$17.39 at Publix gets you....

...all this!


$17.39 US dollars and a few coupons!
If you didn't know Nick's favorite cereal is Corn Pops.

Hide and Seek Part Two

Shared post: mail!

Today the boys got a box in the mail.

I opened the box and quickly took the contents to the kitchen to get a picture before the tot saw what was in it, cause once he saw it there was no picture taking to be had!

He of course followed me into the kitchen and when he saw the side of the box he shouted "MOUSE!!!"

I handed him the box when created a major meltdown cause he wanted "mouse, gooffee (that's how he says it, like coffee) OUT!"

I just couldn't open it fast enough. And really, why the 800 twist ties, and tape, and zip tie... it's a kids toy for crying out loud.
He played with this for a good 10 minutes which is HUGE in the world of a two year old. My favorite part was when he would call out for "OH TOODLES!" and bring the toodles over. Hysterical.
Then we moved on and Bates needed to test out his brother's sock monkeys for him.

Thank you to their honorary Aunt JuJu for this special package.
You made a two year old's day!

A Year Ago post 1

Over the next month, there will be a series of A Year Ago posts.

You see, one year ago today, I was signing a Class B Waiver for Bates.

It was the very last piece of paper our agency needed and this piece of paper set into motion the craziest three weeks that ended with Nick and I in Seoul as PARENTS!

I'll say this a million times but I can not believe it's been a year.... 365 best days of my life!

Hide and Seek

Me, "Where's Bates?
Bates..... Bates..... Bates....."

"Ga ku! (peek a boo in Korean) Hi, Momma!""Shut. Shut."
from inside "Where's Bats?" from a little voice
Silly boy!

When did this happen?

I blinked and my baby is a big toddler.

Good thing that big boy still likes his momma to hold him, rock him, snuggle him, play with him, carry him, and be his best friend. He's a momma's boy through and through.

Hope my boy always wants to be my buddy cause I know I'll always want to be his best buddy!

Wordless Wednesday

I Scream, You Scream, we all scream for ICE CREAM!

It's no secret my boy loves him some ice cream.
He hasn't been able to keep anything down much since Saturday. Tonight he wanted nothing to do with his chicken noodle soup. He ate a few bites of mine and a few chips. I figured I'd try to give him some ice cream.

He's only ever had ice cream in a cup or when I was holding a cone for him. Tonight I gave him his own cone cause I didn't want to share his germs with him.

I handed him a cone and he said "ohhh, cold" so I wrapped it in a towel for him to hold.

Do you think he liked it?








This next picture is so cute, it hurts.
Consider yourself warned....

first ER trip

Last night Nick and I experienced a first in parenting. We took Bates to the ER.

He had been sick since Saturday morning, running fever, coming out both ends and just down right pitiful.

We couldn't get him to keep any.thing down. More was coming out than was going in.

Nick and I stood in Bates room and had that "should we really take him in" discussion. You know, that he's sick, but is he that sick. Will they make fun of us? Should we just wait till Monday and take him to our ped?

The final straw was that he's just so so little. He's been home 11 months and has gained a whopping 3 pounds. I know cause we were just at the doctor on Friday cause I though he was getting sick (and they said he had an ear infection).

So off to the ER we went.

I checked us in at 7 and sat down to fill out the paperwork. I hadn't even finished the paperwork when the lady opened the door and said "Brown". I didn't think it could be us since we just sat down and there was a room full of people, but nobody else moved. So we walked towards the door. I said, did you say Brown. She said Kayle Brown? I told her nope, Bates Brown. She called Kayle Brown one more time and then just said, well, she's not coming so come on back.

We were in and had seen the doctor within 30 minutes! So it pays to have the most common last name in the US!
A chest xray and vitals later, Bates was given a shot of antibiotics for his ear infection (since he couldn't keep his meds down), a dose of motrin and tylenol, and a pill for his nausea. We were sent home with a script for nausea meds. By the way, of those 3 lbs he has lost 1.5 of them since Friday! Back to the weight gain program we go!
Our little monster is feeling better today so I think we are on the way to recovery.

because he's two

Watch me Grow: March

Sunday night we took our Watch Me Grow pictures. I almost forgot, which is why he's in his pjs- he was headed to bed! He wasn't too interested in taking pictures, as you can tell!


Bates is really starting to talk more. Although his teachers at school say he won't talk to them. They will ask him something and he just shakes his head. So didn't get that from me!!!

Some things he says now:

• He'll turn his hands over and say "Where go?" "Where Addie go?" "Where juice go?" "Where Mouse go?" "Where anything go?"
• He has his own words for things that only Nick and I understands. Here' s a brief tutorial.

open= "e bits"
vitamin= "vit tee"

• He still LOVES to watch Mouse in the morning and drink his "juice" and eat "cackers"
• We play a new game at night after dinner before bed. It's called "get, get, get you!" We all three take turns chasing one person around then den. Nick will say "get, get, get Mommie!" and then both run at me. Bates will shout "get get get you" when he gets close. It's a super fun game!
  

He goes to the doctor next week for a weight check. Can't wait to see how much he's grown!

Shared Post: Double the fun

My friend, Jenny totally scored me a double stroller at a consignment sale. I had told her I was on the lookout for one. She texted me when she was dropping off her stuff at a consignment sale a picture of this double side by side red Chicco stroller. It was only $25!!! I told her I would love it and she said she would try to get it for me during the early shop.

Well, she came through! And she got it!!!

I got it today from her today at church. Of course, I need to test it out after nap time.
Bates got his tool box to help daddy take the seat out to wash.

Testing it out. Passes the stand test!
The strap test. Passed.
The recline test. Passed. And check it out, the foot rest comes up for a full recline.

Momma push test. Pass!
I LOVE LOVE LOVE this stroller. And for only $25 can't beat it! We went to Babies R Us tonight and grabbed a little accessory bag for the handles to hold my stuff! Can't wait to have both my boy in it! Man will they be cute, or what?!!?

Korean Adoptive Family Celebration

Last night we headed to the Nashville Korean United Methodist Church. I was so pumped for some traditional Korea food, good company, a fun cultural presentation, and meeting some of my message board friends!

The first on-line friends we met were Ms. Annalee and family. Annalee came home right before I traveled with Rachel to get Charlie, in fact we passed in the air or airport. We tried to take a picture of them together, but they wouldn't corporate until the puffs came out! So sorry none of the pictures have them both looking at the camera, but puffs came first.

I met a few other message board friends, but Bates wasn't getting off my hip which made taking pictures hard. Next year I may just bring a personal photographer with me!

Here's Mr. Noah sporting his cowboy hat! Boy has style!
The star of the evening was Ms. Olivia! We were so excited she was coming, she's only been home two weeks. I love this picture of her for two reasons. 1. She's got some light in those eyes. and 2. My sweet boy took it! He loves taking some pictures!!!
Nick took this picture, sorry it's a little blurry, but Bates and Olivia had a big time hanging out. They even shared some goldfish and Bates let Olivia hold his Mouse (after momma made him and he screamed)
Me and my boy.
After a super yummy dinner we tried to round up some of the kiddos for a picture. Like wrangling cats, I tell you.

Here's Bates sitting by his bud, Niko. Niko's been home a month. Anybody know the outfit Niko has on?

The three amigos!

After dinner and picture time, we headed to the Sanctuary for the cultural program.
Up first, some singing. These kiddos (and their parents) were so good! (And that another message board friend in the white shirt!)
Entertaining a busy two year old.


Then a medley of traditional Korean songs, by the Grace (I think) Quartet. I leaned over and told Nick, they weren't a quartet. They have 6 people.
Then traditional fan dancing.


Then, the highlight of the show, according to Bates. The TaeKwonDo performance.
Look at the attention on his face.
As they were preforming. They would say "HI-Ya". Well, Bates quickly caught on. After they would yell "hi-ya" Bates would shout "Hi-ya!" and either punch or kick. Here's his punch.
And his "hi-ya" and kick.
It was hysterical. He had everyone around him laughing. I mean we were rolling. We couldn't "sshhhhh" him for laughing so hard. I guess as soon as he's old enough this boy will be in TaeKwonDo!



After the performances we grabbed one of the TaeKwonDo girls for a picture. Bates looks less than thrilled, but he did really like her! We talked to her and the director of their portion of the program about enrolling Bates in TaeKwonDo. We want him (and Brodie) to take whenever they're old enough and want them to take from a Korean master. They gave us some places to look into.
We had a fantastic night! We are so blessed to have this opportunity in our back yard. What a blessing this church is to our family!