What's this green stuff called? GRASS!

Hello everyone! Yes we are still alive. While I haven't had time for much posting lately, I have been keeping up with blogs. Congrats to all the referrals!! Can't wait for those court dates so we can see pix! Mari and I are doing well. Mari got a really bad cold last week and ended up going on steroids for her breathing (the return of the "Ethiopian Flu") but, for the first time, her ears were infection-free!!! She ended up sharing her cold with me (isn't she such a sweetie?) so I went a week without a good night's sleep between her coughing and mine. But we are in much better shape now. It is finally starting to warm up and get sunny here so hopefully the colds will dwindle...hopefully!

So what's new in Mari-land? She is developing quite a temper (oh, I'm dreading the terrible twos!) but these seem to be attachment-related, so in a way I think they are good. She has become very cuddly and wanting to be hugged and held but sometimes she screams bloody-murder if you are not holding her--at very random times too. And that scream...I've read other blogs that mention their Ethiopian child's murderous screams...until you hear it, you can NOT imagine the sound that comes out of such a little person. It is horrific!! But I like the part where she wants to be held. Tonight, I started telling her "NO" very sternly when she started the scream and it actually worked 3 times. We had a very pleasant evening with only a few tears but these were genuine, appropriate tears.

Let's get to some pix. First is another shot of the lovely new hairdo. Mari's hair is getting really long if you comb it out straight (which just springs back to tight little curls again).

We managed to get a trip to the park in last week (as her cold was diminishing and mine was kicking in). It was a fun day as we met up with a high school friend Chrissie and her little baby Daniel). It was quite hot out and Mari wasn't so sure about the sun hat. She also wasn't so sure about the swings at first.
As you can see, she warmed up to the swings very quickly. The slide was another story! Be sure to check out the flip-flops...one of Mari's Easter presents.
"Just not too sure about this hat on my head! And what is this green stuff underneath of me?"
"Sippy cup makes everything better."
"NOT happy with Mommy. Mommy took away my sippy cup because I was spitting the milk all over myself and laughing. So I'm leaving this place!" (At least there was no temper tantrum involved, but if looks could kill...I'd be one dead Mommy).

The trip to the park was an okay adventure. The duck pond was one of my favorite places as a kid...I could not get Mari to look at a duck. She was too busy looking everywhere else. Oh well. Next time, I guess. Soon she will be big enough to ride the train and FEED the ducks.