Zoo Keeper's Log- The kids are all right

It is Friday, the end of our first week. I noticed I hadn't written much about the kids and how they are doing this past week. Seeing as how some of you, particularly family, may only be interested in this blog to get updates about the family and see cute pictures I figured I should do that more often.

My mom has an awesome blog: karlenepetitt@blogspot.com (check it out!). Every Friday she does a post called Friday's Fabulous Flyer, where she features and individual connected to flying. I've decided I should take a page from her book and every Friday feature my fabulous flyers. Keeping up with the theme of the blog, and the them of our lives, every Friday you can expect to find the "Zoo keeper's log". I will obviously continue to talk about the kids throughout the week, but every Friday will be dedicated to a more detailed update about them in general, not really Cyprus related. So, if you're not a fan of the parent blogs feel free to ignore the zookeeper's log :) So here it is, the first log with cute photos and all:


I guess we'll start with Mr. Miles because, well, he came first? As good of a reason as any... First order of business at the house was to 'beep beep' his cars around the table. (Yes, we brought almost an entire suitcase of cars and have bought three more since arriving. Sad.) He had a rough transition. Kept waking up around 2a (local time) ready to party. Would keep Ryan up for a good hour or two before finally being coaxed back to sleep. The past two nights he's slept all the way through so with any luck he's officially adjusted to the time zone. What he's not adjusted to is mama working at home and not being able to play with him. In Seattle, every time I worked from home I would be in the back, out of sight out of mind. Our biggest obstacle so far has been his tantrums over wanting mama to play with him. Mama is also having a tough time not stepping in when things get messy and trying to 'help'. Its really not good for anyone. So, starting next week I will be working at the museum 3-4 days/week instead. It makes me really sad because working here I at least get to hear the adorable things he says and its almost like I'm with him. Anyways, it will be better for everyone if I work away from home... sigh.

Other than that he is being his adorable self. He gets funnier and funnier by the day. Today he was really big on "exercising like papa". This meant going up and down the stairs and running laps around the pool. He seriously got a workout in. He love the house here and 'his pool' although he will never go in it. I got him in once (see picture), and now he always talks about wanting to swim 'later'. When later will ever get here I will never know...

My favorite 'Milesism' of the day was when Ryan took Ellis out of the bath (him and I were still in playing) and Ellis started throwing a fit. Miles just says "I know, sissy, it's tough. It's real tough, sissy. You'll be ok." Love him.

Some of you know I had this grand plan of coming to Cyprus and saying "no more diapers, they don't make them your size here" (turns out they make them way bigger than in the states and we actually have to move down a size for both kids... do they keep them in diapers longer here?). Well, perhaps not surprising but that didn't last. We've done a mix of diapers, underwear and just plain nakey. I'm not confident we are making any progress... It doesn't help that all of the bathrooms here are a little 'scary' even for an adult. Very different, echo and the toilet seats are way different. I'm hoping he will come around. But since he didn't take to it too well I'm going to give it a rest and try again in a few weeks. He still may be potty trained by the time we get home. He may not. We shall see. I'm fairly certain he won't go to high school in diapers...




Other than that, Miles is a great helper of my work. When he's in a good mood he loves to hang out with me and 'draw bones' too. He thinks its pretty exciting to have so many "doggy and kitty bones" laying around. Those in front of him he has designated for Bjax and MJ. He says "we take them home, Bjax eat them all up, MJ eat them all up. Yummy in their tummy". Those are some lucky pups :)



Now onto our little Elephant... Happy 7 months to you, Ellis! I cannot believe she is so old already. She isn't crawling yet, but loves to pop from the push up position to her crawl stance. At that point she'll either scoot backwards or pick up her arm to crawl which sends her rolling onto her back. She does great rolling around to get where she wants to go though. I'm sure she'll be crawling within the week at the rate she is moving. It makes me crazy nervous having her so unsteady around this place as the entire thing is tile. I'm use to carpet where the kids can take huge bonks and its not an issue. I've spent many stressful play sessions catching her falling noggin before it cracks against the ground. Today we had our first actual head meet tile experience. I knew it would happen eventually, and she recovered in less than 10sec, but the thud gives me chills :(

 Ms. Ellis, after doing fantastic on the trip over, has been in a downward spiral since. Poor girl was first plagued with jet lag and then two teeth decided to try to come in (I think actually four are working their way out, but two for sure). This little girl is in serious discomfort... can you tell? This was taken at 4a (local time) and she had still not slept for over 30mins at a time. No matter how angry this little bug is you can always get her to crack a smile! Mama, on the other hand, does not feel like smiling much at night. Or in the mornings... it is pretty difficult being productive on little to no sleep, but hey, thats been the past three years so nothing new there!

Ellis is not much of a fan of the pool either (notice the death grip), but boy does that girl have some adorable swim wear :) I don't know what is wrong with my kids, but they will learn to be little fish whether they like it or not! Actually, when its not too cold Ellis loved sitting in her little floating and splashing. This girl loves to splash water... in the pool, in the tub, on her high chair tray after dumping some out. She always looks so proud after 'figuring it out'. (Speaking of figuring it out, Miles' new favorite thing is to ask me a question that he already knows the answer to, when I say "I don't know Miles, what do you think?" He replies "Figure it out mama").

Ellis is also starting to experiment with some words. She officially says "mama" but only when she's really pissed and crying/screaming for me. So nice that I'm her first word, but she has to be po'd to use it. I've also heard her repeat things I say to her a lot like "papa" and "all done" but I'm not convinced she knows what she's saying (especially with 'all done'). Either way, she is way more talkative than Miles ever was at this age. I can't wait to hear the two of them have conversations!

I think that is all for now in the zookeeper's log. Here are a few more adorable Ellis pics to even out the animal picture count :) Enjoy!