A Good Night

Eli has been doing so well with sleeping through the night. So yesterday, Jim moved his crib back into his own bedroom. His crib had been in our room pretty much since we have brought him home from China. I was expecting to have to sleep in the easy chair for part of the night ... but no ...
He slept all throoooooooough the night! Plus ... he woke up a happy little camper too! He is such a good little kid!

2 1/2 years old!

Hellooooo! Today is my half birthday! It's not really a big deal, but mom is making a big deal out of it ... so I am indulging her. And hey, I got a couple of new toys out of it! Nice!
All I had to do was answer a couple of questions for her ....

Favorite Food: Banana! Pos-i-tive-ly!
Least Favorite Foods: Applesauce, Carrots. Yuck-o!
Favorite Drink: Don't even talk to me before I've had my morning yogurt drink.
Favorite Movie: Baby Einstein Counting, Baby Noah, Madagascar
Favorite Toys: Mega Blocks, Tubes of Animals, LeapFrog Fix & Learn Speedy Car, Puppy
Favorite Activities: Play-Dough, Riding Trike, Playing Ball
Things I like: The cold outside air hitting my face, Cartoons in the morning (Sponge Bob)
Achievements: Really? I have been a US citizen for three months now! THAT has been my biggest achievement! And in that time I have learned some English, tried many new foods, and am now sporting a brand new palate! Not to mention my even bigger achievement of wrapping you and dad around my finger! (Oops, did I say that out loud?)
Working on: letters and numbers ~ mom bought me these really cool puzzles that I just love!
Need to work on: Potty Training. (for the record ... I didn't say this. Mom added it. What's up with that?)

Chinese Nursery Rhyme

This is a video I took of Elijah with his foster mom and foster sister. She is singing a sort of nursery rhyme to him. He still tries to do this with us ... and we go through the motions with him ... but it is starting to fade from his memory. Does anyone know what she is saying? Or know of someone who might? Our guide, Grace, roughly translated it into English for us .... but I would like to learn to sing it in mandarin. Thanks!!

Update (3/21/2011):

I have recently been in contact with one of Elijah's foster sisters. (He actually has three of them! Xuping, Xuyan, Xuli. Xuli is in this video with him.)

She gave me the words to the song! Here is how it breaks down, the best that I can figure, line by line: 

jīn píngguǒ, jīn píngguǒ, jīn jīn jīn

gold apple, gold apple, gold gold gold

金  苹果,  金  苹果,  金  金  金

yín píngguǒ, yín píngguǒ, yín yín yín

silver apple, silver apple, silver silver silver

银  苹果,  银  苹果,  银  银  银

bàba yī chōuyān,

father he smokes

爸爸  伊  抽烟

māma jiù shēngqì,

mother then angry

妈妈  就  生气

liǎngkǒuzi dǎjià shuì yè bù xú dòng

couple (husband and wife) fight to sleep night will freeze

两口子  睡 夜  不  徐  冻

One Week Checkup

....went well! Elijah's mouth looks good. No fistulas yet (openings/holes in the surgery area) and no visible infections. Dr. Wood gave the go ahead to move him to the mechanical soft food stage. (A week earlier than expected! ) For dinner tonight he had a PB & J to dunk into milk! Now ... if we can just get him to sleep peacefully through the night again, we will all be happier. Update: February 20 - tonight was the first night since surgery that Elijah slept through the night! Please help us hope that this continues!  :)

Bug!

Tonight, once again, Eli spotted a boxelder bug. He is genuinely concerned when he sees them! He has watched me dispose of them a few times now. This time daddy handed him the toilet paper and said to him to get it. He took the paper, studied the bug for a few seconds and grabbed it! I didn't think he would. He then marched to the toilet and tossed it in, making sure it went down as he flushed. He chattered the whole time. Then he stomped his feet real fast as if the whole ordeal gave him the willies! Poor kid is going to have a heck of a time when we have an abundance of them bugs later this summer! ♥ HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!! ♥

February

Our son is laying in his crib sleeping peacefully. His arms out to his sides in a pair of almost fashionable no-no's. A teddy bear that he first met in China is resting it's head on one of his arms. (How did he manage to do that?) I am just amazed by this little boy. Two dates slipped by while we were busy with his surgery and recovery. February 5 - marked our LID with China. Four years ago. Forever ago. February 8 - marked our three month anniversary as a family of three! Plus one dog. Can't forget our Griswold. I can't believe it was three months ago that we were in China. To meet this little two-year-old who has since stolen our hearts and have wrapped us around his itty bitty finger. It's just amazing! How did we get so lucky? .....

We are Home!

At around 10:00 our little boy decided that ....yes, he was hungry. He ate a good amount of pudding and drank his juice. Which was good ... because the doctor didn't want us to leave until he did. We watched some cartoons and even laughed a couple of times. It's so good to see this!! A musical therapist with a guitar stopped in to play him some songs and he got to join in with a drum and a shaker. That was pretty neat. We were discharged with meds and diet directions. He slept for most of the way home. Next week he goes back in for a checkup. He had some yogurt when we got home ... and was happy to see his toys.

Good Morning

Elijah slept pretty good last night. Other than when the nurses came in to wake him to check vitals, or to give meds. And one time because he slipped one of his no-nos off. No-nos are little arm braces that keep him from bending his elbows so he can't get his fingers in his mouth.

Update

Eli is sitting in bed watching his favorite Baby Einstein movie.  He has taken little bitty naps ... but won't give in and sleep. He was VERY unhappy after surgery and had a hard time relaxing. Hope he gets some good sleep soon.

We are waiting now

He is in surgery ...and will be for about an hour. He is such a good little boy! So cooperative with everything ...for now anyways. Thank you for your continued thoughts and prayers. Waiting ... Playing happily ... We love you Eli! Peek! Dr. Liston signed his ears. He is getting new tubes as well. Playing with the mask so it isn't so scary. "My Turn!" Helping dad get suited up. He is going back to the OR with Eli. Ready or not ..... (what a sweet face!!)

Palate Surgery

.... in less than ten hours. Please say a little prayer for Elijah. I'm sure it will all go well. He will be in good hands. I will post an update when I can. Eli's palate, pre-surgery

Xin Nian Kuai Le

Happy New Year! I had little Eli's Chinese outfit on tonight ... but he wasn't in to having his picture taken. He was so darling! I'll have to try again later. :-) Sent from Yahoo! Mail on Android

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