Sleepless nights

Whenever I can't fall back asleep in the middle of the night, I often think about the days I became a mother for the first and second time. I close my eyes and imagine being in the Hualong International Building, a high-rise housing the Jiangxi Province Center for Adoption Services--on the 26th floor--in Nanchang, China, on Jan. 30, 2007. I remember seeing Athena for the first time and crying as she was placed in my arms.
I also think back to July 30, 2007, when Kallista was born. I held her and cried too, this time in the Highland Park Hospital. I remember being shocked that she was born on the 6-month anniversary of the day we adopted Athena. I'm not sure if all moms re-live the day they became parents, but I find such comfort in these memories. It's ironic that the two little girls who gave me sleepless nights in the beginning are the ones who help me return to Snoozy Snooze Land.

Fit for a (Burger) King

Long car rides guarantee one thing for us: multiple potty stops. It was near lunchtime when Eena had to go. We pulled into a fast-food restaurant parking lot. After going potty, Eena expressed her hunger.

My husband and I became vegetarians almost 10 years ago, swearing off not only meat but fast-food restaurants too. Well, that all changed in the parking lot. We’re still vegetarians, but we ate at the Burger King. To our great surprise, there were Mac & Cheese kids’ meals with apple “fries.” The girls loved it. We loved that the high chairs contained disposable bibs, wipes and the requisite Burger King crowns.

While there are no whoppers in our future, the little princesses are keeping our minds open.

The daily juggle

Blogging is tougher than I thought. Especially when you’re looking for a new job…oh, and chasing a 2 year old and 13 month old all day.

There’s the endless attention required by the children—sippy cups that need to be refilled, a constant parade of snacks that in their aftermath need to be removed—in crumb form—from the floor. I’m no different than other moms here, pulling delightful contented smiles from my kids in the midst of a meltdown, or juggling the laundry buzzer, the boiling water on the stove (for pasta, of course), and the endless cleanup of toys like so many flaming bowling pins.

The job search is going OK. Most people were away on vacation last week because of the Labor Day holiday. With that in mind, my husband, daughters and I traveled to St. Louis to visit my in-laws. It was a nice break away from Chicago.