Child Labor

I promise you, they beg me to do this:

No more whining allowed

Okay, at least for a while!

I finally pulled it together and got some things done so I don't have so much to whine about.

1. I booked a trip for the summer, yeah! We are going to the Dominican Republic for a week in July! I had a ton of airline points that are about to expire so I took advantage of that and we are staying at a beautiful resort in Punta Cana. We stopped there on a cruise a few years ago and really liked it so decided to go back and spend a week there. It has beautiful beaches and the water is just so crystal clear. The resort has tons of activities for kids, so that is a big plus. Now July just can't here quick enough! This will be the kids first time to a beach and they are so excited. I probably should have started with something smaller, after going to the Caribbean, the Texas beaches will look pathetic to them.
2. I found another brand of night time pull ups that don't leak, BIG YEAH! Although thanks Becky for the offer to send me the Kroger brand! I just wish I could get him out of those all together, but dear Lord, he just soaks them, they are so heavy in the morning I swear you could could crack a window with them. His doctor says not to worry about the night time training, that it will come eventually. I get him up to go to the bathroom at least 3 times before I go to bed and I don't give him any liquids after about 6 pm, but he still is wet in the morning. I guess we could always move into Depends after he outgrows these!
3. We have an appointment next week with a new doctor to look at his ADHD meds. I really think he has outgrown his current dosage because the kid is growing like a weed! We've had a really rough month behavior wise, hopefully we can turn that around.
4. I am holding off buying a new house with a pool and will just suffer through the summer going to the public pool and using the sprinkler in the backyard. (I know, a little whiny). We do have season passes to sea world and six flags (both have water parks) so we will probably spend a lot of time there.

That's all I got! If anyone can help me with how to get a U.S. passport for my kids, I would be so grateful. From what I understand, I need to send in their Russian birth certificates and their COC; it just makes me so nervous to send the originals of those documents. Has anyone done this? If so, did you have any problems getting the documents back?

A Proud Mama Moment

Today, this little kindergarten girl:



who just one and a half years ago hardly smiled and didn't speak a word of English:

 

And slept and lived on the other side of the world:

 

Stood in front of the entire student body of over 1000 kids in her elementary school and recited the Pledge of Allegiance!

I was so proud I thought I was going to cry!