Monday, March 09, 2009
Cookie?!
Monday, March 02, 2009
More Peas Please
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Happy Valentines Day
Monday, January 05, 2009
Some recent pictures
It is really hard to get a picture of Elizabeth actually smiling. I was really pleased to get this one. I also love the polka-dot shirt.
Bridget and I took the kids to the museum last monday. They are sitting in caterpillar cocoon.
Bitsy Foot Update
She still needs to wear her brace at night and we need to keep doing her stretches. So far we have really lucked out with our "special needs" child. It has been a lot of trips to the doctors, but no surgeries and things are healing up really well.
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Angelina Jolie I am not
So, there it is, my selfish confession. I need to think of a good comeback the next time someone compares me to Angelina Jolie. Like, "Yes, I know I am beautiful just like her". Or, "no, I am not like Angelina, my husband is much more handsome." Or, "thank you, I did it all for the good press it brought me too.". Or, I could respond like I did to the waitress, "Can I have the fish fry and a Pepsi?"
Sunday, December 28, 2008
E is Two!
Sunday, December 14, 2008
Big Girl Bed
Monday, December 08, 2008
Rude?!
Tuesday, December 02, 2008
Nature vs Nurture
On Sunday we went to the Christmas tree farm. The kids were all bundled up. E's snow pants are way too big, but I can't find them smaller. She did not like all the winter clothes.
Pretty in Pink for Church.
After E goes to bed we like to do special things with Sam. He has been really into playing Monopoly. This time he won big. He had all the money, all the properties, hotels on all of them. Daddy and Mommy had nothing. He loved it! The game is helping him with his math skills too. Shhhh, don't tell him he is learning and having fun!
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Life Is Good
Saturday, November 08, 2008
OPF
The kids and David went to Discovery World to see a display of Star Wars robots.
Friday, November 07, 2008
Happy Halloween
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Walking
I'll try to post some pictures soon.
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Recent Pictures
Catching Up
Also at six months home, we had to do a post placement homestudy and it gets sent back to China. We also use that report for the re-adoption process and to get her WI birth certificate and US passport. The visit went well, our social worker, Jill, was really pleased with her development and how well adjusted she seemed to be. E was in great spirits that day and showed off all her tricks for Jill. We just need to find an extra $400 to pay for the visit and report.
E is still not walking on her own. Her friend Marisol who turned one this week is walking better. Her friend at Sam's school, Coco (their brothers are in the same class), who also just turned one, is walking better. I think she could do it, but she prefers to keep me close and hold my hand and walk. She is talking a lot though and has several words. She says "Ba" for Grandpa, and "Bee" for Auntie Bridget. Her word for Grammy is similar to her word for Mommy. Sam is "Mam". Daddy is Daddy. She also says, Gus, Duke, Dog, Juice, More, Eat, No, Done, Down, Bottle. She has signs for, apple, more, all done, eat, juice. She will try to repeat anything we say too. It is fun to see it emerging.
We have a wedding on Saturday and the kids are staying overnight at my parents. It will be her first overnight. I hope she is OK. I am sure she will be. She loves going over there. David and I are looking forward to the night out!
Monday, September 22, 2008
Book Review
Friday, September 19, 2008
Fate came to dinner
Sam is helping her to walk. She is so close to walking and will take several steps (5-6) between me and another willing person. Sam likes to help her practice. In this picture we are at church.
Here is the story about Sam and the fortune cookies that I mentioned above. Last week we were having No #1 Chinese for dinner. So yummy, but not at all like we had in China. Anyway, we were eating our cookies and Sam said, "it seems like a lot of time people in our family get the fourtunes that end with 'in bed'". David and I cracked up laughing. It is a silly joke that we have done for years and I had no idea Sam actually noticed. I should remember that he usually notices everthing.
Wednesday, September 03, 2008
Check up with the Orthopedic Dr
First Day of School
Saturday, August 30, 2008
Holy Guacamole Batman!
Thursday, August 21, 2008
I guess I was wrong
My brother is nuts! He has stickers all over his face!
I think I can get these stickers off, let me just stand up and get a better view!
One thing my big brother is good for is treats! Mommy alwasy makes him share his treats, this time it was licorice. I think it is my favorite!
Sunday, August 17, 2008
Someone actually reads this blog!
So tonight at church (http://www.milwaukeemennonite.org/) Devin, who had attended with us and moved to Denver was back for a visit. He brought his girlfriend and his parents came from Iowa to meet her and to worship with us. Since they live in Iowa, I have only met them a few times. Only when they came to Milwaukee to visit Devin and his sister who also lives in Milwaukee. It turns out they have been reading my blog! I guess Devin has been too and sending it to them when I update it. So, to the Yoders, thank you so much for reading this! I am glad you finally got to meet Elizabeth and it was great to see you all today.
It would not be a complete post with out a picture of E, so here it is from yesterday. Sam got out his old chair and set it up for her. He made sure to put the umbrella on it for her so the sun was not on her. He takes such good care of her and is a great big brother.
Sunday, August 10, 2008
A Day At The Park
Wednesday, August 06, 2008
Opposites attract, hopefully
Friday, August 01, 2008
Dancing
Elizabeth and her ring pop! Thank you Auntie Bridget!
The kids playing at Pike Lake. Sam would build the towers and she would knock them down.
Thursday, July 24, 2008
click
Things are clicking for us too. We need to keep reminding ourselves that we are on a very long journey to attachment. We read some articles last week and I will post them if I figure out how. They talked about the difference between bonding and attachment. I guess I thought they were the same. David summed it up as, bonding is love (which she has) attachment is trust (which she is working on). The attachment part will take a while and we will always be working on it. I was getting pretty tired and sought the advice of other parents in the FCC (families with children from China). They all said that the clingyness we are going through is very normal and to be expected. The articles said the same thing. Actually if she was not this clingy, that might signal more problems. I think one issue I am having is with other people. If you have not experienced adoption, either personally or through a close friend or family member, you don't know the ins and outs of attachment or the trauma the child has been through and its lasting effects on their brain. Even though E does not "remember" being abandoned on a doorstep at three days old, the effects of that trauma are there in her brain. She may no longer "remember" the orphanage, but she has the effects in her brain of being left in her crib, not always being attended to, having several caretakers. Her brain is hardwired wrong. Now we need to undo all that. We need to provide for her all the attention, physical contact, love, snuggling, parenting that she missed out on for 15 months. We need to overcompensate for what she missed out on. So to onlookers, it may seem as though we are spoiling her or giving in to her too much or what ever. To her, she is learning to trust us and learning that we will meet her needs every time. And we will meet her needs when she wants, not when the orphanage schedule dictates. So now that we have more information, we can counter those that mean well, but don't have as much information on the subject.
My mom just emailed me and said she remembered reading an article a while back (long before we were heading to china). It was about children adopted from Romania and all the troubles they were having. The line that stuck out to her and she thought was so applicable was, "You can't put these kids in Gap clothes and take them to Disney Land and think they are just like any other American kid". It is so true. I have to keep reminding myself of that. I keep saying, "Sam wasn't like this" or we might compare E to her cousin Jenna, but we can't, their lives are so different and their needs are so different.
So things are starting to click and it is really exciting. She seems so much bigger and older just in these few months. She is less like a baby and more like a toddler. She is almost 19 months! I can't believe it!
One last click comment. My camera is MIA right now, so no click of the camera and no new pictures to post. I think it is in Chummy, so I'll look this weekend.
Thursday, July 10, 2008
Congrats to Karin
Welcome to the world Maya!
Tuesday, July 08, 2008
One in, One out
Happy Birthday Daddy!
Tuesday, July 01, 2008
Kisses Sweeter Than Wine
It is just so different with an adopted baby. So much of what I knew is out the window. Sam is six. Before I had Sam I worked in daycare, after Sam and even now I work as a nanny. I know how to take care of kids of all ages ,but it is so different with E. She brings a whole new set of issues to the table. She is wonderful, funny, beautiful and exhausting. Sometimes I feel like I have a newborn, not a toddler for all her needs. I feel guilty for being tired and wanting a break. After all I wanted her and worked so hard to bring her home.
In the end I must be doing something right, she is very attached to me. She always wants me to hold her, leans back to me if someone else has her and wants to be held close. She puts her arms around my neck and holds on tight. She also has started giving kisses. She puckers her little lips, it is so sweet. She will kiss Daddy, Sammy and me. The other day she kissed Grammy! That made her day! I imagine as she gets more comfortable she will loosen her grip on me. For now though I am exhausted and my back and arms ache, but I still want to hold on to her just as tight as she is holding on to me.
Dedications
The party on June 21 was great fun. We had been planning it for two years! For those of you that came, thanks. I hope you all enjoyed yourselves. The weather was great and most everyone seemed to have a good time. Both of Elizabeth's grandpas did the dedication. It was very moving and special to have them both there and both share the experience. This dedication was special too with all our family and friends to share in celebrating her and renewing their commitment to her. I am overwhelmed when I think about how many people have care for us and for her for so long. The support along the way and the support that continues is just amazing. Elizabeth seemed to like the party and all the people. She was best when I was holding her though.
Monday, June 23, 2008
Catching up
We discovered she can use a straw. I gave her my strawberry milkshake and she loved it!
Pig Tails!