August ... the end of one fantastic summer!

My Butterfly Bush - it was so lovely this year!

At the Como Zoo

Learning to Kayak with Daddy

Elijah's Birthday Cake - made by me  :)

Elijah's Birthday Safari

 

Mama and Eli - Birthday dinner at Yu's

His favorite meal here - moo goo gai pan

Yup, he loves it!

Where's Eli?

"Daddy! Me hide!"

Eli and Henry the Pirate ~ Henry's Birthday Party

Pirates with Light Sabers! It could happen!

Mackenzie with Eli - Birthday Buddies!

Loving the slide!

Working on his artwork for his birthday thank you cards

Showing mama how to paint

Airplane!

a bounce a bounce a bounce a bounce a bounce a bounce

Family dinner - 5 three-year-olds and 1 five-year-old

Cutie Patooties!

3 years old!

Hi! Today is my 3rd birthday! And boy ~ what a birthday it's been so far! Happy Birthday to me!

Favorite Food: Banana! That hasn't changed at all this last year. And I love dad's spaghetti!
Least Favorite Foods: Skins, as in grape skins and tomato skins, yuck! And I don't like meat that I have to chew and chew either. Who needs to work so hard when you eat!
Favorite Drink: I have lost interest in my morning yogurt drink. Now I just want juice. All the time. Juice.
Favorite Movie: Toy Story, but just the first one. I could watch it every day! I WANT to watch it every day. Let's watch it right now!
Favorite Toys: RC trains, Tubes of Animals (still), my play food. Sometimes - I will hide a shark or another animal in a sandwich and feed it to my parents. Oh! That is so much fun!
I just got some new toys from my birthday party that I have been playing with a lot! So much cool stuff!
Favorite Activities: Riding Trike, Squirt Guns, 'cut' paper with a scissors.
Things I like: Snacks, reading, sharing popsicles with mom (I pick which color she can have and I always pick the right one! She says so!)
I also like to go FAST! On the 4-wheeler, in the car, and in the boats! Just catch my eye and I will sign faster for you!
I also love my dog! I like to save a small piece of my food to give to my dog. He likes it!
Achievements: I have mastered my 12 piece puzzles and have now moved on to 24 and 36 piece floor puzzles that I got for my birthday! Puzzles are fun!
I have also learned some new signs since my half birthday. They have helped me a lot in communicating.
AND ... I make my own scrambled eggs for breakfast!
AND ... I am now in a big boy bed!
Working on: speech b's and p's. Lately I have found if I stick my fingers 'UP' my nose, I can say them pretty well! And I need to practice.
Need to work on: Potty Training. Yeah, I know. I am three now. But I really have no interest in it unless I am in the bathtub. Then I will tell mama that I have to go pee. But really, one m&m? Really?! I think if I hold out a bit longer mom will up the prize!

Chinese Birthday Traditions

The first important birthday in a child's life is the 30-day celebration. Family and friends gather to rejoice that the bloodline has been extended.

Gifts of red-colored eggs, chicken, pork, and sweet cakes are given by the baby's parents to family and friends attending the party. Guests offer useful household gifts, or money
Birthdays for the next 59 years are all celebrated on the first day of each Chinese New Year, until a person reaches 60 years of age.
On that happy occasion, a person is said to have completed one full cycle of life. He or she expects to be surrounded by a large family of children and grandchildren.
A truly grand celebration takes place. Among the meats, birds, vegetables, eggs and wine of the feast, two foods representing long life are also served:

• peaches, often artificially made from dough
• extra-long noodles

The grand party is held every ten years: at 70, 80, and 90 years of age.

doctor appointment - VPI Evaluation

Eli had an appointment today at Gillette Children's Hospital. It went okay. He wouldn't talk much for Dr. Kelly ... but enough for her to hear that his palate isn't working like it should. Which we all expected would probably be the case. She was very pleased with his correct vowel sounds and mouth placements! His b/p sounds don't come unless you plug his nose and he doesn't have many other consonant sounds. Just m/n/w really. He is too young to put a scope in his nose yet ... and wouldn't have cooperated anyways! (they would need him to talk with the scope in his nose) We have another appointment in six months. They will try it then. At that time too, his hard palate will be healed more. They will be able to see his palate from above and tell where the air is leaking out. Then we will plan his VPI surgery. Boo. But again, we expected it. But now we know he REALLY is trying to talk. We are so proud of him! He opened his mouth nice for Dr. Wood to look inside! (We had practiced!)
We wonder if he wore a swimming nose plug once in a while? Wouldn't that help with his speech?  :-)
More information: Surgical Treatment of Velopharyngeal Dysfunction 

One year ago today ...

... was the first time we saw our little guys sweet face in a referral packet. We prayed and hoped and dreamed this then almost 2-year-old would be our son. And he is!! 

You Might be Adopting from China if ...

• you know that I-600 and I-171 aren't highways....
• you've been expecting a baby for over 4 years....
• you understand that it's 2006 in some parts of the world....
• you've paid for 3 citizenships, but never brought anyone into the U.S....
• you know that waiting for China has nothing to do with Dillards or dishes...
• your homestudy is followed by a number (i.e. #3 or #4)...
• you never know how many days next month will have...
• you know that babies come in batches...
• you've been fingerprinted four times, but never committed a crime...
• you own new clothing in 3 little sizes for all 4 seasons (because you don't know when or how big)...
• you know people who understand when you talk about 2 day months & 5 day months...
• your due date hasn't changed by days, but by years...
• you know who the Rumor Queen is ... AND ... you don't know who she is...
• you know that forecast doesn't have anything to do with the weather...
• you've waited so long, they re-checked your fingerprints to see if they changed...
• when you speak of "that time of month" you're talking about CCAA updates & referrals...
And finally ...
• You might be adopting from China if you love someone you've never met with all your heart.

This is an entry I had started but didn't post. I saw it on another LID-ers blog. It still makes me smile. It's funny, but at the same time, it's not funny. The families who have just received their referrals (NSN) have now hit their 5 year LID anniversary. And the wait continues to grow. It seems as if China is really pushing the Special Needs children for International Adoption and keeping the Non Special Needs children in China. Which would be fine if these children were adopted domestically and not still waiting in orphanages. They are still sending out referrals each month, but sometimes for only 2 or 4 days worth of Log In Dates. Some families are not able to switch programs (from NSN to a Waiting Child Program) because either their country or agency isn't able to let them. My heart goes out to them.

August

We are already a week into August ~ WOW!
We have our summer colds out of the way now ... I think Eli and I have had four colds so far this year. Enough already!  :)

Swinging! He is signing his sign for 'faster.'

Homemade and grilled pizza! OMG! So wonderful!

We moved 'big boy bed' mattresses into Eli's room.
I found him sleeping peacefully on the floor twice.
We will leave the bed off the frame for a while I think. 

Preparing his own breakfast. This boy loves his eggs!

Cracking the second egg. Gently! Gently!

Viola!

Stir them up!

Nice work!

Dad bought new water sticks!

No kiddy pool? No problem! Mom has a kayak!

My Sparky has many purposes

Uh-oh ... this looks like there is going to be mischief ...

Yup!  :-D

Eli ~ happy in his new big boy bed!
Daddy repurposed his old crib to make a roll rail!
Way to go daddy!!

July

Ah ... summer!
It is going too fast. Eli is saying more understandable words. It helps that he has been going to speech therapy twice a week. This month the school speech teachers haven't been to our house because there is summer school for three weeks. Eli missed the first week because we were on vacation (Alexandria) ... and then the third week he only made it to school one day because he was sick. We need to work on his 'b' and 'p' sounds, as well as 't' and 'd'. It's tough. If he doesn't want to do it, he won't. Stinker. He has an appointment in a couple of weeks with Gillette Children's Hospital for his VPI evaluation. (velopharyngeal insufficiency- the inability of the soft palate and throat to completely close off the nasal cavity appropriately during speech) I am pretty sure the doctor will place a scope in his mouth and one in his nose to see if the muscles are moving properly? (not looking forward to that.) They will then discuss if/when his next surgery will be. Stay tuned.
And now for photos of our Joyous July!

Fourth of July - parade in St. Peter.

Fireworks in Mankato.
We wondered how keeping him up this late would go over.

Watching the works with daddy!

Nicely done!

He LOVED it! And fell asleep before we drove out of Mankato.

"Hey guys, did you hear that too?"

Cousin Claire, dad, and Eli,
picking up sticks and branches at the lake place.

Swinging with Cousin Claire and enjoying it!

Ah! My cute little Tiger!

First Movie Theatre Experience ~ Winnie the Pooh

..... With Popcorn!

He enjoyed it and we sat and watched the whole movie.

Pony ride at the Waseca County Fair.
He loved it and had a slight smile the whole time.

"Me Hide!" ~ a favorite game in our house

after looking around a bit ... we FINALLY find him! Whew!

We also like to take all of our puzzles and put the pieces into one pile.

He puts them all together again on his own.
We celebrate when each one gets completed. Proud moments!

Playing with his cousins, Sebastian and Amelia
I love the look on Sebastian's face!