Some Like it Hot, Some...Not So Much

Addisu Ethiopian Restaurant opened up recently only a few short minutes from our house. Wooo Hooo! We took Noemi the other night for some authentic cuisine and we were elated that it was fantastic! I was never a fan of injera until I had really good injera in Ethiopia. I've since learned that the secret to good injera is using teff, and Addisu has it imported for this reason. Noemi dug right in, popping the injera and wat in her mouth like it was nobody's business. Until. Until she grabbed the beef tibs that were pretty spicy. Her eyes lit up, the beef came shooting out of her mouth and she began shaking her head and saying "all done" ferociously. Then she started to cry. This girl has always been a champ with all-things spicy, but those tibs were h-o-t. In a good way. The super friendly owner (whose name is Addisu) had asked us if they should go light on the heat for the baby; but I had assured him that she really likes spicy foods. Bad mommy, bad mommy. The super-smooth mango juice soothed her and she was back to munching happily in minutes.

For those of you in the Lancaster area--check it out! You won't be disappointed.

Click here to read more about Addisu Ethiopian Restaurant.

Bye, Bye, Baby

Donovan and I did not have a baby for very long. I know all parents feel this way, but we just about got Noemi home, got her healthy and BOOM! There was our toddler! Sometimes I am reminded that we missed out on so much; but that's when I just tell myself that these toddler years are so much more entertaining. I mean, really, this girl is a hoot.

This is how I know that the baby is gone…

-Sosi started full-fledged walking this past week. She took her first steps back in January, but she finally figured out how to make herself go go go. There’s no stopping our wobbly Frankenstein walker now. The crawling is officially g-o-n-e. She’s learned to say and sign “down” simultaneously to emphasize when she really does not want to be held and would rather be walking.



-While eating breakfast, she now insists on holding and reading the yogurt containers and cereal box. Every. Single. Time. We can count on her to search for and point to the Stonyfield yogurt brown baby (which we did not teach her to do)...love it.


-Tantrum season is emerging(awwwww-yeaaaaah). This girl has given us every indication that she would be a royal tantrum thrower (crocodile tears, pulling of hair and all) and I have a feeling that these pre-tantrums will only become increasingly colorful as she becomes smarter and gains stamina.

-Noemi now chooses to bypass the swing at the park to climb (or at least attempt to) the equipment with the big kids. She’s all about being with the big kids. I mean...the baby swing is just so...well...babyish.


-This past week, for the first time, she spotted the shopping carts at the grocery store with the campy little riding car attached to the front. She lurched forward and signed “please” while pointing with earnest. I took a deep breath, knowing that my baby was gone, and plopped her into the red plastic car of delight. It kept her entertained for all 16 aisles.

Get a load of Noemi playing with her big-kid buddy, Greta. Greta, thanks for having us over to your house--you're the best!

Madame Blueberry

I'll let the video speak for itself. The older and more exploratory she gets, the more she cracks me up. Love, love, love our little critter.

blueberry from Donovan Witmer on Vimeo.

Loving Aunt Carissa

Sosi's Godmother (and my kick-booty life-long friend) Carissa, came to PA to spend a few days with us to help out. When the going gets tough, call on Aunt Carissa. Sosi had a ball with her; and I beleive Carissa would say the same. What a fantastic friend--What lovely lookin' gals. This pic was taken on our way to honor and celebrate Sosi's grandpa's life. Grandpa would have gotten a chuckle from your hair bling, baby.

Noemi Gets Her Day in Court

Geeting prettied up in preparation for her big day! March 01, 2010

Sosi's re-adoption hearing at the Lancaster County Courthouse was on Monday. It was a bizzarre bolt of joy amonsgt a lot of sorrow, having peacefully lost Donovan's dad only the day before. Such is the cyle of life, I suppose. Or so they say. Our original hope was to make a celebratory day of of it, but exhaustion set in and it was about all we could do to throw on our dresses and show up on time. The judge made it official, sans gavel. After all of the paper shuffling of the last three years, I admit that I was hoping for a swift pound of the gavel just for the pomp. No such luck. At least the judge sported his black robe and we had to raise our right hands. Even if Donovan hesitated when asked our wedding anniversary date on the stand, the judge still thought he's a suitable papa (nice one, D). Thanks to super-dooper Aunt Jennie and Uncle Denison for coming along to root us on and take photos.

After the hearing with the judge, whose name we don't even remember. That's pathetic. Geesh, we were wiped.

Six months to the day after having left Ethiopia with her, Sosina Donovan Witmer legally became Noemi Sosina Witmer. She is no longer a permanent resident here on an IR-4 visa, she is now a US citizen. We will soon receive her new US birth certificate and then we can apply for a Social Security number for her. And so we celebrate the extra-offical permancy of our daughter this week while mourning the loss of our father. Bitter sweet cycle, it is.

On the Courthouse steps after the hearing.

Heeeeeee Haaaaaaaw!