Destructo... also known as Mehandis

I have been teaching Mehandis some simple sign language, to communicate a few basic wants/needs. Examples of these include "all done", "more", "eat", "milk", "mom" and "dad". However, it took a long time to figure out why Mehandis always did the same gesture every time we ask him to "Say Mehandis". As you can see in the following picture, Mehandis would bring his hand up to his ear and hold it there... following this prompt. He does this pretty consistently, deliberately and very seriously. I went so far as to ask his teachers if they have been using a sign for his name or if there was a finger play song with this motion. Nobody could figure it out. After a bit Michael and I realized that this is probably from us talking on the phone and then saying "Say hi Mehandis"... which we then would put the phone up to his ear. So I think the mystery is now cracked! When I am on the phone now, I see Mehandis bringing his hand to his ear as a way of asking to "talk" too.In the past few weeks Mehandis has been graced with yet another nickname, which is "Destructo". When volunteering in our church nursery, we noticed how one little boy earnestly attempted to put all the toys Mehanids had played with back onto the shelves. Mehandis would make the same circle promptly knocking the toys back to the ground. One of his teachers has recently told us that she does not attempt cleaning up the room until Mehandis is picked up. I do give him credit that he does make attempts at putting things back... but he is lacking in the task completion. Check out the latest path of Destructo. Guess he didn't like the plant in the location we had placed it.

Standing Tall & Proud in Wisconsin

Kind of hard to come up with a theme to tie in all of the following events/pictures that follow. So let me start with saying how proud I am that our state had a good turn out of voters for the primary elections... on a VERY frigid day. It was fun watching and hearing all of the results come in last night.

The next subject celebrates those who are simply standing...

Check out Michael skating on our driveway this past weekend. Our weather was a mess, with rain, snow, sleet and freezing everything. Michael made the best of it by first skating around, then breaking up the ice/sluch mixture followed by shoveling the snow layer later in the evening!


Yep, Mehandis is now standing tall! He started this on Monday... and now can stand for about a minute. While standing he can dance, "jump", whine and turn pages to a book. Keep it up Mehandis! We know we will be running after you soon.

Today the whole family went to Children's Court in order to make Mehandis's adoption official in Wisconsin. This is actually termed "re-adoption" since the adoption decree already happened in Ethiopia. We had a very enthusiastic judge who had fun with all of us. At the end she gave Mehandis gifts of a frog beanie baby and a Harley T-shirt. Seems like an appropriate welcome to Wisconsin!

Happy (Re) Adoption Day Mehandis... we love you!!!

Art Gallery

Every morning Michael gets Mehandis ready for school, while I ready myself. It now takes me 2 (sometimes 3 trips) to load up the car with mine and Mehandis's school stuff (including Mehandis)... then we are ready to head to daycare. Mehandis typically give his dad a kiss and wave goodbye, paired with lots of smiles. He is such a morning boy... as you can see below. When he arrives at his school he quickly crawls to his table in order to be served his personalized breakfast of bananas and dry cereal. I am not sure what is on his school schedule following this gourmet breakfast, but an art class happens at least once a week. I think he quite possibly may be gifted in this area. If you don't believe me there is photographic evidence to follow.
A snake... which coincides with their curriculum on the letter "S".
Snow day clothes... perhaps the subject was "Winter in Wisconsin" ?
And a self-portrait. Not sure where his socks, shoes and hair ended up... but I guess that isn't how Mehandis defines himself. I love his big round googly eyes.

Snow Day!!!

Summer break is not the only perk of working in the public schools... we also get snow days! Anxiously awaiting for your school district's name to be announced on the t.v. or radio feels the same whether you are in 3rd grade or are 33.

This past Wednesday my school district was closed due to the 12 to 20 inches of snow that was in the forecast. So Mehandis and I got to enjoy a middle of the week day off together. During our time off, he became much more proficient at spinning the toilet paper roll to get more squares per pull. I got to cuddle with Mehandis on the couch and read the classic children's story, "A Snowy Day". And, Chewy learned to increase his tolerance of an eager one year old (as can be seen below).


A little after 4, we both started to feel the itch to get out into the white stuff.
This is Mehandis in our driveway... hard to tell that Michael shoveled it already 2 times that day.
Michael took this picture of us as we started off for a quick sled ride around the block. It didn't stop snowing until around 8 or 9 that night. Thanks again to Michael for all of the shoveling and snow blowing that day!

Also, congratulations go out to Fernando, Dominique and Diego... who officially came home as a family of 3 on that blizzardy day!!!

Dashing Through the Snow

Lately, in Wisconsin, we have been gifted with the perfect conditions for "winter sports". Michael has enjoyed cross country skiing and recently introduced Mehandis to sledding. As you can see in the photo above, Mehandis has all of the appropriate seasonal "equipment"... which take longer to put on than the actual sledding adventure typically lasts.
We have been starting Mehandis off on the "bunny hills" in our side and front yards. Occasionally he off-roads it over a curb or down a sidewalk step.
I think that Mehandis is a great sled athlete; although, his parents just might need a refresher course in steering.