2.08.2009

No!!!!!


Thanks everyone who gave their thoughts on the, "name thing". We have decided to keep her birth name Banchigize. Someone commented that her name was all her birth mother could give her and that is how we feel. If her birth mother gave her the name Banchigize, we should give it the honor it deserves.
Nothing too exciting going on here. We have been going to lots of play groups, the library for music class and of course still working with my IAN families.
Gabre is getting some molars and we had one rough week of sleeping issues and just plain bad mood issues. It only lasted one week and then we seem to have turned a corner. What we are still dealing with is lots of hitting. Gabre will hit us, the dogs, my computer and even herself, whatever is closest. We started time out and she has no problem serving her time. If Scott or I tell her she needs to go to time out, she just walks herself to the dinning room corner and sits down. It is really funny!
As good as she is about going to time out it has not helped with the hitting. As soon as Gabre hears the word NO the hands start going, not hard but still not good. I guess this is the terrible 16 months????

Here are a few more cute picture from the last few weeks.






20 comments:

the truman's said...

Leah,
Where did you get the darling onesie or shirt that says "just arrived from Ethiopia?" I think Ayantu needs that?
Hope all is well.
Love to you,
Stacey

Angela said...

She's such a cute little girl! So she's walking herself to time out. How cute!

Joshua and Lydia Rich said...

Hi Leah, I am really glad that you decided to keep Gabre's birth name...we kept Yabeserra and Melekamu's names even though they are mouthfuls and not something I would never choose..However, I love the meanings and the stories that go with how they were named. We did give them English middle names so that they could go by those if they so choose and we even kept their parent's names...we just couldn't take them away...so Y is Yabeserra Evangelaena Fiesa Rich and M is Melekamu Ephraim Mulumebet Rich (he got the short end of the stick, but what can you do?!?!). Our oldest son was born when we lived in Mongolia, so he has four names, too: Liam Erdene ("precious treasure") Escher Rich...

michelle said...

Too cute! Gabre is darling! Love looking at her pictures, she is always dressed sooo cute! Good job mom!

Natasha said...

Your little girl is so Beautiful! You always have her dressed so cute!! I also love your blog-how did you get all that wallpaper in the background-I'm still learning how to do all this:)
Natasha

Upstatemamma said...

She is so beautiful!!!! If I had a face as sweet as that I wouldn't let anyone tell me no either. :)

Amber said...

Let the fun begin!

I would also like to get one of those onsie's for Ayana.
Great pictures. Nice to hear an update on the Reeves family!

Sherri said...

Your little girl is just so VERY BEAUTIFUL...I love looking at your blog and seeing her smiley little face. I love her name too!!!
Sherri

VALARIE said...

Too, too cute!

The Andersons said...

Leah - wonderful pictures!

Can you tell us how to pronounce her name? I'd love to know.

Kerry

Trendy Mindy said...

Hi Leah!
Yes - we live about 45 minutes from town and we really want to sell our home before we adopt. It has been a huge struggle as the market in Nash is way down.
I hope you guys sell quickly!!!

Shawn said...

Leah - I just read a great post on the First Adopt yahoo group in response to a woman who's 2 year old is spitting. The suggestion was that it is probably a control/anger issue and therefore to just let it happen, or, in fact, to encourage it. I understand that you don't want Gabre hitting you or Scott (or anyone else), but maybe just try, when she's in that mood, to say "I know you're angry and that's why you're hitting" - and then give her a pillow or something else like that to take her frustration out. Then she still gets to have "control" but she can learn how to focus her anger into more appropriate outlets.

We're not there yet (thankfully), so I don't know if it works. Just thought I'd pass that along. I can send you the whole post if you want.

Shawn - can't wait to see you guys next week!

rachel said...

leah,
i just joined the austin ethiopian yahoo group. SA has one, but it is very small (2 members) and 1 message in the last month!

i think that hitting at gabre's age is very normal! both of my kids did it. we just said "no hitting" and ignored the behavior and it quickly passed. good luck! :)

rachel

Annie said...

"But, Mom, I'm SO SO cute...how can you put me in timeout?" he!he!

I laughed so hard when you wrote that Gabre puts herself in timeout. TOO CUTE! And if we think the hitting is hard, we have yet to hit the terrible two's. ;) (Maya is hitting too).

Rachael said...

I think I"ve asked you this before, but I can't remember your response.... where'd you get the "Just Arrived from Ethiopia" onesie?

Bennett said...

What a cutie. I love that tee-shirt "just arrived from Ethiopia" really really cute...

I love the name and happy you decided to keep it.

Adopting1Soon said...

You have the cutest girl in the world. Until mine comes home of course ;-) I love all your pictures. That's why I gave you an award today:-)

http://ethiopian-adoption-journey.blogspot.com/2009/02/id-like-to-thank-academy.html


Adopting1Soon

4evamom said...

What a beautiful little girl and a wonderful blog. I love the colors.

Katie & Tim said...

your little girl is sooo sweet! are you guys adopting from china too?

Brooke said...

Enjoyed perusing your blog. Beautiful daughter! I have to ask a completely superficial question and that is: Where did you get that headband - the brown one with the braided band part? (This is coming from another ET mamma who uses headbands on my baby girl all the time!) brookebray@gmail.com