waffle irons

Well, things are moving right along here. I must admit, that first week I was feeling pretty overwhelmed with life. Not unhappy, but feeling like there would never be enough time in the day! A couple of days ago Matt was mowing the grass, I was checking email and making dinner, and the kids were all playing in the other room when it hit me - this is it! This is a brief glimpse of normalcy!
So, we're getting to a more regular schedule everyday. Every event (as in getting dressed) no longer feels like a big production. We're still trying to find enough time in th day to get everything we want to do done, but I think that will be a lifelong search.

Because I know you're dying to know the minute details of my life, here's an approximate daily schedule:
Wake up at 7:30. I am now setting the alarm clock to wake us up because when the girls get up earlier, they go to sleep earlier at night - we (the adults) like this.
Eat breakfast: the easiest meal. Everyone loves cold cereal. And lots of it.
Get dressed and brush teeth: Eldana picks out her own clothes (this is important for you to know so that when you see some of her outfits you don't think that I would pair bright yellow socks with a peach skirt and gold shoes). She is really girlie and LOVES to accessorize. Abigia will veto every outfit you show her if you ask if she wants to wear it. BUT if you excitedly say "Whooooo, Abigia look at this!" then she will get excited, dance around and wear anything you give her. Toddlers are funny.
Eliana doesn't care what she wears.
Now, brushing teeth, that's cause for excitement! EVERY kid here loves to brush her teeth. We may be the only parents in America that have discussed withholding toothbrushing as a means of punishment.
Morning play time: we may go to a park, or the zoo, or if it's a rally exciting day... Target!
Disrupt morning play for snack around 10/10:30.
Lunchtime (and dinner time) are getting a little better. Abigia likes a bigger variety of foods it seems and Eldana agrees to try one bite of almost anything. Also, as our communication improves we are able to ask a little more of them in this area. I just try to offer them a lot of different stuff, praying that in the long run they won't be picky eaters.
After lunch we pray for naps. Eliana always cooperates.. . Eldana never naps but agrees to lie down and read books. Abigia is tough. She's napping more often lately and we are really pushing this a little more. She needs a nap by afternoon and we are getting better at working with her to make it happen. Still not easy (today it took 40 minutes) but getting better.
Afternoon playtime: same as morning
Interrupt playtime with afternoon snack. Thank God these kids love bananas so much!
Dinnertime 6ish ( I think dinnertime and 2nd snack time are going to get switched when Matt goes back to work)
play/TV/ go for a walk
bath/brush teeth/pajamas
Books and bed!
bedtime is still my biggest frustration, though it is getting better. Eliana takes about 5 minutes to put to sleep. Eldana will quietly lay in bed until she falls asleep. Abigia runs around the room with her cape billowing behind until she falls on her face intentionally. Again and again.
Bedtime is actually slowly starting to get shorter and easier. We set up Abigia's bed and are going to try her in that soon to see how she likes having a big girl bed. Maybe that will help? In the meantime, Eliana sleeps in her crib,Eldana sleeps in our mattress on her floor, Abigia sleeps wherever she falls and Matt and I sleep wherever there is room for us..... Sometimes in Eldana's bed, sometimes with the girls, sometimes on the couch.... wherever.
What a long and boring post. If you've made it this far, you deserve pictures.

Eliana playing in the yard

Have I mentioned how much my kids LOVE their Uncle Pat? A whole heck of a lot.

Abigia and Eliana at the zoo

Yes, 3 car seats can fit in the back of a Pontiac Grand Am!! Sure, it's a little tight and I am killing my back, but until we can buy a van this will have to do. I really didn't think they would fit and am really happy that they do so I can put off a new car payment for awhile longer.

I love this picture of Abigia. I think it captures her personality. She looks a little cocky and is getting ready to take off.
She is such a funny kid.

Someone asked awhile ago (sorry I'm just now getting to this) how to pronounce the girls names.
Abigia is Ah-bi (like big without the g)- gee(hard "g" like in golly, not soft like in giraffe)-ah
Eldana is El-dah-nah (almost Eldonna but that sounds too hickish, make the da and na shorter and more intentional)
Eliana is El-ee-ah-nuh

Communication is going pretty well, here. We have a funny English/Amharic mix ging on around the house. It's amazing how quickly the girls pick up English. They still talk to each other in Amharic. I hope that continues.

We are going this week for Eldana and Abigia to see the school they will attend in the fall. We also have our first post-placement visit this week.

We are getting closer and closer to time for Matt and I to go back to work. I have 2 more weeks off, Matt has 3 weeks left.

Whew! That was a long one! One kid is still napping and Matt is wrangling the other 2. I'd better do a bit of laundry while I can.