I've been cheating on Blogger with Facebook again...

Since being home with the girls, I haven't been the best blogger. Occasionally I get a quick status update on Facebook to record this time with our new family. Here are some of my Facebook posts in the past couple of months:

Home sweet home! 4 kids under 5 is kicking my butt! I'll try and get photos up right after I do 7 loads of laundry, clean up the boys art table, take the extra donations to Goodwill, unpack my luggage, clean a sink full of dishes and kiss the kids a million times...
August 2 at 11:15am

I managed to walk all 4 kiddos to the park today by myself. Of course, my husband had to show me up and then take 3 of them out to a jewelry store downtown in rush hour traffic and to pick up dinner.
Thanks for my 'twin' ring, honey!
August 5 at 7:40pm

I'm pretty sure I forgot to rinse the conditioner out of my hair this morning...yuck!
August 7 at 9:26am

Yea! I washed the conditioner out of my hair this morning and managed to shave my legs (sorry TMI but I've got to celebrate the small victories)! I think it's going to be a good day!
August 9 at 8:59am

I just got 4 sleeping kids out of the car...and they are all still napping! I am ruler of the UNIVERSE!!!!!!
August 19 at 1:39pm

Turned on the CD of Ethiopian music and the girls went happy wild again!
August 25 at 9:45am

Jack is spending his first day without his brother (or mama or papa) at kinder-camp. Logan sobbed on the way home after dropping him off..."I miss my brother...he always cheers me up..."
August 30 at 1:17pm

Just taught Bri to drink from a sippy cup finally! Hurray for small victories that make mama's life a teeny bit easier...
August 30 at 4:28pm

Des just worked up her courage (because she is scared of dogs) to get close enough to Marley to...lick her?!?!?!?!?! I guess she figured the dog was always licking her so it was her turn to lick the dog! I haven't laughed so hard in weeks!
August 31 at 5:03pm

Des just said her first non-babble English word...Papa!
September 2 at 7:58pm

Des just signed "help" twice (thereby avoiding two tantrums)! Now if we can only convince Bri to sign anything but "food"...
September 5 at 8:25am

And now, I will attempt to take 4 young kids to the grocery store. Please keep me in your thoughts...
September 7 at 1:30pm

I survived. My 4 kids survived. Not sure the staff and other shoppers will ever recover though...
September 7 at 3:30pm

IAN families rule!
September 13 at 6:16pm

Watching Bri unload their dirty clothes basket piece by piece on to Des. They both seem happy even if one is buried under a pile of dirty clothes...
September 15 at 6:11pm

Logan just fell asleep eating frozen yogurt (yum...Yogurtland!) and wearing his heaviest winter jacket (with a pair of shorts, of course)!
September 16 at 7:17pm

Made the mistake of telling Scott that he was in charge of dinner. He just returned from the store with several cans of spaghettios. Um, yuck! He's no fool...I won't be leaving him in charge of dinner again!
September 19 at 4:24pm

Never thought I'd utter the words "Logan, if you put those dirty underwear on your head you will have to wash your hair!"
September 24 at 6:50pm

Just took a homework break with Jack to witness the amazingly pink lit clouds and the biggest rainbow I've ever seen...gorgeous!
September 29 at 6:47pm

It's 9 and the girls are on their second breakfast. At least they are getting good practice signing "cheese" and "cracker" and "please!"
October 15 at 9:15am

The boys and I just spent 15 minutes trying to figure out what color our skin is...
Logan is the color of apple juice,
Jack is the color of peanut butter and
I'm the color of iced tea.
When Scott gets back from his walk with the girls we'll have to determine what yummy things their skin color matches!
October 15 at 6:11pm

Learning Language

The girls' comprehension is amazing. I can give them specific instructions and they follow them pretty well when they want to. (When they don't want to, they give me a sly smile and keep eye contact as they purposely defy me.) Though they still aren't speaking, they have learned 25+ signs in American Sign Language. C0nsidering that they have been home for less than 3 months and English is their third language, 25 signs seems pretty significant to me. They are a lifesaver in getting across Des and Bri's needs and wants. Here are some of the signs that they use regularly:

please, thank you, I'm sorry, I love you

more, food, drink, all done

hurt, wait, help, sleep, dirty

car, shoes, toilet, book, ball, plane, flower

dog, monkey, cat, fish, bear, bird

I have to admit that I will be over the moon when they finally say "mama" but for now it is amazing to see them pick up new signs every day.

Living life...

I can't believe that I have been MIA for a month. But it's with good reason because instead of writing about life, I've been busy living it. Things are still going well for me...and therefore the whole family. We've had our share of sicknesses lately, lots of doctors appointments and specialists. We are still fine-tuning our schedule and routine with the new school year (and kids at different schools). There are still tantrums and rough days (and always will be). But things were so much worse before that I can barely complain.

Hopefully soon (tomorrow?) I can get some photos and updates on the kids posted. (That is the real reason anyone actually reads this thing, right?) For tonight, I have a much more pressing objective...to get Scott to get me some ice cream...