OH MY! DOES THIS MEAN I AM GETTING OLD??

My first born, Noah just celebrated his 14th Birthday on June 23rd.  He also just passed Gr.8 which means he is headed into High School!!  Oh Dear God Help Me Now!!  I really don't think I am prepared for the changes that take place in High School, but so far we have been very blessed with a pretty easy going 13 now 14 year old who likes to be home, likes to still hang out and watch movies with us, enjoys having his dad coaching him and was really happy that his dad was able to go on his Gr.8 Ottawa trip.  So far so good!

Here's hoping the next 4 years go as well!  We love you Noah and are so thankful for you! 

HAPPY 14TH BIRTHDAY!

Noah at Parliament in Ottawa, May 23, 2012!



1st Dentist Appt.

Today Keely had her first dentist appt. and she did awesome.  I knew she was pretty excited when we went into Home Hardware and she was showing her teeth off as if it were the dentist.  I said, "No honey this isn't the dentist yet." lol

When my boys were little; anywhere we went, either if it were to the dentist or Dr.; there were always tears involved.  Not this girl!  She faces everything full force with much anticipation and interest.  She is so funny and nothing seems to faze her.  (I think this is a good thing, so far anyways!??)

So in we went and had to wait a bit and read some books.  She was a very good girl!

Then it was her turn and in we went.  She sat on mommy's lap while they checked her teeth and showed her how to brush.  She was very interested in all they had to say and then she was able to pick her toothbrush.  She picked an Ariel one.  I just can't get over how easy going this child is with these appointments and she does whatever they need her to do.  Such a good little girl! (Most of the time!) 

 

1st Baseball Game of the Season!

 Watching the boys for a second, literally!!

 With the coach (aka Daddy)

 Keeping her brother energized with crackers!

 Giving the umpire some pointers!

 Hmm, how many do I have left?

 Now to the real fun of a baseball game that is played by the park!

P.S.  I got a message last Thursday from the IWK saying they had a cancellation and could take Keely in for her surgery June 15, yes this Friday!  So I called the next morning to let them know that she hadn't been called for her CT Scan yet and if that would matter and thankfully it did, so they would have to put her back on the list. PHEW!!!

Not that it wouldn't be great to have it over and done with, but for the rest of June and the whole month of July she would be in pain and in a cast.  Do you know what kind of summer that would be?  NOT FUN! NO BEACH, NO SWIMMING, NO PLAYGROUNDS, ETC.ETC!   This girl loves the water, the beach and playgrounds so I am relieved that we dodged that bullet for at least a couple more months!

IWK Visit

Last Monday, I got a call from the IWK, with an appointment for Keely on Thursday May 31!  Nothing like last minute. There wasn't a lot we could do but to plan on going, since Orthopedics in Saint John had sent the referral in December.  My poor husband had just got home Sunday night from Noah's Gr. 8 Ottawa trip, had to be away for meetings on Wed. and then we had to travel to Halifax Thurs.  We got home Friday at 3 and left again Sat. morning for more meetings in Fredericton (while I shopped).  He also had spent a frew hours Friday night doing the Relay for Life.  Can you say extremely busy????

Anyway, back to Miss K's appt.  We got to the IWK around 1:30 and her appt. wasn't until 2:30, but it worked out because they sent us for Xrays before our initial meeting anyway and we were done those just in time for her appt.  It took them a bit to figure out what was going on, he stretched, poked and prodded at Keely's leg and knee and she didn't make a peep.  In fact, she enjoyed every minute of it.  This is the little girl who wouldn't go near men especially Chris for a good month and a half after we were home and she was completely comfortable with this Dr. and even walked holding his hand down the hall.  Go figure?

Finally after another Xray of her other leg, they concluded that she has a rare condition called; Congenital Dislocation of the Patella.  Which in other words is her kneecap is on the side of her leg.  Her ligaments and muscles are pulled so tight that is has pulled her little kneecap to the side.  This could be genetic or just a fluke, so he advised to have genetic testing done.  This will require her to have an extensive surgery at the IWK to release that tension and to put her kneecap back in the right spot, sounds wonderful! :(  After this she will be in a cast for 6 weeks and then will need Physio 2 or 3 days a week.  There is a waiting list of 4 to 6 months before she will get in to have the surgery and we have to have a CT scan in Saint John in the meantime so he can get a better picture of the knee.

So we are really not looking forward to her going through this, but we know that it is needed and will help her in the future. 

This weekend was my first night away from Keely.  Saturday night Chris had a Hockey NB banquet in Fredericton and I went  with him for the night.  So Chris's parents stayed here with the kids.  Of course she made out perfectly fine since grandparents are aloud to spoil and give in when mommy's don't. :)

I also, can confidently say that she is potty trained (except at night).  She has been doing number 2 in the toilet since October, but I haven`t tried too hard with number 1.  She would go off and on but I wasn`t consistent until the last little bit.  So there you have it, this is as good as it gets folks!

HAPPY 1ST REFERRAL DAY!

Has it really been a year since we saw this little girl's face for the first time?

The first glimpse of the little girl that would be our daughter!

Looking back at the many things we had to prepare,  last minute fundraising that took place, the stress and headaches of barely making the July travel group are now just a distant memory.  The many years of reading others blogs and seeing there families complete and thinking that it would never really happen for us and here we are!  I still sometimes can't believe we really did it and she is here. 

So here is a little bit about our girl now:

1. She is miss independent. 
2. She loves her Daddy and likes to be thrown up in the air by him.
3. She has NO fear!
4. Likes to organize her things and gets a bit upset if she can't get something just right.
5.  LOVES it outside.
6. This girl has ATTITUDE :)
7. She loves chocolate (well food in general)
8. If there is a song on the radio in the car that she doesn't like, she will say, "Don't like that", and scrunch up her face until you change the station.
9. She loves to be read to.
10. Is Extremely Stubborn (pretty much the most stubborn, intense little thing I have ever met!);P We may be in trouble!
11. She loves her BP(Grampy) & Duke, especially when he gives her money and lets her call Dee on his phone.
12. She is very bright and smart!
13. She can count to 10, but always skips 7.
14. Her favorite movie right now is The Little Mermaid.
15. Gets annoyed by her brothers daily.
16. Is very tech savvy and can work the Ipad like nobody's business!
17. Loves for her brothers to take her for a buggy ride.
18. Likes to say her prayers
19. Her favorite color is Blue.
20. Knows we are her family, and we went to China to get her.  Loves looking at the book Dee had made for us from our trip. 

So there you have a little glimpse of our Keely.  Now for some pics:

Drinking Dee's milkshake!

Planting flowers with mommy!

Ta Da!

At the Beach!

Summer Lovin - Minus The Bugs!

I am very thankful summer is fast approaching, and so is everyone else in this house.  Keely loves it outside, but unfortunately the bugs seem to love Keely.  Her poor little head has been pretty much chewed to pieces and she won't leave the bites alone.  I think she is a bit allergic because they swell up quite a bit and the whole area around them is very red.  I guess we will just have to live at the beach everyday to get away from the bugs.  Sounds like a hard summer! :P

Miss enjoying a strawberry at BMe's & BPe's

 Chris and Noah left yesterday for the Gr. 8 Ottawa trip.  It was a 14hr bus ride with a bunch of pretty wild kids (boys).  He called at 10:30 last night and they had all the boys outside to get some energy out before bed.  They will be back on Sunday night, hopefully still sane!

Keely had a hearing test last Thursday at the Regional and passed it with flying colors.  So basically we know she just likes to ignore us. lol

Other than that there isn't much excitement going on.  We did have our first bonfire of the season on Saturday night and can't wait to have many more.  Keely enjoyed being able to have marshmallows and chips.  This girl loves food and especially sugary foods, so we have to really watch her at home.  Every girl has to splurge once in awhile right???

 

 

 Here is another one of my dad and Keely.  She loves BP and his dog Duke!  Grampie loves to give her money for her bank and now she asks him for it! (Lord help us all)

A Mother's Heart

This is my first Mother's Day with my little girl!  Sometimes I find this still very hard to believe, after all of the waiting, fundraising, praying and the emotional rollercoaster called adoption.  She is here and she has been here for just over 9 months. 

I will admit that these last 9 months have been some of the hardest, amazing, trying, and wonderful months of my life.  I haven't overly admitted my true feelings to very many people because that involves being vulnerable, possibly being judged and the harsh reality of how things "really" are.

So here goes the reality, and judge if you will, but if you are not real then what are you?

Before our daughter was here I felt that I would burst with love for her, when I was handed the screeching, stiffened toddler I wasn't sure how to feel.   I don't think you can ever be truly prepared for how you will feel or react in certain situations, especially when one is in a foreign country, eating(or not eating) strange food, being handed a two year old.  Yes I know what you are thinking, "you are the one who wanted to adopt"!  I guess the only way I can describe it, is when you give birth to a baby and have the "baby blues".
You have planned, hoped for and prayed for your unborn baby, but when they arrive the ugly feelings arrive out of no where too.  It seems very unfair, horrible and of course then there is the guilt you feel for feeling the way you do.

 Well this was my reality, and it was terrifying to be in this country, not feeling like this little girls mother, but having her completely clinging to me for dear life.  She rejected anyone else, she would spit a whole mouthful of her milk drink out on a regular basis, she would have tantrums on the floor in the hotel room, and would scream if I were to move an inch without her on top of me.  Why wouldn't she?  We were complete stangers who spoke a different languange and looked completely different than anyone she had ever seen. This was my dream and I felt stressed, and sad.   I am pretty sure no one prepared me for that!  So I guess this is why I must be truthful in hopes to help another adoptive mom who may be having these feelings and to let them know that it is OK.  Yes I wanted her, yes I planned and prayed for her, but life is not a fairytale and things aren't always as you wished they were. 

This brings me to now and how we are doing.  We have come soooo far her and I.  Miss K is an amazingly smart, beautiful little girl.  I know at this point she is truly attached to us, she loves her daddy and tolerates her brothers. lol  I can honestly say that my love for her has grown and I truly consider her my daughter in every sense of the word.  Relationships take time, relationships require being vulnerable and realizing we are only human.  These past nine months we have grown as mother and daughter.  I guess like the nine months of pregnancy.  Unfortunately I didn't have the pleasure of being pregnant and giving birth to her, but I consider these last few months as delicate as the months that is required to form a baby in the womb. 

I am very thankful for my family and the way God has worked out every detail.  He knew I would have these feelings and yet he allowed me to still become this little girls mother.  I guess that is where the bigger picture comes in and He knew that I wouldn't always feel this way, He knew I would have a mother's heart for this child and that we would be OK.

So this being my first Mother's Day as a mom of 3; two handsome boys and a beautiful little girl; I can truly say I am blessed beyond measure and wouldn't change a thing.  This Mama's heart is Full!

WE'VE COME SO FAR!

This weekend we will speaking at the International Adoption Training Seminar that we attended over 2 years ago!  I remember sitting at the seminar; as if it was last week; thinking wow this is probably going to take a very long time and how exciting it was to know we had taken that first step.  

I often wonder how many other couples here have brought there little ones home?

 

 Some days I just stand in awe that we did it and that we have already been Keely's family for almost 9 months now!  My dream has come true and we grow to love her more everyday.  Don't get me wrong there has been many ups, downs and raw emotions that come along with this process especially after your child gets home (Still not ready to write a post on that yet!), but overall we have been extremely blessed and are thankful that we were given the opportunity to raise our Chinese Princess!

Here are some pics with Miss K wearing her new dress from Adelaide's Boutique, just like I promised.

More Easter Pics

Her face when she saw her Easter basket! <3

Hey Bunny!

Look Mommy!

Counting her eggs

With her sleepy brothers! 

I had ordered Keely an adorable dress from Etsy, but unfortunately it didn't come! :(  Ended up that mama, dada and Keely were not feeling great with head colds and we didn't make it to church anyways.  Hoping it comes this week though and there will definitely be a photo-shoot when I do get it.  Stay tuned........

Happy 1st Easter To Our Girl!

I realize I am becoming a blogging slacker and when I think about all of the things I could be writing about or have missed writing about I get a bit overwhelmed, but I at least thought I would get an Easter post in.

Yesterday we went to an Easter egg hunt at the park.  Keely was a trooper in collecting eggs, unfortunately she didn't get as many as she could have because she was too busy stopping to eat them. 

I am sure in years to come she will realize the more you collect then the more you have to eat.  Since that girl loves her chocolate I am sure it won't take her long to figure this out.

Today we dyed eggs.  She had fun doing it, and thankfully we did them this close to Easter because half of them were dropped on the table or the floor and sustained a fair amount of fractures.  So displaying them for any longer than a day is pretty much not happening.

 

HAPPY EASTER!

PPR-Post Placement Report

Today we had our 6 month PPR even though it has been just over 7 months.  Not much we can do living on our little island when the weather doesn't cooperate for the Social Worker to come down before now. 

It went really well.  Overall there isn't much we can complain about in Keely's progress with bonding and attaching to us.  She  showed her stubborn/independent side to the SW and refused to show her things that she knows like, sounds of letters, her shapes, counting, etc.  She is quite the little bugger sometimes, but we love that little independent personality that she has, even though I am sure I will have quite a few gray hairs from raising this one! :)

We just had March Break and my boys went skiing with their dad and some friends for 2 days while I and a friend had the two year olds  swimming and going on some rides at Crystal Palace.  Overall, the kids had a great time and as for the parents; sitting somewhere on a sandy tropical beach would have been the preference.  Next Year! 

Here are some more pics from our mini vaca:

Look at those happy little faces! 

They had so much fun!

Sitting in the hot tub with big brother Noah