Happy Thanksgiving and an Update

I really wanted to post on Thanksgiving, but I never got to it. So, Happy Belated Thanksgiving to you all. We obviously have much to be thankful for - simply by living in the US. This year I am especially thankful for all the ways God has blessed us. Our children are home, we have a healthy baby, every single need we've had has been met and surpassed. God is good and I give thanks to Him for all these things.

Now, for an update of what's been going on around here:

• Grandpa (my Dad) is here visiting - he's been here since Monday and is leaving tomorrow. We are having lots of fun.
• My turkey (12 lb) cooked in less than two hours in my roaster. I have never had a turkey cook so fast. My mom bought me the roaster because I have a mini oven. I'm glad I had it - I only have one rack in my oven.
• The poor cats have had enough. If the boys come to close they now swat at them. Good thing they don't have claws. This, of course, freaks the boys out bad.
• Chuck is going to be away two nights this week on a work retreat. I am not looking forward to triple duty by myself. Please pray for me.
• We had our futon in the twins' room in case they needed us close at night. We've been very blessed that they have no sleep issues (although Samuel is a very light sleeper and wakes up at the crack of dawn...). We pulled the futon out of their room yesterday and it makes their room SO much bigger.
• The futon got moved into the baby's room since my mom is coming for Christmas and will need somewhere to sleep. In the past we've put our guests in our room and Chuck and I just sleep in the living room since we go to sleep late and get up early. That works fine for a long weekend, but not for a week at a time.
• My mom is coming to visit! She'll be flying in on Christmas Day and returning home on New Year's Eve.
• Chuck and my Dad fixed some screens on our screened porch that were pushed out earlier this year. Things like that make me so happy.
• Tristan is not sleeping through the night lately. It is making me crazy. I'm a girl who needs sleep. Uninterrupted, quality sleep. I have not been getting that lately. Today I tried to nap while the baby napped. The twins chose that time to have meltdowns (which Chuck handled well). And I had a tickle in my throat, but I couldn't cough because I was sleeping on the futon in the baby's room and was afraid I'd wake him up. Ugh. I rarely have the opportunity to nap and I was really frustrated that my attempt today failed.
• Tristan has moved into 6 month clothing. I'm sure he is 15 lbs by now. I weighed 16 lbs at a year.
• We got to visit with some great friends on Friday. Brian, Robin, and Shannon live in Charlotte and we don't get to see them very often. It was fun hanging out. They are expecting another daughter soon.
• Chuck and a group from our church did an awesome outreach event very early Friday morning. They gathered at 3:30 a.m. and handed out coffee, hot cocoa, and granola bars to people waiting in lines at stores. The goal was to show God's love in a practical way to people in our community. The people loved it!
• I was disappointed with the Black Friday sales. Not that I was going out to shop - but I was really disappointed. It's kind of funny how very different life is now. In the past I've looked through the ads over coffee on Thanksgiving morning. This year I didn't even look through half of them and it didn't happen until just before I went to bed. Kids change everything!
• We are going back to bathtime at night. We did morning baths for a while, but we've decided to go back to evening baths. We've been eating dinner at 6 and then going right into bedtime. The problem with this is that the boys are drinking a full cup of milk right before bed. We'd like to have their liquid intake stopped an hour before bedtime. That's impossible if we eat at 6 and put them to bed at 7. So, we are going to try out eating at 5:30, baths at 6:15ish and then bed. How does your family handle dinner, baths, and bedtimes?
• I have lots of friends adopting from all over the world. A few of them have run into some snags lately. If you think to, please pray for adoptions in general and specifically for families having a hard time. The wait is heart-wrenching and when you add problems to the wait, it can seem unbearable.
• I'm going stir crazy in the house. It is cold and wet out, plus we need to fence off the back yard, so we can't go outside. It is just about impossible for me to go out (away from the house) with all three kids on my own. I would do it if I had to, but one meltdown or diaper blowout could put us in a tailspin. We love visitors. Please come and see us! Seriously. Call me (or email!). I may not think to call and invite you, but that doesn't mean I wouldn't love seeing you. I would. Adult conversation is very much appreciated!
• I have taken almost no pictures this month because my camera has been acting up. Chuck thinks he has it fixed, but we will see. It's been eating batteries or not even recognizing them. I have rechargeable batteries, but they only last for about 5 pictures. Frustrating! I don't have money to replace the camera, plus it's not very old.
• There aren't many foods I indulge in this time of year. I don't really have favorite holiday food, but I am a complete sucker for clementines. I love those little guys!
• I have gotten really bad at returning emails. If you've emailed me and I haven't responded, I'm sorry. I have this habit of looking at email when I'm nursing Tristan and I can't respond. Then I forget to respond later (or I never get the time to look at it again). So, if you've emailed me and I haven't replied and you need to hear from me, please shoot me another email.

Sorry, that turned into a complete brain dump. I'll try to post more often so that I don't have to do these brain dumps. I should have a few pictures to post soon, too.

"Eber?"

Tucking the boys into bed at night is a special time here at our house. We have a definite routine that we follow. Part of that routine involves telling the boys that "you are my little boy forever." Since the start Noah will repeat, "eber?" I assumed he was just repeating the last word he heard, which is common for kids his age. Because he says it with a questioning tone, Chuck assumed he was questioning if he was saying it right. He certainly didn't know what we were saying in the beginning, and I question if he understands the meaning still.

Well, in the last few weeks, as soon as I begin to tuck him in, he starts saying, "Eber?" He says it happily, sometimes giggling. But deep down, I know his little heart needs to know - even though I'm not even sure he knows what it all means. So I kiss him repeatedly and tell him, "Forever and ever and ever!"

Yes, buddy, foreber. You're my little boy foreber.

Aaaahchoo!

We have three little boys with runny noses. Yuck!

Poor Tristan is experiencing his first cold. It's so hard to listen to such a little guy cough. I especially don't like to hear it in the middle of the night. My normal sleep-through-the-night baby is definitely not sleeping through the night.

Noah and Samuel have had their share of colds. Every time I visited them in Haiti they had one. They are old pros at coughing and runny noses. In fact, Samuel gets a tissue and wipes his own nose (all over his face, of course) and then throws it away.

I'm hoping we're all feeling better by the weekend. We don't get out much and I'd hate to miss church. I guess I can be thankful that they all have it at the same time, right?

Noah & Samuel Birthday

Daddy and Baby Bear

"Pou Machin"

We have a definite bedtime routine for the twins. Part of that routine is praying. Since they are three and we have a language barrier, we keep it really simple. We thank God for each member of our family and for Jesus. We started out doing it in Creole, but we (Chuck and I) pray in English now. In the past 2-3 weeks we'll start out the prayer and pause and let the boys chime in. Noah, without fail, always thanks God for himself. Repeatedly. Tonight he started us off by thanking God for himself, and then Tristan. I was thrilled that he was "getting it." Then Samuel chimed in and thanked God for Tristan and Mommy and then "pou machin." Pou means for and machin means car. Yes, he thanked God for cars. That boy loves his cars!

Chuck and I had to work SO hard not to bust out laughing.

The cool thing is that I think he understands that we thank God for the things dear to us. Cars are very dear to Samuel. He is infatuated with them.

These guys never cease to amaze me. And they keep us laughing, too!

Someone Found His Feet Today!

Can't you just hear it, "What on earth are these things??"

Question...

Okay, so I'm nearly 13 weeks out from having a c-section. My recovery was rushed since the boys came home three weeks after the baby was born. I was definitely doing stuff that I shouldn't have been doing (like picking up 30+ lb kids). But, I healed well with no problems.

In the last few weeks I've been having pain. Some pain has been at the incision site, some has been in my lower abdomen, but the majority of it has been in my hips. My hips and pelvis seem to really ache sometimes.

So, I'm just wondering if anyone who reads this who has had a c-section has had pain like I'm describing. It's not horrible pain - more annoying than anything else. I hate to make a doctor's appointment to learn that this is "normal."

Thanks in advance for any feedback.

Pumping...

In the past I've shared how the boys breastfeed their Spiderman doll. Today, thanks to Auntie Christi and Uncle Jeremy and the doctor kits that they sent, the boys have taken breastfeeding to another level.

When they were checking out their new toys they both immediately took the play syringes to their bare bellies and told me, "Baby let," which translates, "baby milk." Yup, the boys are pumping breastmilk!

Below I've posted a picture of my manual pump and their syringe. Definitely a resemblance!

What is most interesting to me is that I haven't used the manual pump in weeks. The last time I used it was when we were on the road driving to MI and that was 3 weeks ago and they were sleeping!

I'm sorry if it freaks anyone out that they've seen me pump...

Family Pictures

Lake Michigan

Traveling Tristan

Samuel needs a booster seat...

Samuel at Lake Michigan

Noah at dinner

Noah at Lake Michigan

Chuck carrying the boys

Chuck and the boys

All of us

Tummy Time!

Tummy time is not Tristan's favorite time. He makes it a few minutes and then starts to scream. But, in the last few days his neck has gotten a lot stronger and he can now lift his head up and look at toys. He wanted that cow bad!

I took these pictures today. He is growing up too fast!

Bon Fet, Noah and Samuel!!

Glued to the cars movie!

Getting ready for some cake.

Our sweet boys turned three today! I don't think they really knew what a birthday was, but we showed them!

'

We didn't do much until dinner time. After they had their favorite - chicken nuggets - we opened presents and had cake. Noah, in regular fashion, did not like the cake. He wouldn't eat it. Samuel loved it!
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One of our gifts to the boys was the movie, "Cars." Samuel is a fanatic about cars and Noah likes them, too. Samuel was glued to the TV once we put the movie on. We also got them a kiddie Cars sofa to share and they love it.
'
Today really made me reflect over the last three years. Exactly three years ago today I had a realization that our adopted child (yeah, we thought we were adopting one...) was still in the womb. I ended up praying for the boys as they were being born. What a gift! Two years ago I was in Haiti, lucky enough to get to spend their first birthday with them. Last year Chuck and I quietly celebrated their birthday, thinking they'd be home soon. I'm so very grateful that they are home to celebrate their 3rd birthday - and all the ones to follow! It was pure joy doing things and giving gifts that made their little faces light up.

A Request...

Dear Makers of Toys That Make Noise or Music:

As a new mom, I've been introduced to many of your fine toys. Lots of them make music or have sound effects. Actually, most of them do, it seems. I plead with you to improve these toys.

Please, please put volume controls on these toys. Especially the Little Einstein book. And the Hot Rod Grave Digger crashing cars. I'm especially dissapointed in you, Hot Rod, for not putting an on and off switch on the cars.

The makers of the Bouncing Tigger have it all figured out. They put an on and off switch in a hidden place. I hope you make millions for being so parent-friendly.

Please, Toy Makers, don't make us hide the toys from the kids anymore. We feel like bad parents when we hide them.

Sincerely,

Juli Cason

Toddler Creole

Poo-la - birds of all sorts, including chickens, also used for the chicken we eat
Boo-la - ball, but they are now calling it a goo-la
**They add la to the end of a lot of words. La means there, but it doesn't make sense that they would say boo-la when the ball is in their hands.
Low - water
**They usually say ee-ba in front of low. We have no idea what ee-ba means. Lately they've been adding all-lay to the front of low. They say it as if asking if they can have some (when their cup is within their reach). When they say ee-ba it is more like they are asking for us to get them some.
Mon-jay - eat
Encore - more
Fee-nee - finished, or used if something is all gone; they pronounce it fee-mee
Ma-sheen - all vehicles
Ah-vee-own - airplanes and helicopters
Mimi - definitely cats, but includes other animals, too
Too-too - animals, usually bigger animals; all animals are either mimis or too-toos
Too-lay - socks (not the creole word for socks as far as I can tell)
Let - milk
Shee-tah - sit
All-lay - go
Doe-mee - sleep
Paw - don’t
Ray-tay - stay
Bone-bone - snack or treat
too-shay - touch
We - yes
Mew-zeek - music; Samuel loves his mew-zeek

They still speak a lot of Creole to each other, much of which I have no idea what they are saying. You have to keep in mind that they are two. Their language skills aren't that of a US two year old and think about how many two year olds talk. They make up their own words for things and mispronounce some words. Figuring out what these two are saying isn't easy with the language barrier and the fact that they are speaking at a two year old (or less) level. They understand everything we say to them and repeat things all the time. This morning at breakfast they seemed to catch on that all done is the same as fee-nee. They are learning new words all the time.

Random Cason Stuff

It's been a while since I've posted and my followers (umm, that would be my mom) are demanding a post.

So, what's been happening around here? Well, for starters, the twins are repeating just about everything we say and then busting out with it days later. Just this morning I heard Samuel saying, "What's up big guy?" They both also like to say, "Come on." With a hint of impatience in their voices (just like we say it when trying to get them to eat...). At the moment, Samuel is dancing wildly to the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse theme song. He especially loves the Hotdog song at the end of the episode.

Samuel still has Giardia. We are about halfway through the second round of medication. His diapers are horrible. Chuck and I have decided that Giardia has it's own unique smell. Ugh.

We saw the pediatric orthopedic surgeon for Samuel's legs on Friday. I went into that appointment expecting leg braces. However, about two weeks ago it struck me that I could pray for God to heal his legs (yeah, I'm a little slow lately...). I really think God is healing them. They aren't as bad as they were when he came home. They are still quite noticebly bowed, but they aren't what they were 8 weeks ago. And the wonderful news is that the surgeon doesn't want to do anything. He just wants to see him in another 6-8 months. God is good!

Both boys have had a cold the last few weeks. Both have had runny noses, but Samuel has had a nasty cough. Wednesday Chuck took him to the Dr. The Dr just recommended children's Mucinex. Samuel was not excited to see the Dr. Chuck said he screamed and screamed, especially through the examination. Then, as the Dr was leaving the room, Chuck told Samuel to say bye bye to the Dr. Chuck said that Samuel turned off the tears like a switch and happily yelled, "Bye bye!" Funny kid.

Tristan has found his hands. He's known about them for a few weeks, but over the last week he has discovered the joy of chewing on them. He puts his whole fist in his mouth. When he was younger he would do this when hungry, but now he does it right after feedings so I know it's not because he's hungry. Could he be teething? I don't know. He doesn't seem fussy. He just really seems to enjoy munching on his hands.

On Friday we went to the Children's Museum, which is super close to where we live. We joined because we figure we'll go a lot. The place was pretty much empty, probably because it was Halloween. I'm not sure who had more fun - Chuck or Noah and Samuel. We all had a great time, even Tristan. He cruised around in the Baby Bjorn facing out for the first time and seemed to love it.

I haven't forgotten the promised Creole post. I just need to sit down and think about it before I write it.

That's all for now.