Interview Project time!

Last year, I participated in the 2012 Adoption Bloggers Interview Project. I learned so much from the interview experience and from reading others' interviews. Naturally, I wanted to do it again!

Keep an eye out for my interview, to be published on November 12th. (See, now that I have broadcast that to the world, I have to get on the ball and make it happen. Accountability!) As a happy coincidence, November 12th also happens to be Olivia's 6th birthday, A.K.A. the sixth anniversary of our parenthood and adoption adventure. You can read more about that day here.

November is Adoption Awareness Month, and this is one way that we will be participating. We will also be adding extra prayers in November for adoptive parents, birth parents, and children still waiting for a family, whether internationally or domestically through the foster care system. And, I hope, we will be visiting with both kids' birth families during November. It's going to be a busy month!

Language barrier

Sweet Martin is doing all of the things he should be doing at 14-almost 15 months old. He toddles, he runs, he tries to explore every nook and cranny that is not toddler-proofed. He doesn't climb like Olivia did at this age (Praise God!), but he gets around. And he babbles. He says very little that makes actual sense and sometimes gets frustrated that I don't understand him. But he talks a lot.

My favorite is when he comes up to me and, with animated facial expressions and hand gestures, launches into a very important description of...something. If I respond with something like, "Wow, that sounds great" or some other response that makes sense to other people, he looks confused and walks away like I can't possibly communicate with him. On the other hand, when I play along he continues to tell me (in completely unidentifiable words) exactly what he thinks about...something. It goes like this.

Martin walks up and slaps my leg. I look down. "What's up buddy?"

Martin, gesturing wildly and eyes wide. "Jesh-a-blah buh. Gah BAH bebud ziz duh. Blah bee?"

Me, animatedly, "Blah bee? Blee blah blah blue blee." (I'm not nearly as creative in my gibberish as he is.)

Martin, watching me with awe and respect, nods and says in all seriousness, "Bah beezah." And then we both giggle. And he grins widely and declares, "SSSSUP!" And he runs away.

Toddlerhood, man. It is pretty sweet.