She's not real fond of salsa yet

As a member of our family, it's almost required that you like Mexican food, particularly salsa. Both of our boys were eating chips and dip by the time they were Katie's age. Looks like we have a little longer of teaching her to like it. She did keep dipping that chip though, but wasn't too sure about the taste.

Illnesses and hyperness

I had to take Katie in to the pediatrician today due to her loving on those aquarium tanks over the weekend. Seems she picked up a cold, only she's now had it for 5 days. The last day she started running a fever, and since it's been a few years since I had to deal with fevers in little bitty ones I called the doc. The triage nurse told me that I had to bring her in since she'd been sick for a few days THEN started running a fever. Classic sign of secondary infection, like ear infection, going on. Great. I didn't want to take her in as that place is full of really sick kids...with you know THE FLU! Actually based on what I saw there today I think we're finally coming off the peak of the season for our area. Less than half were there with the flu.

Turns out Katie only has a cold. The doc wasn't thrilled with the triage nurse since I had now exposed Katie to the flu (I'm hoping that our dash through the sick waiting room from the hallway minimized the exposure).

While we were there Dr. E asked me about the boys. "How are they doing?" So, I explained to him that they had had that chest congestion cold about 2 weeks ago. JM was all better but Samuel had had to go to his Asthma doctor (I chose the asthma doc over the ped because the asthma doc is less likely to have flu cases running around). ;) Seriously, Samuel was not running fevers, no snotty nose, just that out of control cough. I told the pediatrician that the asthma doc said Samuel had "asthmatic bronchitis" and put him on an antibiotic, cough suppressant, and steroid. Dr. E asked if he was doing better. I told him that yes, he was. He was bouncing off the walls...literally. Dr. E's response? "that steroid kicked in huh?" Oh yes it did. Dr. E did ask a few more questions, and he's comfortable with what all Samuel is doing...breathing wise and medicine wise. I told him Samuel had the same cold as Katie but kicked it quickly. Guess that regime of meds is keeping him from developing more asthma problems from that cold.

So, now we wait to see if Katie picked up something else from the doctor's office. 4-7 days and we should know. Right? I'm hopeful we minimized our exposures to all the nasty germs floating around our town at the moment.

I've never been more ready for spring in my life! It's been 18 days of sickness here in our house. Doesn't that make you want to come visit? It's only really been colds, but 18 days worth of it. Bouncing from child to child to adult to child and back again.

I'm glad Samuel can breathe again...but man that hyperness is driving us all crazy. I think I'm going to send in a treat for his teacher tomorrow...she'll deserve something for dealing with him. He's not bad...just...well..BOUNCING OFF THE WALLS. I personally think it's a combination of being able to breathe again and the steroid working. Lots and lots of energy.

Welcome Katie Party

Katie's Princess Cake (cupcake cake)




Mom bought Katie that cute head/hat/headband thing. LOL


Katie would not stand still for a nice image in her TraLaLa outfit, this was the best I got that day.




Yummmmm....CAKE!

Pics from Atlanta

First two are her in the pack and play (her bed for the weekend).



Then at the aquarium. Dh said that she was amazed by the fish and just stood there tapping the glass...enthralled. Then, when he made her leave to go to the next one, she threw a tantrum until they got to the next one...enthrallment commenced.



LOL




These next ones were from swimming Saturday night. Katie wasn't so sure about that pool. She sure was cute though!

Hair Bow swap

These were the first 2 bows I got. The Gymboree ones are the ones I was so excited about since I just bought resell 3 outfits from that line! PERFECT!

I have all 4 sets, but have not gotten photos of them yet. I love them all.

I'm so ready for SPRING!

These past 2 weeks have been full of kids being sick. Nothing too major really, but colds upon colds, coughing...lots of coughing. Asthma issues. Allergies. The changing weather is not helping. The house is in desperate need of a good spring cleaning, which in turn stirs up the dust mites, which in turn causes more allergies and leads to asthma attacks.

Yes, life has been interesting!

The last 2 weekends we spent out of town, and Katie did great traveling. We went to my parents home for a "Welcome Katie" party for my mom's friends (and lots of my high school friends I have not seen in years). This past weekend we were in Atlanta for me to attend a business class. Dh took the kids to Georgia Aquarium where they seem to have had a lot of fun. Then he braved Target to purchase everyone swimsuits so we could swim in the indoor pool (the hotel website said "outdoor pool" which is why I did not pack any).

We ended up with colds from this weekend in Atlanta though, just normal sniffly runny nose variety. Except for me, I'm succumbing to the coughing variety kind that everyone else had 2 weeks ago. Katie and I both are now coughing (she's been coughing for a few days...I probably got it from her).

Katie's first time in a hotel since China was interesting. She wasn't quite sure WHY we were there and was a little unsettled. Getting 3 kids to sleep in one small room was tough. I was wishing for larger hotel rooms by the 2nd hour we were there! Another thing we learned this weekend is that eating in a restaurant with Katie after she's been in the car for over 2 hours is not smart. We've started getting our food to go and letting her loose in the van to walk around and play. We get more eating done, it's actually more peaceful, and one day we hope Katie will sleep in the van during a trip. Yes, in all our driving she has not slept unless it was late at night and she resigned herself to the fact she wasn't getting out of that carseat!

we have photos from the past 2 weekends, but I need to get them where I can upload them. Katie's first cupcake, her "Welcome Katie" cake, her bathing suit, her playing in her pack and play, and yes, the kids at the Aquarium!

I'm not Momma

At least that is what Katie indicated to me today. I asked her, "Am I Momma?" She shook her head no with a very serious look on her face. She knows I am supposed to be Momma, but she showed me today that I have not quite gotten there yet. We are working on it, and slowly bit by bit we will get there.

This past week has been a whirlwind of activity. I think all weeks are that way now. But last weekend we went up to visit my family for a "Welcome Katie" shower and we got to visit with some good friends. One friend I had not seen since high school and it was wonderful to reconnect.

This week has been full of illness. Nothing major really, the tail ends of colds. Except for Samuel. Samuel's asthma is out of control, and combined with a chest cold, he ended up with bronchitis. He's doing much better, but he sounded so incredibly bad earlier this week. Especially at night, and thus, I slept near him and did not get much sleep at all for 3 nights.

I've gotten 3 bows from the bow swap and I love them all. I had to laugh at one set, it was from Gymboree's Sunflower Fields line. I bought 3 outfits from consignment from that line because I did not manage to get any last year and I loved it. I was so happy to get that set of bows in to match those outfits! Another set of bows came from someone who lives not too far from me, and hopefully one day we'll get to meet her.

I'll update with photos later...and hopefully update more text later as well.

Got our homestudy 1 month postplacement

We had to send in a post-placement report to our state within 45 days of placement/getting home. We got a copy in the mail this week, and I just read it.

It ended with, "I recommend this placement continue."

I'm so glad. I would hate to see them try to pry Katie out of our arms! Someone asked me recently if I was bonded to her or not yet. I looked at them quizzically, and then I realized what they were asking. When we had the boys, I felt like I was just babysitting them while in the hospital and it took a few days to feel like "Mom" to them. I think that is what they were asking. With Katie, it took until around Wednesday/Thursday in China to feel like "Mom" to her. Honestly, the first time I felt like Mom was when Momma Bear came out...they gave her a shot in China on Thursday and she cried so hard and I jumped off the seat and grabbed her as soon as they let me. Monday and Tuesday in China (Monday was "Katie Day") it felt just like it did with the boys in the hospital - like I was babysitting her. So yes, she's mine. Just like the boys are mine.

2 more post placement visits to go.
1 "re-adoption"
and apply for her US passport!

then...maybe? finally? the end of the paperwork for Katie's Adoption!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Wishing you all the happiest of HEARTS day.

Catching up on Project 366

I'm posting these on another blog...but for now here are the recent ones of the kids (well Katie)

2 months with us

I can't believe I forgot yesterday that Katie has been with us for 2 months. She has done amazingly well, but every once in awhile I am reminded that there are issues lurking beneath the surface for us.

1. Katie will not fall asleep with us holding her anymore. She did so in China, but now, she refuses. She squirms, she tries to get up, she fusses. She wants to lay down in her crib and fall asleep...alone. I'm not entirely sure this is a good thing.

2. She will not give us kisses. She will give us hugs, without us asking for them. But she will not give us kisses. :(

3. She hates to be cradled and rocked. She will gaze into my eyes though if I can sit still with her cradled. She much prefers to sit facing out.

4. She fell down (you know, from squatting) today and cried. I picked her up and loved on her, and she snuggled on my chest...with her face INWARD. This was a huge step, but it only lasted about 5 seconds. She turned out, and then soothed herself.

5. We are not hearing the teeth grinding as much at home. I hear it when we go to the doctor's office though. I think it is definitely a "stress" thing for her. Makes me sad to think how stressed she was when we brought her home.

6. We are not seeing the dissociative looks as much these days. THAT is a good thing! When we do see them, they are much briefer.

7. She still soothes herself with the sucking on her tongue with fingers/hand up next to her mouth but not touching it. She isn't doing this as much in the house or with us. We see it at night, when she's tired, when she's not feeling good, when she is sad...and in new situations, such as standing in the grass.

8. We think we found a food aversion - slimy textured foods. I can't stand mushrooms because they are slimy. Yet another "fit" for our family. We will work with that if it becomes an issue. It seems that only the Gerber graduate peaches, pears, and carrots are affected by this aversion so far. Although I've not tried other fruits cut up.

9. We've not left her with anyone else yet, but there have been a few moments where one of us has stepped out of the room at church nursery (to get a coke or go to the bathroom). She did not mind. However, she gets upset during the transition times, and when other kids are dropped off by their parents and those kids cry. She gets a little teary sometimes. It's not as bad as the little babies getting dropped off, that really made her cry hard.

10. In new situations, or stressful situations, Katie still prefers Daddy to hold her. She will come to me, but I can tell that I do not calm her nearly as well as Daddy does. She simply does not trust me as much yet. She cares about me, but I'm not sure she completely trusts and loves me yet. For that matter, I'm not sure if she 100% there with Dh as well. I truly do not feel like she knows we will always be there for her at this point....it's a work in progress, and it is much better than when we were in China.

Another Karate Tournament

The boys recently went to another Karate Tournament, and while it was with the same 2 dojos it has gotten more popular with them.

Samuel, an orange with black stripe belt, was in a division with orange and orange stripe belts. I think there were about 7 or 8 kids in it. He placed first in forms! Shocking as we thought the 2nd place child actually did better. He does such a good job, and hopefully this coming week he'll finally be able to test for yellow belt. He need to make sure he knows the basic form kata (he forgot it), his kicks, and his self defense moves. In sparring he placed 2nd this time (no kicks to C's head). It was a division based on size/weight, and he was in the major heavyweights. He weighs 36 pounds. LOL He and C are the only two in the under 40 pound division so 2nd out of 2...and he did not score any points while C scored 6. LOL

JM, yellow belt, was in a division with about 15-20 kids. It was HUGE. He did not place, but I would venture a guess that he did well (top 10 at least). He just wasn't as intense, his thumb was out a little too much, and his horse stance wasn't quite deep enough...the form was done correctly, just the details got him. Sparring he was in a division with about 10 kids. He did not place in that either. He sparred against a girl (oh my gosh all that training on being a gentleman!). That little girl won though! She has a perfect roundhouse kick that she used and kicked all the boys (it was her against 9 boys) and she got them in the stomach/chest numerous times. So good in fact that both Senseis would ask the boys "Are you okay?"

Other cute updates from Karate class are that one time Samuel was doing something and Sensei actually had to tell him "not so hard!" Since Samuel weighs a whopping 36 pounds and is 42 inches tall, he just does not ever get enough momentum or strength behind kicks and punches...so this was good to hear! He must kick/hit harder for higher belts.

Samuel still can not do a sit up. We've worked with him and worked with him, and he just can't do it. Sure he can if you put a finger behind his shoulder and nudge it up a little. But alone? He can't. We do our best to contain laughter while Samuel looks like a turtle on it's back trying to do a single sit up. Sensei keeps working with him to get him to do them.

JM refuses to stretch at home. Stretching at home is a must to be able to kick higher. We're just not sure what to do to make sure he understands that relationship. Doing the splits is crucial in being able to kick over your head.

JM is doing well with sparring in class, but he loves Jedi Battle game. LOL I think he takes delight in "extending" the death of attacker (if you hit an arm or leg with the blocker thing they can't use it anymore). He hits each arm, then each leg....then he hits them in the chest or on top of the head (LIGHTLY of course). Poor Samuel just doesn't stand a chance with this game either...he's the shortest by FAR in the class.

Katie? She just runs around, and every once in a while she's bow with the class. Trying to figure out when she does it. I suspect it's when Sensei calls out the Japanese words for "ready" and "bow" though.

Happy New Year!!

Xing Nian Kuai Le

"Gong Hei Fat Choy". - The literal translation of "Gung Hei" is "to wish" and "Fat Choy" is "to prosper". So saying "Gung Hei Fat Choy" means "I wish that you will be prosperous". (Thanks Diana!!!!)

I realized today, while trying to find red envelopes (yet again) that I failed miserably at this first Chinese New Year family celebration. I managed to get reservations for PF Changs though (and might I say that no one there seemed to know it was Chinese New Year...should have gone to the Chinese restaurant Dh likes so well). Katie wore her traditional outfit tonight with squeaky shoes and looked adorable...as usual.



Other than that, today was a day full of errands.

What did we think of PF Changs? It was very good, and probably will become one of our top choices for big family celebrations. It was cute to watch Katie shove in the mix that goes in the Lettuce Wraps, to see her put as many noodles as possible in her mouth from the Lo Mein. Quite funny to see her spit out the veggies though. With the stuff from the Lettuce Wraps, it was cute to see her face. It was like "where has this stuff been for the past 8 weeks? These people were holding out on me!" She loved it!* I gave her part of my fortune cookie and she got quite irritated that I didn't have more for her. I ate it before she demanded more. Oops.

Samuel, who has never even tried the noodles at our favorite Asian restaurant, loved the Mu Shu Chicken. He told us "We have to come here EVERY NIGHT and get this." yeah, Samuel, I would like that too!

JM, who has just started venturing into the more Asian foods when we eat out, loved everything he tried. He told us that it was the best dinner he's had in a long time. (gee thanks since I've been trying to cook all meals for the past month) With the gusto he showed at PF Changs we think he would have thrived in China with the food. Samuel would have as well (he handled the rice okay tonight and loved it!!!).**

The traditions surrounding Chinese New Year, I failed at. I cleaned today (had to since I did not get a chance yesterday, or the day before). I could not get in to get my hair cut until tomorrow morning...there went that one. Katie had to have a bath tonight as we didn't get to it yesterday. Oh well. I will try to do better next year!


* While in China she was so sick that we didn't try much beyond her formula and congee. Had we known she loves chicken like that we might have tried it. Needless to say, once home, we have not had much opportunity for her to eat Chinese foods. We knew she loved noodles from eating at the Asian restaurant, but we tend to get Vietnamese or Thai foods there.

** Samuel was allergic to rice as a baby. We avoided it for 4 years and the doctor had wanted us to test it. We've been slowly testing it, but tonight was the first time we gave him a spoonful. He did just fine. Phew!

Making the grandparents happy...

Practicing my hi-key lighting, I see the mistakes. My little girl being herself today. This was her "coming home" dress and I needed to get a photo of her in it.






more to come as I proof them....err process them. Yes, grandparents, these will be up on the gallery as well. Well the good pretty face ones. ;)

Winter storms in China - effect on orphanages

http://www.halfthesky.org/work/littlemouse.php

I'm trying to find out information on Katie's orphanage and foster care village, I suspect they are okay though.

Here are some excerpts from the above link...

Zoey's orphanage (link to the left):
Nanchang, Jiangxi – asks for warm floor mats and disposable diapers. They need a working room heater. Their electrical supply has been sporadic and with only a small generator, they’re not confident they can continue to provide heat to keep the children warm. UPDATE: Their boiler for hot water supply has broken down. They ask for funds to purchase a new one.

Charlotte's orphange (link to the left):
Yangchun, Guangdong - reports a need for space heaters and hot water bottles for 88 babies at two sites.

Journey to Noelle's orphange (link on left):
Hefei, Anhui – reports that they have everything under control and the children are warm and well-fed. UPDATE: The orphanage now realizes they will soon run out of disposable diapers. They ask for funds to purchase 7500 diapers.

Maggie Mae's orphanage (link on left):
Chengdu, Sichuan – is experiencing the coldest winter in memory. They need a large room heater, diapers, shoes, socks and winter jackets. UPDATE: Chengdu repeats their request for a large heater and disposable diapers. They also request 80 warm quilts.

that's just 4 of the kids on my list who are either living in these orphanages OR came from them. Half the Sky is a great charity, and they are disparately trying to help these orphanages out during the coldest weather in 50 years in China. It would be like South Florida having almost 2 months of 30 degree days. Like Atlanta Georgia being under 2.5 feet of snow with more expected...and everyone from Tennesse south to Florida living without heaters in their homes.

Put on top of that living in a country where the main heating source is by coal fires, and carbon monoxide poisoning is common.

Another thing to keep in mind...no electricity? Nothing to run the water boilers, so no clean water. You must have a fire to boil the water, and thus, more problems.

Half the Sky, at the bottom of that link, has set up a donation place to help these orphanages. If you don't want to, or can't, please just pray for them. Tell others if you want as well. My heart is breaking for these kids.

If you would like to help an orphanage that is not under Half the Sky care, email me and I will get you in touch with someone who can help a specific orphanage. I'm going to see if I can find out how the Yunnan province is faring. It is not a Half the Sky province, and Love without Boundaries does not have much going on in that province either. Hopefully they are doing okay. Kunming is not know as the city of eternal springtime for nothing!

the reason for so many request for disposable diapers when they normally use cloth or nothing? Well, they can't dry the diapers that are soiled and need cleaning. The diapers are freezing after being washed. THAT is how cold these rooms are that the babies are in.

Katie at 18 months!

Katie can say:

Uh-oh
Yum-yum (num-num)
Thank You (day-ooo when she hands me something)
Ma-ma
Da-da
up (with arms raised)
EIEI-Oh (Eeee I, Eeeee I, Eeee I)
My (as in My Ma-ma)
Meow (ma-ow)

Those are words she uses fairly frequnetly. If you count head shaking as saying "no" then there is that one as well. She will also nod her head but rarely. She also waves hi and bye very well.

These are some of the things she has said in repeating after us but not initiating them:

pretty (extremely CLEARLY one time)
wow
oh
bottle (ba-dah)
milk (mi)
eat (eeeee)
baby (baaa-eee)
ugly (ug-eee)
doll (dah)
star (dar)

Words she recognizes:

Bo-bo Li-li (something like come here little one)
Ni-Hao
Hi
Bye bye (both languages)
eat
drink
bottle
brother
John Mark
Samuel
baby doll
ugly doll
open (as in open your mouth and spit out what you just put in there)
Night-night
nap
rock
cookie
cracker
juice
cup

Katie can do the following:

Walk
Run
Crawl
Sit
roll over
get from laying down to standing
bend over and pick something up
squat
sit on a short chair
kick a ball to someone
roll a ball to someone
put a small ball in a hole/cup/container
walk backwards
use a spoon correctly
Can feed herself IF we put the food on the spoon
pick up foods with fingers
drink out of bottle
drink out of sippy cup
hold own bottle or sippy cup
wave hi and bye
shake head no and nod head yes
hug her doll
love on her doll
brush her hair (well make the motions to do it)
brush her teeth (sort of...more like chewing on the toothbrush)
can "help" with laundry (yeah she helps by pulling it off the couch and shaking)
turns the pages of her books
dances to music
sings songs
bow in Karate class correctly (imitates Sensei and the kids)
rubs hands together (like for lotion or hand sanitizer)
gets items you ask her to get (like "bring me your baby doll")
knows where her belly button is (we're working on eyes, nose, and mouth)
can crawl up stairs
rides on small riding toys
knows which buttons to push to make toys play music
holds the phone up to her ear to "talk"

Just wanted to write it down somewhere what all she was doing when she turned 18 months, and since this is turning more into my family scrapbook storage place of all facts about our family...you get to read our list!