A Nickname for Juliana

I mentioned in a previous post that a little boy had offered to come up with a new blog name for Juliana. He had a whole list of names that start with B. I am hoping his Mom is reading this post so she can help him. Since then I have had a few others offer their suggestions for a blog name.

My blog names were originally intended to keep some privacy in this Internet world. Even though you all know Juliana's real name (after all you voted it), I still think she needs a good blog name. Banana, Bear, and Bophie were actually names we called our little ones but so far none of Juliana's nicknames match the B theme. So here's your chance, add a comment below and let me know your best B nicknames. I will then take the suggestions and put them to a vote.

If you're really creative, you might make a suggestion for a new blog title. I have never felt it was exactly what I was looking for in a title. God-willing there will be more little ones and I am not sure how many more B names I can keep adding before it gets a little out of control.

To add a comment: Scroll to the bottom of the post. You will see "Posted by Nikki at ... " followed by X Comments. Click on the word "Comments", type your comment in the box. Choose a name (if you'd like) or choose anonymous. Then click the "Publish Your Comment" button.

For all you lurkers (you know who you are), feel free to use the above directions to comment on any post. I always enjoy hearing your thoughts!

Yesterday

I had a wonderful evening. I am about 30 pages from the end of the book and I have a whole new perspective on the many blessings I have been given. I was particularly reminded of the necessity of prayer. I keep coming back to the scripture, "Every one to whom much is given, of him will much be required" Luke 12:48.

On a completely different note, Juliana had a one month home check up yesterday. She has gained a full pound and got a bill of good health. All her tests came back normal. Knowing she is truly putting on weight, despite her unwillingness to eat from a spoon, makes me feel better.

In these first weeks home she has progressed from the army crawl to moving out on all fours- that girl can crawl fast. She is able to sit up on her own, to move herself to a sitting position, and is starting to try to pull herself up to stand. She also has incredible flexibility. Sometimes I look at her and think ouch! She is eating anything she can feed herself. She has a particular fondness for graham crackers and ravioli. You can only imagine the mess. The doctor says the fine motor skills required for this task show she is on target developmentally. I took all these things for granted with the older girls.

She is a happy child too. There is always a smile for everyone in the family. She likes to go back and forth between Mom and Dad, not sure who she wants to hold her. She also likes to play peek-a-boo.

I thought perhaps the girls would have more trouble adjusting, particularly Bophie. There has been nothing. No trouble at all. Bophie is my expert bottle shaker and has taken on her big sister role with pride. The only jealousy we have seen is Juliana wanting my attention when holding Bophie, and that is as it should be. When those moments hit, I try to have room for two.

Things have gone so well the girls are already asking when we can go back and get another. Even little Bophie has decided she would like a brother. Although, I could tell when Grandma came yesterday and I left she was apprehensive. "Where are you going, Mom?" she asked with a very stressed look on her face. She was relieved when I said I had a doctor's appointment too and would be home in a few hours.

A Night Off

I have a small confession to make. I don't really want to blog tonight. I had planned on it, I had a couple of little memories I intended to write tonight. However, I had a day full of appointments. My mom watched the girls who were so excited to see Grandma they didn't get good naps (she made dinner too, how spoiled am I?), and dh is at a meeting. So I am going to take advantage of a quiet night, put the girls to bed early, and read this. The author is coming to a Women's Conference in my area and I am gearing up.

The baby's bottle just finished. With any luck the girls will be asleep (or at least quiet) in 10 minutes. Maybe I can even finish the book off tonight... blogging will resume tomorrow.

Anyone Else Do This?

This morning I made myself a cup of coffee. Then I got busy with making breakfast for the crew, then a bottle for the baby, then I checked my email, you get the idea...

An hour later I start to wash the breakfast dishes in the sink and I find a beautiful cup of coffee I have only sipped twice. I take a big gulp, of course by now it is practically iced coffee (those who have visited know how cold I keep the house), so I decide to nuke it. No sense letting a pefectly good cup of coffee go to waste. Into the microwave it goes. While it is warming I have the girls get out their school books, I change another round of diapers, and I run to put in the ponytail I never got to this morning since I was in a hurry to get breakfast started.

I come downstairs and start school. I keep hearing the microwave beep every few minutes, but by now we are so engrossed in fractions and number sentences I don't give it a second thought. I'll get to it after Math.

I finally open that microwave. Mostly I just was getting annoyed with the beeping. There sits my perfectly good cup of coffee-- of course it's cold again. Know what I did? The logical thing of course, I shut the door and turned it on for another two minutes. Then I went to put the baby down for a nap.

I came downstairs to hear the *!#? microwave beeping again, I opened it to find that same cup of coffee-- COLD.

I give up.

Appreciation

I'm downstairs folding the 8 millionth load of laundry which happens to be socks and king sized sheets, two of my least favorites to fold. Bear is reading a book upstairs to Bophie who will hopefully cave in and take a nap. While folding, I am trying to keep Banana on target with the math worksheet she has already been working on for an hour, and trying to entertain Juliana until I finish.

Bear yells down "Mom, are you busy?"

I respond, "Yes, sweetheart, do you need something?"

Bear comes down the stairs into the kitchen, Banana looks up from staring into space (note she did not look up from the math page), she says to Bear "Moms are ALWAYS busy."

Bear's response, "Mom isn't busy very much, she's on the computer."

Can you guess which of those girls is my favorite today?

Four Wishes

To set the scene, it was noon on a school day. Books were moved aside to make room for a quick lunch of leftover Mexican casserole from the night before. I am a little frazzled from yet another set of hoops we have to jump through for this adoption. Believe it or not, there is still MORE paperwork. My mind is racing from one thought to the next. What are we going to have for dinner? Is it time to put in another load of laundry? What subjects do we have to complete today? Do I have everything ready for these subjects? You get the idea...

My thoughts are interrupted by an endlessly chatting eight-year-old. "Mom, if you could have 4 wishes, what would they be?" Live-in maid, laundry service, private tutor, and a personal assistant come to mind ... Instead I casually reply "Boy Honey, I 'd have to think about that. " I go back to those never-ending thoughts of what I must get done.

"I know what I'd wish for." I push the thoughts away and listen to her list.

1. "A new baby." I am touched by the sweetness of a girl who not ten minutes ago was fighting with the sister she has over who got which cup. Still, Pope John Paul once said the best gift you can give a child is a sibling. Who am I to argue with the Pope?

2. "To never throw up again." I can understand that one. I wonder if she realizes that her first request most likely dooms me to several months of queasiness and throwing up daily?

3. "To go to heaven." See, there is some Religious Education occurring. She has a great CCD teacher (her dad). Even if it wasn't number one on her list, at least it made the cut.

4. "To have this for dinner each night." What better words can a mom hope to hear? Even the leftovers were good.

Later that evening, I wanted to hear dh's 4 wishes. So we asked him. The response, "Four more wishes of course." Give the man an inch, he'll take a mile.

A Belated Birthday Aunt M

Not that I am making excuses for not getting this out on time... Ok, I am making excuses.

I wanted to get a good picture of the girls with Aunt M while out for her b-day dinner. Unfortunately, Banana wasn't feeling well. It was also my first experience at a restaurant with all four girls. I need a little experience just getting everyone situated and fed before trying to add picture taking to the mix. So here is an old picture of Aunt M.... not that I am calling her old or anything.

Here's hoping your birthday was a good one!