Enjoying Family and Meeting New Family

Dear Henny and Hazel, 
We had a spectacular Saturday!  We utilized every minute, after our late morning start we planned an impromptu trip to The Children's Museum in Indianapolis then we would go to see your new second cousin, Willem.

You were extremely excited that Daddy would be with us on this trip to the Children's Museum.  You helped plan what you wanted to do on the way up.  We decided on the Dinosaur, Hot Wheels, Holiday Room, and the modern Egypt exhibit.  We love having a pass because if we miss something on a visit it isn't stressful, we can return whenever.  So, we arrived and to the Dinosaurs first.  You dug and dug and we had to convince you that maybe we should move on to the hot wheels.  You and Daddy raced cars down ramps, discussed the ones you like and and we watched you climb all over the life size beetle bug type car you can decorate.   

Then it was on to the modern Egypt town.  We had so much fun here.  We sat in the little coffee shop and watched you and an assortment of other kids take on the part of the workers in the shop.  You all served us, worked together well and we so cute Daddy and I were misty.  To watch kids of different ages all jump in and play so nicely together was a lot of fun.  We did have a super great time having Daddy along, and despite being so close to the holidays and a Saturday it wasn't terribly crowded.  I hope that we can all go again sometime after the holidays.

After that we went to the hospital to meet Willem and check in on Nellie and Ryan.  Willem had just been released from the nursery where he was on some support for various small issues he was experiencing and he is perfect!  You were passed out in your stroller.  We visited for a while then cousin Kyra and two of her boys Nash and Kolsen came in.  Nash wanted to hold him so badly so he washed up his hands and crawled up next to Nellie to get a hug in.  We are so happy for them! and that there is another little dude to play with the whole crew.  

We left the hospital and ventured down to the circle to see the lights and to return to Rocket Fizz, as you put it, the most beautiful candy store ever.  It was BUSY!  But we hunted around for some sweets and enjoyed the lights a bit.  After a slice of pizza we went on home a tired little bunch.  

What a wonderful impromptu way to spend a Saturday together.  I love our little family.
Love, Mama  
 

Lazer Baby, Robber Daddy, Spidey Son

Dear Henry and Hazel, 
Tonight you, Henry decided to play robber lazer baby with your sister, Hazel and Daddy.  This usually means you're trying to be Spiderman, Daddy is a robber and Hazel can shoot lazers and you try to save the house from them all.  Daddy was in the office.  I was in the kitchen cooking.  Hazel was rockin' in her swing.  In a couple of minutes I heard Daddy doing one of those somewhat frantic yelling from the office to come quick, like right now voices!  I run down the hall screaming, "What, What,What?"  I enter and you tell me you got robber baby.  I can't process, I can't make sense of the immediacy of your Daddy's voice.  Then, A connects to B and I see that you have gotten your sister out of the swing, carried her across the stone floor, down the hall into the office because she is NOW HANGING FROM YOUR ARMS, facing outwards you have your arms clamped underneath her arm pits.  She can't stop smiling.  My wide eyes take you in and she smile at me proudly and day, "She is heavy!"  I slowly take smiling Hazel and put her on Daddy's lap.  We calmly remind you to let us know if you are going to try and pick up lazer sister because it can be dangerous.  You agree and then you and Daddy and Hazel go back to playing lazer baby/robber Daddy.  Oh boy!
Love, Mama  

Thanksgiving and Christmas Tree Time

Dear Henry and Hazel, 
This is a little over due.  Thanksgiving this year we were stuck at home due to a contagious stomach bug daddy caught.  We were feeling really sad.  It was our first Thanksgiving without visiting to family, our first Thanksgiving without GG.  This made spending our first Thanksgiving with you so bitter sweet.  Mommy did pull it off though.  For the first tie I fixed a Thanksgiving-esque meal; baked whole chicken, from scratch dressing, mashed potatoes and gravy, sweet potatoes, green bean casserole, and rolls.  Our good friends Heather and her sister Lise felt sorry for us so they dropped off a pie with homemade whipped cream and yummy cranberry sauce.  Amazing!  You ate some of everything as long as you didn't have to look at it.  

We played the eating game and you would close your eyes eat it and hide your eyes to then guess what you just ate.  You ate a man's share.  

It turned into a cozy cuddly weekend.  A few days after we couldn't keep from getting a Christmas Tree.  Daddy's funky bug had cleared up and you have been so excited about the approach of Christmas it couldn't come early enough.  We went to Twin H farms to pick a local tree.  You love their shaker and spinner that wraps the tree up.  You ran through the tree barn and ducked in and out of the trees. 

Once we picked one, which was actually very quickly done you guarded it with mean gnashed teeth an menacing hands on your hips.  

As they shook the tree you shook around on Daddy's lap while Hazel winced at the loud noise snuggled inside the baby carrier on my chest.  I did convince you to allow me to take a couple of pictures with Hazel before we left and before your melt down escalated.  At home you helped me roll the tree off the roof of the van and set it up inside. 

It was easy.  We wrapped it in lights and decorated until you were about to drop. 

Henry's "collection" of ornaments.  They fell off last night and he yelled at me when I dispersed them through out the tree.

I am glad that we are all healthy and happy this year.  We are full of gratitude this year; for you both, your birth moms, our family, and the gift of life in general.  I love that you love Christmas and the feeling of the season too.  I love that I can hange Santa Claus over your head from time to time to change your behavior. :)
Love, Mama

Christmas Crafts

Dear Craftin' Kiddies, 
We had a great afternoon this week crafting some Christmas magic.  We did a "stain glass" ornament using tissue paper and a winter scene with some stickers Grandma P scored at a garage sale this summer.  

I enjoyed the winter scene the most because you turned the ginger bread stickers into Mom, Dad, Henny and Hazel.  I loved that you positioned Hazel above you side ways, "because she just lays down."  You're getting quite the ideas for crafting time.  Hazel loved watching, especially when you were shaking out all of the glitter.  

One can't have too much glitter, according to you.  I love that you're a little glitzy.
Love, Mama 

The Adventures of Cousins

Dear Zell and Hen, 
The weekend prior to Thanksgiving we had an awesome weekend with your cousins.  We picked them up on Friday when the boys got off from school.  That night you played Spider Men creating lots of great poses for Daddy and me.  

You played so hard, immersed for a couple of hours in LEGOS.  

Henry's first Lego ship!

It got late so you went to bed and watched a movie falling quickly off to sleep.  The next morning we had breakfast at Waffle House and enjoyed the company of three goofballs instead of just one.  

Hazel is still working up to being a goofball.  That day we hung out and played at the Wonder Lab and stopped by Chocolate Mouse to get a drink.  

Daddy and Tony met us and we had time to play at the Third Street park before darkness set in.  

We picked up a big pizza and set off for home.  After pizza you boys played LEGOS a bit and went to watch the Muppets.  You took a break and helped me make chocolate chip cookies, far later than I would have liked you to have all that sugar but what is a night with cousins without fresh cookies?

After cookies you returned to your movie and Mama went to pick up Tony from a show he went to.  I went to check on you later that evening and the two of you were wrapped up together like pretzels!  Jonny sprawled his long skinny body across yours with his arm bending around and underneath your leg. 

You ended up in our room.  In the morning neither of you woke up early nor could you recollect how you got so tangled.  It was funny and cute!  We had to get you up to Indy to meet Uncle Gary and so we choose a great park on the southeast side because I had seen on Facebook that IVY Tech was doing a pumpkin chuckin' trebuchet demo there.  It was a beautiful afternoon!  

We all had chicken and played in the park a while while the pumpkins flew.  After the cousins and Uncle Gary left we stuck around a while and watched some more pumpkins.  As were got in the van I thought it could be fun to go downtown to the circle.  We had a great time making a new discovery, Rocketfizz, a store for all ages of sweet toothy kids and adults.  Candy! Candy! Candy! Soda, Soda, Soda!  Even a Judge Wampner soda from The People's Court!  

Which you would have no idea what that is because you are a little boy that didn't grow up in the 80's.  You did however clearly know what gummy sharks are and grabbed a bag for your candy treat while dancin' and shakin' your butt around the store to 50's, 60's, 80's music.  We picked up some wonderful sodas.  We especially loved the Huckleberry from Ameracana Soda and the Hank's Gourmet Rootbeer.  We can't wait to return and buy some other flavors.  The song as we left the store was your all time favorite, The Power of Love and it took you off guard so you froze in the doorway and then decided you needed to run up the monument steps.  We got you back and went through the museum at the base.  You had lots of questions, which we answered.  We came back outside and you ran up the steps gain, I chased after and we rode the elevator to the top.  We didn't like how tight it was and Hazel just stared around so we came back down quickly to meet back up with Daddy.  

At this point tired was beyond us and we got back home feeling very fulfilled with our weekend adventures. You're spending this weekend hanging out with Jonny Cakes again.  You were so enthused to get to see each other, your best buddy.
Love, Mama 

Birthday Times Two

Dear Henny Cakes, 
Last weekend we invited your JoJo and your birth siblings Uriah and Tommy over to give them a little surprise celebration for their November birthdays.  We went out the night before to gather up the decorations.  Your words were, "I'm so extremely excited the boys are coming."  You hopped around the house giving me every detail of how you wanted things hung up and arranged.  Time clicked away in the morning just way to slow for you.  When our guests arrived you were twisting with anticipation to tell them.  So I unveiled our plans quickly.  The boys weren't so sure of how to take it I think but they saw the cake and were excited.  

Mama finished cooking the spaghetti while you guys ran circles around the house and dug into the legos.  It was a great time.  

We laughed a lot and when they left you passed out, fast asleep in minutes.  When we first met JoJo and Tommy he was almost exactly your age now.  I can't believe how quickly time has moved.  You have a lot of similarities with the boys.  You are a quick talker with a fast and strong little body, you're are eager to help when asked and you're cuter than snot.  This is why we have an open adoption.  I love being able to share this with you, for you and for us.  It was a nice afternoon together with family. 
Love, Mama