Born exactly one year apart on this day in countries halfway around the world from their forever families.
Saturday, January 8
Friday, January 7
closer and closer to Eli
As our date to travel gets nearer, I find that I have a harder time waiting. I remember this same feeling at the end of my pregnancies....kind of like a small child waiting for Christmas. I can't wait to meet him!
We know that this transition is going to be a tough one for him. Obviously we have no idea how he'll handle it, but living in the foster care center is all he's ever known. He seems to have strong attachments to the nannies, and that is very good news if my guess is correct. The fact that he's attached to them helps with his attachment to us later.
Many have asked us about his language and how we'll handle that. The best answer I have for anyone is that I don't know. We have learned a few simple phrases to get us by and we plan to pair some really basic signs during the time in China so that at least he'll be able to communicate basic needs to us. (We're talking basic here, people. Help, potty, eat and sleep.) Beyond that, there are some things we'll have to figure out as we go along.
Tomorrow is his birthday. He shares his birthday with his sister, Norah, so as we are celebrating her, he will be in our hearts as well.
For those who are wondering, we are now waiting for travel approval (TA). Our wait began on Tuesday, when our article 5 was picked up and taken to the appropriate office. Our agency tells us that they begin looking for approval around two weeks after this date. Once we receive TA, we will apply for a consulate appointment with the help of our agency. This will be after Chinese New Year due to the holiday. However, we should know the appointment date within a couple of days of receiving our TA and therefore, we will know when we are traveling hopefully by the middle of this month. I can NOT wait!
We know that this transition is going to be a tough one for him. Obviously we have no idea how he'll handle it, but living in the foster care center is all he's ever known. He seems to have strong attachments to the nannies, and that is very good news if my guess is correct. The fact that he's attached to them helps with his attachment to us later.
Many have asked us about his language and how we'll handle that. The best answer I have for anyone is that I don't know. We have learned a few simple phrases to get us by and we plan to pair some really basic signs during the time in China so that at least he'll be able to communicate basic needs to us. (We're talking basic here, people. Help, potty, eat and sleep.) Beyond that, there are some things we'll have to figure out as we go along.
Tomorrow is his birthday. He shares his birthday with his sister, Norah, so as we are celebrating her, he will be in our hearts as well.
For those who are wondering, we are now waiting for travel approval (TA). Our wait began on Tuesday, when our article 5 was picked up and taken to the appropriate office. Our agency tells us that they begin looking for approval around two weeks after this date. Once we receive TA, we will apply for a consulate appointment with the help of our agency. This will be after Chinese New Year due to the holiday. However, we should know the appointment date within a couple of days of receiving our TA and therefore, we will know when we are traveling hopefully by the middle of this month. I can NOT wait!
Wednesday, January 5
Sick.
With very little sleep, words aren't coming to me today. Will is sick, presumably with an ear infection that is leaving him lacking sleep and not wanting to eat.
It is a delicate tightrope we walk. With his mito dysfunction and without sleep, his GI system starts to have issues. When the GI system has issues, we see reflux. Reflux causes fluid in his ears and swallowing trouble as his esophageal dysmotility is worse. The fluid in his ears causes an ear infection (which is how we got in this situation in the first place), and the whole cycle repeats itself.
We do this dance every winter. Every winter, he gets a fresh new set of PE tubes. Last year I asked the doctor for the more permanent tubes. He declined, for reasons I can't fully remember. So, again this winter, as soon as the cold season hit, the dance began again.
Today I'm on the phone with the doctor's office, having cancelled his school, his respite worker, and other activities we had planned for the day. The bad news is that I'll be waiting all day for them to call me back. Then, how soon I can get him in to see the (very busy) ENT and get surgery scheduled is another battle entirely.
Each winter we lose months because of this ongoing battle. Today, I'm feeling defeated. Some days I wonder. I know we have a good team of doctors and that they want what's best for Will. We've dropped those that had no bedside manner or didn't seem to understand that his needs were more than the average kid, but overall, we are pretty lucky. Why is it then, that we have to fight year after year, losing months each time, over something so minor (in the grand scheme, at least)?
Off to get another cup of coffee and wait on the phone some more. Maybe I'll have better news next post. ;)
It is a delicate tightrope we walk. With his mito dysfunction and without sleep, his GI system starts to have issues. When the GI system has issues, we see reflux. Reflux causes fluid in his ears and swallowing trouble as his esophageal dysmotility is worse. The fluid in his ears causes an ear infection (which is how we got in this situation in the first place), and the whole cycle repeats itself.
We do this dance every winter. Every winter, he gets a fresh new set of PE tubes. Last year I asked the doctor for the more permanent tubes. He declined, for reasons I can't fully remember. So, again this winter, as soon as the cold season hit, the dance began again.
Today I'm on the phone with the doctor's office, having cancelled his school, his respite worker, and other activities we had planned for the day. The bad news is that I'll be waiting all day for them to call me back. Then, how soon I can get him in to see the (very busy) ENT and get surgery scheduled is another battle entirely.
Each winter we lose months because of this ongoing battle. Today, I'm feeling defeated. Some days I wonder. I know we have a good team of doctors and that they want what's best for Will. We've dropped those that had no bedside manner or didn't seem to understand that his needs were more than the average kid, but overall, we are pretty lucky. Why is it then, that we have to fight year after year, losing months each time, over something so minor (in the grand scheme, at least)?
Off to get another cup of coffee and wait on the phone some more. Maybe I'll have better news next post. ;)
Saturday, December 25
Thursday, December 16
Why we need another bathroom
The kids had a snow day today. Freezing cold outside and everyone in pj's watching cartoons this morning, so I thought I'd take a shower.
It went something like this:
Shower starts, and I'm enjoying the steaming hot water.
2 minutes in, Caroline enters.
Caroline: "Mom, the outfit Grandma gave me won't fit."
me: "What outfit?"
Caroline mumbles something I can't understand.
me: "What??" (straining to hear as I brush my teeth. Yes, I brush my teeth in the shower. Don't go there.)
Caroline(yelling): "The outfit for my American Girl doll."
me: "Okay, I'll check into it when I'm finished."
Two SECONDS later
Caroline: "Mom, it fits."
me: "Great. Now please leave." (Yes, I know. You can give me my mother-of-the-year award later.)
Two minutes later
Norah: "Mommy, Caroline won't let me play with (fill-in-the-blank-here)."
me: "I'll take care of it when I get out.
Two minutes later (see a pattern here?)
Will rips back the shower curtain and peers at me, erasing any shred of calm and decency I had left and hollers "HEWWO!"
me: "Hi Will. Shut the shower curtain please."
(He proceeds to use the restroom and then flush. TWICE. I holler, scalded from the hot water.)
Two minutes later
Caroline: "Mom, I know you said to leave, but is it okay if I come in to use the bathroom?"
me: "Sure." (I'm thinking....why not?)
Before I can say anything, she flushes.
No kidding. We *SO* need another bathroom.
It went something like this:
Shower starts, and I'm enjoying the steaming hot water.
2 minutes in, Caroline enters.
Caroline: "Mom, the outfit Grandma gave me won't fit."
me: "What outfit?"
Caroline mumbles something I can't understand.
me: "What??" (straining to hear as I brush my teeth. Yes, I brush my teeth in the shower. Don't go there.)
Caroline(yelling): "The outfit for my American Girl doll."
me: "Okay, I'll check into it when I'm finished."
Two SECONDS later
Caroline: "Mom, it fits."
me: "Great. Now please leave." (Yes, I know. You can give me my mother-of-the-year award later.)
Two minutes later
Norah: "Mommy, Caroline won't let me play with (fill-in-the-blank-here)."
me: "I'll take care of it when I get out.
Two minutes later (see a pattern here?)
Will rips back the shower curtain and peers at me, erasing any shred of calm and decency I had left and hollers "HEWWO!"
me: "Hi Will. Shut the shower curtain please."
(He proceeds to use the restroom and then flush. TWICE. I holler, scalded from the hot water.)
Two minutes later
Caroline: "Mom, I know you said to leave, but is it okay if I come in to use the bathroom?"
me: "Sure." (I'm thinking....why not?)
Before I can say anything, she flushes.
No kidding. We *SO* need another bathroom.
Friday, December 10
Brave girl.
Despite the fact that neither of her siblings wanted anything to do with meeting Santa, she was determined to see for herself.
When asked what she wanted, she very softly answered, "nufing (nothing)". LOL!! That's not what I hear!
Wednesday, December 1
Date Day
Today I'm writing over at 5 Minutes for Special Needs about our tradition that we call "Date Day." Click here for the whole story.
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