Happy Halloween

Have a safe and happy Halloween!

Trick or Treat

Last night was trick or treat in our neck of the woods.  Yes! Yes!!  I know it wasn't Halloween.  Around here trick or treat is rarely on Halloween night.  It is a tradition that I am still not used to.  Trick or treat can't happen on Wednesday because of church, Friday because of football, or Sunday because of church.  Therefore if Halloween falls on any of those days we trick or treat on a different day, usually on Thursday.

Unfortunately, Nugget didn't get to venture out for his first trick or treat.  We weren't planning on taking him to many houses, only a few of our friends here on our street.  We didn't go, because Nugget was running a fever and had a cough.

It didn't bother Nugget at all!  In fact he enjoyed passing out candy ~ probably more than he would have had we taken him trick or treating.

Nugget and I had to mix all of the candy.  (We have a LOT of trick or treaters!)

In the beginning Nugget watched from a distance while Daddy passed out candy.

Soon Nugget was watching a little closer.

Then he and Daddy seemed to have a conversation...

I think Nugget was telling Daddy he wanted to escape.

The night was getting colder, so on went the hood.

Before long Nugget wanted to help pass out the candy!

I'm glad Nugget enjoyed passing out candy!

Enjoying Indian Summer

On Sunday the weather was absolutely beautiful here in Kentucky.  Big Bear, Nugget and I were playing around in the front yard and I HAD to snap some pictures.  Nugget was so cute.  Here are a few of my favorites.

Nugget loves to run ~ every where!

This one is my favorite!

A Little While Later...

After all the warm fresh air the boys were hungry for a snack.

Later that night.

After dinner Nugget had his first cupcake.
I think he enjoyed it!  

Questions

Over the last few months people have been asking many questions about Nugget, such as where is he from? or does he eat a lot of rice? and even are you his maw maw? Yes, someone really asked me if I was Nugget’s grandma! I’m letting that one go, letting it be free. Otherwise I’ll be depressed for a month! As for the rice comment ~ ignorant!

Moving on…

The most common question that I have been asked over and over since we’ve been home with Nugget is, “What is his special need?” This question has come from people within the adoption community, but I have also had non-adopting adults ask, “what was wrong with him?” Huh?!?

A few months ago the three of us were in Wally World when we met a couple with a four-year-old boy from China who clearly had had a cleft lip. The mother of the boy asked what Nugget’s special need was, and when I told her that he didn’t have a special need she couldn’t believe it. She slapped her husband on the arm and said, “they got a healthy one!” (not kidding) Then she wanted to know how we did that? The more we spoke with this couple the more irritated I became. I simply passed it off as ‘ignorance’.

Until recently I really haven’t put too much thought into it when someone asked the question. Until we met our social worker on Saturday for the six month interview.

Big Bear and I were being asked the typical questions at the beginning of the interview:
· Where is he from?
· How old is he?
And then it came:
· What is his special need?

It caught me off guard when I was asked this question.  On one hand t is understandable that people may think because Nugget is a boy from China he has a special need. I understand that it is more common to have a boy with a special need from China, but it also makes me a little sad for Nugget. Sad that people automatically think that the only reason he is home with us is because he has a special need.

Non-special needs boys are rare, but there have been more adopted in recent months. In our travel group there were two boys - both are healthy non-special needs boys. Our guide told us that she is seeing more boys being adopted internationally.

The next question that inevitably comes when I reply that Nugget does not have a special need is, “how did you do that?” Everyone, including our social worker, wants to know how that happened.

I don’t know how it happened. The only thing we did was write EITHER on our application where it asks if we would prefer a boy or a girl. The rest of the story had absolutely nothing to do with me.

I am sure the questions will continue. Some questions will make me think, they may irritate me, or even stop me in my tracks. When the insensitive/irritating questions come up I have a choice; I can walk away or I can choose to take the opportunity to educate. Hopefully, I will also teach Nugget how to handle such situations in a positive, productive manner.

We're Still Alive and Kicking

Sorry for the missing posts.  September and October have been crazy months.  Ryan and I have caught a virus that we seem to keep passing back and forth.  It's not been fun.  Thankfully, Nugget has not gotten the virus.  He was in teething misery for a little over a week.  The poor guy cut three teeth last week.  Oh the slobber that comes out of this little guy!  We are changing his shirt three times a day!

A couple of weeks ago my computer decided it was finished.  I shut it down one day.  A day or two later I tried to turn it back on and it won't come back, it's dead, finished, done, kaput!  I need to have someone look at it.  I haven't had the time to unhook it and take it to my computer guru.  Could it be that I subconsciously keep forgetting to unhook the computer?  I am secretly hoping Santa will have an extra Mac Book in his bag this year.  (Hint! Hint!!)

Nugget is doing well!  He is starting to say words.  Even his babble has changed.  Nugget is starting to roll cars on the floor and he'll say, "Vroom, Vroom".  It is too cute!  Too quickly my baby is becoming a little boy!

Yesterday Nugget had his 18 month check up (I can't believe he is already 18 months old!).  After running a few earrands, Nugget and I stayed home the rest of the day.  It was nice to have the extra time to do some chores around the house.  While I was vacuuming out Nugget's high chair I looked up to check on him and I saw this:

Nugget picked up the end of the vacuum and started to help Mama -he calls me Mama and I LOVE it!  I know the picture isn't great.  The only camera I had handy was my phone.  I could not let this moment pass.  It is too dang cute!

Hopefully I will catch up on posting ~ no promises with the busy holidays fast approaching.  I sure wish time would slow down, just a little bit!!