Our New Toys

As I sit here typing this, I am waiting for my very first load of laundry to wash at my place. After years of dragging laundry to my mom's every weekend I finally have my own washer. This one also dries. It is an all in one - washer/dryer combo. I don't plan on using the drying feature too much because it will use a lot of electricity, but it is good to know I have it. AND the best part is that it is hidden in a cabinet (we are not supposed to have washers in the condo). Everyone else has one so I figured I would take the risk. In every thing else I made sure that I followed the rules in the renovation - licenced plummer, electrician, contractor. Hey, no one is follows ALL the rules ... Do they?

So, Sentayehu's new toy is one that have seen for years (ever since my friend's 5 year old was a baby). It is from the show Word World - a fish toy. The body is formed by the letters

F-I-S-H which are magnectic. I always liked them, but thought they were kind of expensive, but last night I went to Target and MANY toys were on clearance (30 - 75% off). The fish toy was about $3! I also got many toys for my cousins' children which I will save for Christmas.

One Month Home

Peace

Sentayehu looks so peaceful sleeping here. She is wrapped in a blanket that was made for her by my cousin's mother in law. She loves it and so do I.

Condo Update

I will just let these pictures speak for themselves. Naturally there are 1001 things that are not done yet - the "small" things and some biggies - like the grout crumbling and leaving little piles of sand on my countertops. Gotta call the contractor tomorrow - not looking forward to it.

Out of Town Visitors

We are having a very busy weekend. Some friends from Trinidad are visiting. I picked them up on Friday morning at JFK. We went to my mom's for a night so the contractor could finish up. Then Saturday it was off to the city to the Museum of Natural History and for Sentayehu's (and everyone other than myself in the party) first Ethiopian restaurant experience. I am pleased to say that everyone loved it - even the skeptical. S was wiped out at the end of the day.

Today we slept late and then went to Flushing Meadow Park to see the Queens Museum. There is a really nice panoramic model of the 5 boroughs there. My friends were very interested. I had been there quite a few times, but enjoyed myself. There is a also a display of Tiffany lamps and other various displays including those from the World Fair which was held there in 1939/40. My grandma (now 99 years old) always talks about going there when she was young. In the park there was a Colombian Day Independance celebration which added to the fun. Tomorrow my friends head out to Ohio and will return for a few days before heading back to Trinidad. Sentayehu is loving the extra attenion and back seat buddies. Normally she just has to sit alone back there.

Some New Pics

Just some summer fun pics. I love how my nephew is making Sentayehu laugh. When everyone else was busy he started making silly faces to make her laugh. She loved it. This was S first time in the pool. She enjoyed it, but it was so cold that I just kept her in for a few minutes.

Firsts

This is Sentayehu's first night in her own bedroom. It wasn't planned out. I was changing her pamper and she fell asleep on the changing table so I just put her in the crib. I was thinking that I would drop my mom's friends at the train station and that if she woke up my mother would have to pick her up. It would be easier to lift her from the crib than the pack and play. Normally she sleeps in the pack and play in my room during the night. We will see how it goes.

Today was Sentayehu's first day of church. She looked very cute in her blue dress with white eyelit and frilly socks. BTW - she loved church - especially the music. However, I was teaching Sunday school and it was kind of hard juggling three 4 year olds and an infant with the the loud teens in the same room. Overall it was good. Naturally, after church everyone was "eating her up". Two women in church are having baby girls in August so it will be great for S to have pals.

On Wednesday night I spent the night at my apartment with Sentayehu. I have a room for her there, but I like to have her close at night. She slept with 10 other babies in Ethiopia and I dont want her to feel lonely. She looks so adorable with the doll that my cousin gave her right after I found first got her picture.

Ways to Help the People of Ethiopia

I was just reading some blogs and I came across this multimedia presentation about the different ways Wide Horizons for Children helps people in Ethiopia. I used Wide Horizons to adopt Sentayehu and I am very pleased with their integrity.

I was thinking that each year on the anniversary of the day that Sentayehu and I met I would do something for the children/people of Ethiopia. Wide Horizons does a lot of humanitarian work, but they are not the only ones doing to help others in Ethiopia. So I have a year to think about what to do.

If you are interested click the link and see the ways to help.


http://www.tylerstableford.com/portfolio.php?dirid=11

Play Date

Today Sentayehu went to the doctor to have her hearing checked out. Thankfully, she passed with flying colors. After the appointment we went to a friend's house for a play date. The children were so excited to meet her and gave her so much tummy time action and she just played on and on. It is so sweet to see the way P, P, and K treated her. She loved watching her and talking to her. When school starts P and P will be at the same babysitter as Sentayehu so it is nice that they are spending some time together now. Too cute.

One Week Home

Today (Sunday) marks one week that Sentayehu has been home. She has been a very active baby in the past 7 days. She's been to Mickey D's, Ruby Tuesdays, Walmart, Babies R US and even to a 4th of July BBQ where she was a hit! She is sleeping through the night with just one wake up for food. She takes two morning naps and a cat nap in the afternoon.

I have noticed some big changes since I first met her. For example, she wasn't able to bear weight on her legs at all two weeks ago. Now she is able to stand while I hold her hands. She is also rolling over and trying to pull herself up to a sitting position when I hold her hands. My mom insists that her hair has grown. It is hard to tell when I see her all the time so I will take some pics to document it.

As far as food goes - in Ethiopia she had only had rice cereal and formula. This weeks she's tried (and liked) peaches, sweet peas, oatmeal and banana. However, it is near impossible to get a Cheerio into her mouth.

Cousins Ryan and Ren, Lilly and Grace (esp Ryan) love her. And she loves them. Ryan shows her how to do the activies on the exersaucer. She likes to watch Ryan. I am hoping that she will copy the things she is doing.