Updates Galore!

Luke

• He is finally adjusting to Kindergarten and improving so much with everything .... social skills, fine motor skills, everything!
• He has been attending Occupational Therapy to help him deal with some sensory issues and his last session is this week.
• He has worked SO hard to learn how to deal with school and life in general and we are so proud of him.

Jacinda

• She saw a Neurologist last week and he said she does NOT have Verbal Apraxia.  He was pretty clear about it, too.
• The Neurologist said her speech delay could be cleft-related, or it could just be a developmental thing.  Either way, he said to continue what we are doing.
• J's Speech Teacher has been such a blessing to us.  She continues to use her own time to find ways to better help Jacinda.  She has even been seeking out speech therapists that have experience with cleft kids and asking for their advice.
• J will see the cleft team in March and we will evaluate at that point if there is anything surgical that will help her.  The procedures are pretty extensive, so we want to make sure it's the right thing for her before subjecting her to any of them.

Kenzi

• Her lip/nose/ear tubes surgery will be on February 1st.  Her surgeons (cleft surgeon, and ENT surgeon) had a cancellation, so we jumped on it.
• She continues to improve with regards to her daddy .... it's a very slow process, but we're seeing progress every day.
• She has an evaluation scheduled with Early Intervention for Feb. 15.

Whew!  We've definitely had a lot going on around here.  We are still adjusting to life as a family of 5!!!

• She understands more and more of what we say every day.

Cleft Team Update - for both girls!

Cleft team update (for both girls):

Kenzi~

- 1st surgery is Feb. 1  They will repair her lip, nose, and put tubes in her ears.
- She had fluid in both ears today, typical of cleft kids. Jacinda never had the fluid, so this is new territory for us. She also had wax in one ear, which got cleaned out.
- She had a hearing test - she has some mild hearing loss, but hopefully it is nothing permanent. She'll have a repeat Audiogram after the ear tubes to see if the fluid resolving has taken care of the hearing issues.
- The Orthodontist said her teeth are great ... no cross bite that is typical of cleft kids.
- Palate repair surgery will be about 3 months after 1st surgery, assuming no problems.
- Speech Pathologist said everything looked great. She wants Kenzi off the bottles completely before her first surgery.
- We told the Speech Pathologist that Kenzi had an appointment set up with Early Intervention for an evaluation in early February (which will have to be changed) and she was very happy that we were getting started with that process.

Jacinda~

- She has a full appointment with the cleft team on March 20, for her yearly checkup. Apparently I missed the boat on this one and forgot she needed to be seen once a year. Since she was with us, everyone wanted to check her out unofficially.
- ENT said she had a ton of wax in both ears, which is typical for her. No idea on the fluid situation, but she's never had it before.
- Orthodontist said she does have the cross bite, which we knew, but agrees with her cleft dentist that her teeth look amazing.
- Speech. This is the big one for her. She is still very speech delayed.
- Cleft surgeon said that when he sees her in March, he'll evaluate her palate and see if it's contributing to her speech issues. He will probably also do a scope down her nose to see if there are any issues at the back of her palate. Hopefully she will cooperate with that ..... if not, we'll have to wait.
- Speech Pathologist agrees with us that it's time to get aggressive about her speech delay. We need to get to the bottom of what is causing the delay so that we know how to treat it.
- She has an appointment tomorrow  with a Neurologist to talk about Apraxia of Speech. Apraxia has been mentioned before, and it's time to figure out if this is truly the cause.
- If Apraxia (or anything else motor-skill wise) is ruled out, then her speech delay is likely caused by her cleft. So in March, when she sees the cleft team, the focus will be on her speech and figuring out where to go from here.
- There is a speech therapist that deals only with cleft kids like Jacinda, so if we need to, we'll pursue getting on her schedule.

Whew! I think that's it. 

Happy Birthday to Jacinda!

Jacinda turned 4 yesterday.  She walked around all day saying, "Mama, it's my birthday!"  We had a little family party after dinner and she had a great day.

Her birthday is a bittersweet day for us.  We're happy that it's her birthday and happy that we get to share it with her.  But we're sad that her birth mom and birth family don't get to share it with her.  I wonder if her birth mom wonders about the baby she had to leave.  I just can't imagine having to be separated from my baby and not know if she's OK.  In a perfect world, no one would have to be separated from their babies.  But we certainly don't live in a perfect world, so I'm happy that adoption is available as an option.  Lots of people tell us that Jacinda and Kenzi are lucky girls, but the truth is, we are the lucky ones.

Things here are pretty much utter chaos.  I had a moment yesterday where Kenzi was sleeping next to me and I could hear Luke reading a book to Jacinda.  It was rainy and cold outside, and warm and cozy inside.  The house was quiet, except for Luke's reading and I was so thankful for these 3 blessings God has given us.  We certainly don't deserve them, but I am so glad that God has entrusted us with them.

I'm so looking forward to Kenzi's appointment with the cleft team on Tuesday.  I'm so curious what the plan will be.  I'm ready to get these surgeries done and moving on.  These surgeries are not easy, but we trust our cleft team 100%.  I'm also looking forward to seeing them all again.  They are an extension of our family, really.

Updates from the First Week of 2012

Life here is busy, busy, busy.  We had a great holiday break, but we are all glad to be back to a routine.  Here are some updates in no particular order.

• Kenzi saw our pediatrician again and she gained 2 pounds in 2 weeks!  All of her lab work was normal, so the doc was very happy about that.
• Kenzi sees our cleft team on January 17th.  We should have a better idea of how many surgeries we're looking at to repair her lip and palate.
• She has an evaluation scheduled with Early Intervention on February 6th.  They will evaluate all areas of her development.  I'm fairly certain that she has no delays except for speech.
• Jacinda turns 4 (!) this week.  We're starting to look into options for preschool for her for next year.  With her speech delay, it's hard to know what will be best for her.  Especially since there's no way to know what her speech will be like 8 months from now when preschool starts!
• I started back to work today.  I'm teaching a few online courses at our local community college.  My department chair is trying to talk me into working some part-time hours in one of the Math Labs on campus, but child care would cost as much as I would make.  So I think I will have to tell him no.
• Luke has been doing great in Kindergarten.  He struggled at the beginning with some things, but he has settled in nicely.  This month, I need to get with his teacher because we've had some concerns about his fine motor skills (writing, cutting with scissors) and she wants to talk this month so that we have time to do something this school year if we need to.  He has worked hard and is improving, so I'm hoping he has caught up.  We've also been working with the Gifted teacher at his school to keep an eye on him and see if some of his difficulties in school are because he is "bored".  Our school system evaluates everyone for the Gifted program in 1st grade, so we're learning about the process so we're ready!
• Kenzi still much prefers her mama.  She is getting a little more used to daddy, but it's a VERY slow process.
• We're definitely starting to see more of her personality.  Overall, she's happy and smiles at everyone!
• I've been pleasantly surprised that we've had nothing but positive comments from people.  I wasn't really sure how people would react to seeing her cleft lip.  But no one has stared or even given her a funny look.  Random people come up to us and tell us how gorgeous she is.  So that's been a nice surprise!
• I have recently been appointed as the Changde Assistant Coordinator at Love Without Boundaries (LWB).  I'll be helping out with a school that LWB operates in an orphanage in Chnagde, which is in the Hunan province in China.  I'm SO excited to be doing this.
• We are rearranging our house to make our former guest room into a part-playroom and part-sewing room.  The big kids need a place where they can have their tiny toys so that Kenzi doesn't eat them!  So we're purging and organizing, which is great!

Whew!  I think that's it for now.  As you can see, life is a little chaotic these days.  But we're hanging in there.  Thanks to everyone to who has helped us out!  My neighbor takes Luke to the bus stop in the morning if the girls are still sleeping.  A friend bought us some special sippy cups for Kenzi - they are way expensive and she wanted to help us out.  Another friend bought a water sling for me so that I could take a shower without holding a slippery baby in my arms.  She had it sent directly to my house, so it was waiting for us when we got home from China.  Several friends have brought us dinner!  Aaron's mom is helping us out with watching the big kids while Kenzi sees the cleft team and has surgery.  We're so thankful that her job is flexible enough that she can help us out.

Adjusting

This may not be a sunshine and rainbows adoption post.  So if that's what you're looking for, you may want to stop reading.  This will definitely be a reality check post!

We had 1 week of our routine before the Christmas craziness hit.  Kenzi had a great first appointment with our pediatrician.  She goes back to see him next week to get the results of some lab work he ran.  Her appointment with the cleft clinic is January 17th.  We will have a better idea at that point of what surgeries we're looking at to repair her lip and palate.

Christmas was great!!!!!!  The kids all got a TON of stuff.  The day after Christmas, we cleaned up and organized all the toys so that we could fit all the new stuff.  We put together boxes to donate and some toys to just put away for a while.

This week, we've all been stuck at home for various reasons ......... the weather was bad at the beginning of the week, Jacinda has had a cold, Luke and Kenzi have been coughing, and I have had pinkeye .... in both eyes.  Oh, and Kenzi screams her head off any time she's in the car anyway.  So we're all going a bit stir crazy this week.  School starts back up next Tuesday and we're all ready to get back to a routine.

Adjusting ........ I won't lie, it hasn't been easy for any of us.  Luke has been great, though!  He has settled nicely into having another little sister.  He's been such a big help and Kenzi ADORES him!

Jacinda - She has had a very hard time sharing her mama. Plus, she's had a cold, so that isn't helping any.  Her birthday is in a few weeks, so I'm hoping that we can focus on her then and maybe that will help.

Kenzi - She still wants me to hold her most of the day.  She is getting down and playing with Luke and Jacinda a little more every day.  She snuggled with her Daddy for a few minutes today ..... she initiated it, so I'm hoping it's the beginning of her deciding he's one of the good guys!

I've forgotten what it was like having an 18 month old in the house.  Our house is not baby proofed any more and Kenzi is exploring by putting things in her mouth.  Luke and Jacinda never really did that.  Also, I had gotten used to being able to have a few minutes to myself during the day to take a shower or read a book or whatever.  Not any more!  If I want to take a shower, I need to get up earlier than Kenzi.  Or, I have a water sling I can use to have her in the shower with me.

We've had a few friends bring us meals and that has been so wonderful!  This adoption stuff is not easy.  I thought I was prepared for it, but I don't think you can really be prepared.  But we're trucking through and know that everything will be fine.

I do believe that this is all an attack from Satan .... all the craziness that has happened since we've been home - leaking water in the dining room ceiling (which is now fixed), sickness, crack in the windshield of the van, on and on and on.  He doesn't really care for families being created and good things happening out of bad things (the good thing being Kenzi having a family, the bad thing being her birth family not being able to keep her.

I take comfort in Ephesians 2:10, which says:  For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.  I know that God has prepared us for this and that everything will work out exactly as it is supposed to.


And now, I leave you with a few pictures!


Kenzi's first trip to our favorite frozen yogurt place!

Christmas morning.  Happy girl!!!

My mom opening her Christmas present.  A better pic of the gift is below.

Luke with his new robot.

Jacinda with her "new"dollhouse.  It was her Grammy's dollhouse!!!

China Travel Tips

Here are some of our tips for your adoption trip to China:

• Pack everything in plastic baggies and bring extras in all sizes.  We used them for everything.  Also, bring a Sharpie so you can label them.  I labeled some like this:  Toiletries - Suitcase, Liquids - Carryon.  That way, you don't have to remember what goes where.
• Speaking of liquids, there are NO liquids allowed in carryons on in-China flights.
• There is a strict weight limit on checked bags for the in-China flights.  If your bag is overweight, your guide can explain to the airline employees why and you might not have to pay.  But the fee is pretty small.
• Sizes of clothes for baby - don't bring too many of one size.  The weights we had received for Kenzi were all over the place, so I assumed she would be the size of Jacinda when we brought her home.  Jacinda was 21 months and wore 12 month sizes, so since Kenzi was 18 months, I assumed 12 months would be a good size to bring.  Everything I brought in 12 month sizes was way too small!  You will be able to buy clothes in China.  They may not be the colors or patterns you'd prefer.  Also,  bring things like leggings and long shirts or dresses.  Sizes are a bit more forgiving for those.  Bring things you can mix and match.
• If you need to buy an extra suitcase in China, wait until you get to Guanzghou and buy it on Shamian Island.  We bought a huge suitcase there for around $20, and we didn't bargain much .... we could have gotten it a little cheaper than that.
• If your kiddo has an unprepared cleft lip/palate, bring more bibs and burp cloths than you think you'll need!!  I brought about 10 bibs and wished I had 10 more.  We went through 4 bibs a day!!!!
• Constipation - This is a common issue in newly adopted kids.  Between the stress and the new foods they are eating, we've experienced it with both kids.  Kenzi wanted nothing to do with the baby food prunes we brought.  In China, you can get Baby Enemas.  Or bring something with you, like glycerin suppositories.
• Packing clothes - pack an extra change of clothes for everyone in your carryon.  Also, divide up your clothes between your suitcases.  That way, if 1 suitcase gets lost, everyone has at least something to wear!
• Space bags!!!!!  Get the ones you can roll the air out of, not the vacuum ones.  But be careful .... they get you more space, but it's easy to get your luggage overweight!

Any questions about travel, just ask!!!

Home Sweet Home!

On Thursday afternoon, we picked up Kenzi's visa, and then boarded a train for Hong Kong.  We spent the night at the airport hotel in Hong Kong.  Friday morning, we started the long flight home.  We flew 14 hours to Detroit.  Kenzi was a champ on the flight.  The last few hours, she got a little fussy, but we all were by then!!!

There was a family from our travel group in the row in front of us, and that was fun to have people to talk to.  Their son also did great on the flight, which may or may not have had something to do with Benadryl :)

While we were standing in line at U.S. Immigration, Kenzi threw up all over me and her.  Our friends quickly gave us some wipes and we cleaned ourselves as quickly as we could.  We made it through Immigration and Customs.  Then we had to go back through Security to get back to the gate area.  Finally, we made it through and once again, Kenzi and I changed clothes in an airport bathroom!

We had a 5 hour layover in Detroit and all we wanted was to just get home!  We finally made it!!!!!  Aaron and I aren't jet lagged at all, thanks to something called No Jet Lag.  I highly recommend it!  Unfortunately, Kenzi IS jet lagged, which means she isn't sleeping at night, which means her mama is not sleeping at night.

On Saturday, Kenzi was napping in her own bed (for the first time), so I decided to take a shower.  Aaron came running upstairs and told me that water was leaking into the dining room downstairs!  So we'll be calling a plumber first thing this week!

Tomorrow is Monday, which means we are back to reality.  Aaron is going back to work in the morning, but he's working half days for a while.  Once I get Luke off to school, I have a ton of phone calls to make for Kenzi ... pediatrician, cleft team, and Early Intervention.