Ladman's Chinese Takeout, Part 2

Knit-Along for Japan

2011-05-25T10:42:00.000-04:00

Here is this week's installment in Ginny's Knit-Along. My dear friend, Mary from Homegrown Learners suggested that we Knit for Japan (also hosted by Ginny). She suggested we each make a hat to be donated to help victims of the tsunami. She has learned to knit recently and I'm so excited to see her already reaching beyond knitting square things (scarves and dishclothes). She chose the Amanda Hat, knit in the round with a lace pattern! Check out her hat here!

I finally finished my Heart to Heart Lace shawlette. It took over a year, but I'm so pleased with the result!

Six Months Together and Milestone Update

2011-03-23T09:36:00.000-04:00

Last week we celebrated six months as a family of four. It's hard to believe that it has been that long! Noah has really settled into our family. He loves showing off his dance moves!

Six months ago he was frightened and angry!

Now he's a happy little brother who wants to be just like Micah.

He is doing pretty well overall. He seems to be on target for most social, emotional and gross and fine motor milestones. He continues to lag behind in language. By two years, most children will have many words and will begin to use two word sentences. Noah has only a handful of spoken words. Mama, Libby, Mao (for cat), nap, snap, oh-oh and his favorite, snack! I think he calls Micah "Nuh" which is what Micah called himself for a long time. He has said a few other words while imitating others, but I'm not convinced he has conquered these words. His newest word is cheese which represents a new vowel sound for him. He has a larger vocabulary of signs: yes, juice, cheese, please, shoes, yogurt and all done.

He has speech therapy through Babies Can't Wait once or twice a month. We will have his speech evaluated at Scottish Rite in May and then we'll have a better idea of exactly where he is.

What's for Dinner? Crust-less Spinach Quiche

2011-03-23T06:40:00.003-04:00

Today's recipe comes courtesy of Allrecipes.com. I doubled the original amount of spinach in order to get more veggies into my boys. They both love this one!

Crust-less Spinach Quiche

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
5 eggs, beaten
16 oz shredded Muenster cheese
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9 inch pie pan.
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are soft. Stir in spinach and continue cooking until excess moisture has evaporated.
In a large bowl, combine eggs, cheese, salt and pepper. Add spinach mixture and stir to blend. Scoop into prepared pie pan.
Bake in preheated oven until eggs have set, about 30 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Head over to Homegrown Learners and see what else is for dinner.

Yarn Along

2011-03-16T10:38:00.001-04:00

I love to knit and I love to read. Apparently many knitters are also readers. I am once again joining the Yarn Along to share with others who share my affinities.

I have just started reading Choosing to See by MaryBeth Chapman. She wrote the book after losing her daughter in a tragic accident. It's such a sad situation, I've had a hard time bringing myself to read the book because I can't imagine the pain she must feel.

My big project is a circular sweater knitting in yummy Malabrigo Rios, a washable wool. It's so soft and a pleasure to knit with. The pattern is called Pole and I'm participating in a knit-along led by the designer herself. That's been really helpful since I'm using a different yarn than originally specified and that has affected the gauge and drape of the fabric. She's also helped me tweak the design for a custom fit.

I'm celebrating Malabrigo March by knitting various projects in Malabrigo yarns. I knit a cute hat for me since I seem to have lost my favorite Malabrigo hat.

What's for Dinner? Betty's Salad

2011-03-16T10:00:00.001-04:00

Today's recipe is for a Toledo classic. Originated by Toledo restaurateur Betty Timko, it's my all-time favorite salad. Of course no one in the South has heard of Betty or her wonderful salad with signature dressing, so I have to make it at home.

Salad:

Spinach
6 hard boiled eggs, sliced
bean sprouts
bacon crumbles

Dressing:
1/2 c. salad oil
3/4 c. sugar
3/4 c. ketchup
1/4 c. vinegar
1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 med. onion, minced
1 tsp. salt

Blend above ingredients with immersion blender or in a mixer or blender. The dressing can be served cold or can be warmed for a special treat.

Head over to Homegrown Learners and see what else is for dinner.

Readoption

2011-03-14T20:00:00.001-04:00

This week we completed readoptions for our boys. Their adoptions were final in China, but completing a "domestication" will result in the issuance of a Georgia birth certificate in their adoptive names. Judge Sams was so nice and his staff was so helpful. They said it was one of the happiest things they get to do. After the hearing, we celebrated with playing by the courthouse and brunch at McDonald's!

What's for Dinner? Family-style French Toast

2011-03-09T07:00:00.007-05:00

Dontcha love french toast? Dontcha hate being stuck at the griddle cooking slices of french toast while your family eats your creation so it doesn't get cold? The answer? Family-style French toast. Original recipe courtesy of my favorite site, Allrecipes.com!

Ingredients

2/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup butter or margarine, melted
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
6 eggs, lightly beaten
1 3/4 cups milk
10-12 slices of bread
confectioners' sugar

Directions

Combine brown sugar, butter and cinnamon; spread evenly in a greased 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in. baking pan; set aside.
Combine eggs and milk in a shallow dish; place bread in dish and coat with egg mixture.
Place bread on baking pan over sugar mixture. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees F for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Serve brown sugar side up; dust with confectioners' sugar.

Clean up hint: Cover the pan as completely as possible, breaking slices to fit odd sized spots. Every place the bread is on the pan, the brown sugar will stick to the bread and not the pan. Exposed brown sugar will bake onto the pan and will be much harder to clean.

Visit Homegrown Learners to get more recipe ideas!

Visits with the grandparents

2011-03-08T08:56:00.001-05:00

We were blessed to have back-to-back visits from both sets of grandparents. Our house was full of love and laughter! Here are a few pictures of the kids with their grandparents. Noah was very excited to meet his NaiNai and YeYe.

The boys had a wonderful time hanging out and loving on NaiNai and YeYe.

Within hours of taking NaiNai and YeYe to the airport, LaoLao and LaoYe arrived. Noah was happy to show LaoYe how to use his netbook.

There was lots of roughhousing!

And lots of good family time.

Night, night! Sleep tight!

Yarn Along

2011-03-02T09:04:00.000-05:00

Are you tired of seeing my shawl yet? This has been slow going. It requires concentration that is difficult to achieve with a two year old at home. I work on it mostly at nap time when I don't have something else I have to do (housework? what's that?!) I have started the decreases and can't wait to wear it.

I'm still reading Chinatown Beat by Henry Chang. It's a very dark story full of snippets of Chinese and glimpses into Chinese-American culture.

I'm a short-attention-span knitter. I always have at least two projects going and sometimes four or five! My current diversion is Malabrigo March, a month dedicated to knitting projects from soft, yummy Malabrigo yarn. I am working on a cardigan (Pole) from Malabrigo Rios, a washable wool that has a really nice drape. The pattern calls for using different sized needles for different parts of the sweater so I ended up making five swatches to make sure I had the right sized needles for each part. You'll see more of this in the future. Here are my swatches:

Wednesday What's for Dinner

2011-03-02T08:12:00.001-05:00

Here's one of our favorite dishes. It's usually a breakfast, but it can be a wonderful dinner too.

Breakfast Strata

8 slices bread (I've even used hamburg or hot dog buns in a pinch)
2 cups shredded cheese
2 cups breakfast meat (I usually use Morningstar Sausage Crumbles, but you can use cubed ham or any sausage
6 eggs, beaten
2 cups milk
4 T margarine

Spray a 9 x 13 pan with non-stick spray. Layer bread, cheese and meat in the pan. I aim for three layers. Beat eggs and milk together and pour over layers. Can be covered and refrigerated overnight.

Preheat oven to 350. Melt the margarine and drizzle over the whole pan. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes. Enjoy!

Head over to Homegrown Learners to see more menu ideas.

Yarn Along

2011-02-16T10:14:00.000-05:00

Here's this week's edition of the Yarn Along, I'm still working on my Heart to Heart Shawlette. I've reached the halfway point and am ready to start decreasing. I am loving this yarn and can't wait for this to be ready to wear.

I am reading Chinatown Beat by Henry Chang. It's the story of a Chinese American cop in Chinatown. I've only just started it, but it's dark and fascinating from the get-go.

This week I was finally able to finish the prayer shawl I've been working on. It's prayer shawl for a 19 year old girl who's been diagnosed with a brain tumor. Most of the prayer shawls in the closet at church aren't really suited for a young lady, so I decided to make something cooler for her. This pattern is based on the very popular Clapotis, but works up easier because it isn't knit on the diagonal so it doesn't require the increases/decreases that make it complicated. The pattern is named Dummy Clap. It's knit in stockinette with a few ktbl's and the stitches are dropped when binding off to create the lacy look. It is simply beautiful and I hope she feels surrounded with prayers and love when she wears it.

What's for Dinner? Crock Pot Orange Chicken

2011-02-16T09:27:00.001-05:00

My friend challenged me to join her in her Wednesday What's for Dinner. Tonight we will have one of our all-time favorite crock pot meals. I don't know where I first found this recipe, but it's been our go-to dinner for busy days. I serve it with rice and steamed veggies. There are rarely any leftovers!

Crock Pot Orange Chicken

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (if they're huge, cut in half)
3 T flour
1/3 cup orange marmalade
1/3 cup BBQ sauce
1/3 cup Soy Sauce
1/3 cup water
1 Tablespoon ginger
2 cloves fresh minced garlic
red pepper flakes

1. Toss chicken with flour in slow cooker
2. Stir in all remaining ingredients; cover with lid
3. Cook on Low for 6-8 hours or on High for 3-4 hours

Noah, you're a child of God!

2011-02-14T15:31:00.000-05:00

Surrounded by family and friends, Noah was baptized. It was a sweet blessed moment as we made the commitment to raise Noah to know and love the Lord. Hal and Mary, Noah's godparents (and Anna and Grant) were right there with us and made the moment even sweeter.

Micah was the proud big brother and insisted on being part of the action. He even wore a silk outfit and looked very handsome.

Noah was very curious and didn't seem to mind the water or the blessing from Pastor Fritz.

Micah and Noah were asked to present the offering to Pastor Miriam.

Yarn Along

2011-02-09T09:33:00.003-05:00

At a friend's suggestion, I am going to participate in Ginny's Yarn Along. It seems that a lot of knitters are readers too. Or is it readers who are knitters...? Anyways the idea is to post a picture of what your knitting and what your reading.

Right now I am really working on this little beaded shawl. I started this last year as part of a mystery knit-along at Sugarfoot Yarns last year. However my lace skills weren't up to the task and it ended up sitting in the basket for the last 11 months. I'm on a mission to finish WIPs (works in progress) so I resurrected this one. I'm a better knitter than I was a year ago and it's going much better this time. The pattern is Heart to Heart Beaded Scarf by Sivia Hardin. The border features little hearts, perfect for Valentine's Day. Edited to add a close-up to show the beading.

I'm also knitting heart shaped dishcloths to give as Valentine's gifts! This is a quick and easy pattern and is giving me a break from knitting lace.

I'm reading Crush by Alan Jacobson. It was a Free Friday download from Barnes and Noble. This is the second book featuring profiler Karen Vail (think Criminal Minds). It's a good read and has kept me up later than is wise a couple of nights.

Some thoughts about attachment

2011-02-03T13:46:00.000-05:00

According to Wikipedia:

Attachment theory describes the dynamics of long-term relationships between humans especially as in families and life-long friends. Its most important tenet is that an infant needs to develop a relationship with at least one primary caregiver for social and emotional development to occur normally, and that further relationships build on the patterns developed in the first relationships.

Adoptive parents worry a lot about attachment. The relationships mentioned above are a challenge for a child who is first abandoned, then placed in an orphanage, and then possibly into foster care before finally being adopted. A child's attachment to a parent breeds trust and faith that allow them happiness as they explore relationships with friends, teachers, baby-sitters etc. We feel that our children must attach to us before we leave them with other caregivers.

How do you know when attachment occurs? For a child it seems to be a trust that the child will be there for them. To feed, clothe, care for, and heal them as needed.

The path to attachment between us and Micah was a rocky one. He came to us torn from his foster mother of over one and a half years. He hated the blond woman calling herself Mama. He tolerated the fun guy called Baba. I didn't really like the wild ball of anger we had adopted. He hit, scratched and rejected me. It was all I could do to not shut down and reject him too. Over time, he allowed me to care for him and through that we developed a mutual trust and tenuous bond. Then came his palate surgery. When I saw my boy afraid and in pain, it was like it was happening to me. I was small enough to curl up in his hospital bed with him and through the days in the hospital he learned that Mama was there for him, offering comfort and relief. We were attached.

Noah is a completely different creature. He left the orphanage and never looked back. He was thrilled to have a Mama and Baba to care for him and most of all to feed him! I immediately took to this smiling, curious boy. Attachment was not immediate, but it grew steadily from day one. Then one day about a month after coming home, he fell on the asphalt and scraped his forehead. He immediately reached for me and I ran to him crying as if the pain were my own. Wow - attachment was happening already! We're not done with our work on attachment, but we're well on our way.

Upward!

2010-12-07T16:25:00.000-05:00

Micah has started the season with Upward Basketball. He's really enjoying it and loves learning the verses and playing games on the website. Last Saturday, he played in his first-ever game! Noah really wants to play too! It will be a few years until he gets to play.

Micah loves earning stars. He gets a star for each practice he attends and last Saturday earned a star for defense because he guarded his person through the whole game.

Bruce volunteered to coach Micah's team. It's been a really good bonding experience for the two of them.

Micah sure loves his dad. And I love my three boys!

Long Overdue Update

2010-11-17T12:30:00.001-05:00

As usual, I'm behind on updating the blog. Here's some updates from the last month.

The boys really enjoyed Halloween. Micah was once again a firefighter. He had a great time showing the ropes to Noah. Noah had no idea why he had to put on a pumpkin outfit, but he sure liked the candy. He wanted to eat each piece as it was given to him. Mama even dressed up for the masquerade ball at Micah's school. She went as Baba (in BDU's).

Noah stays home with Mama while Micah is in school. He loves to help with the vacuuming. He is a curious toddler and gets into everything. It's a challenge teaching him which things are toys and which things are just things, He'd rather play with Mama's Tupperware than most of his toys.

The boys are learning what it means to be brothers. Noah wants to do everything Micah does. Micah wants to be babied when he sees Noah being fed, carried or cuddled. But it's so sweet to watch them playing together.

Yes, I know that Noah's stool is upside down and doing him no good, but he wanted it that way.

My friend gave the boys matching Georgia Tech shirts. Very cute. Daddy went to UGA though, so he's not so sure.

One Month

2010-10-16T16:01:00.020-04:00

Then...

And now.

It's simply amazing that Noah has been with us a month. He just keeps getting cuter!

One Week Home

2010-10-07T10:22:00.001-04:00

One week ago today we were on our way home. Our life is fuller and busier that we could have imagined. What a blessing Noah is to our family.

The first few nights were pretty rough. Both boys woke up repeatedly and Mama, especially, got very little sleep. Micah developed a fever which lasted throughout the weekend. No other symptoms, just a high temperature that left him tired and cranky. Combined with jealously over his new brother, Micah wasn't much fun to be around.

Noah had a rough time sleeping for the first couple of nights. He would wake up and just cry until Mama stood and rocked him back to sleep. Micah had night terrors almost every night which are just heartbreaking to watch.

But it has gotten better. The last two nights Noah has only woken once. Micah sleeps in his own bed until he wakes around 4am when he climbed into Mama and Baba's bed and slept until morning. We can live this way!

Noah is adjusting well to his surroundings. He loves the slide in the back yard. He can walk, run, climb a stair or two. He eats like a football player. We do have to watch him as choice food gets squirreled into his cheeks to save for later. He loves to play with Tupperware and Rubbermaid bowls. His favorite toys are the Elmo remote control, Happy Goat cell phone (from China), Mama's hand-held Solitaire game and whatever Micah is playing with. He has said "Mama," something that sounds like "Baba," and "Lao Lao." He waves bye-bye and signed "more" once when he wanted more bananas.

Micah has struggled with jet lag and being jealous of Noah. He covets Mama's attention, wanting Mama to feed him at dinner. He went back to school Tuesday which seems to be helping some. We're trying to show him some special attention each day so he doesn't feel replaced.

Lao Lao and Lao Ye (Grandma and Grandpa) had a great time visiting with their grandsons. I know they waited a long time to be grandparents and they are really enjoying it!

Take the Long Way Home

2010-10-04T14:21:00.000-04:00

It's nice to be posting from home where Blogger works, the Internet connection is reliable and I've got a cup of coffee by my side.

We made it home last Thursday. It was a long, long trip. We flew to Beijing where we had to change terminals to change planes. We hopped on a bus that said "To Terminal 3." The bus then proceeded on a 10 minute journey to the next terminal. We had no idea that it was that long and we sure hoped we were going to the right place. But we got to Terminal 3 and checked in and decided to get lunch. Now we were getting dangerously low on yuan, but we had heard that most restaurants in the Beijing airport took credit cards so we headed off to Burger King. After a long line, and mixed communication, we learned that BK doesn't take credit cards and all we could afford were two Whopper Jrs. So we sat down to feed the little Whoppers to our children while we started to eat the snacks in our bag when the gentleman sitting next to us who had overheard our dilemma traded us some RMB for ten bucks US. Yay! Back to the BK line where we got burgers, fries and a Coke Zero.

We knew we had to clear the immigration checkpoint before we found our gate. Another train ride and another long line later we were there. Finally we boarded the flight we were NOT looking forward to. A long 12 hours to Chicago. Noah started in crying right away. I hear groans from those sitting near us, but what could I do? Once we were able to move around the cabin, Noah got happier. Finally we had a meal and tried to settle the boys down to sleep. Yeah, right. Noah really prefers to be rocked while standing. Not so easy in the center seat. Micah insisted that he would not sleep on a plane and settled in to watch Air Buddies on the DVD player. Noah finally slept fitfully on Mama's shoulder, then on Baba's seat which Baba so graciously vacated. Then just as Micah finished his movie and drifted off to dream, Noah woke with a huge cry. Baba to the rescue again. He took Noah and walked around the cabin while Micah and Mama got some shuteye. Noah charmed the flight attendants and scored another meal of pork and rice.

Overall Micah slept for a 4 hours or so while Noah got a few fitful naps. Mama got a two hour rest, but Baba got zero sleep. Have I mentioned that Baba is my hero? He sacrificed his own sleep so that I and the boys could get some rest.

We landed in Chicago where we had about 2 hours to clear customs and immigration and board our flight to ATL. We needed every minute of the 2 hours to get through all the steps. We barely got on the plane as they closed the doors and pushed back.

The boys shared a seat and looked excitedly out the window during the flight. We landed at ATL in the T Terminal and were able to sneak up from behind our welcoming party waiting at the top of the escalator. We were thrilled to see Lao Lao and Lao Ye and our dear friends Miss Mary, Grand and Anna waiting to welcome us. Micah enjoyed seeing his buddy Grant and greatly enjoyed the bag of M&Ms that Anna brought to him.

We came home to find the cupboards and refrigerator full of food brought by my colleagues at the preschool. We are blown away by the generosity of friends. It's good to be home.

Signing Off from Guangzhou

2010-09-29T11:21:00.001-04:00

We leave in the morning! We've had a lovely time, but we're excited to get home. Yesterday was our oath ceremony at the consulate. The culmination of all of the US immigration paperwork we've been working on for nearly a year. There was a little play area (new since last time we were there) which made the wait easier for the kiddos. The officer was very nice and assured us that there are adequate consulate appointments and that there is NO backlog. We took the oath and piled back into the bus to the hotel. There was such an air of celebration that all of the families had a pizza party in the hallway. It was just like college with pizza and beer and kids, well, I guess the kids weren't there in college. The boys watched Air Buddies and the girls played DS. The parents chatted happily about things they missed from home and made plans to see each other in the future.

Today we shopped a little on the island. The Noah napped while Micah swam. We started packing before dinner and at this point have just about everything in suitcases. We had a fun dinner at Lucy's (local restaurant with Western food) with two of the families with whom we've become close. We all have older kids near the same age and adopted boys near the same age. It was relaxing and fun.

Two weeks ago a group of random strangers met in Beijing and Zhengzhou. Today these families are unalterably woven into the fabric of our lives. This has been an amazing trip, but we're looking forward to getting home. See you on the flip side!

Pearl River Cruise

2010-09-29T10:23:00.000-04:00

We had the most amazing opportunity to take a dinner cruise on the Pearl River. After a traditional Cantonese buffet dinner (some good, some just weird), we enjoyed ice cream! Noah didn't know what to make of this cold treat! Then we went up to the top of the boat to watch the city. Micah really enjoyed seeing the acrobat and Noah danced with Mama and the Chinese ladies on the top deck. I have to say it was the first time we really felt like a family of four.

Red Couch Photos

2010-09-28T01:28:00.000-04:00

You have to do it. You have to dress your child in Chinese clothing and take pictures on the red couch at the White Swan Hotel. Hundreds of families before us have sat on the famous couches for a photo. And we were no exception. Noah was handsome in silk, Micah was the helpful big brother (no Chinese clothes for my American boy!).

And you have to try to take a picture of all those newly adopted children on the red couch. This was humorous with children rolling over or refusing to cooperate. Noah was fine until Mama tried to step out of the frame. Then we had total meltdown! This is the best shot we got of the children.

Guangzhou City Zoo

2010-09-28T01:14:00.000-04:00

Sunday brought us a trip to the zoo. Micah loved running around with the other kids. Noah got his first ride in the stroller. At first he held on for dear life, but soon relaxed and enjoyed the ride!

Clinic Visit

2010-09-25T19:46:00.001-04:00

Hague. Hate it! The US regulations governing Hague adoptions require that Noah be up-to-date on his immunizations before he can come to the US. With Micah we only had to file an affidavit saying we would immunize him when we got home.

So yesterday was our clinic appointment. Noah went through his three clinic stations like a champ. Then came the last station, immunizations. Noah needed eight immunizations, plus an oral polio vaccine. I had to hold him on my lap while he got two injections in each arm and each leg. Noah was crying, Mama was crying, Micah was upset, Baba was trying to comfort all of us. All in all, a harrowing experience. I have to say it was the worst day since we got here. But, we dosed Noah with Tylenol and he ended up giggling and smiling while we waited to be sure that he didn't have a reaction. He's a little trooper.

I'm attaching a couple of pictures from our trip to the Cow and Bridge. To answer Donna, we didn't go last time because I was so sick with a sinus infection. It was my first experience with Thai food, but what I had was good.

Noah continues to warm to us and is sweet and happy. He comes readily to either of us, though he still prefers Mama when in distress or hungry. He will play with toys and prefers things that move or make noise. At his clinic appointment he was 25.6 pounds and 32 inches tall. He's a solid little chunk.

Touring and shopping in Guangzhou

2010-09-24T03:24:00.001-04:00

Yesterday, we got to take a half day tour of some of the sights of Guangzhou. We visited the Six Banyan Trees Temple. We got to meet a real monk and he took a liking to Micah. I mean a real liking. He touched him, pulled his ear and held his wrists and talked to him in Chinese. Micah was trying to be polite, but I think he was pretty freaked out!

We toured the historic Chen house and went to the Guangzhou arts and crafts. Micah was more impressed with the grocery across the street where he scored some sour skittles and potato chips. Mama got her precious "Zero Coca" (Coke Zero). Ah, the real thing!

And last night, another taste of home - Papa John's Pizza. Yum! Noah likes pizza too!

Today we went shopping for pearls, jade and toys with Ann from Red Thread China. If you are looking for a personal shopping assistant in Guangzhou, I can't say enough good things about Ann. She helped us to find just what we were looking for at a good price. Mama got a pearl solitaire necklace and Baba got a jade necklace. Micah got a cool place and Noah got a toy phone (so maybe he'll leave the hotel phone alone!) We got some great gifts to bring home, too.

Tonight we are going to the Cow and Bridge Thai restaurant. I've heard good things about that one.

Guangzhou!

2010-09-22T21:15:00.000-04:00

We've made it to Guangzhou. Part Chinatown and part Key West, just getting here feel like we're halfway home. Noah continues to adjust to his new role in our family. He is a happy baby except when he is tired or hungry. There's still a lot of baby in him. We visited the Swan room (the playroom) at the hotel. He is finally opening up and playing. He's kinda a bully and not good at sharing. Those are probably behaviors that served him well in the orphanage.

Last night was moon festival. We saw families light lanterns and launch them toward the moon. The sidewalks were packed with people, yet it was quiet and serene.

Today we are touring the city and visiting a temple and the Chen House.

A little this, a little that...

2010-09-20T22:09:00.001-04:00

There are probably a few things that I've forgotten the mention in our daily posts. I'll try to fill in the gaps with stuff I can remember....

Noah's palate is repaired. He even has a uvula.
Noah babbles but has no real words.
He can wear 12 month and 18 month clothes. The 12 month onesies are getting a little short. 12 month shorts seem to fit OK, but 18 month for shirts is a little better. T
The Ergo is awesome!!!!! Noah gets excited when he sees it cuz it means we're gonna go, go, go!
Traffic in China makes Atlanta traffic look like a Sunday drive in the country.
Noah likes fried rice, dumplings and noodles. He also likes pizza. That's my boy.
Noah is a good sleeper. He fusses a little when laying down but tends to sleep through the night.

Anything else I've missed? Any questions?

Here are a couple gratuitous Noah pictures!

Decompression Day

2010-09-20T21:34:00.000-04:00

Finally a day without anything we had to do. Monday was our first day without adoption paperwork, tours or bus rides. We took a walk to local park. Noah napped in the Ergo while Micah and Baba explored the park. There was a little section with amusement rides and Micah rode a few rides. After Noah's nap we went to the swimming pool. Noah wasn't sure about it, but after watching Micah and the other boys decided that kicking his feet in the water was pretty cool. We had an early dinner and the boys went to bed early. All in all a pretty good day and just what we needed.

Oops!

2010-09-20T03:21:00.000-04:00

In the below post, that wasn't a picture of Noah's bed, that was his best friend in the orphanage. I'm pretty tired, but even I know the difference between a child and a crib - LOL!

Orphanage Visit

2010-09-19T22:54:00.001-04:00

We had the precious opportunity to visit Noah's orphanage in Kaifeng. He was in the Lily Orphan Care Center within the orphanage. We were able to meet several of Noah's friends in the orphanage. We saw his crib and the playroom. We also learned that two of his special friends have been adopted by families in the States.

Noah was very concerned the whole time we were there. His lip quivered when various workers came and fussed over him. He cried when the orphanage director came in. He cried when his favorite nanny tried to hold him.

All in all it was an emotional, but good day. It is obvious that he was and is loved. He seemed genuinely relieved when we left and he was still with us.

We have a free day today. We are going to take a walk to a park before lunch. Thank you all for your prayers. We feel that you are with us.

I don't know where the pictures post, but today's pictures show Noah's bed in the orphanage, Micah in the playroom and Noah's finding spot.

Shaolin Temple

2010-09-18T19:22:00.001-04:00

Yesterday we toured the Shaolin Temple. It was a long bus ride, but it was really need to visit the home of Kung Fu. The temple is an active monastery with a Kung Fu Academy. We had lunch there. We then toured the Pagoda Forrest and the Temple itself. The we watched a Kung Fu show in a room with no air conditioning.. Micah loved it. It was a very sweaty day, but a very neat experience.

Noah is eating more and more table food. He's only taking formula in the morning. We weren't able to get the same kind that he had in the orphanage, so that could be it or it could just be that he's preferring real food.

Noah is strongly preferring Mama at this point, though he will go to Baba as well. The Ergo has been priceless as he doesn't want to be more than 6 inches from one of us at any time.

Evenings seem to be a rough time for our little guy. He seems sad and his huge eyes just brim with tears. He likes to be sung to sleep and mostly sleeps through the night. We're not sure what to do with a child who's a good sleeper!!!

Micah is doing an awesome job as the big brother. He really tries to play with Noah and shows him toys and tries to share trains and trucks. Noah wants nothing to do with him most of the time. He will slap at Micah and yesterday threw a train at Micah's head. Micah just takes it in stride, though you can see it hurt him physically and emotionally. I am so proud of my big boy.

Today we go to visit Noah's orphanage. This could be a hard day for our little one. Say a prayer if you think of it.

It's Official!

2010-09-17T10:32:00.001-04:00

Noah is ours. Today we received our official adoption certificate. It was an emotional moment. All of our lives changed forever. Amazing.

Noah opened up a little more today. Yesterday he was a little withdrawn, often crying and rarely smiling. He was nearly glued to Mama and really didn't play at all. Today we saw that gorgeous smile that we hadn't experienced since his referral pictures. He played ball with Micah and a friend at the registration office, laughing and giggling the whole time. He and Micah played with toys under the desk after bath. It was fun to see the brothers interact. Micah knows that Noah is his brother and has a clear idea of how he expects a brother to behave. Noah still doesn't know what to make of Micah, this older boy who wants to tell him what to do and how to act.

Today we visited the registration office again to finalize the adoption. Then we went to the notary office to have our signatures witnessed. Even though the notary office was up six flights of un-air conditioned stairs, the whole experience was easy and well-organized.

After lunch, Noah (and Mama) napped. Then we took a trip to the Lotus Center to pick up a few necessary supplies. Noah has been wearing shoes that are several sizes too small, so shoes were on the list. We also needed diapers and a thermos for carrying hot water for mixing formula on the road. We let each boy pick out a toy. Micah chose a remote control Cadillac SUV ("Mama, it's just like Kai's!"). Noah picked a Fisher-Price turtle that says numbers and shape names in Chinese and English. He loved pressing the buttons and hearing the sounds.

Tonight we ate dinner in our room. We ate peanut butter and jelly sandwiches on something called French bread loaves, and ate oatmeal and grits. My new little guy loves cheese grits! He refused formula after his morning bottle and ate table food and drank OJ or water the rest of the day.

I must get to bed. Tomorrow we will visit the Shaolin Temple (inspiration for the Kung Fu series).

We have Noah!

2010-09-16T05:59:00.001-04:00

We have our precious boy! He has been sad much of the day, but seems to be taking comfort from cuddling with Mama. It was an emotional morning, with ten families in our travel group receiving their children. There was much crying, both from children and their emotional parents.

We returned to the room where Noah took a bottle of forumla and a nap. Then more paperwork. Now we are off to dinner, but I wanted to throw up some pictures for you all!

Today is the day

2010-09-15T19:20:00.001-04:00

Today is the day the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it. Today is also the day that we meet Noah.

CCAI sent a questionnaire to each orphanage asking some questions about each child who will be arriving today. What a wonderful glimpse into his world.

We shopped for things at Walmart yesterday. The information I have says that Noah is still on formula, but Walmart doesn't carry the brand that he's been using. Our guide Rita said she will try to find it at another store, but if it can't be found we'll have to try something different. I've never had a child on formula. The formula aisle was overwhelming and who knew there were so many kinds of bottles! We bought some bottles and several different Chinese snacks because the note says that Noah is very interested in snacks. I also scored some Coke Zero. WooHoo!

Day Two: Fly to Zhengzhou

2010-09-15T09:56:00.001-04:00

We're getting Noah tomorrow! Today was our last day in Beijing. Our bags were packed and loaded at 7 a.m. and we were off to the airport. We slept 4 hours straight, from 1 a.m. to 5 a.m. We actually felt fairly rested, considering Micah had two bad night terror episodes between 1130 and 1230. Poor guy. He just couldn't stop crying, and then finally was all tired out and went back to sleep. We figure it's the closeness of being back in China and all the memories coming back to the surface- people talking to Micah in Chinese, the traffic, the non-western potties, the traffic. Did I mention the traffic? We arrived safe and sound in Zhengzhou this afternoon (China time) and began a host of errands that needed to be completed: change dollars for Yuan for fees that need to be paid tomorrow at a local bank, a trip to the local WalMart to buy supplies, unpacking and setting up the room in preparation for getting Noah. Micah is very excited and can't wait for his little brother to get here. He helped Mama set up the crib in our room, and took out all his trains and cars so that Noah can play with them when he gets here. Tomorrow is the big day. We can't wait to get Noah, hold him and bring him into our family!

Day 1: Great Wall/Bird's Nest

2010-09-14T18:10:00.001-04:00

Tuesday was a long day of touring in Beijing. We visited the Great Wall. We went to a different section this time. If you haven't seen it in person, it's difficult to get a real understanding of how steep the wall is. It's now a wall like the side of your house. It's more like a stone staircase built into the side of a mountain. We climbed up and up and up. I have to say that my fitness level is so much improved that while climbing was a tremendous effort, it didn't hurt like last time. I have to thank my buddies at Ultimate Fitness for getting me in shape for this day.

We ate lunch and shopped at a Jade Factory. Micah picked out a special necklace with a jade koi. Chinese tradition says that a person is drawn to a piece of jade by a undeniable force. It was like this for Micah and the jade koi. He knew it was his from the moment he saw it.

We were then allowed to visit the Olympic Green where the 2008 Olympics were held. We saw the Bird's Next Stadium, the Water Cube and other things we had only seen on TV. Micah had fallen asleep on the bus and slept through much of this stop. Thank goodness for the Ergo which allowed him to sleep and me to see everything.

Our last stop was at the Acrobat Show. Micah was enthralled by the different acts. He said it was his favorite part of the day.

We were so very tired and were thinking of a dinner of beef jerky and crackers in the room, but Micah insisted on a trip back to the jiao zi restaurant where we dined on the most wonderful dumpings (jiao zi). I'm gonna miss that one when we move onto Zhengzhou today.

Micah Over the Moon

2010-09-14T17:32:00.000-04:00

If you are interested in following our journey from Micah's perspective, you will definitely want to check out his blog: Micah Over the Moon. Micah will be keeping his friends up-to-date on his journey to China and to becoming a big brother.

Counting Down...

2010-09-11T20:45:00.001-04:00

Wow - the time is finally here. We leave in the morning! Our bags are packed, we're ready to go... We've checked off our packing list. We've double checked our packing list. All the "need to's" dutifully done. Micah is eager to go and get his little brother. Now we have to somehow settle down and get some sleep. We're up early tomorrow and will be flying over the moon to get Noah.

Test Post

2010-09-11T20:43:00.001-04:00

Gratuitous cute Micah picture in order to test our email posting.

Ch-ch-ch-changes

2010-09-07T15:11:00.000-04:00

So much of our focus is on Noah and his eventual transition to our family. But we can't forget that Micah's world is changing in huge ways! A few weeks ago we rearranged the furniture in Micah's room to make room for another bed. We've filled a few drawers in the dresser with clothes for Noah. Micah has moved out of his booster seat at the table and onto a big-boy chair. The minivan now sports two car seats.

Micah has embraced most of these changes with his usual enthusiasm for life and whatever it brings him. I love that boy! We pray for him as he makes the transition from only child to big brother.

Itinerary

2010-09-05T20:20:00.000-04:00

We have our final itinerary and booked our international tickets. I can't believe we leave for China one week from today. There is so much to do this week. My life is reduced to lists. Our 4 page packing list. A list of things to do before we leave. A list of what to buy while we're there. A list of things that must be done when we get home. But we are over the moon with excitement to go get Noah.

Here's our rough itinerary:

9/12 Leave ATL
9/13 Arrive Beijing mid-afternoon
9/14 Tour Beijing - climb Great Wall of China
9/15 Fly to Zhengzhou (in Noah's province of Henan)
9/16 Get Noah
9/21 Fly to Guangzhou
9/22-24 Mid-Autumn Moon Festival
9/27 Consulate Appointment
9/28 Oath Ceremony at Consulate
9/29 Receive Noah's Visa
9/30 Fly to ATL via Beijing and Chicago

Travel Approval!!!!

2010-08-26T10:17:00.000-04:00

We're going to China!!!! We are thrilled that we have received our Travel Approval from China. We are hoping to leave September 8th, with September 13th as our backup plan. We can't wait to meet our son and to hold him in our arms.

First Day of Kindergarten

2010-08-19T08:07:00.000-04:00

We start school early here in Georgia. In fact, we started last week! (I'm just slow getting things posted). Micah was excited to start Kindergarten. We read Miss Bindergarten Gets Ready for Kindergarten at least 100 times in preparation. It was a little tough to wake up that first morning. The transition from our summer schedule to our school schedule left Micah pretty tired.

Come on, Mama. Let's go!

It was easier to get up the second day and I even got a smile on the way out the door!

Disney Quickie

2010-08-14T08:54:00.000-04:00

We took a wonderful long weekend trip to Orlando. We had one day left on our Disney passes and decided tot take advantage of it before back to school. We stayed at a beautiful resort. Our room overlooked the pool.

When we go to the Magic Kingdom and looked into the sky we knew that Jesus was with us!

We had a wonderful day. Micah is a Magic Kingdom veteran at the ripe old age of 4. He knows what he likes and we were able to hit all of his favorites. Dumbo, the Tea Cup and Goofy's Barnstormer roller coaster. This time he was tall enough to ride Splash Mountain and Thunder Mountain.

A hug from Mickey was a sweet reward for waiting in line.

We all love Mickey and Minnie!

Micah drove the race car (with Daddy's help on the gas pedal)!

It was a Magical day!

Four Years Ago....

2010-08-10T16:38:00.001-04:00

Four years ago today we were celebrating because our dossier had been logged in by China. We thought we were beginning a 12-14 month wait for a little girl with no known medical conditions. But God had different plans and our journey took us down the path to Micah. Two and a half years with Micah and I can't imagine nor can I hardly remember life without him. And we are just weeks away from meeting Noah, our second son from China.

But if we hadn't changed our course, we would still be waiting for child #1. China has matched those with LIDs through May 10, 2005. We would still have months to go before we would receive a match. I cannot forget those who are still waiting in the non-special needs program. My thoughts and prayers go out to our original LID buddies.

Article 5

2010-08-10T16:24:00.000-04:00

Our Article 5 was issued last Thursday. That is the last step before China will issue our Travel Authorization (TA). That will happen in the next 2-4 weeks. And 1-4 weeks from then, we'll be on our way to China! WooHoo! Better start working that packing list!!!!

We are excited to finally hold Noah in our arms. Please be in prayer that our TA is issued quickly as there are a number of holidays, a trade fair and the Pan Asian games in China from the end of September through November that could make travel dicey (read expensive).

Kisses in the Wind

2010-08-02T19:56:00.000-04:00

(The Waiting Child's Lullaby)

I hold you in my heart and touch you in my dreams.
You are here each day with me, at least that's how it seems.

I know you wonder where we are... what's taking us so long.
But remember child, I love you so and God will keep you strong.

Now go outside and feel the breeze and let it touch your skin...
Because tonight, just as always, I blow you kisses in the wind.

May God hold you in His hand until I can be with you.
I promise you, my darling, I'm doing all that I can do.

Very soon, you'll have a family for real, not just pretend.
But for tonight, just as always, I blow you kisses in the wind.

May God wrap you in His arms and hold you very tight.
And let the angels bring the kisses that I send to you each night.

~ © Pamela Durkota

Teeny Tiny Steps to Noah

2010-07-27T10:37:00.005-04:00

"Any news on the adoption?"
"What do you hear from China?"
"When can you go get Noah?"
"So when are you traveling anyways?"

These are the questions I hear all the time. I've asked them myself a few times.

Since we adopted Micah, the US has signed onto the Hague Treaty on adoption. This treaty governs inter-country adoptions and attempts to make them fair and ethical. A good thing, I agree. However, this treaty has added a bunch of steps that must take place between our Letter Of Acceptance and our Travel Authorization from China. (With Micah we got our TA three weeks after LOA without any action on our part). Here are the steps that Hague requires (as I understand them):

1. submit your i800 to USCIS We did this on 6/11
2. wait for provisional approval from the National Benefits Center (NBC). (takes 2-4 weeks). Ours was 7/7
3. NBC forwards your i800 file to the Department of State National Visa Center (NVC) (takes about a week) Sent 7/9, received by the State Department on 7/12
4. NVC "cables" your file to Guangahou. Our file was cabled on 7/14
5. Await letter from National Visa Center stating that your file has been cabled to Guangzhou (another week or so) We got our letter on 7/19
6. Your agency will walk your LOA & DS 230 (your child's visa application) into the consulate in Guangzhou (only happens on Mondays or Thursdays) Ours was delivered on 7/22
7. Wait for your Article 5 (about two weeks) We hope to get ours on 8/4
8. Your Article 5 is walked into the CCAA in Beijing. (Next day?)
9. Wait for TA (2-4 weeks).

So we are definitely getting closer to our boy. I'm finding this part very difficult to wait through. I just try to remember that once he is in our arms, he will be there forever and the waiting will be forgotten.

Basketball Camp

2010-07-20T15:20:00.000-04:00

Sorry I haven't posted lately. We had a computer problem and I didn't have access to my pictures for a while. I'll try to catch y'all up with what's been going on this summer.

Micah took part in Basketball Camp for 4-6 year olds. He had a great time and really developed some new skills. By the end of the week he was shooting and dribbling with much more consistency.

He took part in a real basketball game. You should have seen those kids move!

He earned a medal. He is so proud of himself.

He sure loves basketball!

Update!

2010-06-15T22:13:00.000-04:00

We were blessed to receive a little update on Noah. Our agency asks for an update about 3 months after submitting our LOI. Many orphanages don't provide updates, even when asked, so we feel very blessed to get this news. Noah is nearly 31 inches tall and about 22 pounds. He lives in the orphanage and they call him Xin Xin. He eats noodles rice, vegetables, meat and soup. According to the update, he has had surgery on his lip and palate. It is clear that his lip is repaired. I'm surprised that his palate has been repaired, but that's what it said. And they sent a precious picture of our boy. He is surrounded by items from the care package we sent. I am entirely captivated by his eyes.

LOA

2010-06-08T14:39:00.000-04:00

We are thrilled and a little overwhelmed. I am holding in my hands a letter from China called the "Letter Seeking Confirmation of Adopter," better known in the adoption community as LOA (I guess we are really bad at acronyms - LOL). It signifies official approval of our dossier and asks if we really want to adopt Noah -- um, YEAH!

We now go through a series of steps to finalize approval from US immigration, after which our travel authorization (TA) will be issued by China. Our agency estimates that we could travel in 10-13 weeks.

Here's a little info about where we will be going. Noah is living in Kaifeng, located in the province of Henan, kinda in the middle of China. I believe that most of our time will be spent in Zhengzhou.

Logged In

2010-05-21T16:37:00.000-04:00

WooHoo!!! Our dossier has been logged in by the CCAA in China. That means they have officially received our file. Over the next few months our file will be reviewed and (we pray) that they will issue our LOA (a letter approving us and asking us to officially accept Noah's referral). Our agency estimates we should travel 4-6 months from now. We're very excited to have reached this step.

We recently sent a care package to Noah in China. It had a sweatshirt, socks, toys and a family photo album, labeled in Chinese. We hope these will reach him and help to prepare him for his upcoming adoption. The photo album we sent Micah while waiting to travel for him was a prized possession. He still gets it out to look at, two years later.

Micah's Mother's Day letter to Mama

2010-05-09T08:09:00.001-04:00

Here's what Bruce wrote for me for Mother's Day:

My mama rocks! She came all the way from the United States to get me in China when I was 2 and a half years old. (I’m a big boy now because I am already four years old.) In China, my mama held me, hugged and kissed me, and told me that she would never leave me. Even when I yelled, kicked and tried to get away from her, she just kept on hugging me and whispering my name and telling me she was my forever mama and that she would never leave me. Sometimes she would sing me to sleep, and after hearing the song about 10 times, I would fall asleep in her arms.

Now that I’m bigger and going to pre-K, my mama gives me breakfast and lets me choose my own snack for school. She sings songs to me and helps me with my homework. She picks me up from school every day and plays with me whenever I ask. And, at night if I have had a bad dream or am just lonely, she gets up out of her warm, cozy bed and runs to me, holds me and tells me that she is there, and that everything is going to be okay. And you know what? In just a few minutes everything is okay and before I know it I have fallen back asleep.

I had to have surgery in my mouth last year, and mama stayed with me and slept with me every night in my little hospital bed until I cried myself to sleep. She said she would not leave me and she didn’t! My mama also spends extra time with me helping me to pronounce letters and words the right way, because I need a little extra help right now. But I am getting better and better each day and can say all kinds of stuff now. Sometimes I can’t stop talking, and my mama just laughs and tells me that I am special and that she just loves to hear my voice. That's why my mama rocks!

Adoption Option Cookout

2010-05-06T17:56:00.001-04:00

It takes a long time to grow an old friend. ~John Leonard

We went to the Adoption Option cookout last Saturday. It was so wonderful to reconnect with old friends and meet some new ones. The best part was watching Micah play with his friends. I have to tell you that the redneck train was a huge hit.

Have you ever seen so much cuteness in one place?

The motorized jeeps were great fun as well. Micah eventually learned to steer without running into people and things.

The joy shared by Micah and Sheridan was contagious. These guys have been buds since Micah got off the plane from China. Of course, Micah slept through that first meeting. Not this time!!!!

Riding off into the sunset.....

Micah's Wheels

2010-04-13T19:31:00.001-04:00

Micah LOVES to ride his bike. He rides it all the time. In fact he rode the wheels right off it. The same thing happened last summer. And even though Radio Flyer agreed to replace the frame again, we decided it was time for Micah to graduate to a big boy bike. Plus, this gives the bike half a chance of lasting until Noah grows into it.

Here are a couple of pictures of my big guy on his new bike. He looks so grown up. Don't worry, he always wears his helmet when riding unless he's posing for pictures.

Easter Weekend

2010-04-04T17:34:00.003-04:00

Happy Easter! He is risen! We had a great Easter weekend. Bruce was on a funeral detail on Saturday so Micah and Mama headed off to the Easter egg hunt. We somehow managed to miss the hunt for Micah's age group, but our friends Laura and Matthew shared their findings with Micah and he was thrilled!
Fishing for duckies (huh?)
Micah wanted to jump in the jumpy house with the big kids.
Of course, the Easter Bunny hid Micah's Easter basket while we were at church. Mater!How did the Easter Bunny know that Micah loves M&Ms?
This is how Micah tweets!
A new book from Nai Nai and YeYe:
And a personalized truck from Lao Lao and Lao Ye:
The truck was soon hauling Legos!

And baby makes four!

2010-03-19T18:48:00.003-04:00

On March 12, we celebrated our fifth wedding anniversary by submitting a letter to intent to adopt this sweet little boy. And now that we have received our pre-approval from China, we would like to introduce him to you. His name is Guo Xin Hua and he is currently living in the Kaifeng SWI in the province of Henen. His name means new, magnificent and spendid. He was born in November 2008, so he is 16 months old now (I think these pictures were taken at about 9 months.

We are just waiting for our immigration approval in order to submit out dossier. We hope to travel about 6 months after that. I can't wait to see that smile in person!

A great read!

2010-03-15T08:41:00.005-04:00

There are a lot of good books out there. Like, a lot. But great books are few and far between. Great books are those that leave you a different person than you were before you read them. For me, great books include the Bible, Watership Down, Kite Runner, and The Waiting Child. And now another great book is being re-released: Silent Tears. Kay is a really cool lady - you can keep up with her on Kay Bratt Uncensored.

Orlando!

2010-02-24T12:07:00.007-05:00

We just got back from an awesome trip to Orlando with my parents. Micah really enjoyed the time with Lao Lao and Lao Ye. We were able to spend several days at Disney theme parks while we were there. First stop - Magic Kingdom. We learned that Micah has outgrown his fear of large costumed characters and he was thrilled to have his picture taken with Pluto.
The next day we made a pleasant trip to Disney Hollywood Studios. Micah got to meet Mickey Mouse in person! Mickey even signed Micah's Mickey Mouse stuffed animal.
Micah really enjoyed the Honey I shrunk the kids playground.
But his favorite thing was meeting Lightning McQueen and Mater. He even got special permission to touch Mater's hook.The next day we celebrated our Forever Family day. It's hard to believe that it's been two years since this sweet boy came into our lives. What better way to celebrate than by going to Epcot Center. Micah was tall enough to ride Soarin' and really enjoyed it - he's a regular thrill seeker. He liked the Nemo ride too. We visited China while at Epcot. Micah thought we would get a baby while we were there. If only it were that easy.
On Friday, we went to Sea World. They let military families visit for free. Gotta love that! Micah loved the Shamu show!
My brave boy rode the Shamu roller coaster. He's so big.I can't get enough of this smile!
Before heading home we went to Downtown Disney. We rode the tethered balloon.The view from the top was amazing.The very best part was spending time with family...And eating Mickey Mouse ice cream!

Newest Member of our Family

2010-02-24T12:03:00.002-05:00

Meet Leia, the newest member of our family. We decided that since she didn't have a family, we would invite her to join ours.

Healing

2010-02-03T08:22:00.004-05:00

If you look at the blog, it probably seems that all we do here is eat ice cream. LOL But it's true that our after school snack is often a popsicle or push-up because Goldfish or other crunchy snacks are off limits.

Ashley asked how Micah's palate and throat looks. I have been trying to get a picture of the healing stitches and haven't had too much success. I guess I'm not a good enough photographer to take a picture of a dark cave with a camera that is larger than the opening. I can't get the flash to illuminate the part I want to see. Below is the best picture. You can see the stitches behind his tongue. The opening back there seems pretty small. No wonder he is snoring. It does seem better as the swelling has gone down.

Micah still snores off and on every night. The quality of sleep has improved significantly, but he still wakes a couple of times every night. The night terrors seems to have left us. Hooray! We visit the surgeon tomorrow for his assessment of the healing and to find out when we can start introducing a regular diet.

The whole point of this procedure was to improve his speech. We are hearing great improvements in /b/, /p/, /d/, /t/, and /s/. We've even heard a couple of /k/ sounds! That part appears to be a success.

Food and Family Fun

2010-01-26T08:51:00.004-05:00

Cooking food for a soft diet can be a challenge. I try to serve a variety of nutritious foods, but this has put a crimp on our meal routine. The Mickey Mouse pancakes that Kim suggested were a huge hit. Micah did a happy dance around the kitchen at the sight of these. Micah has also enjoyed push-up's ice cream, or as he calls them, "Pull-Ups."
Poor long-suffering Libby.Lia, the stray cat who has been hanging around our place. We started feeding her and now she keeps coming back every day

I heartily endorse this pudding!

2010-01-22T16:10:00.002-05:00

Just a quick update as we relax on a Friday afternoon. Micah was able to go back to school starting Wednesday. He has been a good sport since he is required to miss phys ed and recess. He spends these times with his speech therapist so I think it's not too bad. He is starting to tire of the soft diet (as are the rest of us)! You can only eat so much macaroni and cheese, pasta, pudding and popsicles. But again, he's being a pretty good sport about it.

Yesterday I spoke with the doctor's office about Micah's snoring and apnea. They put him back on the steroids to help with the swelling. Last night was a much better night's sleep. I hope after this round, the inflammation has gone down and he will continue to get his rest.

Micah is thrilled with the stray kitty that has decided that our garage is a great place to get out of the weather and that our golf cart is a cat bed. We've bought some cat food and I'm afraid the kitty may be hanging out more often at Casa De Ladman.

One Week Post Surgery

2010-01-19T14:07:00.004-05:00

Well, one week after surgery and Micah seems to be doing great. At least during the daytime. While it's light, he's back to his cheerful and energetic self. But once tucked into bed, he reverts to that frightened boy we knew back in China and upon first coming home.

The procedure has resulted in a lot of snoring and periodic sleep apnea. We hope these are short-lived. He has been waking every few hours. And true to himself, any trauma in Micah's life plays out in his sleep. The last couple of nights he has been having terrible dreams that leave him crying hysterically. We finally get him calmed down and back to sleep only to have him wake 1-1/2 to 2 hours later with another nightmare. All he will say is that he is dreaming about the doctor. I hope this phase passes too!

Micah's speech sounds like he has a cold and is completely stuffed. We are hearing some good pressure consonants, but we're not sure if that's a result of the swelling or if it will last.

Hopefully, we'll get some sleep tonight and he can go back to school tomorrow. Thank you all for your prayers.

Home sweet home!

2010-01-13T13:32:00.002-05:00

We are home from the hospital! Hooray!

We reported to Scottish Rite just after 12:15. Micah was beyond anxious. They even sent a child life specialist to see if she could help, but she just shook her head. Finally, Micah got his Versed and things got a little better. But he was still so agitated that he fought off the goofiness that Versed usually brings. Finally they called him back to the OR. The procedure took about 40 minutes.

The doctor ended up doing a sphincter pharyngoplasty rather than the pharyngeal flap. They took a larger piece of muscle with resulted in a smaller hole that they usally leave. This could result in some breathing difficulties and snoring so we have to be on the lookout for that. I haven't actually looked in his mouth yet, so I'm not sure what it looks like.

He hated the nasal airway and was pretty mad until that finally came out after dinner time. We told him that if he drank lots he could go home the next day. He took a few sips of water and ate half a Popsicle before falling into a fitful sleep.

This morning, a brave, tough boy emerged. He made himself drink half a glass of apple juice and eat eggs, fruit and yogurt. This earned him the removal of the IV that plagued him overnight and an early discharge from the hospital.

We have already heard a few /b/ sounds that are very promising, though they could be the result of post-surgical swelling so we'll have to see what happens in the next six weeks.

Thank you all for your prayers and support. We felt the love all around us through this whole process.

Mama Angst

2010-01-10T16:20:00.003-05:00

We are counting down the days to Micah's surgery. On Tuesday, he will have surgery in an attempt to improve his speech. They will either do a pharyngeal flap or a sphincter pharyngoplasty. This surgery has been a tough call for me. The surgery to close his palate was a no-brainer. It had to be done. This one is harder to accept. It should improve his speech, but his speech has been steadily improving anyways. We finally decided that we have to trust the experts who are telling us that this is necessary.

We haven't really told Micah that the surgery will be happening. I guess he'll figure it out on Tuesday. He hates doctors and is adamant that he doesn't need surgery. I hope that this doesn't make him too angry and that he recovers quickly mentally as well as physically.

If you think about it, say a prayer for my baby and for me and Bruce on Tuesday.

Christmas Memories

2010-01-09T13:31:00.003-05:00

A little late, but I'm finally posting pictures from our Christmas in Chicago. Micah had a wonderful Christmas and had fun visiting with family. Kurt's home is overflowing with animals. Libby enjoyed visiting her doggie cousins and quickly became one of the pack.
Micah was crazy for the cats. We would get regular status reports on the location of each cat.
Artsy shot of the Christmas tree before opening presents.
Santa brought Micah the Larry Boy jeans he wanted so desperately.
There were lots and lots of presents!

The adventures of Snowflake the Elf

2010-01-08T10:23:00.004-05:00

This year, Snowflake returned to our house. Each evening he traveled to the North Pole to report to Santa on what he saw in our house. Then each morning he returned and got created some mischief in our house. One morning, Snowflake had a snowball fight and covered the floor with cotton ball snowballs!

One morning, he took mama's knitting needles and knit a few rows!
He stole Skittles....and yarn...
Hung from the chandelier.... and I think he drank the Dubbel (Belgian ale).Micah was a little worried that Snowflake wouldn't find us in Chicago. We left him a Google map and he managed to appear at Uncle Kurt's house!

Loving the Snow!

2009-12-31T12:27:00.002-05:00

We are enjoying our Christmas in the snowy north! Micah has embraced every aspect of the snow and even loves shoveling. We built a snowman in Uncle Kurt's front yard.
Snowball fight with Lao Ye!
It's a winter wonderland.

Children's Christmas Musical

2009-12-19T09:51:00.004-05:00

The Cherub Choir at church was invited to participate in the children's Christmas musical. Micah had so much fun singing the songs and learning the choreography. And then on the night of the musical he put everything he had into it. Enjoy!

Our Budding Beethoven

2009-10-07T07:53:00.004-04:00

Micah loves music. He loves to listen, sing and play. Our house is always full of music. I can't wait to see what he does with this love as he grows up.

Happy 4th Birthday, Micah

2009-08-31T14:57:00.005-04:00

My big boy turned 4 this week. Here's the birthday boy all ready for school!
After school Micah had a party at the jumpy place.
Look at the springs on that boy!
Blowing out the candles on the birthday cake.
Monster truck birthday cake.
The cake was blue. Not just the icing, the actual cake too!
Mical was king for a day.
Micah's presents went in the blue wagon. Pretty cool.
Wow, what a haul! Thank you everyone!

Micah's First Day at PreK

2009-08-14T12:47:00.003-04:00

This week, Micah started school at the local public school. Mama was nervous because this means a five full days of school each week. Micah was excited because he gets to carry a backpack! We got up early to pack his backpack for school.
All packed and ready to go.
I can't believe how big and grown up he is.

Visit from Lao Lao and Lao Ye

2009-08-14T12:33:00.004-04:00

Lao Lao and Lao Ye recently came for a week's visit. Micah was thrilled to spend time with his grandparents. (I think they enjoyed it too). We mostly stuck around home and spent family time together.

Stopping at the Redneck Gourmet.
Micah enjoying his sweet tea. Yes, he's a southern boy who happens to have been born in China.
No visit to the ATL is complete without lunch at Chik-Fil-A.
Yum! Nuggets!
Picnic lunch at the park.

Happy Independence Day!

2009-07-05T14:23:00.003-04:00

It was time for a 4th of July tradition, the Peachtree City 4th of July Parade. Ashley and Cole came over early in the morning. We picked up Tiffany, Tasha and Jennifer on the way and our little golf cart caravan made our way across town. We got there early to stake out our spot along the parade route. There were golf carts lining the road as far as the eye could see!
The boys had time to share a snack.
Finally the parade started. Micah loved the firetrucks.
But the sirens were a little too loud.
We all got to partake in popsicles handed out by the Fayette Piedmont Hospital.
At the end, we all piled back on the golf carts and joined the parade of golf carts driving home.

Crete!

2009-06-26T09:22:00.003-04:00

Summer is a time for family vacations. This year, we made the trek to Crete, Nebraska, Bruce's home town. It was a great time and Micah got to spend lots of time with NaiNai and YeYe. Micah helped YeYe cook, work in the yard and generally putter around the house. It was neat for Micah to see where Baba grew up, too. Bruce has childhood memories of climbing on this tank in the city park.
There was a big family picnic and we got to see lots of family and friends. Bruce with Brian and Wilma.
Bruce with his brother, David.
Micah was fascinated and terrified by David's motorcycle. Here he is showing off his "road rash."Micah thinks David is ultra cool 'cuz he rides a bike and drives a semi! Here he is hanging out in the cab of David's truck. I got to visit with David's wife Jahnee'. Jahnee' is a fellow knitter and shared several new techniques that will make my knitting better.
Bruce and Micah trying out the bike for size.
Micah spent lots of time playing with the neighbor boy. It was heartwarming to see an older boy be so tender and attentive to a little guy. Micah wanted to do everything he did.

Growing and Changing

2009-06-01T09:28:00.003-04:00

I could probably start each and every blog post with an apology for not posting more often. I think I'll just forgo that part and give you some cute pictures showing how Micah is growing and changing!

We literally go miles with Micah his trike. His favorite thing to say: "Mama go for a walk. Baba go for a walk. Libby go for a walk. Micah ride bike!"
Such a handsome boy.
Micah loves to "read." He will name each letter in the word, and tell you what sound each letter makes. Then he will tell you the word says, "Micah!"

Micah's New Toy Bins

2009-06-01T09:15:00.003-04:00

It was time to find a new way to store Micah's toys or risk having the house taken over by cars, Elmos and Thomas Trains. Micah was happy to help complete this project.
He has remarkable hand eye coordination (in my unbiased, proud mom opinion), and helped with the screwdriver and hammer.
The finished product!

Last Day of School

2009-06-01T09:03:00.002-04:00

What a whirlwind this school year has been! Micah has gone from a shy little boy who knew no one to a confident guy with a bunch of friends. He has learned the entire alphabet and knows numbers, too. We are so grateful to his teachers, Mrs. Sanders and Mrs. Kendall, for building into his life.

We've come a long way from the boy who would take one swipe at the page with a crayon and call it done. Here's my little lefty!
Micah loves to do puzzles. Mom: Micah, what does a duck say? Micah: Aflac. Aflac. AFLAC!!!!!
Hanging out on the jungle gym.

Mother's Day Weekend

2009-06-01T08:48:00.002-04:00

We had a wonderful visit with Bruce's sister, Brenda and her husband Greg. Micah had been looking forward to this visit and he really enjoyed getting to know his aunt and uncle. They went to school to be mystery readers which thrilled Micah beyond words!

Even though Micah wasn't feeling his best, we had a lot of fun tooling around on the golf cart and playing in the back yard.
This was my second Mother's Day as a mother (to someone other than a dog!). Micah brought be some gorgeous flowers. I grasp for words to express what it means to be the mother of this sweet, bright and active boy. I can barely remember a time when I wasn't "Mama," not do I want to!

Playtime!

2009-04-11T10:09:00.002-04:00

Playdough is a fave. We always end up making snowmen.
Micah loves to bake with Mama. Of course, the best part is licking the bowl.
Silly hair in the bath.
Baba's mini me.
Chillin' at McDonald's. I'm lovin' it!

Bye Bye Purple Potty

2009-03-26T10:38:00.002-04:00

Purple potty has been a constant presence in our life. Purchased for 27 yuan (about $7) in China, it was a wonderful investment. Our travel buddies became accustomed to seeing it bungie'd on the back of our backpack as we traveled from province to province to home.

Well, it's the end of an era. Micah has decided that is is OK to poo poo in the big boy potty. We said goodbye to purple potty with a special ceremony.

Snow!

2009-03-01T17:21:00.002-05:00

During church today, we looked out the window to see..... SNOW!!!! We got at least 3 inches and it stuck. We spent the afternoon outside playing in the snow.
Micah was so excited to get out and play.
We even built a snowman.
I don't know how long it will last, but we made the most of our snowy day.

One year ago today!

2009-03-01T17:13:00.006-05:00

One year ago today, we arrived home from China with Micah.
Taking our first steps off the escalator. Each step was a new experience for all of us.
The welcome home party with Lao Lao and Lao Ye. Micah is still in shock, but recognizes the faces in his picture book that we sent to China.
Now we're all smiles. Micah has grown 7 inches and gained 2 lbs and lots more confidence.
It's really nice to have Lao Lao and Lao Ye be with us to share in this 1 year celebration of forever family week.

One Year Together

2009-02-18T11:26:00.002-05:00

Micah became part of our family 1 year ago today. Baba holding Micah. Baba is proud; Micah is confused.
What a difference year makes! Baba is still proud, and Micah is becoming a cool, confident boy, comfortable with his surroundings and enjoying time with his family. Later, we'll have cake and celebrate our Forever Family Day!

Forever Family Week-Then and Now

2009-02-16T11:05:00.004-05:00

One year ago today. The anticipation of meeting Micah in 2 days was greater than the challenge of climbing the Great Wall. We were eagerly looking forward to both adventures.
Mama and Micah on the beach at Hilton Head playing in the sand. Funny how one year changes your life forever. Micah is in practically every picture now. When we look back at last year's pictures we notice something missing. That something was Micah. Now we are a family eagerly anticipating the trials and joys of bringing up Micah in a world full of opportunities as vast as the ocean is wide.

Dessert With Daddy

2009-02-11T15:33:00.002-05:00

Last week, Micah and Baba enjoyed going to Dessert with Daddy at preschool. The evening started with yummy desserts.

Then the boys got to make a sweet Valentine's Card for Mama.
Mrs. Kendall is so good with Micah. Micah learned to say, "I love you this much!"
This is how southerners do snow. It's some funky stuff you mix with water to make snow. The snow actually packs and the boys made a snowman. It's not like the snow I grew up with, but it will have to do.
A very tuckered-out boy showing his Valentine card. When he got home, he ran into the house shouting "Happy Valentines Day, Mama!"

Wordless Wednesday

2009-02-04T08:09:00.000-05:00

Just Life

2009-02-02T15:12:00.003-05:00

Life at the Ladman house goes on. Enjoy a few scenes....

Cuddled up with Mama....
Micah, what are you eating? I know I gave you string cheese, but what's that other thing?
A Scooby Snack? Wait a minute - those are doggie biscuits! Who thought it was a good idea to put Scooby Doo on the fruit snack package AND on the doggie biscuit package!?!?!?! Look at Libby wondering why Micah's eating her treat.
This is still one of Micah's favorites. He pulls his wooden pig everywhere. Thank you Grandpa Chadwick!

2009-01-30T17:49:00.003-05:00

Thank you, Shanna at Our Big Crazy Family, for this award. It's nice to know that someone is reading about and enjoying our lives.
Now here are the rules for this award:
1. Pass it on to 5 fabulous blogs, and include the one that gave it to you (and link them).
2. List 5 of your fabulous addictions.....

I am to nominate five fabulous blogs that I love. These just aren't blogs that I love. They are blogs written by people that I love!

1. Michael and Kim at Sheridan's Shenanigans. My lifeline while in China, I wouldn't be the mother I am without this amazing family.
2. Donna at Handsful. Donna is mom to six of the most wonderful kids I've ever met. Her blog entertains, informs and inspires me.
3. Another Donna - from Straight Talk. If you want the glossy, PC version of things, don't read her blog. But it you want the straight scoop, she's your gal!
4. Steph at The Boy and the Bulldog. Steph's little guy is just adorable and I love to read about his antics.
5. Brandy at Perpetual Tomorrow. Always full of pithy observations. She's an inspiration to me and she will hate that I said that.

Fabulous bloggers - feel free to pay it forward and nominate other Fabulous blogs. But don't feel obligated.

Now I am to tell you five of my fabulous addictions.
1. Bruce and Micah - I love my boys and am happy beyond measure as a wife and mother.
2. Facebook. What a wonderful way to keep up with friends, old and new.
3. Knitting. It relaxes and entertains me and at the end I get a cool, knitted item to keep or give.
4. Shoes. I don't even want to tell you how many pair I own.
5. Coffee. Gotta have it. Love it.

Knitting Frenzy

2009-01-24T18:03:00.005-05:00

I know, I know. We haven't made and update in ages. We've just been living life and staying busy. I've been on a knitting frenzy in my spare time. Micah's old hat was a little small, so I decided to knit him a new one. Bruce liked it so much, he wanted one for himself. Here are my handsome boys modeling their hats.
I didn't want to be left out, so I knit myself a pair of fuzzy slipper socks. Very warm and cozy.

Fast Away the Old Year Passes

2008-12-31T21:02:00.002-05:00

As 2o08 draws to a close, I wish I had some pithy observations on the year past. But the most special blessing of the year is reading a book with his Baba and will soon need Mama's warmth to help him sleep. So all I can say is....

Happy New Year, everyone!
May the year to come
bring you your heart's desire.

Bye bye to family

2008-12-29T20:09:00.002-05:00

This morning we bid farewell to Lao Lao and Lao Ye, the last of our house guests. I got a little misty as they left and a tear fell down my cheek. Micah looked at me, patted my hair and said, "Don't cry Mama. Lao Lao and Lao Ye going to Michigan. They'll be back."

Didn't help the tears.....

Family Christmas Pictures

2008-12-29T09:44:00.005-05:00

It's always been a tradition in our family to take pictures of the family at Christmas. (I suppose that's not unique). Here are this year's pictures.
Micah with Lao Lao and Lao Ye (that's Chinese for Grandma and Grandpa)
I like this shot of the four of us.
My mom with her boys (and Libby!)Micah and Kurt have a special relationship.

(Looking at these pictures it makes me want a new couch!)

Updated the Mary Kay Website

2008-12-28T18:22:00.003-05:00

There are lots of new products on my Mary Kay Website. Check it out!

Micah's First Christmas

2008-12-27T16:50:00.005-05:00

Santa brought me a big blue truck and a toolbox! Micah's day started with presents from Santa where he received exactly what he had asked for. He was excited to show everyone that Santa had eaten all of the milk and cookies we had left out, too. After a Christmas breakfast, we went to the tree to open presents. Micah really enjoyed opening his gifts and helping everyone else with their gifts, too. We opened presents in three phases to avoid completely overwhelming him (or us!). Here is Micah's day in pictures... I'm ready for my solo.Lao Lao and Lao Ye gave me more cars for my Thomas train. We've been counting down days until "Lao Lao and Lao Ye see Micah" since before Halloween. Micah is thrilled to spend time with them.
Micah loves his new shirts!Taking a break....Phase three included Uncle Kurt - hooray!Uncle Kurt gave me more Thomas Train cars and track!Christmas is good to doggies too!

Snowflake the Elf

2008-12-16T11:27:00.002-05:00

We've had a special visitor at our house lately. Snowflake the elf is visiting from the North Pole. Of course he must return every night to report to Santa on Micah's behavior. I'm amazed at the power of the elf! Micah is working very hard at being good each day so Snowflake doesn't have to report that he made Mama, Baba or his teachers sad that day.

Libby is a Christmas Tree

2008-12-16T11:21:00.002-05:00

Micah was so enthralled by decorating the tree that he decided to decorate the dog, too! He told me that Libby was a Christmas tree. Nice imagination!
Libby was less than impressed!

A visit to Santa

2008-12-09T09:17:00.002-05:00

This season has provided such joy with Micah discovering Christmas and its many traditions. We took Micah to Chik Fil A to see Santa. Apparently Santa shares Mama's love of the Peppermint Chocolate Chip Milk Shake and goes each Thursday evening to indulge. We were prepared for any reaction from total meltdown to cautious interest. What we weren't prepared for was Micah greeting Santa with exuberant enthusiasm! Enjoy the wonderful pictures.
Santa, I want a big truck and a tool box!
High five, Santa!
Family picture with Santa. I couldn't think of anything more to tell Santa that I wanted. I have everything I could hope for right here.
Of course, no visit to Chik Fil A is complete unless you trade your toy in for ice cream! Yummy!