Celebrating One Year With Ashi!

 

It’s already been one year since our little buddy Ashenafi joined us from Ethiopia! His mama Erin asked Asher and I to join her, Christian and Ashi  for a little celebration of his special  anniversary with some yummy treats at Mallard Ice Cream. Of course we obliged…you’ll never catch us turning down an invite for Mallard’s cool creamy goodness! Never mind the fact that we both absolutely adore Ashi and would never miss an opportunity to celebrate his presence in our lives : )

  

  

  

I just looked through the first photos I took of Ashi last April and I cannot believe how much he has grown since he arrived! I get such a kick out of hearing his developing language skills and his emerging personality. He’s quite entertaining : )

Big brother Christian shows us his mad cone-eating skills

   Biggest brother Asher gets some love from Ashi : )

 

Asher had instructed me to keep him out of the pictures (hence the faux scowl) but I’m glad I didn’t oblige him because I love this picture of him and his monkey-on-the-back little bro : )

 

  

So close this time!

LOTS of love for Mama from her boys!

Congratulations on one year together… what a happy little family : )

National Adoption Day 2009

Last Friday was National Adoption Day and I was invited to document the court proceedings that completed the adoption process of our little friend Ashenafi.  Ashi’s mom Erin decided to save the final paperwork for this annual event so they could join the celebration with court staff and other adoptive families, as well as big brother Christian and their grandparents Willow & Rob. Ashi was one of twenty-five kids adopted by twenty Whatcom County families on Friday, many of whom were also from Ethiopia! Here are some photos of their moment with the judge and the celebration that followed…

Blowing kisses to a cutie-pie fellow adoptee … this kid’s a FLIRT!

Congratulating another adoptive family. Everyone is pretty happy at the court house on adoption day!

Ashi was far more interested in the fun stuff on the table than  anything the judge had to say. Papa spent most of the proceedings attempting to keep the wiry two year-old contained : )

Each of the adoptees received a teddy bear as a gift, while siblings received stuffed rabbits.  I was standing next to the photographer from the Bellingham Herald, who shot the newspaper’s photo of the day within a millisecond of the one I took above!

You can read the Herald’s  full story about Adoption Day here.

The balloon man was full of silly jokes. 

  Celebrating adoption day with a fierce balloon battle!

Ashi found the perfect spot for balloon sword storage!

Congratulations!

Welcoming Ashenafi: Brothers of Many Sizes and Colors!

 

Several months ago, we learned that Asher's little brother Christian and his mama Erin were planning to bring home a new baby brother from Ethiopia! One month ago, Erin returned from a grueling trip to Africa with little Ashenafi (pronounced ASH-uh-NOF-ee) who is now almost eighteen months old. After a few weeks of "cocooning" at home with his immediate family, little Ashi was ready to spend some time with his other fans. After months & months of impatient waiting, I *finally* got to train my camera on this happy little guy (who I personally think could possibly be the cutest little boy ever born!!!) On a warm Sunday evening, Erin brought the boys over to play and while the big brothers romped around the yard in the sun, Ashi was subjected to his first professional photo shoot. Here are some of my favorite photos of our adorable new friend... and a few with the big brothers too : )

     

View Full Album

The name “Ashenafi” means “winner” in his native language of Amharic. I have to say it seems quite fitting from my perspective… I’m not sure who is more in love with who here : )

View Full Album

Christian had just pulled out his first upper tooth the night before so of course we had to get a shot of that gaping new hole in his smile!

At the orphanage in Ethiopia, the little ones loved to sit in boxes…. so naturally Ashi climbed right in when he found this bin outside my back door!

Little Ashi decided Big Ashey needed a little forehead bump!

Big Ashey is pretty stoked that Little Ashi is finally here too : )

I’m sure it won’t be long before we see pictures of Christian trying out these torture techniques on Ashenafi!

He was quite interested in the pinwheel he found in my garden…

until he pulled it apart  (multiple times)…

and so decided to work the “big brown eyes” angle (for which, it turns out, I am a TOTAL sucker.)

 

Nothing makes Ashi happier than a “quas”… Amharic for “ball”…

although banging together some bamboo sticks with the big boys was pretty fun too : )

To Erin & Christian: We are so, so, SO thrilled to have Ashi join our quirky little “non-traditional family.” I am so thankful that you are giving this beautiful little boy an opportunity for a happy, healthy life and for allowing us to shower him with the love he deserves : )