Thanks for all of the help with the window problem.

I didn't even know there were removable window locks you could buy.

Great idea!

I think Piney understands not to open the window now, but better to be safe than sorry.

When she had opened the window a lot of bugs came into the house and it upset her to see flies and mosquitos flying about. When I told her that they came in through her opened window and we have to keep it closed so that they stay outside, she seemed to take that advice seriously.

She doesn't like bugs and she probably also discovered she couldn't fly...

so hopefully that is behind us.

She is going to be home from school in a few minutes (M picks her up) and I anticipate she will run in as usual,"Mama! Mama! Mama! I'm home! Mama! I'm home! I kept my underwear dry at school, so I get two suckers (holding up 2 fingers)! Then she will climb up on my chair and jump on my back and say "You're all done with computer mama! All done now! All done now! I hungry mama! I hungry!"

And then I will say, "Almost done... just a second..."

But she never takes that as an answer as she pulls me into the kitchen. I realize that giving her 2 suckers for keeping her pants dry at school is TERRIBLE, but I was desperate and 1 sucker wasn't working.

So, then I will try to find her something healthy to eat.

That is a little difficult after TWO suckers.

She usually wants juice- which I have started hiding from her. This kid could drink down a whole gallon of juice if given the opportunity. So if she doesn't see it she will probably give up on the juice and she MIGHT ask for an apple.

I also try to offer her some bread and cheese which usually goes over O.K.

I wish I could give her nuts because she LOVES nuts and they are so healthy, but the package says "Don't Give Nuts To Kids Under 6".

I don't know about that...

SIX? Six seems pretty old to me for choking on nuts, but I guess 6 year olds are still supposed to be in car seats too now.

I don't think any of my boys were still in car seats at six.

I did use this for them though and I felt they were safe.

Of course we don't hardly drive anymore.

Even here, the price of gas has totally spiraled out of control- and when I mean here- I mean we are supposed to get discount gas through the military and it is still $4 a gallon!!

I love to walk with Piney anyway. We get to see the trees and the flowers.

Oh! She is home! Gotta go!

Labels: Russian Pineapple Princess: our adopted daughter

My Child Has An Imaginary Friend

At first all of the talk of Santa Clause around and after Christmas

from Piney was novel and cute...

But recently I have been a little troubled by her incessant talking about Santa when it is five months after Christmas.

And then I realized.

Oh my gosh. Santa is her imaginary friend.

Piney: Santa used to be at my old house all the time. He isn't at this house as much.

Me: Is he here now?

Piney: Yes.

Me: Does Santa sleep with you in your room?

Piney: Yes. He lives in my room.

Me: Really.

Piney: Sometimes I kick him like this.

Me: That isn't very nice.

Piney: Sometimes he gives me high fives.

Me: Really. Hmmmm. Oh Look at this mess. Did you do this?

Piney: No, my Santa Clause did it.

Me: O I see. Who is this Santa Clause? Is Santa an old man?

Piney: No. Santa Clause is a woman.

Me: Is he here now?

Piney: No, not now.

Me: Where did he go?

Piney: He went to a party. He'll be back.

Me: Does he go to a lot of parties?

Piney: Ya. He LOVES parties....

Sometimes the conversations get quite interesting. I think she has had an imaginary friend for a long time- but it is only since Christmas that she gave the friend a name. And how perfect-
a name associated with excitement and anticipation.

The question now is how to handle it.

Any ideas?

Labels: after adoption: difficult child behaviors, Russian Pineapple Princess: our adopted daughter

In a drastic 360 turnaround...

Everything is looking up.

• My sister's 3 yr. old daughter is holding steady after a very long heart surgery. Even though there have been some complications, she is still on the path to recovery and should be out of the PICU in a week. (referenced) Still praying.
• After cleaning the registry and deleting the database I was able to get my computer up and running again and after about 20 more hours I finished my database project.
• My new blog is up and working again. Hooray!
  
• I had an awesome Mother's Day (I hope you all did too!) M made homemade lasagna and cheesecake from scratch. Then he surprised me with a new NIKON!!!!! I just about fainted.
• And Piney is back to her old happy self.... and what does that old happy self look like? Well-as soon as I get the new camera figured out I will give you some visuals, but for now... you need to use your imagination.....

She goes around our house dancing and playing (I am not kidding) AIR GUITAR and singing loudly "OH BABY!!" right up to your face.


A couple of days ago she came to me and said, "Mom. We need to go to the store."

Me: "Why?"

Piney: "You need to buy me a real guitar."

Me: "Aren't you three?"

Where is she getting this ?

Labels: Russian Pineapple Princess: our adopted daughter

I know this post doesn't change the world, but adopting and raising an adopted child is a great thing that can help change the world (what if everybody did it!).

And if you are considering it or have done it, it is truly a labor of love.

Rewarding as it is; however, it doesn't make it easy.
But that is the case with raising all children.

A typical day with Piney starts out with her waking me up.
"Wake up! Wake up! The sun is awake!" she says.

No sleeping in possible. She will literally pull me off the bed if I try to pretend she is a dream.

She usually likes to get dressed right away.

Then she wants to be fed.
"Come on mama! EAT! EAT! EAT!"
She pulls my arm into the kitchen.
I offer her some food.
She says, "NO!" and opens the fridge, "I want that!"
I respond with, "No. You do not open the fridge. I prepare the breakfast. We are having this other thing today. It is what I am serving."
"NO! NO! NO! I DON'T WANT IT!"
I try to give it to her. She refuses to eat it or take it.
I give in because I don't want to have to feed her breakfast again later.
I then call the boys in and serve them the original breakfast.
Since she sees the boys eating the original breakfast she refuses to eat her "special" food from the fridge and wants what they are having.
She throws her "special" food in the sink or in the trash.
When she has finished the food, she wants to eat her "special" food again. Then she wants seconds and thirds and something new.
If I say "no she has had enough" she starts crying. "I hungry mama! I hungry!" - Even though she has just eaten twice as much as everyone else in the family.
This happens in reverse at dinner when she refuses to eat everything we give her (unless it's ice cream).

Often she will say she wants to go somewhere, but when we arrive she doesn't want to go there now.

She asks me to do things all day for her, but when I do she has to do it by herself.

She never lets me bake or cook alone. She always pulls up a chair and insists on taking over.

She tells me what to do and if I do it as directed she says, "Great Job! Give me a hug!" or "Give me a kiss!"

Just like an adult.

She likes to completely take over and be totally in charge. Everything has to be done to her specifications.

It is like having a very demanding boss.

However, I am stubborn and I don't do most of what she asks when she is acting bossy, and when I don't she usually backs down only to try a new approach a few minutes later.

She is a take charge girl. She is smart and she wants things done right, or at least her way.
She has to have the right cup. The right plate. If she wants a whole cookie she will not accept half of it.
The whole cookie or no cookie.
When she sets the table it has to be just so. She thinks about it. She counts the plates.
When she can't do something she has to know why.

If M and I have gone out and we return she runs to us with a big hug. Every time.

If I put lotion on my hands she needs lotion. If I blow dry my hair she needs to do it too. If I put make up on she needs to wear it. If I am using the bathroom, she has to use it. Sometimes she simply follows me around the house.

She loves school and has never had a discipline problem.
She admires herself for long periods of time in front of the mirror. Especially if I just did her hair or put a dress on her.
She is vigilant about wanting to brush her teeth and wash her hands. She picks trash up off the ground. She wants to clean everything. "I want to mop mama! PLEASE! I NEED to mop!"

She also likes to take care of people. She has a lot of imaginary hurts, but she also notices every little bump or scratch I get. She makes a big deal out of it and wants to take care of me. She doesn't like it when I say it is no big deal.

I recently found my Ipod that she took to a secret hiding place in the bottom of the sleeping bag closet. It had been missing for a month.
I find all sorts of strange things in her room.

She is assertive, strong-willed, extroverted and opinionated. Oh and she likes to talk non-stop. Now that she is getting speech services we are starting to understand the talk. I am trying to figure out which was worse.
Since our family is really pretty quiet and introverted she dominates all of us in that area.

At night she has to read me the stories. She usually allows me to read her one book and then she has to read all of the rest.

If I try to kiss her goodnight she says, "No mama! You don't kiss me! I kiss you!"
I stay still for her kiss because I know- It's her way or the highway.

I was thinking about getting this shirt for her.
What do you think?

Does your preschooler act the same way?

Labels: after adoption: difficult child behaviors, Russian Pineapple Princess: our adopted daughter

With all of the world's problems I sometimes get overwhelmed at my helplessness to fix everything...

It felt good to head outside today- it was a beautiful day- I felt so humbled and blessed to be a U.S. citizen. To have everything that I had growing up in a free, developed country...

To be able to give my children what they need to be happy and free.

I am also proud to be a military family.

Our freedoms and blessings exist because of the sacrifice of brave men and women who fought hard for it.

I hope I never take that for granted. (Pics I took today of Piney and Kirby at the park)

Labels: military life, Russian Pineapple Princess: our adopted daughter

Piney's new haircut:

She is now transformed from Medusa's bedhead (see the first before picture) to a hip, happening, modern girl.

Yes, she is playing in the bath tub.

Labels: Russian Pineapple Princess: our adopted daughter

Beth over at a Mom's Life is hosting Miracle Monday.

You can visit her site to read about miracles that are happening in people's lives.

I thought this was a great idea- to share how God is working in our lives.

I thought I would post about our recent experience with Piney.

Piney and I were watching some of her old YouTube videos.

It was fun to watch the videos of when she first arrived home and how much she has grown. She was laughing and smiling at all of them.

However, when I played her the video (below) of the trip when we brought her home she watched mesmerized and then when it was over she started bawling.

Then she made me replay the video for her at least 20 times. She cried through each one.

Then finally, she turned to me and said.

"I done now mommy. I done. My old house was dirty mommy. Dirty. Dirty. This house is clean mommy. Clean. I happy now mommy. I happy now." And she held me and didn't want to let go.

Labels: Russian Pineapple Princess: our adopted daughter

I just couldn't do it. I lasted all day long with no computer or TV until it reached 7:30 PM and then I just couldn't go one more minute or I was going to die. Really I promise. So I had to come in here and get on the Internet and read news about the primary election and now I am blogging.

But I am going to be brief and then I promise to go and read stories to Pineapple and put her to bed. As well as help with last minute homework and get everyone else to bed.

So I wrote this list because I have seriously had people tell me that because Pineapple was adopted at 2 from a Russian orphanage that she will never be as smart as other kids her age. That no matter what I do for her she will always be behind. That is just ridiculous in my opinion. She may have some special needs all her life, but certainly the adoption thing doesn't mean she will always be behind. So here are....

10 Reasons why Pineapple will get a perfect score on her SAT, learn several languages, be president of several clubs, play at least 3 different instruments, be captain of sports teams, get the lead in the school play, retain a 4.0, log 5,000 hours of community service before college, win several awards, and be valedictorian.... (no pressure or anything ha ha).....


1. She waited until Link babysat before she asked for her large box of ribbons, barrettes, clips, bead necklaces and bracelets down to play with and break apart and scatter all over her floor because she knew that neither me, M or Ender would have fallen for that.

2. When she wants to bring her bike into the house she makes sure no one is around and then she props the door open with a shoe so that she won't get locked out of the house and noiselessly pushes it into the apartment.

3. When she goes around diaper-less she makes sure that she carries around a pad to sit on wherever she goes.

4. We may forget to give her a treat when she goes potty, but she never does.

5. She always reminds us that she is going to visit Mickey Mouses house soon and Santa Claus is coming too. Also, if she can't find something like a puzzle piece, she reasures us that Santa Claus will bring it to her soon (because he is coming on Valentine's Day).

6. She realizes that if she claims everything as hers the odds are we will give her some of the things.

7. She figured out how to open the fridge lock and get out the whip cream.

8. If mama says no she runs to papa.

9. She knows if she jumps on mama's back mama might get off the computer

10. Every supermodel and celebrity she sees on magazine covers is always her mama ("Look mama it's you!").

I told you she was smart.

Labels: after adoption: difficult child behaviors, Russian Pineapple Princess: our adopted daughter

Pineapple had a very Happy Birthday celebration!

She is so proud of putting up her three fingers when you ask how old she is.

Her big brother Ender made her a special birthday crown, which she loved of course.

We had strawberry and chocolate cake with ice cream. We had a number 3 candle, but she REALLY wanted to use the Mcdonalds candle she found.


Then she opened her presents. They were bigger than her!

The first gift was from her Grandma (a pretend granny purse- it was perfect for her!)


The second gift was from Margaret.

She sent this bear to Pineapple a year ago, but I have been saving it for the day I felt she was old enough to really appreciate it. It is the kind where you can stuff the bear yourself and insert a little star wish inside, then you can dress the bear up in princess clothes and a hat and wand and everything! She LOVED it!! It was perfect to ride on her pretend horse.


Thank you again Margaret!

The last gift was this. We had purchased this as a Christmas gift, but felt she had too many things, so we saved it for her birthday.

Nothing like being able to ride a bike when it is snowing outside- and it is!

She was so excited/wound up with all of her gifts last night (We celebrated a day early) that she would not go to sleep.
We had to put her to bed 5 times!

----------------------------------------

Labels: after adoption: transitioning successfully, Our 3 sons, Russian Pineapple Princess: our adopted daughter

I just finished putting Piney to bed.

I put her in her warm p.j.'s and cuddled her under her warm blankets.

We talked about how it was cold, dark and freezing outside, but we were so happy to be in this warm house, in a soft bed with our little lamp.

Then we played with her magna doodle for awhile.

She made the whole thing dark because it was dark outside.

But then she was sure to include the moon. She went on about the moon for a long time.

Then we played with her little leapfrog bus and she kept asking me if the buttons were too loud for me.

I would agree that they were loud, so she would turn it down or off.

Then she would turn it on again and ask me if it was too loud.

Of course it was really never too loud.

Then we read several books.

She always wanted to skip to her favorite parts.

Finally I whispered a song in her ear, but she wouldn't let me go until she whispered one in mine.

As I was leaving her room I thought of how far she had come in the past year.

She was a completely new child.

No longer a baby who could not understand us, who rocked herself to sleep and could barely walk.

Now she is tall, strong, confident and happy.

And then I remembered.

I came in my bedroom and said M, "Isn't today the anniversary of the day we brought her home?"

Has it really been one full year since she has been with us?

And right at that moment (I am telling the truth here!) I looked over at our computer and (we have all of our photos rotate as a screen saver) the photos of her homecoming came on the screen.

You will appreciate the significance of that if you knew the huge amount of pictures on my computer!

So I sat down and I went back into my blog archives and sure enough!

We touched down on the 14th and the 15th was her first day home one year ago today.

Re-reading over those old posts made me remember what an exciting and special time that was.

Only one week away until her birthday on January 21.

She will be three!

Hooray!

What a special joy she has been in our lives!

We love you Piney!

Labels: Russian Adoption, Russian Pineapple Princess: our adopted daughter

The update is that the diaper-less thing is going well.

For the last two days Pineapple has gone in the potty every time- no accidents.

How long should I carry this on for though? I am afraid that once I put underwear back on her the accidents will start all over again. A week? Two weeks? A month?

At that time I will certainly try some of the ideas that were mentioned (i.e. if she has an accident she has to change her underwear herself and she gets the no frills plain ones instead of the ones with Dora, etc.) Great ideas! Thanks!

Now, as I promised in my title- taken last night on our bed while she intently watched the news-your Pineapple fix.... (Oh How I Love These Large Images)

Labels: after adoption: transitioning successfully, Russian Pineapple Princess: our adopted daughter

Rhonda’s new blog names for her referral children : "Bonnie and Clyde” have made me think about our new bloggy name for our daughter to be.

We have decided to name her: Pineapple, our Pineapple Princess.

If you have ever heard the song Pineapple Princess by Annette Funicello you know the tune:

Here is her song:

"Pineapple princess", we call you Pineapple princess all day
As we play the ukulele on the hill above the bay
"Pineapple princess, we love you, you're the sweetest girl we've
seen"
"And some day we’re going to meet you and you'll be our pineapple queen"

…We'll all settle down in a bamboo hut
And you’ll be our own little coconut
Then we'll all be happy as we can be
With our very own sweet princess royalty...

Labels: Russian Pineapple Princess: our adopted daughter, waiting for referral