We're Still Alive

Wow, I am sooooooooooo behind on blogging. I can’t believe it has been over two months since I last posted. It seems like I was just typing out that last post. Where or where does the time go?

It’s been a wet and cold spring here in the Portland area. To alleviate some of the dreariness, Sabah and I took a trip to Maui last week (thank you first time home buyers credit). We had a spectacular time. Sabah is such a good traveler and I was so proud of her. Out of the two of us, I think I was crankier than she was! I was cheap and didn’t buy her her own seat on the plane (hey, I had one more month before she turned two and I took FULL advantage of it). I was concerned about how she would do on my lap for almost six hours, but once again, she was a fabulous travel and she did great. Because Sabah is so tall, I was worried that the airline would question me about her age, but no one coming or going even blinked an eye.

We stayed in a two bedroom condo about two blocks from the beach. Every day we were able to go for a walk down to “our beach” and just play in the sand and relax. Sabah loves water, however she is scared of the ocean waves (as I found out) and so our beach time was simply that….just BEACH. I don’t think she liked the waves knocking her down. She loved playing in the tide pools, the stream on the hike we took, and the swimming pool. Just no ocean.

Tina and Elizabeth were able to join us for 4 days in the middle of our trip. It was so special to have a girls vacation…..just me, my sister and our daughters. Something we have dreamed about for a long time. We spent some time driving the Hana highway, exploring Lahaina, and taking a hike through the forest and across a scary scary swinging bridge. As well as enjoying the sandy beaches.

Our transition to our new home has gone fantastically. Sabah adjusted really well, and she loves her new daycare provider….who just happens to be two blocks from our house. Unfortunately for me, she loves it a little too much, and has on several occasions cried when I went to pick her up. Though I understand that this is just a toddler being upset about having to stop playing, it still rips my heart apart. She used to get so excited when I came to pick her up. Running to me and squealing. Oh how I miss those days. I know they will come again…..she is starting to realize that mommy will bring her back to playtime “tomorrow” and the crying spells are getting fewer and fewer.

We have a postage stamp sized back yard, and so not really enough room to put in a proper garden. So, we planted our seedlings into several outdoor pots. Unfortunately, since I know nothing about gardening, I transferred them into the outdoor pots way to soon, and seem to have killed most of them. We are going to start more seedlings and then replant them at the end of this month when they will have a better chance at survival.

Sabah turns two at the end of this month, and I am just blown away by this. Where did my baby go? She is now talking, although I think she is a little behind on her vocabulary. She surprises me every day though with something new. And oh my, does anyone else get tired of “what’s that, what’s that, what’s that”? WOW….it’s non stop. I do enjoy it though, and LOVE having her try to say back the word to me. And I love it even more when she remembers what the object is and can tell me. Another favorite thing she likes to say is “uh oh, what happened”. This is so cute, but once again, she will say it over and over and over until I answer her. Sometimes nothing has happened and so I say I don’t know, and boy oh boy she does not like this answer. And the funniest thing she has said to me is when she was laying with me on the couch and she fell off (not a hard fall…she didn’t get hurt at all), and she gets up and looks at me all serious and says "what did you do”? Each word enunciated WHAT…DID…..YOU….DO? In her squeaky little voice. I couldn’t help but bust up laughing. I told her (still giggling), I didn’t do anything honey, that was all you!

Some of our friends with children Sabah’s age (and some younger) have already started potty training. To this I say REALLY? Not, “really are you crazy”, but “really? They are really ready?” I’m just amazed. Sabah is no where even near being potty trained. And beyond that, I don’t think I’m ready to start potty training her. I have found that I’m not a very patient mommy at times and so I want her to be so ready that it only takes a day to potty train her. Basically she will say “momma, I want to go potty on the toilet”. And I will say, “ok then, take your diaper off and go”. And that will be it for diapers. :) Hey, we’re all allowed to have our fantasies, right?

There is going to be a Toukoul Family Reunion here in Portland in August. Our dear friends Mona and Janissa will be coming out to attend this and will be staying with us. Janissa and Sabah are just about a month apart. They haven’t seen each other since Janissa came home last July. We are super duper excited to see them both again. We’re hoping our blog friends Char and Kwali will be able to stay with us as well. Char just brought Kwali home a few months ago and he too is about the same age as Janissa and Sabah. It’s going to be one big slumber party and I can’t wait. I also can’t wait to see all these Toukoul babies/kids reunited and to meet some of the people I have been corresponding with and celebrating referrals/home comings with for the past few years. Anyone who has children from Toukoul orphanage is welcome to attend. Hit me up for more info if you aren’t aware of the reunion.

I recently turned this blog into a book. It was so simple and it turned out pretty good. My plan is to do this every year and to eventually give them to Sabah when she is older. Of course, I’m only going to have a 6 page book if I continue to blog only every other month. :)

Below are pictures from our trip. Can't wait to go back next year.

Playin in the sand


Waiting for the sun to set

Early morning photo shoot

E and S playing together

At the banyan tree in Lahaina

On "our beach" near the condo

Crossing the very scary swinging bridge

On the submarine

At Ocheo Gulch Pools

Sabah and Mommy enjoying quality time together

Her new hair do...she LOVED it

Playing in the tide pool

Up top the submarine on the way back to shore