one of those days

I locked my keys in the car, the dog barfed all over the rug that just spent 3 weeks getting cleaned, both kids were WAY late for their naps (Turner missed a meal because of it), dog food spilled ALL OVER the laundry room floor and I put too much Rosemary in tonight's dinner. All in all, the day could have been worse.

A bright spot in my day-- on the way to the office (moments BEFORE I locked the keys in the car) I was listening to a certain talk radio program (that was really funny this morning, by the way.) I forget how much Olivia takes in these days. Like a sponge-- and a parrot.

The subject this morning, Obama's comment during a speech recently where he made a comment about you can put lipstick on a pig but it's still a pig. Well, from the back seat I hear, "Why put lipstick on a pig, mama? That's silly!!!" Hilarious! Once again a reminder to watch what I say.

Well, I'm off to watch Super Nanny. (Gotta get some tips somehow.)

fantasy land

So I am officially a suburban stay at home mom in the midwest. Because when the kids got up from naps and I was tired of being at home, we loaded up the Jeep and went to Barnes and Noble to play with the Thomas the Tank Engine toy track that they have (we were too late for story hour!)

In my fantasyland (read: before we actually loaded up the car, changed the poopy diaper and headed off the two year old temper tantrum on the way to the car because I wasn't letting Olivia take another a toy with us) Turner would tool around the floor, play with the train set and O and I would snuggle up in a chair and I would read to her any book she fancied from the millions of her choosing.


Well, Turner did not disappoint. He indeed loved the train set. He likes anything these days he can get into his mouth and drool all over. He was as happy as a clam (but then again, when isn't he?) He might be the happiest baby ever born.

But let's just say that fantasy turned into reality AS SOON AS we hit the kiddie part of B&N. "Look Mommy! PRINCESSES." Yes, my daughter has hawk eyes when it comes to anything pink and of the Disney genre. Dang you, Cinderella! All I wanted was a fond memory to tuck away for when she is 13 and wants nothing to do with me. Not only was she intrigued with all books Disney, she was engrossed in anything Hanna Montana. ARE YOU KIDDING ME? Girlfriend, you are 2! We are NOT doing that.

All I wanted to do was read a Dr. Suesse or a Richard Scarry book. Didn't happen. Maybe another day. Shoot, I didn't even get myself a Starbuck's latte. Better luck next time

At least Baby Turner left a happy man :)

Big Fat Deal

I can't believe it! I have in my hands the rough draft of our homestudy. (4 months ago, I would have said Ho Hum to that one.) But in the life of an adopting parent, that's big stuff my friend! The reason that it's a rough draft is because there are several things we'll need to go over with our social worker before she signs it, gets it notarized and we fork over $1,000-- changes that need to be made, typos that are found, etc. For that kind of money, things better be RIGHT!

So that brings me to the reason I drag you into this homestudy discussion. Within the pages of the homestudy are many many personal things (it's quite crazy, really. A bit like stumbling across my journal, or this blog for that matter.) But I digress... my question here is, do I make a big deal out of the fact that she has my weight 21 pounds MORE than it actually is? I guess she has not been on the blog lately to read that Weight Watchers has been going really well and that I am, in fact, only a mere 2 meetings away from becoming a LIFETIME member (read, don't gotta pay anymore!)

I mean, if it's just for vanity's sake or my own peace of mind, probably not... but I need to sign the paper saying everything within the content of the homestudy is true. So, in fact, it's not vanity, but, rather, integrity that is at stake here people! If I am going to be able to sleep well at night, knowing that I have been above reproach and am sharing all things true throughout this process, the only logical thing I can do is have her lower my weight by 21 lbs. Ah, yes, sleep well tonight, dear reader, all is right with the world.

hooter hiders

I'm learning a lot about the Blog World. There is an entire underground world here and I'm learning it can be a gold mine. My fear, it can also be a colossal time suck. A new friend of mine, Jenny, was telling me tonight about how she will blog about different brand name things on her blog and from time to time these companies will contact her and give her free stuff in the hopes of another product endorsement. Well, shoot, I can name drop like the best of 'em and if it gets me a free bottle of nail polish-- sobeit!

So, don't be suprised if you don't start seeing some of my favorite stuff on here from time to time (who knows who will do a google search and find out how much I LOVE Skinny Cow Ice Cream Sandwiches (which by the way you can buy in bulk at Sam's Club and they equal out to be $.50 a piece.) And just maybe they'll send me a year's supply or something :)

Or how the one baby item I couldn't have survived without this time around? That would be my Hooter Hiders. Yes, you read right, my Hooter Hiders. LOVE. IT. Makes nursing in public or in crowded places a no brainer. With Olivia, I would go to the car, sit in coat closets, leave dinners etc. etc. With Turner, I have no fear of him pulling it off (the HH, as we call it in our house) goes around my neck like a necklace, is light weight and stylish. So he is undistracted, doesn't get all hot and sweaty and I'm not arrested for indecent exposure if he pulls it off- because he can't. It saved my life both times on the airplance first to NYC and then to China.

There you have it. Product endorsement #1. Keep your eye out for more, and I'll let you know when it starts paying off :)

the latest on adoption

So our computer officially died this week and we've ordered a new one. Hopefully we will get it by the end of the week. So I've been at the mercy of my husband each day when he brings the work computer home... thus the quiet blog week.

The latest scoop on the adoption front may be good news, or may not...we'll see how it goes. If you remember, we've been working on obtaining that elusive letter on somekind of official Chinese letterhead stating that we are not child abusers (or stating that they have no such registry.) Well after several weeks of my good friend, Lisa, running around the 3rd largest city in the world with many many different documentation that was fed-exed half way around the world to her door step- she basicially ran into many dead ends. As of the last report she had been turned away from 3 different police offices with a firm no to her request for the "letter".

As Lisa was breaking her neck 12 time zones away, I was exhausting all possibilities here. I called the Chinese consulate in NYC. I actually did get to talk to a woman there and as I explained to her what it was that I needed she did the old "uh hu, uh hu, uh hu" on the other end. When I finished she said, "wait a moment" then I heard a muffled chinese conversation in the background and then she re-addressed me with a "please repeat your problem." I said it even slower and less complicated. She suggested I try a different number. I asked what office she was having me call- the passport and visa office in NYC. Ummm... Im no expert but I was pretty sure I've played this game before. But b/c her english wasn't going to improve and my Chinese was certainly not going to get my meaning across, I called this new number. Ahh... just as I suspected... a recorded menu with no live person to talk to in ANY kind of language.

Next stop, my congressman. My mom lives and breathes politics and when I told her about what was going on she all but forced me to call Congressman Mike Turner. "That's what he was elected to do-- help you." So naturally, I talked to Kim in his office (I believe "Mike" as I like to call him) had bigger fish to fry that day. Kim suggested I contact the Chinese Embassy in DC (she suggest emailing to circumvent the language barrier.) Oh, yeah, but unfortunately due to the Olympics, a lot of information had been removed from the website. So the only email address available had the word visa in it. (again, not being an expert but pretty experienced w/ travel and dealing with China, I knew that did not bode well for my getting a child abuse letter.) I tried calling the Embassy phone number- another automated maze. What happened to the day when you could actually talk to someone? At this point, I don't even care WHAT language they speak. I'm desperate here people!

So can someone give us an A for effort???

Our social worker did. She is going to thoroughly explain in the text of our Home Study all of the avenues we have tried to pursue. So it looks like we are going to have our completed Home Study this week, allowing us to send in our I-800A form (the form that goes to HomeLand security) that, when and if, we are approved will allow us to send our Dossier (packet of forms/documents and application for adoption) to the Chinese government. ALL OF THAT means----- we're on our way baby!!! Pray Pray Pray that Homeland security will not be ridiculous and that they will see that we have made every attempt possible to produce that letter. What a crazy-maker!

from the "Oh, Crap" files

So, today just wasn't my day. Seems like the day after a holiday often goes like that! I was coming home from my spinning class at the Y this morning and while pulling in the garage, I noticed I hadn't quite gauged it right. So I backed up and tried again.

Should have tried for a third time, since my 2nd try was a failed attempt to miss the garage door. Yep, nailed it pretty good this time. (Since you are pretty sharp if you're spending time reading my blog, you did in fact notice "this time", meaning that this is not the first time I have hit the garage.)



Unfortunately, this is the "best" one I've done. I took off some of the molding on the frame of the door, bent the little "camera thing" that detects if there is anything in the way so the door will actually shut and put a nice little scrape in the car.

I did, however, manage to NOT cuss out loud with the 2 kids in the car. But immediately on impact they both started screaming and crying (I'm not exactly sure why, I was only going 1 mile an hour, they certainly didn't get whip lash or anything.) Luckily, it was only 103 degrees in the garage while I investigated the damage, made the dreaded phone call to Steve and tried to figure out how you close the door w/ out the magic button. (I figured it out by the way!) Here's to a better Wednesday.

labor day

So they say you shouldn't wear white after labor day, right? Well then we're battin' 1,000. Just take a look at those shoes that O wore today(see below for more shoe details.)

We lounged around in the a.m. did some house cleaning/yardwork and when the kids got up from naps, our holiday began!

We decided to go to Dayton's new trendy shopping area, The Greene. You know the kind- every town has one-cute shops, yummy restaurants, offices and living spaces available. It's this decades' version of the strip mall (circa 1980). Our trendy spot has a fountain in the middle where kids gather and they hand out complimentary towels. I would have pics posted from there but O isn't too big on actually splashing in the fountain. She prefers to be near the fountain, which doesn't make for very exciting pics.
Not to mention, while she played, I shopped. Gymborre was having a nice sale and I had a good coupon. I bought the above shoes, and because she is her mother's daughter, she INSISTED on wearing them today. Lovely. 91 degrees and my daughter is sporting thick leather shoes.

After shopping and playing we thought we would end the day with the traditional all American cookout, oops, I mean dinner at Cheesecake Factory.

Which by the way, is SO NOT kid friendly. The waiter started off by saying, "Um, just so you know, we don't really have a kids menu. Most people just order something off the appetizer menu for the little ones." (yeah right, every app. is $8.00 or more.)

It was the first time that it really felt like the 4 of us were out to a real meal. The kids sat in their seats, across from us and they laughed and played together. Turner even nawed on a hunk of bread for awhile. (We did leave a very nice tip for Tim the waiter since there was about 1/2 loaf of bread and I kid you not, 5 spoons, under our table.) That'll teach you to not have a kids menu, Cheesecake Factory! Happy Labor day.