One month and counting

Okay, I admit. I am a terrible, terrible blogger. I should probably not even have this site, but I do and you have to put up with my sporatic posts. I fully accept any and all mocking via the comments section.

So, how is life one month later? Great, hectic, tiring, wonderful and surprising.

Mahlet is officially not sick anymore. The snotty nose is all gone! Yeah!!!

Mahlet has given herself a new name...Briana. Since Briana is gone to Germany for month, Mahlet figures her name must be up for grabs. She points to everyone at the table and then points to herself and says, "Briana" and then laughs and laughs. Hopefully, Briana gets her name back upon her return or that will teach her for going away!
We did have a big break-through in the name department. She freaked out after being home for a week when we were saying our first and last names and we tried to say Mahlet Graber. She was adament that was not her name and kept correcting us (using her Ethiopian last name, which is her biological father's first name). Of course, we didn't push it and let it drop, cause that is quite traumatic of a change. Bad enough we shaved her head, now we are changing her last name?! Well, the other day she went around the room and said Daddy Graber, Mommy Graber, Isabella Graber, Samantha Graber, and Mahlet Graber. Then clapped and gave us a hug. Not sure she really believes it yet or was doing it to please us, but it's a start and it doesn't matter to me. And really, as a kid, how many times do you have to answer to your last name?

We have yet to complete a successful walk as a family, but it is getting closer and closer. The meltdowns come now from just wanting to be walking in the middle of the road or on the opposite side as everyone else or hitching a ride home with whatever car is driving by...okay, just kidding on that last one. She isn't bulking at the walks as much as the rules on the walk. I am sure she is thinking these people are crazy. They can drive wherever they want to go, yet they insist on walking in a circle at night. :-)

We have had some firsts...swimming in the area lakes. She loves it. Hesitant for about 5 seconds and then jumpled right in with her sisters. She doesn't go under the water, which is fine by me. But she just loves to be in the water. I even braved a swimsuit and went in with them the other day and she road around on my back for about an hour. What a great work out. Eat your heart out your P90X -ers. You ain't got nothing on a mom that swims around with kids on your back. BTW: I am not the only mom that uses this workout routine. Maybe we should be selling it? :-)

Samantha is getting better. Mahlet and her have come to a nighlite agreement that I think it working well. Samantha with her glaucoma hates any bright light and a nightlite in a dark room feels like the sun burning your eyeballs out. Mahlet doesn't like the dark in the least and I really prefer if she had some light so if she woke up and forgot where she was she could find the door. So basically, they are sorting out sharing a bedroom.

Oh, we also had our first movie. Toy Story 3. I, the adult, thought it was cute, but not the best of the 3. Mahlet had a good time. Mostly because popcorn was served. She LOVES popcorn. Pretty sure she would eat it 24/7 if we let her. She couldn't sit on the movie theater seat because they kept springing up and folding her in half and she was getting quite irrated. She never did figure out how to displace her weight, so I watched the movie through the head of a 7 year old with a giant bag of popcorn. It was all good!

Pet store...still not a favorite place. This time we were looking at the cats up for adoption. First two were fine, but the all black kitty--not so much. She started screaming. Not sure if that is a bad luck thing or a reminder of something, but we left. Cats don't like screaming seven year olds.

Her and Keesha are getting along super now. Mahlet sneaks her about 20 treats a day to get her to like her and then she gets mad when Keesha follows her around the house. LOL!

Mahlet loves TV. Poor thing, as we cut off our TV for the summer. She discovered she loves the movie Ella Enchanted and can now sing 2 of the songs and knows the dance routine for at least one. Speaking of which, the girl loves to dance and sing. I guess I know what we get to sign her up for first.

She does have a stubborn streak and is a drama queen, so we are "working" on those things. However, most of that has to be worked on when the language comes along. She is adding about 5 new words a day. She will totally be ready for school by the fall. Speaking of which, we plan to start her in 1st grade in September. She is so excited for school already.

Isabella is doing well. She is also finding her place in the family now and will soon be the big sister in the house (Briana is going to be a senior this year). She really misses Briana. Mahlet loves Isabella, which is no surprise, animals and kids all love Isabella. She just has this "thing".

I returned to work 2 weeks ago. It was hard as it was right at the beginning of summer break, but Doug is staying home with the girls for now. He is a great dad, but is ready to be back at work for the mental stimulation.