Good Question......

"I am sorry for the probably stupid question, but are your children still Guatemalan? I thought they became American once they were adopted.. you keep refering to them as the GTs, so I am confused."

Dear Anonymous:

Not a stupid question at all!! Our daughter JUST came home 10 days ago after 22/23 months trying to get home!! :-) Our son has been home for 3 years. Yes, both of our kids are naturalized American citizens. HOWEVER, they are still Guatemalan by heritage, regardless of where they live(just like an Italian, German, Mexican, etc). So, the nickname "GT's" stands for "GuateTots". Just our nickname for them..........

PS: For our adoption journey to Sydney and our timeline to homecoming, please visit our adoption blog.

IRON BOWL SATURDAY

ALABAMA vs. AUBURN

What's at stake?

364 days of bragging rights.....

!!!ROLL TIDE ROLL!!!

36-0

My favorite photo of the game:

My little TV star......

When we brought Sydney home 8 days ago, we were met by WAFF 48 news. They did a little story on Sydney's journey home and what a wonderful Thanksgiving it is for all of us this year.

Sydney's News Clip

ARE! YOU! KIDDING! ME?

What a jerk!! A jerk I tell ya!! I am sitting on the couch, enjoying my quiet time this morning. All the kids(Alan too) are still in bed. I hear the trash truck enter the street in front of our house. CRAP - THE TRASHCAN!!! So, I go running out and put it on the curb. Garbage guy passes our house and continues up the road. Being the stubborn chic that I am, I stand on the driveway and wait.

Said Garbage Guy loops the subdivision and pulls up in front of the house. Looks out his window and says, "I talked to your husband and I will NOT pick up your trash if the can is sitting on the edge of the curb. ONLY on the street. You can push it across the road here and I'll get it but this is it. I won't pick it up if it's on the curb."

Trying not to raise a fuss or ruin my chances of ever having my trash picked up again, I said "Fine." Finally got the stupid thing OFF the "no-no curb" and pushed it across the street. Trash was dumped and back up the driveway we went.

NOW, here's my issue:

He pulled up BESIDE my trashcan, hesitated and drove on. Instead of just telling me that and picking it up, he had to stop......tell me about it......wait for the can to be pushed across the street and then empty it. He could've saved himself SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO much time. And please, when did it become a PROBLEM to pick my can up when it's PERCHED on the curbs edge? I have lived here, in this house, for FIVE YEARS and suddenly it won't be picked up unless it's on the street!!! I think I'll be calling Dale Strong, my county commissioner.

Another fabulous family photo

This is my favorite picture from our "WELCOME HOME"!!!!

FREE ADOPTION ANNOUNCEMENTS

Now that I have your attention, here are the details:

My friend Suzanne designs custom cards(holiday, birthday, adoption, etc). She has decided to offer her design services for FREE to all adoptive families who are announcing their adoptions! This offer is ONLY good through the END OF DECEMBER. Suzanne has a few previously designed options for the announcements but is willing to work on a design with you if you have an idea of your own.


The "FREE" cards are the design portion, you must have them printed yourself OR she will do it for .50 cents per card, including the envelope. Suzanne does EXCELLENT work and has made this a nice "work from home" business for herself. If you order from her, the free code is "ADOPTION" in the order portion of her site.

http://www.changing-moments.com/

First trip to the pediatrician

And my girl is doing great!! We did have to have 4 shots and a TB test. She hated being restrained more than she hated the shots. Doc said her teeth look great. Ears and eyes are great. Lungs sound fine. He was amazed at how verbal she is. All in all, she is doing just fine!! We go back in 3-4 weeks for additional vacs/imms.

Height 31 1/2 inches

Weight 21lbs

There are no words........

LIFE IS GOOD!

BLACK FRIDAY GIVE-AWAY BLOW OUT!

Please go check out:

http://kandykissesboutique.typepad.com

Miss Laurie makes some of the COOLEST stuff!!! I mean just way cool!! Everyone needs a little "KandyKisses" in their closet!!!

WOW! TANDUM TANTRUMS!!!

UPDATE: 11/22/08 9:30pm

Both GT's fast asleep in their own beds!! Sydney's fit was a WHOLE 15-20 minutes from start to finish. The intensity was NOTHING like her nap one. She never moved from where I tucked her in. We'll see what naptime holds tomorrow.......

Alan laid down with Luke to settle him down. He was WOUND UP and started his meltdown well before Sydney!!!

---------------------------------------------------------

YEP! Two GuateTots tantrumming at the SAME!!! Well, that's LOUD!! But ya know what, I got through it with AJ/Luke and I've won one battle with Sydney! BRING IT ON!!! :-)

PARENTS 1 - TANTRUMS 0

So, Miss Wildcat.....called this because of what she sounds like when she's having a rip-roaring fit, was given a CIO at naptime today!!! Now, before some of you tell me that's just awful, to let that baby CIO, please remember that this is the first one she's had in the 12 days she's been with us. And it was MUCH needed!!!

Anywho, she got her bottle and we got her all snuggled in to take a little siesta. Well, little Miss Thang was all good.....till the bottle ran out! Then, uhm, not so much!! It started out as Papa, Mommeeeee, Papa, Mommeeee!! Just calling us. We went in to soothe her, to talk to her, to pat her. But she was having NONE of that. And if we picked her up, she would stop immediately and smile, ready to play. We put her back down and after 15 minutes of screaming with nothing but 'tude, we told her it was sleepy time and we left the room, closing the door behind us.

And the tantrum began!!! Jumping in her crib, screaming, yelling, crying....but NO puking!! :-) You would have thought someone was killing her. I am so glad we are not in that hotel room anymore. We would've NEVER been able to do this there. Fortunately, we are home and the "sleep training" has begun. The whole "nap tantrum" lasted 30 minutes. At the 20 minute mark, she has cut the fit in half. After 25 minutes she was just kind of fussing. At 30 minutes, she was OUT COLD!!!

Alan and I stood our ground....................both kids, out cold for naps by 2:30!!! Wonder how long it will last? We need to go out and buy a new washer.....ours died while we were gone. Yep, flooded my laundry room on Sunday of last week. Ruined my newly replaced flooring from the last washer incident in July. Nice, huh?

TACO?

So, yesterday morning....the first morning we wake up all in the same house, my 3 kids were piled in the bed with us. Now, before you think that's AWESOME.....that is REALLY AWESOME because in GC, Sydney would NOT sit anywhere near the pillows or covers with you. But yesterday she was piled up in the bed, with her trusty blanket at her side.

Luke is loving all over this girl and she handled it pretty well, all things considered! Luke was wanting her to "give him 5", so we told him to hold out his hand and say "CINCO"(5 in spanish). Sure 'nuff, the desired effect.......we had some "Hi 5's" and some "Low 5's". Well, a few minutes into it, Luke obviously forgot what the "magic word" was.

I hear him leaning in for some "5" and he's saying, over and over again, "TACO, SYDNEY! TACO!!!" She really looked at him like he has three heads until he started saying it right!!! Tooooo funny!!!

WELCOME TO OUR LOCO LIFE!!!

COME ON IN......

KEEP CHECKING BACK.....

WE'LL BE UP AND BLOGGING SOON!!!