Appetizers

The tidbits to munch on before I post about our wonderful Thanksgiving trip to visit Jason's parents (because I have to download photos):

1. It was a really wonderful trip. And Jason only lost $100 gambling in Mesquite! Which, coincidentally, is all he brought to lose gambling. Mind you, I won more than I lost...

2. My "profits" will be buying a new pair of shoes (pathetic though they are--you just don't win much at $5 Blackjack tables when you're only starting with $100)

3. I'm back on antibiotics. For pinkeye this time (but it's bacterial, not the viral that I thought I had (but didn't) several weeks ago). Thank goodness for doctors who will call in antibiotics prescriptions from 2000 miles away on a Sunday morning so that I didn't have to get on the plane in so much pain. And thank goodness for antibiotic eyedrops that work quickly enough that I could open my eye without wincing in (too much) pain within a few hours.

4. This is the third time I've been on antibiotics in a month. It's really sad.

5.
I read this:





And this:

over Thanksgiving. Must go get Eclipse and Breaking Dawn tomorrow. Who's up for the movie of Twilight? I know I'm late to the party, but I'm here and would love to go see it. The books are mighty compelling.


6. I have heard from several friends from the past in the last few weeks--and feel absolutely thrilled! I hope that you're all here and reading, and will keep in touch!

7. We lost our diaper bag sometime in the last few weeks and realized it right before we left for Thanksgiving. This wouldn't be a big loss but for the fact that my soft-backpack carrier for Melkamu was in it. Sigh. I will be making a new one. It wasn't hard to make or expensive, but it's been so useful and the carrier that I had to use for him in the airports wasn't nearly as comfortable for either of us. But it's still better than traveling with a stroller.

8. OK, I'm off to finish my lecture for tomorrow. This is the last week of classes. Next week comes finals and then I'm done for the semester. I am taking off the entire week after that to do almost nothing and regain my health. I hope.

Melkamu is two years old!

So let me tell you all about my big boy! He's so amazing. He's about 31 pounds and quite tall, only about a head shorter than Patrick. He's growing out of a few of his 2T shirts and the pants fit him perfectly. I suspect he'll be into 3T by spring. He is a bruiser and wants to be in the thick of anything that happens, whether it's the dogs playing or his big brother building with blocks. He wants to play all the time, especially if he can get you to chase him around and tickle him.

He's quite the toddler as well! Melkamu apparently realized that he was about to turn 2 and has been ramping up the production of important toddler phrases. Instead of shaking his head, now he says "No!" while shaking his head. This morning I heard the first "I do it!". And from the "mmmmmmmm" that comes out when he grabs something, I know that "Mine!" is not far behind. But along with those come the heart-melting ones, like "Up!" when he wants to be held and "Luh yu" (if you ask him to say "I love you"). He uses his strength to give incredibly strong and heartfelt hugs, and never fails to blow kisses after saying "Bye bye!"

Melkamu has turned into a little reader, which warms his mama's heart as the daughter of a librarian. Lately he insists on having a book in his crib with him so that he can "read" before going to sleep, just like Patrick does. His current favorites are his Elmo bath book, his Elmo lift-the-flaps book, and his Elmo puppet book. And Goodnight Moon. If he wants to hear a book, it's often Goodnight Moon, Elmo, Elmo, and Elmo. There might be a few more but I have to admit, I'm remembering why I was so glad that Patrick didn't fall victim to the siren's song of Elmo. Kamu also found the enormous Elmo doll that Patrick got at one point and has been dragging it around with him nonstop. The birthday card that Grandma and Grandpa M sent had Elmo on it and I had to convince Melkamu to leave it in the car when we got to daycare today--I'd been unable to convince him to leave it at home.

We had a great birthday party for Kamu the other day. It was a little insane but wonderful to be able to celebrate with our friends. I think there were 14 kids. I didn't try to plan games due to the ages of the kids, but they had a great time with the ball pit that was Kamu's birthday present from Bubbi and Grandpa G, as well as all the other toys around here. Today we sent cupcakes to school with Kamu and then went out for Ethiopian food to celebrate his birthday. As always, the people at Meskerem are the best and we had a wonderful dinner.

We got the first picture of this strong and handsome face 50 weeks and 1 day ago

We met this beautiful and terrified boy 8 months and 20 days ago

And today, we celebrated with this incredible angel who has brought so much joy and happiness to our family. He has us all wrapped around his little fingers and we are so happy to have him here with us.

Photos next time, promise

Our camera bit the big one, so our Halloween pictures are on a camera that Jason brought home from work. Unfortunately, it's not compatible with our camera dock and the memory card is too small for the slot on my computer at home, so I have to wait until he brings home the cord. Hopefully he did that today and I can get the pictures tonight.

I didn't believe the election results until I watched McCain's concession speech. Then I bounced around the living room with giddy excitement. I know it was poor manners but I felt such hope at that moment that I couldn't help it. I agreed with Obama's politics way more than I ever did with McCain's, so that makes me happy, and I am so thrilled that my children will grow up seeing that people can achieve their dreams no matter their color.

We just have to change that pesky "natural born citizen" thing in case Melkamu wants to be President. Patrick has already decided against it since he doesn't want to leave home to live in the "big White House." Even though he'd have to be 35 to be there. G-d help me if my sons still live at home at 35.

One of these years Jason and I will be healthy. We miss that. First it was my walking pneumonia that started with an annoying cough at the end of September and was finally diagnosed more than 3 weeks later (because I didn't go to the doctor until then). Then Jason got sick with something that sounded suspiciously like my walking pneumonia, but he never went to the doctor and so we'll never know. Then he immediately got an evil sinus-clogging cold, which I promptly developed and have been suffering with ever since. And now I think I might have viral pinkeye.

The boys have been sniffling and coughing a bit but nothing worse, which is encouraging. I don't know how they're avoiding getting the germs that Jason and I keep passing back and forth, but thank goodness for it.

Happy events and pictures that will soon be posted: Halloween, the shower some of my wonderful friends hosted to celebrate Melkamu, and the birthdays of everyone in my house except me over the next few weeks! Someday, perhaps, we will have a family member whose birthday is not within 2 weeks of a major holiday at the end of the year.

Anyone else feel actively sick about the election tomorrow?

I swear, if I could stick my head under my pillow and just leave it there for the next 36 hours, I would do it. I've never felt so scared about what the future could be in four years if this doesn't go the way I hope it will.

I am so glad I voted last week. The three hours that Patrick and I stood in line in the 40-degree weather were worth it.

And on a related, and somewhat surprising note, no one has either a) keyed my car, or b) stolen my Obama-Biden magnet off the back of it yet! Things in the area around my campus are so bad for those supporting Obama that they've been forced to nail the Obama signs about 8 feet up in trees if they are to have any hope of keeping them.

Just go vote. I know I don't agree with the political views of everyone who reads this, but please go vote either way. Until then, I will be cleaning my house in preparation for hosting my supper club tomorrow night--our theme is "Celebrate America!"

(Next up will be pictures of the kids in their Halloween costumes, I promise.)