Update

There are so many stories to share, and yet we find less and less time to blog. Sorry everyone, that's just the way it is. (Part of our problem is that we've gotten hooked into facebook... yea, now we're addicted to blogging AND facebook).

Here are the highlights:

1. The tests finally came back and Zac does NOT have a Human Growth Hormone deficiency. Go figure, he's just small. Because his "bone age" was so young (6 months) there is a good likelihood that he'll growth later. In fact, he seems to have growth quite a bit even in this last month. (1/2 inch, 2 or 3 pounds). Time will tell on this one.

2. Zac started swimming lessons today (along with Jake) They both did exceptionally well. Zac really liked going to "school" just like his big sister and brother.

3. It appears that in the last week, Zac has FINALLY stopped calling himself Pasha. It's kinda sad, but not really. When ever Zac wanted something really bad, he would scream out "PASHA" or better yet "PASHA DO THAT!" It much nicer to hear, "Can I have that please?"

4. His English is incredible. There is virtually nothing that can't be communicated anymore.

5. I gave Zac a timeout the other day. It was the kind where I plop him on my lap (facing me) and we sit together until he calms down. Let me tell you something, he was REALLY MAD about whatever it was he was in trouble for. But here's the point: During his time of major anger, he did NOT once hit or bite or do anything toward me. He simply cried and yelled. I had a quick flash back to last May and I thought, "Wow. How far we've come". I'm so proud of our little guy.

Control

"Zac, Mommy can't feed you or you will lose your job."

Tonight was a bit of a power struggle with Zac. It started with dinner and then worked it's way into bathtime, pj's, bedtime story and teeth brushing.

Here's the dinner story...

So, Zac refuses to eat his food and orders his mom to, "Feed me." I calmly (and believe it or not it was calm) said, "No, Zac. You need to eat your own food. You can have some cookies when you eat your food (no comments on the bribe, please!). For ten minutes he sat at the table without touching his fork and over and over again demanded that I feed him. Now for those of you that have adopted I know that the books say we need to feed them for attachment. This episode was NOT about attachment, it was about control. So, finally I set the timer and told him that he had five minutes to eat the rest of his meal and then I would take his plate away.

All the while, Hallie is giving me a fit about how awful I am being to her brother. I go on to tell her that, "Hallie this is not about dinner this is a control issue. Do you know what that means?"

Hallie: "No."

Mom: "It's like this...if I let Zac always order me around and get his way then when we grows up and has a boss, if that boss asks him to do something he doesn't want to do Zac might throw a fit and get fired by his boss. I am helping him to learn this now when he is little so that he doesn't lose his job when he is older."

Zac: "Mom, feed me!!!! Scream!!"

Hallie: "Zac, Mommy can't feed you or you will lose your job."

Zachary's Third Birthday

We decided that since this was the first birthday that Zac has had with his family we would do it up right and celebrate big time. We piled our whole family plus a cousin and both sets of grandparents into cars and headed to the Great Wolf Lodge waterpark in Kansas City, MO for his special day, October 16. When we arrived Zac was elated to jump into the water and go down the kiddie slides.

After two hours of waterpark fun Zac needed a quick nap before presents, pizza and cake. He was pretty excited about his presents and quickly tore open his packages. We were so delighted to watch his excitement. We also let him dive into his birthday cake face first. He loved his monkey cake and did share some with his brother who also decided to go in face first for a bite. After the festivities we went back to the waterpark for more fun before crashing in bed (adults and kids). But that wasn't the end of his birthday celebration. We really were trying hard to pack birth, first, second and third birthdays all into one event!

The next morning (today) we woke up and headed back to the waterpark for one more round of pool, hot tub, slides and the lazy river before getting cleaned up and heading over to the T-Rex restaurant for lunch. This place had Disney quality decor with moving dinosaurs and bugs of every kind. Very impressive and the kids loved it.

The celebration was obviously great but what made our hearts burst was that we got to watch our son enjoy his birthday and be reminded of how amazing his life is. He is such a beatiful gift to us!

Happy Birthday, Zac! We love you more than you could ever know!

Enjoy the pictures (in reverse order)

Estes Park

It's me Katie...I'm back from the most relaxing, encouraging, Spirit-filled weekend with my wonderful, amazing, incredible husband. For my birthday he planned a trip for us to Estes Park. We wanted to get away, just the two of us, for a weekend. My birthday request was 1. that we go "do" something and not just sit around eating 2. Just the two of us 3. He makes all the plans..where we hike, how to get there, where we stay, what and where we eat etc... Well, he succeeded in planning and executing a fabulous weekend. Thanks to the help of my parents, who watched the kids (yes, Ryan planned this part of it too) and some great friends who loaned us there cabin we were able to escape to Estes. (This was our first overnight away from Zac).



We roughed it in a cabin with no running water (I love adventure) and hiked over 8 miles on Sunday in Rocky Mountain National Park. We got to experience and stand in awe of God's amazing creation. The weather was perfect and the endless talks, both deep and casual, blessed my heart so much.



I think I have decided that I want time with my husband and God in this way every year for my birthday.



Thanks be to God!

Everything is going on

Here are the Horner family updates:


1. Pumpkin Patch. It was fun and the kids loved the jumping pillows, horse rides (Zac's second horse ride, but the first caught on camera) and the mine.

2. Zac's first dentist appointment. Perfect teeth and he loved watching the videos on the ceiling while holding the sucker-thing for his mouth. No tears, in fact he was giggling at one point.

3. Zac's Dedication at church was this Sunday. All my family and most of Ryan's was able to be there. It was very special for us to share this with our family and church family because so many prayed for him during our long wait.

At naptime today this was our conversation:

Mommy: "Zac, did you know that Jesus loves you?"

Zac: "No, mommy I love God."

Mommy: "Zac, that is so nice."

Zac: "No, mommy. No talk. I love Jesus."

Mommy: "Yes!"

Zac: "No talk, mommy. I love Jesus. Jesus loves me."

Mommy: nodding head (I don't dare speak!)

Zac: "Leave."