I am exhausted!

Well I am officially a mom. I am so physically exhausted I can't think straight. Soon my boss will be calling me into my office to address my lack of productivity! I can't think straight, thus making work very hard to complete. So, tonight will be a short post in hoping that it will make at least some sense. (Probably not.)

Tek is crawling now. He started a Saturday before last. We videotaped it and want to put it online but if you are reading this you are already aware of how tired I am, so you know I would rather sleep than edit and upload a video. :)
Man... once he figured out how to crawl... he was moving! He hasn't stopped since. In addition to crawling he is saying "da-da." He hasn't figured out who that is yet, but I am sure that will come in no time. Hopefully "ma-ma" will be close behind.

He has developed quite the personality. Still as happy as a clam... especially at 2:30 am last night... I tried to explain to him that his smile and sweet noises are not nearly as cute in the middle of the night, but he continued for an hour. :( He has started showing when he is not happy more ofter... ask Granna & Poppy, he threw a couple fits when they were here last week. But all in all he is a great baby. He daycare teacher always answers the question "Was he good today?" with a smile and "ALWAYS!"

Tek has developed a bit of shyness of strangers, (or someone he hasn't seen in a while) it is the cutest face ever. I need to borrow my friend's camera to capture this sweet face.

Speaking of cameras... I am ordering my new one this week. I think I have settled on a Nikon D60. I would really love the D80, but that isn't in my price range at this time. I am so excited! :)

Well that is all for now. I promise to be back more often, or at least I promise to try. The church starts Sept. 14th and I am a bridesmaid in a wedding Sept. 19th (Andy is officiating.) So I have had a shower, a bacherlorette party, and a trip to Michigan to plan. Not to mention I have to do kid's church... why does the pastor's wife always have to do kids church? I have been pretty busy... but more pics of Tek soon.

First Time Mom vs. First Time Adoptive Mom

I can't express all of the joys adoption has brought. I can't really compare it to having biological children. Many adoptive parents with biological children say its just as special, just in a unique way.

Being an adoptive mom is strange. And like I said before, I can't compare it to being a biological mom, however there are definitely differences. An example is when Tek is screaming (and I know those that have spent significant time with him do not believe that he screams... but he does!) As a first time mom I freak out a bit. What's wrong with him? Why won't he sleep? I read the books, I search the internet. I find dozens of things I can do. But then I become a first time adoptive mom and freak out more. What if this is unhealthy for his attachment? What if he is scared? What if he thinks I am abandoning him? So I read the adoption books, I search the internet. (How did our mothers know what to do without the internet??!!) They all tell me to do the opposite of what I first read. So, I ask mothers around me, each with their own opinions and ways of doing things, but they don't have a son that was adopted. Their son has not been moved every 2 months in his short life, their child sees their biological parent every day, their child has not spent most of their life in care centers. So, even though what they did worked for them, it won't necessarily work for us.

So what do I do? I continue to read, I continue to freak, I continue to endlessly search the internet. I try my best to stay connected to other adoptive moms and I pray. I pray a lot. But mostly, I just do the best I can do and hope that I won't mess up Tek too bad.

I guess in the end I am no different than any first time mom, we all just do the best we can do. We learn from our mistakes and we find what works for us. We spend most of our days worrying and most of our nights hoping for sleep to come. We love our children dearly and hope that we won't mess up too badly. And the most confusing part is... we wouldn't trade this for anything.

A Few of Tek's Firsts...

First Cookie

First 4th of July
(Last 4th of July as an Ethiopian citizen)

First Baseball Game
(With Gnate the Sand Gnat)

Cheering on the Sand Gnats!

First Drum

Thank you Uncle Cody & Aunt Nicki for my new drum!
(And my trip to Target... I could have done without Home Depot though!)
Andy--- you CANNOT change that last line!

Zettle Family Visit and Tek turns 9 months!

Amy and I enjoying the sun. (How nice is it to relax with Grandpa handling Tek!)

Fishing Instructor (who was 5) showing off a baby shark. 

A 9 foot shark was caught recently in Savannah. I am staying out of the water!

Caitlyn feeding Tek at the beach.

Feeding the alligators at the Crab Shack.

Grandpa Duane & Tek

Our makeshift crib for the beach.

Kara and Tek (I can't believe she is going to college! SO OLD!)

The Zettle Family (for those that don't know my confusing family tree... that's my sister's dad's family) came to visit for the week. Duane, Tracy, Kara, Caityln (their friends Molly & Kayley) and Amy came later. We had a great time. They rented a great place on Tybee Island, so we spent a lot of time at the beach. Tek got to skip daycare and hang out with Grandpa Duane (oh how he loves to be called Grandpa!) Tek adores Grandpa Duane, he would light up when he saw him. Caitlyn would fight for Tek's attention all of the time, and then when Amy got here it was almost an all out brawl! Tracy planned great events for us to do nearly every day.. great food, a boat trip, beach fun, kayaking, ghost tour, etc. Not to mention the great kebabs. 

I was sad to see them all leave. They gave Tek the opportunity to recover from his multiple daycare sicknesses and spoiled him rotten. (Thanks! Now he has to be held ALL of the time!) Thanks for the great pictures. 

Tek turned 9 months old on Monday. I have some pictures I took on my friends camera, but I need the cord to upload. I will post those soon.  Tek is starting to crawl. Well, he crawls backwards. He is making "ba ba" sounds. He had his 9 mo check up on Tuesday. I have NEVER heard him scream like he did when she cleaned wax out of his ears. He was NOT happy with her after that. He also got two shots. The nurse that gave the shots is great. She is the only one that can pronounce his name correctly and she is so gentle with him. I love her and my pediatrician. 

To bed I go! I need to get sleep while I can because I am sure Tek will be getting sick again soon. Stupid daycare.