LIFE

Life is what happens while you're busy making other plans.
-John Lennon






We leave for the East Coast on Wednesday and are looking forward to catching up with family and friends. I am most looking forward to being there and having the flight over and done with. The girls are very loud these days and are big screamers when things don't go their way or their demands aren't met fast enough. It should be a very interesting trip. Please pray I don't lose my mind.

When we return to Maui in July Kozette will start preschool and Tsebay will be going out to a sitter a few days a week. I am not ready to give up the control but like it or not, it's time. They are ready to be around other children and are getting a bit bored around the house. They are both getting so big, so beautiful and are so, so smart. They amaze me daily. Kozette is counting to 10, beginning to identify colors and speaking in full sentences. Tsebay keeps up with her big sister. She is doing so many things I could not imagine her doing at this age if it weren't for her big sissy.

The big news is that my house is up for sale. I know the timing is terrible but life doesn't always line up with the value of the dollar. I am ready to leave this rock in the middle of the Pacific Ocean so the girls can have a relationship with their grandparents, cousins, aunties and uncles. It will also be really nice have the help. These little cuties keep me on my toes. Maui will always be here but these special years will not. If you know anyone looking for an awesome place on the North Shore with rental potential send them my way.

Tsebay and I celebrated our one year becoming a family on the 15th. What a year it has been! I have been blessed.

Mimi & Great Grandma in Maui.Happy Mothers' Day All

Happy Mother's Day Maria ~~ Mimi Here

I hope you have a wonderful FIRST Mother's Day ~
Kozette and Tsebay asked me to tell you that you are THE BESTEST!

Hope you enjoy the following two slide shows ~ What a trip we had..
Thanks much and SEE YOU SOON!

Love Momma/Mimi

Long awaited reunion pics

Mimi is coming and we've been tagged!!!

Mimi is coming has been the mantra around our house for the last several weeks and tomorrow is the big day. My mom and grandmom will arrive at 2:30. I am so excited to have 4 generations together. They will be here for Kozette's third bithday. I am trying to keep the festivities simple but it is difficult to not go overboard. Anyone who knows me knows I love a party!

The girls were tagged by the Devine Miss Zoe over at Drew and Carrie's blog. Here is a bit of scoop about the Quinn girls.

Names

K still calls herself Aiyaya. This one might stick. Tefessae, our wonderful driver in Ethiopia emailed me and told me it is a term of endearment in Ethiopia.

T has many nicknames. T-Dawg, Boo Boo, Boo Boo Booinski, Boo Boo Magoo. She has also taken to calling herself Aiyaya from time to time.


Sports

T is getting around rather quickly these days. She loves to hold balls and can spot one from a mile away.

K is a baller. She can dribble with both hands and her coach/babysitter, Ange, has high hopes for her basketball career. T can even dribble with one hand behind her back.

Men

K is a fan. She loves men. We have finally gotten to a point where she does not just run up and jump into their arms. We had a few embarrassing moments especially in the airport on our way home from Ethiopia.

T takes a while to warm up but has a few favs. Pop pop is number one of course.

Music

T loves to drum. She will drum on anything. She also has a few little diddies she sings. Happy Birthday to mommy is my favorite. My birthday was a month ago but she still sings to me daily.

K is a big fan of dancing. She likes to sing while I dance and then we switch. Do we know how to have fun or what?

Family

K loves her little sister and smothers her with affection, even when she is not up for it. She likes to feed her and always makes sure her needs are met.

T looks up to her big sissy and imitates her. This morning K coughed so T coughed. She also attempts to keep up verbally and is doing very well.

Technology

T is all about the cell phone. She will turn anything into a cell phone, a cracker, a toy, a piece of paper. She will say hello and when I ask her who it is, it's always Mimi or Pop Pop.

K likes the lap top. She will sit and ask to look at the babies. She is already a blogger. Recently she found an old calculator and she makes believe it is her computer. She puts it in her bag and tells me she is going to work.

Animals

K likes to chase the cats and try to kiss them. She doesn't understand why they won't stay still.

T is a big fan of our neighbor's dog. She is very in tune to the barking and gets so excited saying "doggie, doggie, doggie".

Food

T can't get enough of it. This girl can eat and eat and eat. The other night she got up in the middle of the night and got in bed with K and I. As we were both dozing off (I thought), she said mommy as sweet as can be. When I said yes she said eat. This little lady has food on the brain 24/7.

K is getting more adventerous with food but her favorites are still oatmeal and cheerios.

Hair

K is very eager to have puffs. She point to pictures and really tries to get enough hair together to make it happen.

T still struggles with the wash, so does her momma. I'm surpried the neighbors don't call the cops she screams so loud.

Mom

K is a loyal momma's girl. Affection is 24/7. She still needs momma to sleep. We're working on that one.


T has forgiven me for totally disrupting our perfect little lives. She gives lots of kisses but they are always on her terms.

I tag Malia's mom.

Congratulations

My bills are piled up and my list of things to do is longer than it's ever been but I still find time every few days to check in on my blog buddies and see what is happening. I've thought about cutting myself off and just can't bring myself to do it. Keeping up with everyone reminds me of the miracles that have occurred in my life over the past year. I am reminded of the ups and the downs of the adoption process and I squeeze my girls just a little tighter and give them an extra kiss good night. Thank you all for reminding me how special this journey is. I am jumping up and down for Renee and Geert and Courtney and Lindsey they begin the process once again. Congratulations and good luck. Please visit Renee's site and check out the tags she will be selling to help fund their next adoption. Everyone needs to buy some and $5.00 is way too cheap. This family deserves some tips! Also, congratulations to all the families that have passed court and received referrals. What an exciting few weeks it's been. Check out this site to see what is going on with the Gladney families but be careful blogging is addictive.

March Madness.........

Aloha Friends,

I know you are all on the edge of your seats waiting for an update on the Quinn Girls. Sorry it's taken me so long but these little darlings are keeping me busy. I am still attempting to find my balance and have a feeling I will continue to work on this. Most parents have shared that this will be a struggle for the next 18 years.

For the next two weeks I will be on Spring Break and am very grateful to have the break from work. I am loving every minute with my girls. Tsebay and Kozette are doing awesome. They are the cutest, most affectionate , smartest sisters. They fall more and more in love with each other daily and it is adorable. Being able to watch this bond develop is amazing. I am blessed to be their mommy. Tsebay is walking and talking and her pesonality is so sweet. She loves Elmo, brushing her teeth and eating. She really, really loves eating. Tsebay is easy going and is well bonded to her babysitter, Ange and her Aunt Shelly. She is starting to call me momma and it makes my heart melt. Tsebay gives lots of kisses but you only get them when she decides she's up for it. She attempts to keep up with her big sis and her language development is very impressive. The one thing she hates is getting her hair washed. Any tips in this area are greatly appreciated.

Kozette is a super intelligent. She understands everything and her vocabulary is expanding daily. Her favorites phrases are "I see" and "I'll be right back". She likes to act like she is going to work and driving a car. On the flip side she likes to act like a baby. She acts like she is learning to walk and if you didn't know better you would believe she is a baby. She is a drama queen. Kozette will respond to her name but calls herself I-ya-ya. This is a name she picked up at some point in Ethiopia and she is not letting it go. If anyone has any idea if there is any meaning to this name/word, please let me know.

We are having a blast! The pics below are from our afternoon at the beach park, a day at the beach and St. Patty's Day. The one with the computer is the girls and I catching up on our blogging. They are checking out the newest Gladney babe, Abe, being picked up by his mom and dad. We are thrilled for them.

Up until a week ago I was totally ruling out the Blog Union but after seeing how all of my other blog buddies are making it happen I'm hoping to do the same. This is a once in a lifetime and I'm going to do what I can to get there.