Nicky on February 13th, 2010

One thing that parents have to be aware of when we adopt transracially is that our family becomes conspicuous.  Anonymity does not exist for us anymore, unless we go out without our kids, of course. Then we just - blend.
I think every family in this situation has some variation along the theme, but we do [...]

Continue reading about the 1000+ questions

Nicky on February 2nd, 2010

Of course all of you who have kids know this, but I feel like venting anyway.
Sugar has a snotty nose and what appears to be the early onslaught of an eye infection, so she’s bullish and indifferent this morning.  Spice had a bad dream last night and didn’t seem to sleep well after.  She’s whinging [...]

Continue reading about It isn’t all bliss

Nicky on January 28th, 2010

Jrock clipped this out of the paper for me.  Ya think he’s making fun of me?
(Not wanting to risk copyright infringement, I linked to the original on the artist’s blog.) 

Continue reading about My husband’s idea of humour

Nicky on January 7th, 2010

I’d like to take a bit of your reading time and talk about how our attachment and relationship growth has gone with the girls. I think a bunch of you will be interested, especially our family, and all our readers who have or who are waiting to adopt kids.
We’re almost at the 6th month mark [...]

Continue reading about Daddy to Ababa, Mommy to Mama

Nicky on November 2nd, 2009

When Jrock ad  set out on our “Adoption Journey” we started going to seminars, doing our homestudy homework, and I read a ton of books on parenting.  We had a lot of discussions, mostly in our car on long trips, about our approach as parents and how we were going to handle certain situations.  We [...]

Continue reading about Attachment Parenting Ain’t Easy

Nicky on October 25th, 2009

A friend gave us a book (”The Baby Whisperer for Toddlers” - bad name, but good book) and inside was a small section on values-based parenting.  Well, in the work I do we also use a lot of value-based planning and value-based management.  In fact,a book that was very helpful to get our relationship off [...]

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Nicky on September 21st, 2009

We had a quieter week - which is good because I have bronchitis (the nasty cold I caught on the plane home that just got worse and worse…) and Jrock is suffering from a nasty cough too.  We take turns sleeping on the sofa because if one person isn’t coughing like crazy the other one [...]

Continue reading about Gardening and the Nut Farm

Nicky on September 7th, 2009

You’ve seen pictures and a little description of meeting the girls for the first and second times at the transition home, if you’ve been following the blog.  But here is a little more.
The first day we went to the transition home, I wasn’t sure what we would find, considering the food situation and everything.  But [...]

Continue reading about Meeting the girls

Ena on August 18th, 2009

Here are a few of my favourite pictures from Gramma’s camera. They aren’t necessarily the best pictures, but the ones that made me pause…that show my sis being a mom (so cool), that show a little about the girls’ personalities, and that just made me go “Awwww….”. I can’t wait to see the pictures of [...]

Continue reading about More pics from Gramma (Ena’s faves)

Nicky on August 9th, 2009

Howdy to all our Canadian friends!! A big thanks to K and M&D who sent Jrock some pics, and K - I got your CD.  Thanks so much!  R in the Nth Ok - we dropped off your package and it got into he right hands
 
So Jrock arrived 2 nights ago - and boy [...]

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Nicky on August 4th, 2009

Hello everybody! from Ethiopia.  We’re just finishing up our third week in Addis - and Mum is off tonight on the plane.  She’s been a wonderful help - it’s been hard for her to be hands off with the kids (although I see her sneaking a kiss now and then!) but she’s been a trouper [...]

Continue reading about Update from Nicky

Nicky on March 3rd, 2009

Many of you have found your way to My Bookstore - and several people have sent me emails/comments tahnking me for suggesting adoption and Africa-related books.
Recently I added a couple more sections to my store - focussing on themes that are important to me as an individual and as a parent: Nature, Wellness, Creativity, Environmentalism and [...]

Continue reading about More Selection in My Bookstore

Nicky on December 17th, 2008

The other day I picked up a organizer case at the dollar store for all the girls combs and headbands and elastics.  I was showing them to Jrock last night and he said “what about beads?”
   
 
So we went to my friend Shelley’s hair care website, Sharuba, and picked out a whole bunch of snaps [...]

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Nicky on December 12th, 2008

Ah, the clothes shopping for little girls.  It is just AWESOME, I have to tell you! 

And, it’s pretty addictive.  Today, Jrock examined the treasures laid out on the bed (and yes, these are just todays’ - remember I am shopping for two! - and shrugged and commented “you know, they aren’t going to arrive any [...]

Continue reading about I swear I am done now.

Nicky on November 21st, 2008

Some things are a little different preparing for babies coming home through adoption vers from the hospital.  For one thing, the kids aren’t a reliable size.  You don’t know how far along they are in their development - and, you need to be prepared for the darndest things.
Let’s start with the darndest things! One our [...]

Continue reading about Preparing the darndest things