This morning when I went in the kids' room, I noticed two things. One, there was a dirty diaper on floor, and two, Michelle was 100% naked. Before I had time to process that, I realized there was a second diaper on the floor (fortunately this one was only wet!), and Steven was fully dressed. Hmm. . .
Steven said that Michelle did it first, and I am pretty sure that's right. Of course, he had to do what she did, so he took off him pj bottoms, removed his diaper and threw it overboard, and then put him pj bottoms back on. You wouldn't want to get cold you know!
Thankfully, neither kid had accidents in their cribs, but I did throw Michelle's sheets in the wash since she was the naked one.
Friday, February 26, 2010
Friday, February 19, 2010
Truly Blessed
I finally got a hold of Auntie E last night after trying for several days (she lost her cell phone). It was the first time we had talked since our visit before Christmas, so it was so good to get caught up on each other's lives. I was able to tel her a million stories about the kids, and she just laughed and laughed. She told me that she knew Michelle would be a "Diva" the moment the ultrasound tech said she was a girl. Michelle's definitely a drama queen with a mind of her own!
I was really excited when she said she was taking a computer class and is working with an advisor at a local college with the hopes of becoming a case worker someday. It is so cool that she's taking steps to better her life instead of just talking about it! Of course, it also helps that the older three kids are in school/preschool.
I was also able to ask her some questions about her/the kids' medical history and allergies. I cannot tell you how blessed we are to have a relationship with her. I can't imagine raising our two kids without them knowing Auntie E and their siblings. Both Auntie E and I have said over and over that we couldn't have asked for a better adoption experience. She knows that she can call me any time and check on the kids. She doesn't have to wonder what happened to them or if they were okay. She has gotten to know us and knows that we are great parents. She knows that she made the best decision possible.
I love that my kids will grow up knowing their birthmother and see how much she loves them. Every adopted child wonders about his/her birthfamily and why they chose adoption. Adopted children can easily both fantasize about what life would have been like if they were in their biological family and question why they were "given away" (which is an awful/incorrect term but one that kids will still think about). I know that Steven and Michelle will still do both of these things, but they will also have the opportunity to see for themselves what she is like and hear her tell them over and over how much she loves them and be able to ask her their questions.
As I've told Auntie E, this is exactly the kind of adoption we prayed for. We are truly blessed.
I was really excited when she said she was taking a computer class and is working with an advisor at a local college with the hopes of becoming a case worker someday. It is so cool that she's taking steps to better her life instead of just talking about it! Of course, it also helps that the older three kids are in school/preschool.
I was also able to ask her some questions about her/the kids' medical history and allergies. I cannot tell you how blessed we are to have a relationship with her. I can't imagine raising our two kids without them knowing Auntie E and their siblings. Both Auntie E and I have said over and over that we couldn't have asked for a better adoption experience. She knows that she can call me any time and check on the kids. She doesn't have to wonder what happened to them or if they were okay. She has gotten to know us and knows that we are great parents. She knows that she made the best decision possible.
I love that my kids will grow up knowing their birthmother and see how much she loves them. Every adopted child wonders about his/her birthfamily and why they chose adoption. Adopted children can easily both fantasize about what life would have been like if they were in their biological family and question why they were "given away" (which is an awful/incorrect term but one that kids will still think about). I know that Steven and Michelle will still do both of these things, but they will also have the opportunity to see for themselves what she is like and hear her tell them over and over how much she loves them and be able to ask her their questions.
As I've told Auntie E, this is exactly the kind of adoption we prayed for. We are truly blessed.
Thursday, February 18, 2010
So Sweet
This afternoon, when I was finishing up changing Michelle's diaper, she gave me quite the kick in the gut. Needless to say, it hurt! I was bent over, and Steven asked me what was wrong. I told him that I was hurt because Sissy kicked me.
Whenever Steven gets hurt (or thinks he's hurt), he want's us to rub where it hurts. If I cut my lip, I wouldn't want someone rubbing it, but that's what he wants.
So when he found out what happened, he told me, "I rub it and make it better Mommy, I rub it."
He did just that, and even though it was the wrong side of my stomach, I have to say that I felt a whole lot better :)
Whenever Steven gets hurt (or thinks he's hurt), he want's us to rub where it hurts. If I cut my lip, I wouldn't want someone rubbing it, but that's what he wants.
So when he found out what happened, he told me, "I rub it and make it better Mommy, I rub it."
He did just that, and even though it was the wrong side of my stomach, I have to say that I felt a whole lot better :)
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Allergy Update
I took Michelle to the allergist today, and I absolutely LOVED him! He spent a lot of time with us and answered every question I could think of (not that I had very many, but still). He thinks that Michelle is allergic to both walnuts and eggs, which would explain why she always spits them out when we give them to her. She's probably allergic to pecans as well because most people allergic to walnuts are also allergic to pecans.
He also looked at her leg because that's where her excema is the worst, and it really flared up when she had the reaction to the walnuts. He gave me a prescription cream and told me that even though it is darker brown and not red, it is flared up. The doctor has darker skin that I do, so he's more of an expert on this than anyone I've talked to so far. He also told me to stop using cocoa butter and go back to Eucerin (which is considerably more expensive, even when you buy the store brand).
After the visit, I took Michelle to get blood drawn. At first they told me that they could do it through her heel (yay!!) because she isn't walking yet. However, once we got there, they said that they needed too much blood to do that. I was nervous about how that would go since I have a hard time when they draw blood from me, but she acted as if it were no big deal. She didn't even flinch!
We go back in two weeks to find out the blood test results. The doctor already warned us that they might come back as false negatives because she still has some Benadryl in her system. (And if that happens, they'll repeat the tests.) She'll also have further tests done in the office, and we'll come up with a diet/treatment plan.
Michelle was definitely a trooper, but we both came home exhausted (although she had the luxury to take a nap in the car). I was definitely impressed with the doctor, and I was encouraged by what he had to say.
He also looked at her leg because that's where her excema is the worst, and it really flared up when she had the reaction to the walnuts. He gave me a prescription cream and told me that even though it is darker brown and not red, it is flared up. The doctor has darker skin that I do, so he's more of an expert on this than anyone I've talked to so far. He also told me to stop using cocoa butter and go back to Eucerin (which is considerably more expensive, even when you buy the store brand).
After the visit, I took Michelle to get blood drawn. At first they told me that they could do it through her heel (yay!!) because she isn't walking yet. However, once we got there, they said that they needed too much blood to do that. I was nervous about how that would go since I have a hard time when they draw blood from me, but she acted as if it were no big deal. She didn't even flinch!
We go back in two weeks to find out the blood test results. The doctor already warned us that they might come back as false negatives because she still has some Benadryl in her system. (And if that happens, they'll repeat the tests.) She'll also have further tests done in the office, and we'll come up with a diet/treatment plan.
Michelle was definitely a trooper, but we both came home exhausted (although she had the luxury to take a nap in the car). I was definitely impressed with the doctor, and I was encouraged by what he had to say.
Monday, February 15, 2010
Overwhelmed
That one word pretty much sums up how I'm feeling most of the time right now :( It seemed like everything came to a head last week, and it didn't help that Mark was out of town most of the week (and got snowed in for an extra day in Cleveland).
It's really a lot of small stuff, but together, they seem pretty overwhelming. I just typed out my saga with painting the living room only to have it be erased, so you'll just have to trust me that it hasn't been the most fun here recently.
However, the current issue may not be that small after all. Michelle had a pretty decent allergic reaction to walnuts yesterday afternoon, so we're meeting with a specialist on Wednesday morning to see where we go from here. She's completely fine with peanuts/peanut butter, but the only unusual thing she had yesterday was a banana nut muffin, so we're pretty sure the walnuts caused the reaction. I was on the phone with a nurse off and on yesterday, and she responded well to the Benadryl, so we didn't have to take her to urgent care or the ER. I'm praying that it's nothing too severe and that it won't impact her life as much as it has for other kids we know.
Sorry this is such a rambly post, but it's the best I can do right now :(
It's really a lot of small stuff, but together, they seem pretty overwhelming. I just typed out my saga with painting the living room only to have it be erased, so you'll just have to trust me that it hasn't been the most fun here recently.
However, the current issue may not be that small after all. Michelle had a pretty decent allergic reaction to walnuts yesterday afternoon, so we're meeting with a specialist on Wednesday morning to see where we go from here. She's completely fine with peanuts/peanut butter, but the only unusual thing she had yesterday was a banana nut muffin, so we're pretty sure the walnuts caused the reaction. I was on the phone with a nurse off and on yesterday, and she responded well to the Benadryl, so we didn't have to take her to urgent care or the ER. I'm praying that it's nothing too severe and that it won't impact her life as much as it has for other kids we know.
Sorry this is such a rambly post, but it's the best I can do right now :(
Monday, February 8, 2010
Missing Them
Today's one of those days when I really miss my family, when I really wish they still lived here, when I would have been able to get my mom's input on the paint color we're looking at for our living room. I just miss my family, and I know the kids do too :(
Friday, February 5, 2010
Michelle
Since Steven had a full post last week, it only makes sense for the Peanut to have one this week. It's hard to know where to begin with her. At her one year visit two weeks ago, she was 22.6 lbs. (compared to Steven's 33), and 30" tall (SJ--36.5"). She's definitely catching up with him! She's up to four teeth now--her bottom middle two and her top fangs. It's quite a look, but she wears it well :)
Michelle thinks that her big brother is absolutely hilarious. Now that they share a room, I hear them squealing, giggling, yelling, and talking when they should be sleeping. She likes to do a high pitch screech that kills my ears, and Steven has started doing it back. Of course, that just eggs her on, and they start going back and forth, driving me crazy. They're doing it less and less, though, as they've learned that they will probably get in trouble for it :)
Michelle wants to do everything that Steven does (and he wants to do everything that she does!). This means that they get in trouble together quite a bit. However, Steven has taken on the role of disciplinarian with her and is quick to tell her "No, no!" He guards the dvds and gets after her when she pushes the buttons on the cd player. I think he feels the need to either join her in doing something wrong or "correct" her when she is doing something she shouldn't.
The Peanut is a pretty picky eater. She turns her nose up at vegetables, but she eat any type of bread. She LOVES Ritz crackers, jelly/peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, tortillas with cheese, rolls, muffins, pasta, bagels, and even just plain pieces of bread. She eats fruit and cheese but only tolerates meat.
Michelle is needier than Steven--she wants to be held and to needs a lot of attention. But, she's a great sleeper (well, as long as Steven lets her!). They've been getting up earlier (9:30-10:00), but today I finally went in and woke her up at 1:30. (I don't usually let her sleep that late, but I had some major computer issues that I had to get resolved before class tonight.) I wonder how tall she'll be tomorrow after all that extra sleep. . .
I just love my big eyed, crazy haired little girl!
Michelle thinks that her big brother is absolutely hilarious. Now that they share a room, I hear them squealing, giggling, yelling, and talking when they should be sleeping. She likes to do a high pitch screech that kills my ears, and Steven has started doing it back. Of course, that just eggs her on, and they start going back and forth, driving me crazy. They're doing it less and less, though, as they've learned that they will probably get in trouble for it :)
Michelle wants to do everything that Steven does (and he wants to do everything that she does!). This means that they get in trouble together quite a bit. However, Steven has taken on the role of disciplinarian with her and is quick to tell her "No, no!" He guards the dvds and gets after her when she pushes the buttons on the cd player. I think he feels the need to either join her in doing something wrong or "correct" her when she is doing something she shouldn't.
The Peanut is a pretty picky eater. She turns her nose up at vegetables, but she eat any type of bread. She LOVES Ritz crackers, jelly/peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, tortillas with cheese, rolls, muffins, pasta, bagels, and even just plain pieces of bread. She eats fruit and cheese but only tolerates meat.
Michelle is needier than Steven--she wants to be held and to needs a lot of attention. But, she's a great sleeper (well, as long as Steven lets her!). They've been getting up earlier (9:30-10:00), but today I finally went in and woke her up at 1:30. (I don't usually let her sleep that late, but I had some major computer issues that I had to get resolved before class tonight.) I wonder how tall she'll be tomorrow after all that extra sleep. . .
I just love my big eyed, crazy haired little girl!
Monday, February 1, 2010
Thirteen Months and Five Days
Thirteen months and five days--that's how old Steven was when he became a big brother. He was barely walking, he had no idea what was going on, but like it or not (and at that time it was a definite NOT), he was a big brother.
And thirteen months and five days later, Michelle is the same age as he was. And she's definitely NOT going to be a big sister anytime soon!
And thirteen months and five days later, Michelle is the same age as he was. And she's definitely NOT going to be a big sister anytime soon!
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