Friday, April 24, 2009

Chinese Friends!!! Yeah!!!

Little Sylvia learning to walk! No delays there!


This is Landyn...OMG! Is she not the cutest!


Sylvia and Taryn "catching up" on things since our trip!


Taryn, pick-pocketing through Sylvia's purse!


The girls: Lexi (I couldn't get one of her alone cuz' she is a fast little booger!);Landyn;Sylvia; and Taryn


Since we have been home it has been hard to find a "group" of families with Chinese kids! I have looked on-line and it appears that there is NO FCC GROUP IN LEXINGTON!!! There was at one point, but now the contact person is "not available"! So, I have been kind of "disappointed" because I KNOW there are tons of families in this area! Luckily, I know someone, who knows someone (and so on and so forth...) and I was able to go to a "play group" yesterday with 4 girls from Jiangxi Provence...one being our travel buddy (Amy and Sylvia) and the other two traveled last year but the girls all came from the same Provence and orphanage! It was so darn cute and I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE being with other adoptive families. Even if our personalities are like polar opposites...it doesn't matter! We are all bonded under the same love of adoption and that our babies all came from the same country! I love that! So, I am posting a few pictures of our time together...I hope you enjoy them! These girls are so darn cute you can just "eat em' up" (as I like to say!). If you haven't received your referral or gone to pick up your new child from China...IT WILL HAPPEN! And you too will someday have cute play date pictures to post! Yeah!!
On a different note...we have "First Steps" coming this afternoon to work with Taryn. I knew she seemed "delayed" in her motor skills (not going to the sit position alone, not crawling, etc...). And, frankly, wasn't surprised that she was referred! She is functioning on a 8 month level (she is 11 months this weekend!) as far as motor development. Let me assure you that her brain functioning is definitely on an 11mo level! So, I will have to post what the PT says today later, but just thought those of you that have returned and are facing the same "issues" might be interested to know that you are not alone!!!!

Wednesday, April 15, 2009

New Beginnings...

Wesley answering questions about China, Himself and his "sissy"...
The kids lining up to say "hi" to Taryn

Major Egg Hunt
The Lady Bug "Easter Dress"
..."Uh...what do I do with this stuff?"
Garrett loves his Webkinz!
A Robot Bug! How did the Easter Bunny know!


It was Taryn's first Easter with our Family. I don't think she really cared...but she looked cute anyway! You would have thought that it was Christmas the way the boys were so excited about the Easter Baskets! We had a Easter egg hunt at my sister's house...and Taryn just sat around looking cute in her lady-bug dress!
Last week Wesley had Taryn come for his "show and tell"...hilarious! He wanted to talk about China and his new sister! All of the third graders wanted to "touch" her and say "hi"...can we say Purell??? I would NEVER have taken Wesley (our first) to a class full of "touchy" 3rd graders! I guess a lot has changed in the last 9 years! It was funny to see all of the kids (all 24 of them!) lined up to say "hello" to Taryn (once again, AFTER using hand sanitizer!). Wesley than sat and held her in front of the class while they asked questions. The highlight was when she started making "raspberry" noises for everyone! Of course the kids loved that. He also liked showing off her "squeaky" shoes...(BTW, those of you going to China, get as many of these as you can in different sizes...they are only like $2 American dollars a pair and they are SO DARN CUTE! You won't be able to find them as cheap here in the States...). It was heartwarming to see him so proud of her!
I hope everyone had a great Easter! I hope that this time next year many of you have your new little China baby to celebrate with...I truly mean that!
Blessings and enjoy the pictures!

Tuesday, April 7, 2009

Princess T debuts at her first public event...

Garrett and Taryn trying out one of her gifts from our shower!

One of my friends feeding her cake! Busted!



Taryn "socializing" with the guests...



Yes, she is holding celery...but, she can't "eat" it!


Wesley and Steve "helping" me open presents! A lot has happened since the last post a week ago! I really could do two separate posts, but will combine it all into one...lucky you! We had our second out of three showers last Sunday. Most of my friends wanted Taryn to be there...which worried me a tad, only because I didn't know how she would respond to ton's of people! She did FABULOUS! As long as I can assure her I am right there she does okay. She doesn't "go" to people (just me, Steve, and the boys :) which I really LOVE!), but she does let people hold her. When she tries to come right back to me, I just move in closer and touch her and assure her I am right there and won't leave. So far, that has worked perfectly...hopefully, it will only get better from here! She looked adorable in her "red couch" dress (slightly biased opinion!). It was a great shower and I am, once again, so thankful to have so many wonderful people in my life! I truly believe that friends are a gift from God...and it is VERY hard to make them...so I want to keep all of my wonderful friends around as long as they will have me!!! Anyway, off the shower and on to the first Dr.'s visit! Wow...talk about a long, drawn out appointment! We actually have an "adoption clinic" here in Lexington that is run by a Pediatrician specializing in post adoptions! This is such a blessing, that not very many people have... So, our first appointment consisted of an OT appointment to see where Taryn falls as far as development. Then, of course, the physical assessment by the Dr. which consists of about 100 questions and looking her over. Then, my favorite part, (I say that as I am rolling my eyes!) the blood tests. OMG...be prepared waiting parents! We are talking massive amounts of blood being drawn from a baby! I have been a Pediatric RN for 14 years and have NEVER seen this much blood being taken out of a baby! Apparently, this is "normal", or so I have been told! I also have a few friends who have had the same experience...THANK GOD THAT IS OVER! I also FORGOT MY CAMERA...not that I would have taken bloody pics or anything...it just would have been nice to document her first visit! She ended up having a DOUBLE EAR INFECTIONS (nice Pediatric Nurse Mommy-huh!). I never would have known! She had NO FEVER. I guess the only signs would have been her fussiness at night and the inability to settle down...Anyhoo, we are on 10 days of Antibiotics. We also will be using "First Steps"...an OT program used for developmentally "delayed" children. The Dr. said she was delayed by about 3 months...which,we knew. We also know she will catch up very easily! I think she has made incredible strides in her Development (aside from the above information!). She adores the boys, and visa-versa. She reaches for all of us. She is rolling all over the place and loves to stand...I do believe she may skip crawling all together, the way she loves to stand and "pretend" walk while we are holding her. She is feeding herself "bites" now (we have 2 teeth!)...so, all in all, I am very pleased with her progress! The boys are bringing her in to school (well, I am bringing her in and they are going to take the credit for it!) for "Show and Tell" Friday. They both want to talk about "China" and their new sister...it is very cute...I have just one word to describe my thoughts on it...PURELL! Do you think they make a "Purell Spray" for instances like these? Until next time...