July, 1st 2009

July came in with a bang. Peyton Elijah Whartenby was born July 1st at 4:04 pm. Everyone is doing well and enjoying their new little brother.

June 2009

June saw the end of the school year. Eyob and Isabella graduated preschool and we now have two kindergardeners. Soccer came to an end for the season much to Eyob's disappointment. Isabella and Ella performed in their annual dance recital and Patrick finished baseball with a winning season. We are now ready for a relaxing summer.

Eyob and Isabella performing during their preschool graduation

Our KindergartenersEyob and Izzy with their soccer trophies after the last soccer game

Isabella and Ella ready for their big performance

Our Yankee fans ready for summer

May 2009

May was a very busy month. We spent most of the month at baseball and soccer games. Isabella turned 5 and Eyob celebrated one year home. For Isabella's birthday we celebrated with a few of her friends at The Clay Cafe were we painted pottery and had cake and ice cream.

We celebrated Eyob's adoption day (May 12th) with cupcakes and we gave Eyob a wrist watch which he wears all the time. Memorial Day weekend we took the kids to the zoo, which was the first family outing we had when Eyob came home. That was Memorial Day a year ago, what a difference a year makes. May 2nd, 2009 - Isabella's 5th birthday - Isabella is our little princess, she loves everything girlie, makeup, dressup, fancy hair dos. She's also very dramatic. She tells you how she feels, what she feels, when she feels it, just ask Eyob. They've become very close this year, but she'll let him know when she's had enough. I love this kid and her spunk and of course her beautiful smile.

The ZOO

Good bye til next time..

Easter Weekend

We had a very busy and fun Easter weekend. Saturday was Eyob and Isabella's first soccer game. Eyob scored 8 goals and Isabella scored one. Eyob had a great time and would have stayed in the whole game if he was allowed while Isabella took a break every chance she got. They both seemed to enjoy playing though and I do believe we won even though we aren't supposed to keep score. Of course explain that to my very competetive 7 year old who didn't understand why the coach would take Eyob out when they were tied at the end of the game.
Eyob getting ready to kick a goal

After the game we went to The Holiday Inn for Ella's 10th birthday. The kids had a great time and didn't seem nearly as tired as Mom who didn't even get in the pool.
After the party we colored Easter eggs and went to bed early to prepare for our exciting Sunday.
Patrick and Daddy
Eyob and Izzy
The birthday Girl

Easter morning the kids found their Easter eggs and than we all headed to Grandma's for church and Easter dinner. They got way too much candy and Ilana was bouncing off the walls and could not fall asleep that night even though she missed her nap. Overall we had a great day even if it was an exhausting weekend for Mom.

Eyob with his loot

Ella and Ilana having fun

Our darlings in their Easter best

Introducing the Littlest Whartenby

Peyton Elijah Whartenby is due July 9th. An unexpected blessing. We are all eagerly waiting his arrival!

Here We Go Steelers!

When you live in Pittsburgh and the Steelers are in the Super Bowl, Super Bowl weekend is like a holiday. Friday was full of pep rallys and buffet lunches and school parties. Most restaurants and shops are closing early Sunday for the Big Game, even Eat n' Park, the local 24hr restaurant. At work, it was a very festive day. We had black and gold beads for our patients, most of which were also dressed in Steeler attire. We took lots of pictures and had lots to eat. It seriouisly felt like a holiday. Of course all the kids had to wear their favorite Steeler shirts to school. Eyob is already a Steeler fan and was very excited to wear his special shirt.



Our Little Steeler Fans!!

Mälkam Gänna

We had a quiet but fun first Ethiopian Christmas together. Eyob wore his Ethiopian outfit to preschool. After school we went to TANA to have Ethiopian food. Seifu, the owner sat and talked to us about how he celebrated Ganna in Ethiopia. Eyob is always excited to have injera but he becomes very anxious when we are at the Ethiopian resturant. Seifu loves to hug him and talk Amharic to him. Eyob wants nothing to do with him. He acts like he has never spoken Amharic in his life and clings to me. The last time we were there he threw up when we got home. Today when Seifu asked him his name he said "Peter" (his American name). I about fell off my chair because we never call him Peter. It's sad to think that memories of Ethiopia make him so upset. In the evening we read the Visit of the Magi and talked about the king that might have been from Ethiopia (that king is actually African in our nativity set). We then gave each child a small present. At bedtime I read Eyob a little about Ganna from an Ethiopian Celebrations book because Eyob says he never celebrated Ganna in Ethiopia. Eyob seamed to really enjoy a day just about him and hopefully it will give him more pride in his heritage.