Haircut!

Ezra had his first haircut yesterday.  My back door neighbor has a friend named Kevin (pictured here with the clippers) who comes over and does her boys' hair every two weeks.  He agreed to do Ezra as well.  So, we all crossed the alley to our little kitchen barber shop, Ms. Thelma's house (better known as Ezra's black grandmother, as she calls herself).  The girl in the picture is Ms. Marsha, Thelma's daughter, Ezra's adopted auntie.

Ezra did well for the first few minutes, curious, quiet, looking around.  It was only when I asked Kevin to take it down a little bit more that he started to cry.  But it was short-lived.  And now we have a VERY grown up looking little boy, whose face looks fatter now that his big, puffy hair is gone.  Elliot cried all the way back to our house about how he missed "Ezra's fluffy hair".  Elsie decided she didn't like it either.  I kind of miss it, too.  BUT, I can actually see his scalp now, and it doesn't take 30 minutes a day of picking, lotioning, conditioning, etc. to get the kid ready to go every day.  It'll grow back, and maybe I'll be fully functioning by then!

Ezra's 1!

Here is a link to Ezra's one year birthday party!  And here area  couple of pictures.  The Gordon clan celebrated at a beach house on Tybee Island.  The three sisters made the bear cake - beautiful.  Ezra loved it all.

Lately

Lately Elliot has been saying funny things.  He said to Michael the other day, after (I'm sure) talking about Kwanza at his public school, 

E: Papa, did Ezra used to be African American?

M: Um, he's still African American.

E: Oh.  Well, when he was with his birth family, did he celebrate Kwanza?

Today on the way home from school, Elliot and Elsie decided to plan a party.  After some debate in the back which I couldn't hear, Elliot told me they had come up with the menu:
E: We're ready, mama.
Me: Ok, what are we having?
E: Cheese, buffalo, and beer.

Elsie, also has been imbibing the public school koolaid.  The other night we were praying, thanking God for things he had given us during the advent season.
E: Thank you for mama, and Ezra, and Papa, and me, and Elliot...
E: And thank you for Hanukkah.

The above is a hair styling chair Elsie got for her birthday.  Ezra fits in it nicely.  It's almost time for his first haircut!

Elliot quote

Elliot got a birthday party invitation in the mail today from Amanda.  He was VERY excited.  Then he started talking about friends and how he and Amanda are friends.
Me: So is Amanda your best friend?
E: Well, she is my best friend here.  We're friends.  It's a connection. ...(?)

Latest quotes, in no particular order

On the way to school Friday,
Elliot: Mama, mama! There's the Bud Light truck! Yay!
Me:  Why do you care about that? What's Bud Light?
Elliot: It's the official beer of the NFL!

While putting together a foam nativity,
Papa: Can you help me by getting Mary's dress?
Elsie: What is taking Mary SO LONG?

Before, during, and after

Here is what the corner looked liked before we started.

Elsie models her one antler.

We did the lights and they did the ornaments, mostly.

Ezra cheered us on with his antlers on.

Papa helped with the high ones.

And they finished up.  They LOVED it.  What is it about being a kid and decorating a Christmas tree?  Elsie told me that was the "Best day EVER."

Thanksgiving

These are some of the people I am thankful for.  I saw them over break as we drove the 220 miles to Griffin, then the 600 miles to St. Louis (yikes).  Michael gets the gold star and probably several more yet to be determined rewards in heaven for stopping and getting a HOTEL room for me because I was dry heaving into a bag while he drove somewhere in Tennessee. He let me sleep long enough to push through 5 more hours.  Then while in St. Louis I think I gave my stomach flu to the Ryans, who are now sick.  Fabulous.  

The kids had a great time, playing with new people, new toys, new places.  It was really good to see everyone.  I am thankful that we got to go home, though it was bittersweet.  I think St. Louis will always be home for me, no matter where I live.