Monday, November 2, 2009

21 Months Old


Ellie Tsion is now 21 months old! That seems too close to "two" for comfort. Well, she's already acting two (if you know what I mean) so I guess it's all relative. Here are 21 things that clearly paint a picture of our girl:

1. She's loud. L-O-U-D, loud. As in, louder-than-her-brother-loud.

2. She prefers to use a rich vocabulary: NO! NOOOO!!!! NOOOOOOOOO!

3. She is quite the dare devil. Just tonight she jumped over the back of the couch. She climbs up the jungle gym and prefers to try and flip herself over the side.

4. She has finally given up her nap time bottle.

5. She continues to eat like a house. Her most frequent request being "DEESE" (cheese).

6. She loves to mimic anything her momma does: iron, cook, applying make-up, putting on lotion, etc.

7. She has a standard way of greeting new people: she holds up her leg and points her shoe in their direction and says "SUE" (shoe). And, she WILL remember those who make a big deal about her shoes and stalk them repeatedly each and every time she sees them to model her "sues".

8. She has a strong affection for Elmo, dolls and Jack (from Jack's Big Music Show). And her Daddy obliges her. Wrapped. Around. His Finger. Already.

9. She is quite opinionated about her clothes. If I pick out something that doesn't suit her, she will chant "UP, UP, UP" for me to hold her up in her closet and SHE will tug on what she wants to wear. Heaven help us now.

10. We often refer to Ellie as Sassy, Miss Priss, Belle-Belle and Belly Girl.

11. Brushing teeth is one of her favorite past times. She screams bloody murder when we take her toothbrush away.

12. We promise she still has an Ethiopian accent some times. Like when she say okay ... it sounds like "Ahhh-kay". Just yesterday I had walked into the other room and heard her behind me saying "Ahhh-kay" and really, really thought for a second it was Tegist, the director of the Baby Home where she lived.

13. When she's really, really elated she'll shrug her shoulders up, shudder with excitement and purse her lips. It's too, too cute.

14. Ellie is fascinated by the big boys her brother plays with on our street in the afternoons. We take out girly toys so that she'll have something to play with, too, but most days she is content running after them, trying to get on the bikes and digging for snails. Tomboy?

15. She now cries when we fix her hair in the mornings. And lets big crocodile tears slide down her cheeks. I can't decide if it really is hurting or if she's practicing for her teenage years. I think it's the latter.

16. Ellie had her first day of Mother's Day Out this week. She jumped right into her teacher's arms and never looked back. Not even once. Kenny and I had to pick our chins up off the floor. The teachers said she didn't cry all day. Not at all. She did ask for her Daddy at nap time. And, she is quite proud of her lunch box ... carries it like a purse!

17. Belle-belle girl is sleeping through the night but really enjoys giving the house a wake up call around 5:50 or 6 a.m. which provides perfect Daddy-daughter bonding time. ;)

18. She prefers "Top 40" music - you know, Beyonce, Britany, Kelly Clarkson, Taylor Swift and the like. Throw in a little rap and she's really bouncin'.

19. Girlfriend is wearing a size 18-24 months or 2T in most clothes. I think she is nearing 30 lbs as her last well baby check-up was at 18 months and she weighed a little over 28 lbs. However, we think she's loosing her baby belly. And that makes me sad.

20. Her disposition, albeit spunky and sassy, is still the sweetest and most agreeable of a toddler I've seen in a long, long time. She smiles, she laughs, she knows how to give others a hard time in a joking manner. She is the exact amount of joy we needed in this family.

21. Some day, this sweet daughter and sister, will make one, wonderful little servant. Maybe a mommy. Maybe a wife. Maybe a teacher or nurse. But it's so evident she enjoys helping others.

Tuesday, September 15, 2009

Airport Day

This past Sunday was airport day for our family! We had the privilege of welcoming the orphanage director from Ellie's previous home in Ethiopia; she (and her husband) are here in the states on business. Words cannot even begin to express the immense amount of love we have for Ms. Tegist. Want to see what a servant of Jesus looks like? It's her. Want to see what a defender of the hopeless and homeless and orphaned look like? Look at her. I won't even begin to describe all she has done for our family, our daughter and our daughter's birth family. But we, the Wade's, will feel forever indebted for her faithfulness.


After Tegist's arrival we welcomed home sweet baby Maya Sitota - one of Ellie's former roomies! You can check out her family's blog here . There is something so magical about welcoming these families home - maybe it's just because I've been there. But I doubt it.


As we got in the car to come home, I was really quiet and just sad. I went from the high of seeing the miracle of an orphan being united in a forever family to the immense and heavy sadness that she is just one. Only one. I felt defeated. I felt helpless. I felt almost angry as I replayed the new count of babies and children sitting back in the orphanage that both Maya and my daughter once lived.

Why? Why? I won't go into the big philosophical debate that played through my mind that afternoon, night, yesterday or today. But I will tell you that I have complete faith and hope that each one of those precious babies and children left behind will be matched with their forever families. I have to believe that their families are out there. I have to believe that even though I can't bring them all into my family, God will provide families for them.

Could it be your family? Have YOU ever entertained the idea of adoption? Have YOU ever thought about it? What's holding you back from taking that next step? Check out this site.

Saturday, September 12, 2009

Yellow Belt

Today Garrett tested for his Yellow Belt! He has been beside himself with excitement all week about this special event. We are so proud of the boy!



Waiting with a BIG smirk on his face


Staring the belt down - it's almost his!


Mr. Ortega removing the white belt...


Mr. Ortega tying the new yellow belt on...



Garrett and Mr. Ortega bowing (I'm sure there is a more official word but I can't remember)



Student and Teacher


Monday, September 7, 2009

Not so itty-bitty anymore...

Today we are having a jammie day in honor of the Labor Day holiday! As we were doing some chores around the house, Garrett decided to get all of his pillows and blankets out and pretend like he was sleeping. Of course, Ellie had to go "night-night" too - except she felt it appropriate to gather up her babies and blanket and get in the BABY bed - not hers - her baby doll bed. She was SO insistent that she could make her 27 pound self fit - it was hilarious to watch!

And for those of you who always ask "Did you get her hair cut" - now you can see that when sweet girl is all-natural (how do you spell that - sounded out all-natur-al?) her hair is quite long and frizzy and kind of Kramer-ish!

Monday, August 24, 2009

FIVE

A look back through the past five years with Mr. Man .....








Happy birthday, love!

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

Monday, August 10, 2009

18 Months


Ellie Tsion is 18 months old! When her pediatrician handed me her "toddler" packet I honestly thought she gave me the wrong one; I mean, I didn't realize we had a toddler! I still was envisioning Ellie as my baby.

Ellie continues to grow and thrive each day. She is walking and running much more steadily and talking up a storm! When we are at home she is just about the loudest thing you've ever heard - squealing and yelling and telling us all about everything! Most people don't believe us because out in public or in new situations, she is quite shy and almost whispers. But, ask friends and family who chat with us on the phone and they'll tell you they can hear Ms. Ell chattering away in the background. That or she'll steal the phone away and talk FOR-EV-ER. Her favorite phone buddy is Pop right now; I think he is THRILLED to finally have a little one to chat with him each day when he calls since Garrett hasn't ever been much of a phone talker.

Some of our favorite Ellie phrases right now are:

"Up-uh" = up

"Dow-nuh" = down

"AAAAA" = any live animal (go figure!)

"Ah-duh" = all done

"Heh-puh" = help

Of course there are all of the other slew of words but those are the ones we hear most often and the loudest!

Ellie is very much into playing whatever her big brother is playing. She also LOVES to be read books or will sit still and look through piles and piles of books on her own. Oh, and don't forget the numerous babies - our sweet girl definitely has a nurturing, mothering side to her! It's amazing how differently little boys and girls play.

We continue to be in awe of Ellie's transition and growth since arriving home three and a half months ago. Never in our wildest dreams could we have imagined what we were missing until we met and fell in love with our sweet, sweet girl.