Not a baby anymore.

According to my boys...2 is a toddler.
"0 to the-day-before-you-turn-2 is a baby."
So Neve is officially a toddler.
By their definition.
Not to her Mommy......that's for sure. 
She will always be my baby. 

Always.

BUT, she's been talking in full sentences for months now.
She corrects the boys, and is quite articulate in her demands. 
"No, Mommy.  I watch Do-a. NOT Clippard!!!"
...............Pardon me, Madam.

I'll bet we could get her potty trained soon...she is smart enough. 
But I'm not ready. ;) 
...Having potty trained 4 kids in the last 4-5 years I just need a break. Sure, diapers stink, BUT there's an ease about taking a kid to the store in a diaper.  No frantic running to the nearest nasty public toilet.

Neve loves to dress up like a Super-Hero.
She wants to sit and watch MegaMan or Ben10 with the boys too.
She will run down the hall with a tutu on yelling "HEY BOYS...I A PRINCESS!!!" but freak out now if I try to put her in a dress and tights (of course you know I still do.... ;) ).

We've go no other references to Princesses here though...no Disney dolls lurking about.
Just that loudmouth Dora.
...I can hear her on the TV now "COME ON BOOTS!  LETS GO ON AN ADVENTURE!!!!"
(Did YOU hear that over there?  I'm certain our entire neighborhood can even with the volume at a minimum.)

My girl is not a fan of veggies in general.  Unless she's drinking my plant-based protein shake...then she'll get her daily dose. ;)
She LOVES meat though... Golly...she can put the twins and Megersa to shame at times. 
She also loves cheese and peanuts.......oh and all things sweet. 

She's sweet as pie.  Seriously....she oozes cuteness.  From that blonde bob to her chubby feet, I cannot. get. enough. 
Recently, she has taken to "helping" me wash the dishes. 
Do I end up having to change her sopping wet outfit every time?  Yes. 
But can I resist her bringing her little black stool up to the counter and asking to help? No. I cannot.  Because I am in love with her. 

While that girl looks not one thing like me, she reminds me so much of me in her personality.  A tomboy at heart that appreciates the girly things in life.  Daring, but somewhat timid...sassy but sensitive. 

The Italian word for snow is: neve.
It hasn't snowed on any of her birthdays yet, but she is just as bright and radiant as it is.
I wake up every morning with anxious anticipation of how she will affect my life each day. 
I am captivated by her beauty and charm.

The big guy

Cale is by far and away the biggest. 
I feel like Megersa will most likely end up the smallest of the boys when they're all done growing...with the twins it's a toss up.  Shep has always been taller than Thad, but now he's got poundage on him too.  I suspect it'll stay like that unless Sheppy defies all odds and becomes interested in athletics at some point... ;)

But back to Cale.
He's 7.5 and is already up to my chest in height.  He's a little less than half my weight.  For now that seems manageable, but when he outgrows me it'll feel weird! 
But...I'm fairly confident that they all eventually will, even Neve.
...He's mature enough as 7-year-olds go.  He can do most tasks I ask him to...he's great at fetching things helping me out, and is usually pretty willing. Recently I've allowed him to chop up veggies with a real knife. (I know, I know!!  But those Master Chef Jr kids are babies and they're preparing gourmet meals...I gotta be a part of that somehow!!!!) 
He's been my Mother's helper for years now.  I almost forget what it was like to have 1 kid.............

Oh, sorry...I started daydreaming. ;)
What is Cale into now?
His top 3?
1. SOCCER.
2. Soccer.
3. Soccer. 
Wait...those aren't different to you? Humph.  I get the feeling Cale feels like everyone should possess the same drive he does. BECAUSE he loves it, so should everyone...and with the exact same intensity.  That's reasonable, right? ;)
He played on his first real team this past summer/fall.  And while it got kinda annoying the season had it's share of challenges - practice/games 3x a week and away games up to 45 min from our house, this kid was GUNG HO.  ....and he gained quite a bit of knowledge about the sport and ended up one of the top scorers at the end of the season!  I know he can't wait for next year.  I can't wait for the weather to be warmer so he can "practice" outside.  I'm tired of seeing him kick everything around the house.  I should teach him how to kick dirty laundry up into the washer.  ...that'd be nice. ;)

...Okay, okay.  I'll give soccer the top spot.  But a very close 2nd is AWANA clubs.  (Approved Workman Are Not Ashamed....proud of me for remembering that one?  I know Tim was. ;))  His passion and love for learning verses, hearing stories about Jesus and connecting with other kids is inspiring.  This kid is on fire!  He is already this awesome little evangelist.  I kid you not, I've had 4 neighborhood children show up at my door and say "Cale invited us to AWANA...our mom says yes, but can you take us?" He's now providing me with ministry opportunities too.  ;)
I'm so proud of him. I know for sure I was never that outgoing...he gets that from his father.

Last, but not least (by any means) is his love for video games.  Again, insert Daddy here...
Mommy is the best at board and card games...  and I play Mario (provided it's the side scrolling kind), Donkey Kong and some others here and there, so I'm not totally useless as a gamer's mom. ((In fact, I've got great memories of my brother Chet and I playing Streets of Rage 2 and Sonic the Hedgehog.)) ...but nothing like Cale.  He just "gets" games.  All games.  But of course video games are his favorite.  And while some kids are just not coordinated in that area (*cough* Megersa), and that's okay... Cale excels right away.  If the younger kiddos can't get Daddy to play a game for them they will happily watch Cale for entertainment.  Sometimes he asks ME for help...but um... 
Sorry pal... Mommy can teach you to do a lot; but finding/battling/leveling up Pokémon characters is never gonna be one of them. ;)  He eventually figures it out himself. :)

....So there's Cale. 
He's also handsome and polite and sensitive and extremely smart!! 
But because I gushed all over Megersa's post, I thought though I'd keep this post staccato like, as Cale is...
Soccer.
AWANA.
Games.
And done.

blessed

I would say I'm a fair crier. 
I can hold back if necessary, but can pour out the tears if I'm touched by something. 
I must admit I don't often think of Megersa's birth mother.
Not in the deep way God is prodding me to do now.
To pray for her, to allow her into my thoughts and our family even though I don't know anything about her.... and I'm moved to tears.
Well, I do know one thing.  One and only one: she gave birth to my second son.
And I cannot thank her enough for that.
Thinking of her and the decision she made... 
Whatever caused her to have to make that decision, I cannot imagine.  But I'm not sure I would be strong enough. 
To kiss my son or daughter goodbye.
To allow God to finish his story, trusting that there was a family out there that would love him.
I don't know her circumstances. 
I wish I did. I wish I could love on her and send her pictures. 
I wish someday Megersa could meet her. 
But most of all I wish I could thank her for our son:

Our son who has been a Nester for over 5 years now.
Our son who loves to rhyme and excels gracefully at memorizing songs, poems or stories.
Our son who loves playing with his brothers and is careful to play gently with his baby sister.
...Our son who pretends he likes all food not to hurt my feelings and is usually up for almost any adventure provided the atmosphere isn't too hot or too cold.

And with the chaos of life and the support and acceptance of our family as is, I often forget we are even considered "different" by normal family standards.
Sometimes he's so like my other children I often forget what sets him apart.
Well, I see it. I see his beautiful dark face, his perky nose, and his crazy old man eyebrows (that are so distinctly him).  ...His long thin arms, legs and torso...covered in the most beautiful chocolate skin.  I know he needs different hair care products and requires a good slathering of cocoa butter daily....
But he has a history and a past that is uniquely his own as well.
Sometimes when I look at his face I wonder what his first mother looked like.
I would bet good money he got his beauty from her. :)



First picture we ever saw of him......and roughly 5 years later:

"different"..."unique"..."interesting"..."unusual" - whatever kind of family label we get.
I do know that his adoption in our lives makes us most of all, blessed.