celebrating

march is quickly coming to a close...and it'll be closing with a big day - we go to court to finalize leo's adoption.  our little man will be declared forever a part of our family and a US citizen.  it's an exciting day.  and, it is only a week away.

we've been doing some other celebrating this month too.

we started the month off by celebrating at our adoption agency's big adoption celebration.  it was a wonderful opportunity to explore many different cultures and really soak in more of the korean culture.  but, what i loved most about the event was being there with my incredible family surrounded by so many other families that were like us.  it felt comforting.  it felt special.  it felt right.

leo LOVED every.single.balloon at the event

tattoos for the boys...lightening for drew; fish and bubbles for leo

LOTS of taekwondo - drew broke a few boards

of course leo had to try too!!

drums were a hit...either playing them or making them

the boys colored some korean masks

i seriously cannot say enough about the event...it was wonderful.  and, it was wonderful to finally meet janet and her family and see so many other families again.  already looking forward to going back next year!

mid-march has come and gone...and while other people celebrated st. patrick's day; we honored our polish heritage again with a delicious shipment of paczki!! (thanks again mom and dad) Fat Tuesday...Paczki Day...we indulged! this was leo's first taste of these tasty high calorie jelly filled donuts.  i think they were a hit!!  drew really enjoyed a lemon one...and leo a raspberry.

korean...check.  polish...check.  that just leaves american.  on march 31st, this family officially becomes a family of four americans.  hooray!! and, we plan on celebrating all things american!!  anyone care to join us?!?

until next time...i've got wine club to prepare for!

time out for hockey

Leo has become a vocabulary machine…we heard LOOK! for the first time over the weekend when we were at the toy store and he yelled this word for the first time as he pointed at something down the aisle (we were so shocked by and proud of this new word that we’ve completely forgotten what he showed us) and on our walk last night he squealed GEESE! pointing up to the sky (they were indeed geese…welcome home geese, welcome home – it’s been a long winter, and we are so happy to see you)

While those words are fun…there are two other new words that seem a little more “important” and indicative of our recent focus and activity.

PUCK & STICK

The Krekelberg household might be a little hockey obsessed lately.  NHL hockey on TV Sunday afternoons.  Hockey Guys in the dinning room.  Hockey games in the basement.  Hockey in the driveway.  Hockey in the kitchen with empty paper towel rolls as sticks and just about anything as a puck.  Buying new hockey sticks.  Reading hockey books (Z Is For Zamboni).  Making signs to take to hockey games.  Cheering on (in person & on tv) Minnesota’s finest high school hockey teams through the play-offs and championship.

finally we can play outside!

teammates

thinking about the next play

who needs a puck...i've got ice & snow

this is how you do a face-off

i love using my brother's hockey stick

gotta play hockey guys before breakfast with crazy hair

wonder which game this was?!?

look at all those hockey fans!

OVER-TIME!!

leo with a book i have memorized

interesting stuff

LOOK! the penalty pages!! i know about these!!

PUCK & STICK

happy hockey player and fan

hockey+mini donuts=love

My sons may not officially be playing hockey yet…but, believe me my friends, I am a Hockey Mom.  I get schooled by Drew…to which he says “Mom, sorry you lost. Maybe if you exercise more you’ll be able to win.”  Damon at least recognizes my skills and efforts…he asked Drew this past week (while we were all playing in the basement, yet again) “Aren’t you lucky your mom is such a good hockey player?” Thanks, Damon. It’s hard work keeping up with all my boys from the moment they get up to the moment they go to bed!

Unfortunately, UH, OH!, DREW-DREW, and OW-EE are also some words and phrases that lately Leo has been able to get some extra practice time with too.  With all this hockey, I suppose it was inevitable…Drew’s first hockey injury.  A high stick to the head.  Blood.  A screaming and kicking Drew.  A screaming and clingy Leo.  A Mom who needs to beef up her emergency situation skills.  A calm and helpful Dad.  A trip to the After Hours clinic.  A glued-up forehead.  A Taco Bell dinner for the injured and the hero.  A likely scar on such a handsome face. 

trust me when I say, this was NOT his overall disposition throughout the ordeal

Damon said it best:

The fallout: a glued together forehead for Drew (and first scar) and a trip to Taco Bells for dinner. Last minute racquetball cancellation for Dad. A worried Mom. And a five minute major for little brother Leo.

It was a total accident (why didn’t I make them wear their helmets in the basement?!).  Leo really does pass the puck well.  He has even been known to get a few pucks past Drew and into the net.  And it shouldn’t surprise anyone to know that he insists on using a big boy stick.  But, we still need to work on that shot…unfortunately it’s more like an incredible golf swing.

Drew is doing great...and that cut is healing.  And, it certainly has not derailed any hockey activity!!

Until next time...two weeks until it's all official!!

bibs

with the drool continuing to flow here at all accounted four, it took me a little while to track down and count all the bibs.  i've double and triple checked my counting (had to after my 100th post error) and...

there are 31 drool bibs in the house

here's a little sampling

see the drool on the chin?!

this may not seem like many...but we are efficient/lazy/economical here.  as long as a bib isn't too stinky, it easily gets two or sometimes even three wears after drying out before it hits the laundry room.  white ones make the wetness much less visible, so i tend to put those on him on the days i am really sick and tired of seeing how quickly the drool accumulates (which also means they get stinky faster and don't always get two wears...and never three); colored bibs are good for 'school' and when other people are watching leo as it's super-duper clear when it needs to be changed due to it's saturation (easily within an hour).

so...while i loved and appreciated all your guesses (the high ones really made me feel better about our situation - they helped me realize that things could be much worse than they are; and christine's made me chuckle)...brooke is the winner with 33.  ironically, she's also had a very similar experience with drool.  and while some of you may suggest that this experience and insider information should disqualify her...i say she deserves this chocolate treat even more for it!  :)
{i'll send you a message brooke and get your contact info}

i also really appreciated hearing all your experiences with drool and large adenoids.  it is very comforting to know what other people have experienced...their path for improvement...and the success that followed.  it makes us much more confident in our decision to do this procedure.

[and...in case you are curious...leo's adenoids are causing about 80% blockage and that's the same percentage of blockage from wax in his ear]

until next time...thanks for all your support ~ someday soon leo will be bib free!!