Announcement

I keep meaning to show you guys our announcement and haven't done so ... we used Less Ordinary Designs ... and she was GREAT! The cost was $16 and she put our pictures and redid the text for us for that price ... wow! And then she gave us the high-resolution file and we printed them as 5x7's at Costco for $.35/each. It was SO much cheaper than buying one from online and it was custom as well. I HIGHLY recommend her...

Here it is ... we love it!

Walking Tall

I was all ready to do the post about Silas hanging out at his aunt/uncle's farm but I shot some video today and figured I'd share that. Video is much better than still pictures, right?

OK, this first one is our big boy walking with his push toy that Grandma and Grandpa gave him when they came down to visit a couple months ago. I honestly didn't think he'd be using it by this time. When Silas came home 3 months ago, he could sit independently but that was it ... he couldn't transition down to the floor yet. Then mama started working with him. Everyday :) He then was able to transition to the floor. Then to scooting on his back. Then to army crawling. Then to get-on-it crawling. Now to walking with a little help. Amazing in 3 months. It's still surreal to me that we've been home that long. How much I could love someone and he love us. I personally don't have any comparison, but I don't see how we would love a child with our DNA any differently. I know some people are worried about that when thinking about adopting ... but, wow, there is nothing I wouldn't do for the guy (includes arguing with his mommy about the best things for him :)

ok, sorry for the tangent ... here's the video (don't mind the tools in the background ... was installing the gate at the bottom of the stairs ... had to MacGyver it ... since it's railings on both sides, I didn't want to drill holes so I cut down some 2x4's, stained them, and zip-tied them to the posts and then screwed the gate into those).



OK, the next video is from dinner tonight ... the boy was in rare form tonight. Amber got up to take her dishes to the sink. She started dancing and Silas thought it was SO funny! Amber would have killed me if I video her so I just kept it on Silas. Try to not smile while watching this one...



Amber then got us some chocolate ice cream for dessert. I think you can tell our boy LOVES it.



Finally, he's so happy to get out of his seat after eating ... can you tell?



OK, will try to get the other pictures up soon. I also have to get the rest of our trip to Ethiopia documented ... sad it's been 3 months and still don't have that done :(.

11 months!! ... and counting ribs....

I can't believe our boy is 11 months ... I've been thinking recently about all the "I can't believe..." thoughts I have ... there's a post in that somewhere ... I still gotta get pics up from Silas visiting his Uncle Paul & Aunt Amy's farm ... hopefully this weekend...

ok, 11 things we love about my boy...

1) Your infectious smile. Strangers will tell us that your face just lights up when you smiles.
2) How you go down in his crib for nap/bedtime with no crying/etc. And when you wake up, you'll just play/hang out in your crib for a while. When you start jabbering, we know it's time to go get you.
3) How well you're doing at the babysitter. Mommy started back to work last week (2 days/week) and a friend from church is watching you and you're doing real good there.
4) When I walk through the door, you smile real big and crawl up to me. There is NOTHING better.
5) Your 4 front teeth. It's fun to watch you learn that you can use them to break up your food.
6) How much you're bonded to us. If one of our friends/stranger-to-you holds you, you'll reach for us or make sure we're always in your view.
7) Your all-boy nature. You have no fear; you would rather climb over rather than around anything. You will push boxes up to our ottoman coffee table so that you can climb on the box to climb on top of the ottoman.
8) Food ... you're not a fan of baby food anymore ... you want the REAL stuff. You especially love black beans and chicken.
9) You love your sleep ... you sleep ~2 hours in the morning and afternoon and then sleep 11-12 hours straight overnight. However, you put yourself in some weird positions and will cry in your sleep because you get 'stuck' and can't move where you want.
10) You are such a trooper getting your vaccinations and taking your TB medicine
11) Your love for all types of vehicles. This includes trains. I could see a train-themed room in your future ... with a train going around your celiing. OK, that may be more for daddy :)

Silas, we love you. I can't believe we saw your picture the first time over 7 months ago and that you've been home 3 months. We can't imagine our lives without you.

Here is Mommy counting your ribs tonight ... I think you enjoyed it!

New Teefers!

I have a good post with great pics to do for the rest of last weekend but, well, I'm tired and don't have the motivation...

But, I wanted to leave you with a pic Amber took yesterday of our boy with his 2 new top teeth ... boy is getting SO big!

A fun day with fellow AGCI families

We drove up to Indiana last night to visit Amber's family. Well, we had the honor and priveledge of meeting up with 3 AGCI families today at a park. We got to meet this family and this family and this family. The Bogards traveled before us and got to meet Silas and give us back a report on him. The Ausbrooks also traveled before us (they've been home almost 6 months) and Tisha and crew traveled after us and have been home about 7 weeks with their girls. It was an amazing day. Thank you guys so much for driving and meeting us ... Tisha and fam drove 3 hours and the Bogards traveled 2 while the Ausbrooks were "local" or at least within 30 minutes or so. It still blows me away to see how God is using the spirit of adoption to bring amazing families together in ways we never would have known. OK, enough talk, I know ... here's what you want :)



Ausbrooks boy getting his fiber from nature :)

The boys loved the climbing wall

Tisha's girl going down the slide.

Love this picture of Tisha's girls climbing up the slide

Our niece/Silas' cousin holding him

Ausbrooks daughter up on the slide

Girls having fun

Silas checking out all the action ...

The girls LOVED the slide

As someone said on facebook, can you tell who's cautions and who is carefree?

Down we go!

WEEE!

Eli's wanting in on the action

Tisha's crew eating lunch

Cracks me up watching her sister try to figure out how's she's eating that

Silas Bogard came onto the seen right after lunch

Someone wanted her daddy

I love this picture

Almost as much as this one

Silas B is one happy baby!

Daddy and daughter doing for a walk

Eli trying to figure out what he can get into

Monte pulling double duty

Cute picture

And her sister can't be outdone

The boys together ... it's looks like Eli and Silas L are wanting the little play phone Silas B has.

Ball time

All the Ethiopian kiddos together ... I won't mention the "agreement" Tisha had with her girls to have them sit up there ... don't notice a cookie or anything :)

Silas B felt the need to try to put a block on Eli's head

Enjoying her cookie

Love the profile picture

Hey Silas ... great name! :)

Mrs. B made Africa sugar cookies ... yum!

The girls LOVED riding in the wagon ... Amber's sister was pulling them and the faster she went, the more they loved it.

Me and my boy

Family picture time

A Bogard girl loving on another Silas

Her sister needed in on the action as well :)

Thanks again guys for meeting up with us ... it was a perfect day :) Rumor has it we may try to do a large AGCI Midwest/Bible Belt picnic in Nashville next summer if there's interest ... so, any interest?