The Summer's End (warning...lots of pictures)

I said all summer long that I would update this Blog and it just never happened. We had a lot of fun and kept busy. We started off with a trip to Rochester to visit Aunt Laura, Uncle Larry and cousins, Madeline, Sam and Olivia. Of course we saw Kevin's parents as well. We took a plane. This was not JT's first plane ride (we went to Rochester when he was 4 months old) but this would be the first one where he knew what was going on. He loved it. He kept busy by coloring and listening to music. I am sure the person in front of him didn't appreciate the fact that JT kept playing with the tray table, but at least JT wasn't crying or bothering anyone else!

For Father's Day we headed to The Reston Zoo. JT loved feeding the goats, riding the horse and watching the monkeys. We hope to make this an annual tradition.

At the end of June we headed to our annual beach trip at Ocean Isle. JT loved the beach and the sand. He spent most of his time sitting buried in the sand and throwing it in the air. He pretended to juggle it. ( Kevin showed JT how to juggle) He also enjoyed going in the water with Taliya and he liked wearing her pink goggles. My cousin Andrea I made the best discovery at Ocean Isle. It is called Sun Set Slush. We made a visit everyday and indulged in our slushies. They were divine. My cousins Mike and Patty and Meredith and I relived memories of when we were ten and made a trip to the water slides. It was as great as I remembered. We can't wait to go back next year.

Larry and Laura came back down to VA in July. The kids had a great time playing and blowing bubbles. The cousins love getting together. We went to the zoo in D.C. and I knew I should have never taken JT. He didn't have a nap that day but I really wanted to bring him. We took the Metro down and I can not even describe the fit he threw out of exhaustion. He fell asleep on the Metro and stayed asleep in his stroller for about an hour. When he woke up while at the zoo he was in a terrible mood. We didn't get home until 9:30pm. I learned my lesson to never do that again! We will try the zoo one morning before nap time!

Every Monday JT and I met Gavin and Nicole for our weekly yoga class. JT never did much but he liked the songs and enjoyed going to playground afterwards and having a picnic with his pals Gavin and Jack. We took a day to go raspberry picking but we spent most of our summer at the pool. JT started off being fearless and attempted drownings on many occasions. He did learn the pool "rules" and by the end of the summer he was jumping in, going under the water (which never bothered him) and could swim to the stairs or ladder from a few feet back. JT loved taking a shower at the pool. He would take a shower for 15-20 minutes after being in the pool. I think he liked the shower more than the pool!We will continue with lessons this winter and be back at again next summer.

JT's favorite babysitter Stephanie has headed off to college. We have found another great babysitter named Zalikah who lives in the neighborhood and she will be watching JT this year. JT will be heading to preschool next week. He will be there from 8:45am-11:45am and then Zalikah will picked him and bring home for lunch and for his nap. I am now working full time and teaching second grade. I have a great class but really do not enjoy working full time!

On the adoption front....We just resubmitted to get our fingerprints redone. (for some reason they think they have changed!) We are still hoping for a December referral (that is when we get a picture of our son and what ever information they have.) We take that information to a doctor who specializes in international adoption. After we accept the referral we should travel in 2-3 months. We are hoping to be on way to Ethiopia next Spring!

Enjoy the pictures.