to take it off.

More exploration of the yard- going down the hill and then coming back up the hill
On purpose he slipped down the hill many times - it thought it was cool.
Making circles in the snow

Thinking about whether or not it was too cold- the answer "no, I warm". So we stayed out some more

Eating an icicle. Yes, I let Little Bug try things out- better he try some things with me, then try something bad on his own. He thought this was cool.
Very happy to be sitting in the snow and eating ice. Apparently snow suits keep you very warm and toasty.
On our way back into the house, we saw Snicker sitting on the table watching us.
So after playing the snow and having a good time, Little Bug needed a bath and some hot tea.


Being a cutie after his bath- all bundled up in his firetruck jammies.

helping to make hot tea- while the water is heating up in the microwave, we mix milk and sugar (splenda) in a cup- Little Bug spoons the sugar in and stirs it up
Then we get the tea bag out- the choice tonight was green tea or apple tea. we had green tea tonight.
After the tea "swims" in the water, I spoon it into Little Bug's cup and put the sippy cup lid on it. Spooning it in to the cup allows me to make sure the tea stays on the cooler side. Tonight I got it a little too hot, so Little Bug waited 30 minutes before he wanted to drink it all.

We had a good time this evening, hopefully the roads will be OK in the morning and Little Bug can go hang out with Auntie Lulu and her kids (school is already cancelled).

Love to you,

Deb aka Momma Bug

Various things

First and foremost, what is up with adoption agencies?

A stranger-friend, wendy, is dealing with a long adoption for her son Ahren. and now even more drama with her adoption of PBJ. I just do not understand how agencies can work with lawyers and then think they have no responsibility to follow up, to provide the service they were contracted for- and I am not talking about bringing home a child- I am talking about filing documents, making sure the children are well cared for, following up as deadlines approach, keeping PAPs informed. This is what our fees go for- for legal services and foser care for the children while the adoption is considered by the courts. Wendy needs some love now- so head over to her blog - linked on the side. Wendy and her family don't deserve the level of incompetance her agencies have shown and the kids don't deserve what this process is doing to them.

On that note- I hold my former lawyer up too. The word on the board and other blogs last week was that he had not registered any of his cases becuase the forms kept changing so he just did not do them- but yet he told FTIA they were all registered. HELLOOOOOO- you are not paid to sit back and wait, you are paid to be on top of things and if you have to redo them because things change- well welcome to the world that adoptive parents live in!!!!!!!!

On a funny note- Little Bug had me rolling on the floor today. We got snow (again- when is Spring?). he did not want to go outside and play in while he was with my sister today, but when I arrived to pick him up, he was ready. I told him we would play after dinner, knowing that he would pick up a few handfuls of snow on the way to the car. But, I still did not put his gloves on him becuase he has been picking up snow with his bare hands every time it snows. So out the door we go and he proceeds to pick up snow and throw it at me and the car. Then he got the bright idea to put his hands in a large drift of snow. Suddenly I have a screaming and crying toddler because his hands were very, very cold. I could not help myself, I burst out laughing as I was getting the blanket from the car to dry off his hands. Heck, I am still laughing- he was so shocked that cold could hurt. I am thinking that I will have little trouble getting him to put on gloves when I ask him from now on. He was funny, crying at me and telling me "COLD, COLD, COLD". Life with him is certainly never dull. My sister congratulated me for letting him learn a life lesson, I just think I am a "bad" momma right now becuase I laughed at him.

Wednesday night is now my night out without him. I am at a loss of what to do- I left chior- more becuase of the schedule on the weekends and the schedule for easter this year- it was just going to be too much to arrange a babysitter on so many days- even if it was my parents. So now I have 2 hours free on Wednesday night. The first week, I went out with my parents, the last 2 weeks I have gone shopping at the quilt shop and then the book store alone, but I am looking for something that involves other people. Maybe a book club or a Bible study or a Mom's night out or a quilt shop where I can sit and quilt for a few hours/cut fabric or heck, scrapbook? Anyone have any ideas? Anyone want to join me- sans kids?

Well, I am off to read my new book.

Love to you all,
Deb aka Momma Bug

Pictures to last you through until the weekend

I know oyu are all straved for pictures of Little Bug and Momma Bug- so here you are.


1. Out and about on Saturday- it was a beautiful day, we went my favorite fabric store. It used to be right across the street from an old train depot (notice the past tense). Well, Mam and I dropped Little Bug and Pap off at the train depot and headed across the street to find out the store moved!!!!! One phone call and a walk down to the other end of the block and shopping was back on the plate. YIKES was I scared that the store had gone out of business Little Bug got to hang out and play on this train car- apparently the end all be all in the toddler world becuase when we came back, he wanted me to follow him all around while he played on it again.
"driving" the train
Out of order picture here- this is snow hail on Monday. Seriously, it was huge pellets of snow- not hard like hail, but little round snow balls from the sky. Little Bug loved it.
More of the Little Bug in the snow hail
Another out of order picture- this is tonight. Apparently, Little Bug's life is so bright, he needs 2 pairs of sunglasses. Given that I wear glasses, I am allowed to say this - this gives a whole new meaning to 4 eyes.

Back to the train- Little Bug was determined to show me the entire train.
Playing with Pap. Pap is trying to get Little Bug over to drive the train- Little Bug was having no part of it.
Walking with Mam and Pap. He looks so small there
Hamming it up in front of the play structure that is shapped like a train. Unfortunately there was water in the tunnel so Pap would not let him play on it. I would have let him- a little water never hurt anyone
I have a 5 more posts rolling around in my brain, semi committed to paper - but I guess they have to wait.

Have a great mid week- more pictures later this weekend.

love to you,

Deb AKA Momma Bug

WOHOO- feeling better finally!!!!!

Well, givent hat we have been sick almost a week I took no picutres. These are from last week when we had the wonderful experience of having dinner with another Long Road Home family. A and her family are waiting for S to come home- it has been a long journey and still is facing delays. We share the same agency, although not the same lawyer. A was visiting her parents here in town and they were kind enough to invite us over.

This is K playing, with Little Bug in the background.
Falling down on the floor- he was a having a good time- he just refuses to hold his smile for the time it takes the camera to take the picutre
The kids starting dinner. I think it was the first time that Little Bug had a cloth table cloth to deal with. I sure hope the tomoato stains come out of it.
The kids having a good time. we have TJ, K and Little Bug playing with the large cardboard box. yep, the large cardbaord box was the hit, along with the ballons.
Little Bug loves to help Momma clean- although after today he might not like it as much. This is from last week, when we only cleaned the bathroom. Little Bug is mopping for me.

Today we cleaned his room, the living room and the bathroom. He is back to biting and I took toys away and we cleaned the house instead of going to the park. I was looking forward to going to the park, just to get out in the sun, but right now I have a clean house and that is cool too. I just have finish the laundry tomorrow and all is done. That means Sunday, Little Bug and I can watch the NASCAR race without the house work calling to me.

Little Bug has really taken to racing, he now has 4 cars from the NASCAR series. He usually takes the Home Depot car to bed with him, but tonight he took Mark Martin's old car instead. He loves his race cars.

I will have to take Mam's camera from her tomorrow and download the pictures from the FTGA Valentine's party last weekend. There should be some great pictures in there.

Love to you,

deb AKA Momma Bug

Illness update

Little Bug appears to really be on the mend- he has more energy than I can believe. He is still coughing at times, nose is not running like a river and he is eating.

Momma is still down for the count- still coughing up a lung each time I cough (a very slight tall tale), my nose and head feel like they are going exploded from the pressure- but the medicine is helping. Maybe a few more days of medicating myself to sleep each night will do the trick.
Fast food has been our friend this week for dinner becuase I barely have energy to pick him up from daycare much less fix dinner.

This weekend I will catch up on pictures.

Love and hugs,
Deb AKA Momma Bug

Wrong, so wrong!!!

So I though Bug and I were over the crud- but no, it was retreating only to come out fighting with a vengence.

I have pictures from Friday, Saturday and today that I am just too tired and sick to post. But, on the positive side, I did manage to get my taxes done tonight!!! So in 2 weeks, the adoption debt will drop significanly and I can focus on eliminating the rest of the debt this year.

Off to bed- to sleep and hopefully wake up feeling better.

Love and hugs to you,
Deb AKA Momma Bug

Update on Little Bug

It is Wednesday and Little Bug finally seems to be turning a corner this evening. He actually ae fruit, pretezels and M&M (yes, I let him have them, he really wanted them) and some PEZ candy. At this point I am not complaining- he is eating, it is sugar which will help him with energy and this might be the sign that he is on the mend.
Of course, we are going to the doctor tomorrow- more to get the TB test read, but I have warned them that he is sick.
I really want him to feel better- I just hurt to watch him be sick- he is so pitiful. He whines alot (can't stand that- but it is part of momma deal), he jsut wants to be held and loved- which we did until 7:15 tonight, when he fell asleep. I have been in to check on him 2 times since he has been sleeping, I doubt I am going to get good sleep tonight.

This is when I really long for a life partner- someone to spell me when Little Bug is sick. Right now I am running on fumes becuase I think I am sick too, but I push on. I see a light at the end of the tunnel- if we can just get to the end of March, we will have afew days off to do nothing as Little Bug has a minor surgical procedure scheduled and I think I am just going to take the 2 days off with him so we can just rest and recover. Only 6 more weeks- we can make it- just 6 more weeks- the light at the end of the tunnel. just 6 more weeks before we can relax.

Do you think there is a place I could hire a temporary house husband? I just need some laundry and cooking to be done- maybe he could clean my bathroom too- but that is not a big concern- just someone to do the house work for a day or 2 while I focus on Little Bug and work- heck maybe I could do my taxes.


Love and hugs to you,
Deb AKA Momma Bug

it sucked to be Little Bug today

So today it sucked in a big way to be Little Bug. It was just not a good day on so many levels.

First his momma (that would be me) told him that he was going to the doctor's today and he would get a booboo- this said before he went to be last night so he had all night to worry about the shot.
So at 7 am when we got up this morning, he mentioned that his back and tummy hurt. Momma, mistakenly, assumed they hurt because of toy he decided to sleep with last night. Momma blythly went about the morning routinue.
LittBug decided breakfast was an option not a requirement this morning and continued to complain about his belly hurting. Momma got a clue and asked if he was worried about the doctor's office. YEs came the reply. Momma tried in vain to reassure Little Bug that it would be alright.
Momma noticed that Little Bug was a bit warm and had a runny nose, so she decided to give him some medicine. Well, that lasted about 10 seconds before Little Bug, his shirt, his pants, his shoes and the rug in the bathroom were covered with medicine and his dinner from last night. Yep- he threw up and it was the first time since coming home that Momma had to deal with this event.

After being cleaned up and bundled up, it conintued to get worst becuase Momma drove him over to Mam and Pap's house to pick them up to go to the doctor appointment.

Well the doctor appointment went over like a lead ballon- too many people checking him over, asking him to stack blocks, open his mouth and then the dreaded booboos. Not just one stick but two. Momma did not know that he would get another TB test in additon to the 3 tubes of blood being drawn. It was a very bad doctor visit.

On a good note for Momma, Little Bug got to sit in Momma's lap for TB test and the blood draw- so Momma was not freaked out by having to hold her Little Bug down and Little Bug was at least being hugged. An appointment that was supposed to last 2 hours was nearly 4 hours. Little Bug was worn out and stayed warm for the rest of the day. I had planned to go back to work in the afternoon, but between the TB test, the 4 hour apppointment and the throwing up, I felt it was better to speand the afternoon with Little Bug. He slept most of the afternoon and finally starting acting like normal around 5 pm. he still has not eaten more than 2 bites at any meal and when he went to bed at 8 pm- he was out in 10 minutes. This day wore him out.

On the good side- here are his stats:
height 35.75 inches (unchanged for the last 3 months)
weight 27 pounds
head circumference 49
height and weight are in the 25-50th percentile and head circumference is in the 50-75th percentile.
He is on target deveoplemently and his language skills are above his age group (which I knew).

The doctors were so happy to see how much he has progressed since coming home. I was just happy to hear that they do not need to see him again.
Now we just have our regular ped visits to deal with.

Sunday was a beautiful day here - Little Bug and I walked through the neighborhood. This is picture of his "treasures" he found- an acorn and a little rock. His hoodie made a good place to store the items while he drove his tractor home. Loving on the cat- Snickers
. Actually I think he was talking to snickers here This is petting Snickers. Dinner in the living room- watching the start of the Superbowl- a cheeseburger torn apart and some fries.

Off riding around the neighborhood

slowing down on the hill by taking the tractor off roading.
Look Momma- no feet!!!!!
Let's do that again- it was fun!!!!!!
Pushing the tractor through the yard to get home quickly.

Saturay night at J&N's house

In the play yard with all the toys.
In the house with MK2
racing around the corner
after MK2

Hopefully Tuesday will be a better day for Little Bug and Momma- this day sure wore us both out.

Love to you,

Deb AKA Momma Bug