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Thursday, January 8, 2009

Babies and YouTube and fish and more (yeah, a bunch of randomness)

Coupla things (and I do apologize in advance for the length of this post, goodness gracious I guess "pithy" is just completely eluding me tonight): - It's a boy!!! Eliza's mama has a new baby boy. Oh my gosh this is the second best surprise news I have EVER heard. (The first best was finding out that our referral was for twins.) Congratulations to T and to new big sis Eliza. By the way, when I screamed and told TubaDad the news, he whipped his head around and looked at me really sternly and said "Now don't be getting any ideas, you hear?!" Oh no, of course not, wouldn't dream of it... - The girls are now 100% capable of operating a computer. They can open the laptop, wake it up, use the mouse touchpad screen to navigate, click on the YouTube Faves link, scroll up and down, hover over something and then click enter to select it, change the volume, go backwards with the back button, use the escape key to get rid of any unwanted menus that accidentally pop up, and mute the computer. It's kinda freaky if you ask me. Is this normal for three-year-olds? Probably. But man I shudder to think what they'll be doing by the time they're 10. I guess my new mission in life is to pester YouTube to develop a restricted "kid-friendly" channel. Do they have this already and I'm just unaware? We have a whole page of approved vids the kids can watch, but we can't control the related content that YouTube pops up after each video ends. IMG_8643 IMG_8619 - TubaDad's folks were in town this past week. We had a blast and also grabbed the opportunity to take our annual Team Salsa photo. The locale isn't quite as exotic as the Great Wall, but I think the two little cutie patooties in the middle more than make up for it: DSC_7991 Team Salsa at the Great Wall - Ree locked herself in the bathroom, a first for us. TubaDad had to take the doorknob off to get her out (the tiny magic key thingamajig that we have on top of the doorjamb didn't work). Everyone, including Ree, stayed pretty calm, but I'm awfully glad it didn't happen when I was home alone with the girls. IMG_8859 - We took the family to the Monterey Aquarium and the girls just thought it was the best time ever. They sprinted from exhibit to exhibit, grinning from ear to ear. Standing under the wave at the aquarium -- so cool They ran and ran, until they could run no more: The girls were exhausted by the time we left the aquarium Good times. The full set of pics is here, but I'm warning you, it's a big one. I'm just worn out and apparently photo editing skills are as elusive as pithy writing tonight.

37 comments:

  1. It's pretty typical in our house for little ones to be on the computer. Just remember never to leave the ebay account up and running, we made that mistake and lots of toys came our way. Yes, he got into the paypal also. Dont worry, he was 6 when this happened, you have 3 more years. Your little ones are adorable!!

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  2. If your girls would be so kind as to create a 3 year old "tutorial" on how to use YouTube, our house would be in your debt. Since the day you posted the YouTube Fave links, I've been able to make dinner at night! About 2 minutes and 36 seconds at a time! I'd love for Sara to learn to toggle on her own. We need a kid-sized mouse for starters...

    Today, I'll start to teach her...thanks again for sharing such cool ideas (I love the look on my parents face when I whip out my shape makers at lunch time. I love my girls finally eating lunch even more!),

    Lori
    Mommy of Sara & Kelly

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  3. I cannot believe the girls can navigate around like that on the computer....Sarah just turned two and is starting to show interest in the computer!!

    So glad the Tuba Dad was to the rescue with your bathroom incident...Nick did it one time to me and I was alone and completely panic stricken.....I finally got him out with the help of a butter knife...go figure..

    Love the "m" and "r" shirts on the girls....did you make them?

    Have a great weekend!

    Lisa

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  4. Anonymous1/09/2009

    I always love reading your blog-but today-I adore the "M" & "R" shirts-where did they come from? They are darling!!!!

    Jen

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  5. Just wanted to post a quick thank you before I run off to the hospital to bring my boy home! You are a sweet girl!
    I, too, love those R and M shirts!!!

    Tiffany

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  6. Anonymous1/09/2009

    That's hysterical about the girl's knowledge of YouTube. By four they'll have circumnavigated the internet.

    As far as the door locks - the best was to prevent them from locking themselves in any room (bedrooms, bathrooms, etc) reverse the lock. It'll keep them from getting locked in and you can lock it if you don't want them in a certain room. It's not a great way to keep them out of a room because they're smarties and will figure out how to unlock the door, but it'll prevent the locked-in scenario.

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  7. Anonymous1/09/2009

    Oh, my poor grammar! I mean to say, "girls' knowledge..."
    And "way" and "was"

    Geez, I get so annoyed with typos and I didn't proof read my own post.

    I just can't let it slide!!!

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  8. Anonymous1/09/2009

    you could go for round 2 and get twin boys! :) LOL!

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  9. What a great family photo.

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  10. Great post! I have been so excited for Tiff. Terrific! Also, we have done the bathroom, locky-in-thingy. Scary. I am glad you weren't home alone either. But I will admit, I laughed a bit reading it...just glad it happens to other people. Great on the computer. My two sons were that way. My oldest daughter not so much...she still doesn't do well at 12. Maylin is somewhere between the two technology wise. Maybe your girls will be programmers? What every they turn out to be, they will be CUTE!!!

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  11. Can I a get a computer lesson from Ree and Ros??? I am lacking in my pitiful computer skills!!!

    I knew all about the arrival of the new baby.... but still just rocked my world!!! I hope to snuggle on his sweet body this weekend. Hey, I am bribing with bringing a meal to the new family of three.

    You must come and visit and meet Solomon and Tate in the early Summer/Spring... I would say ASAP but selfishly want you to come when you can meet Tate. Hey, come now and then....The gals need to see some REAL snow!!!

    Hugs
    Lisa

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  12. Cute, adorable, as usual. Love their little shirts with the initial on it.

    It AMAZES me how quickly my kids can work a computer. They are typing already. What is UP with that. (The older kids, that is, not the young'uns.)

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  13. Your girls are more and more beautiful with each day that goes by! And boy are they smart! I had locked myself in the bathroom before around the same age as Ree and Ro too. I had begged my Dad to let me go in and lock it, telling him that I knew how to let myself out. Of course I didn't, and then I panicked, which made him panic. He ended up rescuing me by taking the door off. I still remember it, some 25 years later!

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  14. Anonymous1/09/2009

    April loves to watch the Heat and Snow Miser entry on YouTube and is able to keep replaying it herself. She does on occasion hit a related video that is not "age" appropriate and I have to rush over. She can turn off the monitor, use the mouse to select her Elmo/Big Bird games, too. I was asking Michael if this was normal for three year olds to be doing -- so I guess between the two of us, we answered that question. :)

    Ilene, mommy to April Lauren, 37 months

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  15. Tons 'o fun at the aquarium!

    Love the new salsa group pic! The pink and yellow gals are a wonderful improvement!

    When I first saw Daddy with the tools I thought he was putting locks back on after yesterday's tale. :o)

    Ahhh...lovin da salsa fun!

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  16. My 3 year old niece is the same way on the computer - amazing what they learn at such an early age!!! And I don't think YouTube has a kid friendly page but I think it would fabulous if you could convince them to do it. I'm sure you'd have a lot of folks support.

    I love the M and R shirts - where did you find those? Your girls are as always, adorable.

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  17. Anonymous1/09/2009

    I'm hoping soon my kids can help me with the whole technology thing - I'm falling further behind by the day. BTW, the girls are just so darn adorable, you must notice people staring at them all the time... they always look like they have such zest for life. :-) BTW, thought of you guys the other day. We were watching an episode of Mythbusters and it was all about Diet Coke and Mentos!lol

    Julie

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  18. Anonymous1/09/2009

    You *know* you're a blogger when...
    Your three-year-old locks herself in the bathroom, your sweetie has to pick her way out, and you?
    You grab the camera.

    LOL.
    K

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  19. Anonymous1/09/2009

    If you ask Piper what her favorite toy is, she'll tell you "Mommy's computer." She loves to "make letters" and can surf around with the best of them. Kids today!

    And what IS it about chapstick?! P would run that tube around her lips twenty times if I let her. We have a rule - three times only!

    I put a Lip Smackers in each favor bag at her birthday last month. All the moms said their daughters loved 'em. Go figure.

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  20. hehehe! Your girls are WAAAAY clever! Harry is 7, and knows how to play penguin club - but thats it!!! He does however, know how to play ANY playstation game... and he doesn't even read very well!!!

    Love the pic of you guys on the Great Wall! Good thing you got there, before I puked on it!!!

    I was totally blown away by T's surprise bundle of joy!!!

    I LOVE the girl's teeshirts (the brown ones, with the letters on!) Fantastic!!!

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  21. LOVE the M & R shirts. Maybe I should have children with M & R names so I can claim the hand me downs! lol
    Amazed at all your girls can do on the computer! I still sometimes "lose" a video on You Tube!

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  22. Good Evening from Atlanta, GA

    I found your blog accidently this morning. ALL DAY long I've been reading about your gorgeous girls and your family. I went all the way back to the beginning. It has been a wonderful day reading about you all. I have a dreadful sinus infection and decided to just spend the day in bed and do what I like best, reading about adoptive parents.
    I don't have a blog but if it's OK with you I would like to follow yours. I think your girls are just the cutest things I've ever seen. And I have 8 pretty cute grandkids myself!

    I thank God everyday for folks such as yourselves that adopt children in other countries. If my hubby and I weren't old as Methusila(?) we would adopt a child ourselves.

    God Bless your family,
    Miss Lila in Atlanta

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  23. Good stuff...those computer savvy ladies!

    I just LOVE Tiffany's news. It couldn't be any better.

    R + M have the cutest wardrobes. LOVE those shirts.

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  24. whooo boy your kids are SO cute! I love your blog and have lurked for years and wanted to finally stop by and say HELLO. Thank you for sharing your family with all of us. As a fellow AP I love seeing girls grow up.
    http://designermama-manaallamano.blogspot.com/

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  25. Anonymous1/09/2009

    Girls are too cute!! And look like they are having such fun! I must be behind the times.....my girls (ages 5 and 3) have never been on the computer.....The only mouse they know is Angelina Ballerina! But, they do a mean puppet show complete with different voices, songs they compose and silly riddles...

    Best,
    Joan

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  26. Love the mom/pop photos... still cracks me up that you guys were at the Wall only one month after us and you are all in jackets! We were dyin' it was so stinkin' hot!!

    Bathroom door... we learned early on with Josh and replaced the bathroom door knob with one that does not lock. They make cute little signs that can go on the door for "occupied/unoccupied" when you have company. Oh and neither of the kids door's lock either. Yep, learned that one the hard way too! :)

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  27. Long time lurker coming out of hiding...

    www.teachertube.com

    It's youtube, without those annoying, innappropriate videos that pop up after! As I teach 2nd graders, I use this all the time, and feel very safe that we arent' going to get something they shouldn't be seeing when they are done viewing their video! I am not sure if you can find the videos the girls like, but there are options out there!

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  28. The girls have the best outfits! I love the initial shirts, where did you get them?

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  29. The Monterey Aquarium is the best! (I just wish we lived closer to it). Did they like the penguins?

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  30. Wow, the aquarium looks like fun! I love the picture of the girls sleeping on the bench!

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  31. M3,
    I can't believe how big Ro and Ree are getting. Your girls are Alex's age and it is amazing to watch them grow. I think you are giving me a glimpse in to my future after we bring Abby home. Alex and Abby will be 8 months apart so I think it will be like having twins. I had to laugh at that Metamucil story. I totally see that in my future.
    BTW, I love those shirts with the first letter of their name. Where did you get them. I would love to get 2 A's for my girls. Too cute.
    Take care. Looking forward to hearing more twinadoes stories.

    Faye ( mom to Alex and Abby )
    www.twiceuponatime2007.blogspot.com

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  32. First of all, let me chime in with everyone else and say your girls are adorable!! A website my aunt lets her kids use is www.kidstube.com.

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  33. Hi guys, the chocolate brown initial shirts were a gift, but I checked the label inside and I think they're by an ebay seller called "euro girls" which you can see at:
    http://stores.ebay.com/EuroGirlsboutique

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  34. Good Evening from Atlanta, GA.

    I have had a terrible sinus infection the last two days and I thought I would make myself feel better by reading some uplifting adoption stories. I spent and entire day and night reading about Eliza and Tiffany. I spent all day today and all of tonight going back to your archives and it made me feel better, I hope you don't mind me saying so but those girls are just about the cutest little girls I think I've ever seen. And I have 8 grandkids that are pretty doggone cute.LOL
    I just loved your adoption storyand how both sets of parents are right there with you.
    I hope you won't mind if I follow your blog and see what the Ree and Ro are up to. You can let me know at lilahuggins@gmail.com

    God Bless You for doing what you do,
    Miss Lila in Atlanta

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  35. Anonymous1/11/2009

    So when you planning to announce the big news? Ya know about adopting again? :)

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  36. Heh! Computer geniuses at work. Peter was playing with Jumpstart Toddler at age 2 and knew his shapes quickly as a result. By the time he was 4, he was an expert at the VHS and DVD player as well as gameboy. We did have to replace a few DVDs that got scratched and reboot the computer a few times, but overall he is like his daddy and a computer geek.

    Caroline, on the other hand, took longer to handle the computer. She was 4 at the start and has gotten better. Your girls have each other to up the ante on skills.

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  37. I ordered initial tshirts for Natalie today from Etsy. I directed them to your blog for the letter shape, I am excited! :)

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