Blake's Perspective...Part 2

DON'T FORGET.  My friends are hosting a shower for Blake this Sunday at 3 pm in Hillsboro.  I'm asking that you not buy us anything but use the money you would spend and donate it to Danielle's family adoption of Sergey.  Go here to read more: www.farleykids.blogspot.com.

Thank you!!


Continued from here...

Now where was I?

Oh yeah, about the best part of my day!!  Eating.  

As soon as mommy starts taking me toward my new chair, I start flapping my arms, smiling, and letting out little yells...I can't help it!  I get so excited!  The food here is SO good compared to what I'm used to eating.  It even smells better too.  I have tried things like pancakes, peaches, oranges, cheese, hamburger, hotdogs, and rice, and most recently Christmas cookies.  I will tell you though, I do NOT like anything hard or crunchy, as soon as it hits my tongue I spit it out and fling it on the floor...it does not feel right on my tongue. That and green beans...YUUUCK. I also don't like when my food and drinks are not warmed up...I have NEVER tasted cold milk before.  (Evidently that little chubby girl that screams all the time likes it..she's always got a bottle in her hand.)  Anyway, mommy brings a plate of food to me and even lets me feed myself now.  I LOVE feeding myself, I knew I could do it, I just have never had the chance too.  I make sure and wipe up every last crumb.  I am so used to shoveling my food in and filling my mouth up with every bite.  I used to have to eat fast so they wouldn't take my plate away and out of fear the other kids would steal my small portion of food. I was the little guy in the group so I had to fight for everything I got.  I shove all my food in my mouth so there's nothing left on my tray, then I start rocking back and forth in my chair so that it makes a lot of noise.  That gets everyone's attention!  If that doesn't work then I throw my head back and yell and cry, I have to be careful when I do that though, sometimes all of the food falls out of my mouth!  

That little round girl they keep calling my sissy has started rocking her chair too when she's out of food...evidently she's realized how effective it is.  Mommy got on her the other day too, because she started chucking her cup of milk across the kitchen like I do....hehehe.  I don't like to drink during my meal, it makes me cry because I think that means it's the end of the meal.  We were only allowed to drink after our meals at my old house, so when mommy brings my drink around, I turn my head.  I don't want to be done eating, it all tastes so good!  Then when it is time to be done, mommy comes at me with a rag and I panic...when am I going to eat again?  Will I be able to eat until I'm full?  I start crying because I just want to eat and eat...even if it gives me a tummy ache.  Then I get mad, I start throwing my head back, kicking my feet, and yelling.  She usually has to hold me for a while until I can calm down.  Sometimes she'll give me a baggie of treats to hold in my hand...just so I know there will always be food available for me to eat.  (Mila's mommy shared this tip with us and it has helped a lot.)  Plus as soon as we are done eating, for some reason, me and that little girl always end up in the bathtub.  She always mutters something about us putting our food on our heads...I don't know what she thinks, but it sure is fun! 


I also get treats when mommy goes running outside.  That little round girl always screeches and wiggles trying to get out of those impossible seat belts, so mommy has started packing us treats to take along.  Problem is, that little girl gets really mad when I start stealing her snacks when mine are out.  She'll pinch me with her fingers and starts screeching again...mommy always stops the stroller and divides up the snacks again.  She got on me yesterday because I threw my empty container out on the ground and we had to stop again...oops!  Won't do that again.  Anyway, as soon as the snacks are out, I want out of that thing.  I hate being restrained!  

I will sit in front of this mirror for hours and talk to the little boy on the other side.

We both unrolled all of the wrapping paper mommy just bought and found this cardboard treasure, it provides endless hours of fun..and fights.

Anyway, on to play time...there are so many neat things to play with at my new house.  Toilet paper, spoons, the tall red-head girl's Barbie dolls, Christmas ornaments, balls, that little chubby girl's bottles, the toilet water, the stairs, the chairs in the kitchen, mirrors....

A Shower for Blake

Sorry I will have to postpone the 2nd part of the series of Blake's perspective for today...

I first want to invite you all to a very special day for Blake.  Some dear friends of mine have set-up a baby shower for our little guy, this coming Sunday, December 11 at 3 pm at Parkview MB Church in Hillsboro.  It is a Sip-and-See Shower, you can come and go as you wish, sip some drinks, chat a little...

BUT...

Most of all I want to take the opportunity to THANK you all for your prayers, encouragement, support, assistance to our family while we were away, for the meals, the financial support, the Scriptures, the notes, help, the driving, the advice, the motivation, and the chance to journey together.  Because I feel like my cup overfloweth with love for you all and from you all, I cannot hardly ask you to 'shower' us with gifts for Blake.  You all have done so much already, and I am realizing we are so blessed with what we have.  We do not need anything more.  But if you must, please take the money you would spend on us and donate it HERE.

I have blogged about the Farley family before.  Danielle and I have never met personally, only through email, phone calls, and prayers.  But I feel like she is a spiritual sister in Christ who I am so blessed to know only through this adoption process.  She is adopting Sergey, from Russia.  This fall, the country changed their adoption rules and the cost to adopt has increased by about $10,000!!  Danielle and her husband are hoping to travel soon, but are still short on funds.

So, PLEASE SHOWER HER with your blessings by spreading the word about their adoption, by donating to their cause, and by praying for them as you have so faithfully done for us.
Please go here: (click on pic)

And then go HERE to read about her family and their desire to make this little boy their own.  Isn't he sweet?  He has grown up so much since the first pictures I saw of him. 

I cannot wait to see pictures and read the stories of the day they get to meet this little boy. 

And...I cannot wait to see you all at the shower Sunday so I can personally thank you all for everything. I am so blessed by the friends and family I have around me and I thank God continuously for all of you in my life. 

Blake's Perspective...Part I

Blake says:

"I'm still not totally sure what has happened to me the past few weeks...I sometimes stop and wonder where I am at, I will look around at my new house and my mommy and daddy and my sister's and realize it's not like where I used to live.  I will cry sometimes, for no reason, just that I miss hearing the language I've heard for the past 2 years, that I miss my friends who I slept, ate, and played with everyday, and for the familiar faces and routine.  Then I remember that if I just cry and hold my arms up in the air, mommy or daddy will come pick me up and hug me.  I always smile really big when I am picked up.  It's so nice to know that someone will notice me crying and will come console me and make me feel better.  I'm also realizing that it's okay to cry, even loudly, because someone will respond...it's not a useless act any longer.  And it feels so much better to cry it out, then to hold it in all the time like at my old house--at least someone acts like they hear me and care about me now.  I love the feeling of being in my mommy and daddy's arms, I'll lie my head down on their shoulder and just soak it all in, but I am still a little nervous sometimes, I will lift my head up and look them in the eye just to see if they really do care and if this is okay.  

My schedule is a lot different now.  My roommate, a round little screechy girl, who screams and cries all the time usually wakes me up in the morning.  Not exactly what I would have picked for an alarm clock, but at least mommy usually comes in quickly to remove 'her' from the room so I can catch a few more Zzzz's.   After I roll around in my crib, rock my head up and down a little bit, and bang my head on the railings to try to wake myself up, like I have the past 2 year's, I remember that all I have to do is let out a little yell or cry or mumble something like "mamama" like my crazy roommate does, and mommy comes running.  It seems to work really well for her so I've been trying it out...kind of nice.  I'm actually starting to realize I don't have to do all that stuff anymore, like banging my head, to make myself feel better.  I still catch myself doing it when I wake up in the middle of the night, but it's becoming easier to relax the longer I stay here.  Mom always comes in the room when she hears me if I do wake up at night, and she will scratch my back and speak softly in my ear, it feels so good.  When she rubs my back I cannot even keep my eyes open...it puts me right back to sleep.  Man, this is what I have been missing the past 2 year's.  Now I know why my buddy Joshua never came back to see me, I wouldn't give up missing a night of these back rubs either!  It's almost my favorite part of the day, next to mealtime.  Now that gets me excited.  I'll tell you more about that tomorrow...it's time for a snack now, come to think of it. Mamamama."

Having a Little Brother...By Leah and Autum

What it's Like to Have a Little Brother...

From the perspective of Leah... 

I like helping Daddy and Mommy by playing with my little brother and sister.

    I love chasing after all the toys Blake throws, especially his ball.  For some reason he throws everything!  After he throws something he sticks his tongue out and spits (Daddy showed him this), then he bends down and hides his face with his hands and giggles. He will do this over and over again.  He is really loud too, he is always banging mommy's metal pans against the tile floor in the kitchen.  I don't like it very much because I can't hear what my mommy's telling me.  But mommy keeps telling me he is a boy and that is how boys play.  Then he takes out all the plastic cups and plates from the bottom drawer in the kitchen cabinets and throws them across the kitchen floor and then laughs. I don't know why he thinks that is so funny. But he will empty out the entire drawer.  Then he will crawl around and pick it up and put it back in the drawer and then throw it all out again.  He also loves the trash can.  I think he realized that all the yucky food goes in there, so he is always pushing it around the kitchen floor.  He tries to crawl up and open the lid but it falls over and mommy usually comes running to set it back up before he puts anything in his mouth.  Yuck! 

In the mornings when he wakes up, he stinks really bad.  I don't like to give him hugs and kisses until mommy changes his diaper.  Mommy tells me that boys are just stinky in the morning!  Then she sits him down and gets Autum out of her crib, my job is to entertain him while Mommy gets Autum changed so he doesn't cry.  He is a lot more patient than Autum, she just cries all the time.  

Blake eats his food so fast.  He doesn't leave any food on his tray, he will wipe it down with his hand and lick his hands until every last crumb disappears.  Then when Mommy takes his food away he cries and cries, he will kick his feet and rock his highchair back when he throws a fit.  Mommy says he thinks he isn't going to get to eat again, that he has to learn that we will always have food for him.  That's why I have to eat my snacks in my room when he is around, so he can't see me.  

He loves to be silly at dinner time!  And he makes a big mess!

I love to watch he and Autum take baths.  They both fight over who gets to sit under the faucet when the water is coming out.  Autum pulls his hair and tries to pinch him and he pushes her back.  Mommy and Daddy just laugh and let them work it out on their own. Blake likes to splash Autum with the water and Autum cries.  She will throw her bath toys at him and then he cries.  It is more fun to watch them than TV.  It makes me laugh.  After that, I have to lie on the couch and watch TV while Mommy and Daddy get Blake and Autum ready for bed. Autum likes to scream a lot at bedtime, so she always goes to bed first.  When she is out, then Daddy takes Blake in to the room and puts him to sleep.  He goes to sleep a lot easier than Autum.  I finally get time by myself with Mommy and Daddy then.  I sometimes don't like having to share my time with them, I get angry and act naughty so they will pay attention to me.  Mommy keeps telling me we all have to adjust to having Blake around and that it will get easier.  I hope so!  I like it when they watch me do my gymnastics and cheerleading moves and I can only do those when the baby's aren't around.  So I always get excited when they are sleeping so I can practice.  Plus Daddy and I can finally wrestle then too.  Blake likes to wrestle with Daddy too, so I have to share that time as well.  Sometimes it makes me sad.  

Autum and Blake ride in the stroller when we walk to and from school everyday.

But I always like it when friends come over and I can show them my new brother.  I showed my Kindergarten class the news coverage of when Blake came home.  I love watching myself in it!  Mommy took Blake to my daycare class the other day too and everyone was playing with him and smiling.  It makes me proud!

Leah at Gymnastics Class

From the Perspective of Autum...

I don't know who this little person is...but I'm bigger than him (even if I am younger) and I can scream louder!  I will only smile at him from Mommy's lap.  That's it.  I just hold my arms up and she picks me up, that is the best place for me.  I do not want her to leave again any time soon.  Especially if she brings back another one of these noisy little people. And I will not pretend to like sharing my room with him.  Or my toys, my bath time, or my Mommy and Daddy.  And if he even thinks about stealing my snacks I will pinch him. I already have once!  I don't like having to wait on him to get dressed, he takes forever!  And I will pull his hair again if he tries to sit on my special seat on the living room.  That is my spot, I had it first!  I can walk and he can't, so I like to run past him and pick up the toys I know he is crawling to get..hehehe.  Then I will wave it in his face as I walk by.  That makes him cry!  Then Mommy gives me this 'look'...but I pretend to cry too and say "mamamama"...that usually works, and she smiles again.  I sure hope he doesn't stick around long...if this is my Christmas present for this year, I'm writing Santa a complaint.  This is not fair.