December was a really good month for us. After over a year and a half of stress, lawyers, and paperwork, our little Miss M's adoption was finalized.
Such joy, and such relief to be done with the process. At a little over a year and a half old, Miss M rules the house. She spontaneously dances to any sound-- the cell phone ringing, the guinea hens calling-- and she is good. One point to nature, because Daniel and I certainly can't nurture dance, we are painfully awkward. She loves to stay up late and sleep in, her favorite food is pineapple, and she lives in her red rubber boots and a tutu. For some reason even though she can say 'mommy,' she prefers to call both me and Daniel 'daddy.' I answer to it :)
We celebrated Lu's one year birthday a few days later...
Everyone goes crazy over her eyelashes. Lu is an interesting mix of independence and clinginess at this age. She does not like strangers, but she doesn't really like to be held or cuddled by us either. She wants to be on the go, exploring and putting everything in her mouth. Her favorite thing to eat is paper. She is a bit of a klutz, falling over and banging into things all the time. I desperately hope she outgrows it, because she is also totally fearless and will fling herself off the couch with glee, leaving us frantically grabbing for an arm or leg. I predict a future of trick horse riding and emergency room visits.
And Kobe came to visit over Christmas.
Random picture, but one of the few I have where his face is not a total blur because this kid never stops moving. He's 3 1/2 now, and goes to pre-school where he lives with his family, which frankly must be the saving grace for them, because at the end of the day Daniel and I would collapse in an exhausted stupor from trying to keep up with him. He is a smart little guy, and remembers everything about living with us. As soon as he walked in the door he started begging to milk the cow. Daniel took one side of the udders, and gave Kobe the other, and Kobe would sit there patiently and slowly milk, getting a cup or 2 of milk all by himself. Then he would carefully carry the little bucket in to show me. Daniel loved to point out to everyone that Kobe is already a better milker then I am.
(which is pure strategy on my part-- if I don't know how to milk then I can't be out there at 6am milking, right??)
