A Breakthrough!

Mya gets easily frustrated with Enzo when he won't play doctor, or knocks over her block structure, or turns off the TV.

Day after day I turn blue in the face explaining to her that he is still a baby and learning that he is frustrating you. I have given her "permission" to feel frustrated as long as she doesn't hurt him.

Also, she can bark, "STOP, Enzo DAVID!" As long as she follows with what she wants him to stop doing, and asks me for help if she needs someone to step in.

Today I was typing an email and they were playing 5 feet from me. I heard the following come from this sweet girls mouth, "Ennnzooooo, ughhhhhh! Why are you doing this? That makes me mad when you knock this down. Mommy, I need help!"

Wow, she really is listening to me!

Sigh of Relief

The last few months I have been blessed with some new friendships in a group of women who have built their families through transracial adoption.

We meet once a month to discuss a book we are reading and hash out our insecurities, brag about our children, talk hair, and boost each other's confidence. Overall, it is one of my favorite evenings of the month.

Mya is usually still awake when the ladies arrive. Antonio dutifully gets her to bed but she always needs a goodnight kiss. I am more than willing to end her day with a kiss, and she always provides me with a good story to tell when I get back down stairs.

Last month she said, "Mommy, you come back in here after your girlfriends leave." Where did she learn to call them my girlfriends? I asked Antonio, and it wasn't him!

Last night she said she wanted to say a prayer. I said, "Great who do you want to pray for?" She replied, "Your friends."

Aww, I naively thought she could sense the love and desire to do right by our children in the women chatting in our living room.

"Mya, what would you like to pray about for my friends?"

She took out her binky and said, "Dear God, I pray that Mommy's friends go home."

These new friendships have been such a sigh of relief for me, but having this amazing (and sassy) daughter who is part of the reason they came into my life, can only make me smile.

Mambo Italiano!

There was a day when fears of the "Ferraro Italian Heritage" NOT being passed on were voiced.

Antonio was quick to point out that our children will carry the Italian name, just like him. They may NOT speak Italian, just like him, but will be equally Italian.

Nonno (Vince) stepped up to the plate and declared he was going to teach Mya the Italian language. To be honest, we all scoffed as not one of the 3 Ferraro children speak Italian. Nothing short of pasta, meatballs, and cannoli have been spoken in my presence.

Well tonight Mya was brushing her teeth and as she was ready to rinse she asked Tonio for some "Acqua". When he asked where she learned that word, she quickly spit and announced, "Nonno taught me!"

Pass that heritage, Nonno.....pass it!

What's in a Name?

There is a special woman that has made quite an impression in our house.

This woman single handedly rid Mya of her separation anxiety that started at 9 months and went well past her 2nd birthday.

This woman encourages me to run, and that my children are in good hands while I am gone.

This woman is ready with a tissue for every runny nose, I find that really gross when the kids aren't mine.

This woman has a unique name and was the head of the child care at the YMCA.

Mya named her carry with me, can't sleep without her beside me, make her talk on the phone to my relatives, baby doll after her.

Melva, I'll see you when the swine flu scare is over. Until then, your name will be spoken over and over in our house.

No Excuses

This happened while two parents were home. The kid is fast, real fast.

His First Word

Drumroll please..........

"BALL"

I'm sure you're all shocked right now!

However, I am pretty proud that he saw Hooper, the PBS cartoon hamster, shaking balls and guessing what was in them and turned to me and said, "Ball!"

That's my boy!

You Can Be President Someday

We were watching the nightly news and they said that babies of today can expect to live to be 100!

This got us into a debate about healthcare reform. Mya was slightly shocked that we were talking about something other than her or Enzo.

She asked, "Mommy, what you talkin' about?"

We told her we were talking about President Obama. I told her she could be President some day if she wanted to. I asked, "Mya, would you like to be President some day, just like Obama?"

"Ummmmmm, no thanks."