The Toddler Experience

Whew, I finally am awake enough and Ade is napping so I can actually write a blog post.

We have been home a week and half now and the time has flown by.

We are EXHAUSTED!!!

The toddler experience is busy, loud, overwhelming, fun, exhausting, emotional and so on.

We knew it wouldn't be easy bringing home a 2 year old but we were certainly not prepared for how hard it actually is.

For the most part he is a happy little guy...he loves to play, be held and pet the dogs and cat.

There are some food issues happening with our little dude. It is hard to watch him get so upset if the food isn't ready fast enough or when he stands at the fridge and cries because he wants to eat. He could eat himself sick and did the first few days...we seem to be managing it a bit better now....lots of distractions and snack times often through out the day. He seems to be starting to understand the food will come. This is probably the most difficult of all the things we are encountering because he doesn't understand us when we tell him the food will always be there.

Then comes all the fun stuff! PARASITES! Yup, they are in the house...well in his little belly anyways...so that has been fun! Um, no - so nasty! We are waiting on the proper meds to come in so we can treat him and hopefully be clear and free...or not!

The jet lag was brutal! It wiped us all out! You think you are feeling better and then you are falling asleep standing up. The wee one was up a few nights at 2a.m. and all "What? It's time to play!" Oh boy that was hard!

The other thing we are now encountering is the bedtime issue. He was so good in Ethiopia and even the first week home he was fantastic. Went to bed no problem...the last two nights have not been as easy. Once he is asleep he will sleep until 7:30 or 8 which is nice so now it is getting him back into the groove of falling asleep again with out tears.

So, overall we are exhausted, happy, overwhelmed, tired and basically getting used to our new life...it was quite the epiphany Yvan and I had when we got home. "Oh right, we have a child now and as such can not do all things like we used to."

Yup, life as we know it has changed!

No one said parenting a toddler was easy and they right....but each day gets a little better as we all adjust to one another.

P.S. Please excuse the spelling and grammatical errors - I have cat on me while I type who is needing lots of love right now.

Wordless Wednesday

Mom and cub sleeping

Rana and Ade sleeping on the couch after a busy day. I just couldn't help but to post this photo. She doesn't know i posted this, so let's keep it a secret

Let Sleeping Boys (&Dogs) Lie

Confession Friday (The Early Edition)

I confess it is 6:30 in the A.M as I am writing this confession. This is my new wake up time because wee one says it is so!

I confess the fact he is home with us is still so surreal. He is not just a photo in an update email anymore. He is real. In our home. Sleeping in his bed.

I confess we loved Ethiopia! LOVED ETHIOPIA! It was so hard for both of us to leave....there were many tears shed the night before and the day we left and they weren't Ade's.

I confess I missed Confession Fridays while I was away. I love how many people have joined the Confession posse!

I confess jet lag is a bitch! Especially for toddlers but thankfully he seems to be over it already...us...not so much! Oh that could just be The Tired from chasing after a 2 year old.

I confess I will likely never have to buy our child clothes again thanks to all the wonderful people who have given us gifts.

I confess this edition will likely be mostly about the wee boy...I can't help it.

I confess it is good to be home in my house with power and clean water...we have so much to be thankful for and I will always remember that!

I confess I have a naked baby sitting on my lap because his diaper was SO FULL this morning and the hubby had to bath him after changing him.

I confess I missed my dogs and cat while we were gone. So much. I still love them as much as I ever did.

I confess we have A LOT (Some might even go as far as to say ALOT) of video and photos from our trip! It will take some time to go thru it all and then I will start posting about RANAVAN'S JOURNEY TO ETHIOPIA!

I confess I am meeting Lyndsey tonight! Wheeee! She is in town to visit her cousin and we are going for dinner...momma's first night out without the babe! Thanks hubby!

I confess the airport arrival was so emotional and overwhelming...we knew we had love and support from our friends and family but we didn't realize how much! The wee boy is loved beyond words.

I confess I was so happy to hear Chad, Laura and Sara had become Chad, Laura, Sara, and Seth while we were away - dreams really do come true Laura!

I confess this might be my longest confession to date...I might have lots to confess.

I confess parenting a toddler will be hard, full of challenges and sleepless nights but we are up for it!

I confess I need to start drinking coffee if this is my new wake up time!

Wordless Wednesday