Got Lobster?

A big shout out from Mekonen to Grandma Judy and Miss Sue all the way in Kennebunkport, Maine!

Mekonen says he can't wait to try his first lobstah (as they say it in Maine).

We love and miss you!

Spring Bunnies

While I was visiting my family in PA, Mekonen and his two cousins Natalie & Jane made these bunny crafts. They were very excited about them. Of course Mekonen didn't have a clue what was going on, but we pretended he did.

Natalie cheesin' for the camera. She ALWAYS wears a pink hat, all day everyday! 

Mekonen appearing as if he is putting his bunny together. Really he is about to eat those sparkly yellow strips.

Jane carefully putting the decorations on her bunny. What a big girl.

Mekonen investigating his completed bunny. Then he tried to eat it.

Apparently there is something hilarious about this bunny craft.

And we couldn't complete bunny day without forcing Mekonen to wear these bunny ears at Target. He looks incredibly thrilled!

New Ethiopian Friends!

Last Friday we had a wonderful evening full of new Ethiopian friends. Jon met a little Ethiopian boy named Samuel at the pre-school in the social agency where he works. He eventually met the mom and dad as well. They came here to the states a few years ago. They found out we adopted from Ethiopia and were excited to meet us. They asked us to come over for dinner. We were expecting it to be the three of us, and the three of them. But, we forgot they are ETHIOPIAN! All evening long more friends stopped by. It was such an enjoyable night.

On the drive there we were talking about how we really hope they don't make American food. As soon as we opened the door we knew it was Ethiopian food and BOY WAS IT GOOOOD!!!!! I had been craving it every since they invited us over. YUMMY!

The evening was so relaxed with much laughter and chit-chat. It made us long to be in Ethiopia even more! I truly have never met a more open and friendly group of people than Ethiopians.  All of our new friends spoke English, but there was a beautiful, constant interplay of English and Amharic all night and it made me wildly comfortable. Strange because I don't speak Amharic nor do I understand it. It just felt comforting. It felt right. Maybe it's due to the connection of our son. Maybe it's the way their accent makes the name Mekonen sound. Simply put. It's wonderful.

So, our new friends! (sorry the picture is not very clear).

From left to right: Genet, Me, Ayana, little Samuel, Abinet holding Mekonen, Helmeneh, Yashi, Berhanu, and Kinde

Whoa He's Growing!

Mekonen had his 15 month doctor appointment yesterday. He is growing like CRAZY! He is now 28 lbs 6 oz (he was 26 lbs just two weeks ago!) and is 32.75 inches! He is 90% for weight and 89% for height! He sure is catching up from his 20% back when we came home in August! I think we are going to have one big kid on our hands in the years to come! 

I had several questions I wanted to ask the doctor and with those the question I'm sure we will have with us for quite some time has risen again! Is this adoption related or kid related?

Mekonen really only says about 3 words unprompted. He says "Daddy," "Mama," and "ball." However, we are not sure how much he really uses them correctly. Many times he will use Daddy and it looks like he is referring to Jon and other times he is not. Mama is not so consistent and I don't think he really knows it's me! The only word I know he knows what it means and consistently uses it correctly (even for a non-round ball like a football) is the word "ball." It seemed odd to me that he was only saying 3 words and not seeming to use two of them correctly all the time. The doctor said 3-5 words at this age is normal.

Then the doctor asked me what my next question to him was! He asked how well does he follow directions, such as "Go get your drink." or "Hand it to Daddy." I actually posted about this question on our adoption forum several weeks ago because I have been noticing that he doesn't seem to understand simple directions like that. The directions he does understand took A LOT of repetition and so it seems like he knows them just b/c he's been drilled on them and not b/c he is really understanding.  

But then again, the doctor reminded me of language development. It's been 7 months since Mekonen has been home and he has progressed so much that I forget sometimes how things were before he came to us. He was talking about how in order to learn language you hear and understand first, and then you speak. Mekonen spent the first 8 months of his life hearing Amharic, not English. Then he was thrust into a different environment where he was hearing a completely different language. So really, he still hasn't even been hearing English as long as he did Amharic. The doctor said this is more than likely the reason he doesn't say too many words and why he might not be understanding things super well. But still, as I'm sure most moms do, I worry that I'm not doing something right or well enough to help him along. 

 They are also going to check his hearing again because he is SO LOUD. In the office he was chattering and babbling so loud it was hard for the doctor and me to talk. He asked if he is always this loud and I said, "oh yes. Especially when there is a small crowd, like a large dinner table full of people. He gets louder and louder." So maybe his hearing isn't doing the greatest which could lead to his language development and loudness! So we will see! 
 

Easter!

Our Easter day was a pretty quiet one. The best part was my cousin Jessica came down to Indy from Chicago to spend the weekend with us. Mekonen just loves his Auntie Jess! This year, Jon & I decided not to get an Easter basket for Mekonen b/c we are trying to save some good money and knew he wouldn't really get it anyway, or really eat the candy. But truthfully, I was bummed after Easter was over and I didn't give him an Easter basket and teach him how to do a little egg hunt. Next year is a must! I know Easter day is truly about Jesus and how he conquered death and the grave to give us eternal life. We plan to make that the focus of our Easter celebrations as a family but still want to enjoy some Easter basket candy and an egg hunt. Kids love that stuff.

So Mekonen is at that lovely age of not sitting still for ANYTHING! So a cute little Easter picture of Mekonen in his outfit was not happening. Here's as good as it gets.