This Domesticated Diva: August -- Playdates & Grandparents

Wednesday, April 25, 2012

August -- Playdates & Grandparents

I promise...I'm trying to keep these posts as short and few as possible in order to catch up to where we are today. But the truth is -- there is so much I want to share! Those first few months of having our Lil Cocoa Puff home were so precious. We shared so many firsts. And even if this is boring to my readers (that's YOU!), it's important to me to include so that SOMEDAY...when I turn my blog into a book, my sweet girl can read all the details. Maybe I'm expecting too much from myself...but stick with me. I WILL get back to my normal blogging SOMEDAY! =)

So here we are at August. Celebrating Cocoa's first month home. Looking back, I see that we ventured out of our cocoon a little earlier than I remember. Summer is a little irresistible in these parts. Sunny days are few and far in between and we make the most of those days.

We met some dear friends of ours at the zoo for a playdate. Cocoa stayed attached to mama the whole time (and even slept) while Monkey got to run around and play with his friends. We spoiled ourselves and even got a zoo membership....so we spent many, many, many days playing there in the last few months (minus the freezing winter months).

Blurry, but cute, right?

Lunch time

(P.S. -- I'm also not editing any pictures that weren't already edited. Partially due to catching up on my blog, but also because picnic is closed {insert sob here} and I haven't found another I'm in love with yet.)

After being home for 5 weeks, our social worker called to see how we were doing and to schedule a time for our first post placement visit. For those of you who don't know, families adopting through Ethiopia are required to send in post adoption reports to the Ethiopian government at 3, 6, and 12 months home, and then once a year until they turn 18. The first three are done by our social worker...she includes a detailed report and then we send our agency about 10-12 pictures and they send the whole shebang on to the Ethiopian government. To my understanding, it helps the government there monitor how the children are doing, and given most reports come back well, encourage them to continue adoptions. ANYWAY....while our SW was over we shared how exhausted we were, getting up 5-6x a night with our sweet lady. As anyone would advise a new mom, she suggested I nap when she naps, give myself a break on housework, and ask for help with meals, shopping, cleaning, ect. After our visit, I called my mom and asked for help. Considering we were trying to really bond to our new daughter, we couldn't exactly ask a babysitter to come watch the kids so I could catch up on some zzzz's. But I knew my mom would lend a helping hand...and that's exactly what she did. She came on a Sunday afternoon and looked after Lil Man mostly while I tended to Miss. She, of course, cooked, tidied up, and caught me up on laundry...but kept it minimal being it was God's day. I got a GREAT nap in....and even though that barely put a dent in catching me up on my sleep....I can't tell you how great it felt!!! We also felt that we were at a point in our bonding with M that we felt comfortable with grandparents holding her briefly. My mom was very understanding and sensitive to our bonding, making sure Miss could see mama at all times. But OH how precious it is to witness grandparents holding their new grandchildren for the first time!!!! Thank you AGAIN mom for all your help that day!!!

Like I said before....we really spent most of the summer right here at home. It was such a precious time to be together and enjoy each other. I'm so thankful for the little things. Like baking cupcakes. Like teaching the kids to play together.

Monkey: "No thank you"

Cocoa: "Haha! Look how irritated he's getting!"

Cocoa: "What?!? I don't know WHAT he's so upset about!"

We also did our first day trip up to Grandpa and Grandma's house. We wouldn't normally have made a trip like this so soon after bringing M home...but daddy's "little" brother (younger, yes...but 6'4" doesn't make him very little) was headed off to college and none of that side of the family had been able to meet her yet! Many of them had been sick....and with grandma recovering from breast cancer surgery, she wasn't allowed in big crowds like at the airport. Although it was exciting to have everyone meet her, I must admit I was quite overwhelmed, as was Miss. So advice to others -- just stay home! Have them come to you!