Hat Fascination

Our first full day with Ricky in China - he was very fascinated with Bill's hat.

That hasn't changed. See video.

So Busy So Little Time

Things are going into full swing with the kids. Emily is almost done with her first month of school. Emily is a joy. I cannot believe how much she has grown up - now 8. Seems like yesterday she was my baby. She will always be my baby girl. She has definitely become a young lady. Don't tell her I said this but she like Joe Jonas from the Jonas Brothers. I bought her a teen idol magazine (I couldn't believe they still have Tiger Beat!) and she cut out all the pictures of Joe Jonas.

We are trying to juggle alot of things which in all is more difficult because we now have a second child. A good thing but still a struggle as we learn how to do everything and be everywhere as a family of 4.

There are alot of Ricky anniversaries coming up...

On September 2nd is Ricky's second birthday - his first with us. I think about all he has been through - all the changes and he has seemingly come out a happy and well adjusted child. Heavy in my heart is his birthparents. I cannot help but think they wonder about him. It maybe unspoken but I'm sure they will think about him on this day. I know that they wanted him to have a better life than what they could give him. I wish there was a way I could let them know he is happy and healthy. I have to say we knew going into this that a Chinese adoption would mean no contact with the birthparents but it hard not be able to fill in the missing pieces for Ricky.

On Sept 4th is the one year anniversary of seeing Ricky's picture for the first time. Since we went SN, we didn't get the typical referral picture moment. In the NSN line, you know when it is your turn. You can video tape the call, ask all the appropriate questions etc. With SN, we really didn't know when it would happen, if we would accept the referral - we were very nervous about the whole process. I remember getting a call from Bill saying CCAI called - he let it go to the answering machine at home. Then they tried to call me at work - again I missed the call. I ended up calling them back when I was at work. They told me a little boy needed a mommy. I remember saying a Mommy needs a little boy. They gave me info over the phone and then emailed me everything including pictures. I told myself I wasn't going to open the pictures. I wanted to read the medical first. But when I got the email, the pictures opened up automatically in the email. When I saw his face, I said to myself, he is our boy.

On Sept 7th we are having a small family gathering for Ricky's birthday. He is celebrating it with Grandpa Z as their birthdays are very close together. I hope this day is very special for him. We are also going to our first Asian mentoring playgroup at Emory. We want to expose Ricky to his culture and one of the ways we are doing is by joining a playgroup mentored by Chinese students at Emory College. How neat is that!

Of course I have update photos of the kids but I'm writing this at work so I cannot upload. I got to run - back to work!

Food

Most of us take the ability to get food for granted.

Unfortunately, Ricky still doesn't understand the concept that he will be fed.

When we got Ricky in China, he weighed a whopping 18 lbs with clothes on. He was almost 17 months old. We were told he weighed that almost 6 months earlier. In my heart, I truly believe they fed him what they could. But he was malnourished when we got him. His belly stuck out - it wasn't baby belly.

That said, the food obsession for Ricky started when we were in China. He ate like there was no tomorrow. I distinctly remember we were at a Pizza Hut in Chongqing and Ricky ate 2 slices of pizza, about 6 meatballs (thank-you Paige's family!), and still wanted more. I never saw a child eat like he did. I was worried so much I placed an email to our International Adoption Dr. for advice. She said just to feed him. If he didn't get sick, let him eat. So we did.

When we got home and took him to the pediatrician (we had him about 3 weeks), he weighed 20 lbs. He gained 2 lbs in our care. We are now up to 25 lbs. This puts us in the 5 - 10% Weight Chart.

He still eats like there is no tomorrow and will often eat like a chipmunk - store all the food in his mouth and continue to pile in until he cannot get more in. We have to encourage him to swallow and show us what is in his mouth before he takes another bite. He eats more than our 8 year daughter Emily. When we are out a restaurant, Ricky will eat the entire time and continue to eat. Towards the end of the meal, we start to put napkins over the food that is left or ask the waitress to remove because he becomes very upset that he still sees food on the table and doesn't get to eat it.

People ask me what Ricky likes to do - my number one answer - EAT.

6 Months Post Adoption

We had our social worker over for our 6 month post adoption study. China requires a 6 month update and a 12 month update. Ricky was asleep when she arrived so it gave us time to catch up with the social worker. When he woke up he was hungry and ready to perform. Things went well so I guess we are set.

Some new things Ricky can do...

1) Lock Doors. Yes we are very excited about the prospect of being locked out of the house.

2) He can now take the tray off his high chair when he sits in it. I'm pretty sure the manufacturer did not design this to happen.

3) He can buckle his buckle on the high chair. We usually find out he has done this done when we are trying to put him in his high chair.

4) He can put his sandals on his feet. They are velcro and he closes them properly.

He also got his first real haircut on Saturday.

To Someone...

Because I respect not to name this person...I'm doing this without posting a link. I wasn't going to post this but she has left me no choice....



Just for some background...I posted some comments on a person's blog as anonymous. Should have I done it as anonymous probably not but you know you cannot change what has happened only learn from. That said she took offense to what I said. She asked for me to stop posting on her blog, which I did do. That said she has now left me 3 comments. I went on moderation because of this nut.



1. Yes I used China Doll. I apologize for that. It was meant that you wanted the perfect child not in any other way.




2. I won't apologize for calling you at for saying the sn boys are the least of the least. I still don't think I misinterpreted what you posted. I have a group of 30 plus women who looked at your post. Trust me, it wasn't just me.


3. I won't apologize for calling you at for you saying "It is almost forcing families to adopt a SN child or a boy." I certainly hope the wait doesn't force you you to go in a direction you don't want to go.



4. A week ago, you said you would not post on any of our blogs...I honored your request not to post anything else to your blog. Have I posted a single word to your blog? I think you know that answer. NO. I was prepared to let this go. As of today I have 3 comments from you. You said you wouldn't waste another minute on this (your own words to me) yet you keep coming back to me.



Obviously you cannot even honor your own statement. I wasn't even going to post this post until I got the third comment from you. I was willing to let this all go just as you asked...But YOU won't let this go.


I stand by my words. I'm not ashamed of my words to you.

3rd Grade plus Pictures

Emily started 3rd grade on July 31st. Yep, school started already. Each year, I take a picture in front of this door. I will have to pull out the years to see how much she has grown. We are going to have a busy year. Emily tried out for the local Academy Under 10 soccer team. She just turned 8 and she was accepted into the program. In order to participate in this league you have to try out. She does get to travel to local soccer clubs which is different than the rec league she was playing. If she sticks with this, she will play in this program for 2 years then move up to the select team. She had to give up dance to do this as we cannot do both. She loves soccer and definitely has a talent for it - I'm biased of course but I think she is very good for her age. Who the heck knows where she got this from as Bill and I both have 2 left feet. She will be practicing 2 nights a week with games on Saturday. I hope she sticks with this as this can lead to many opportunities as she gets older.

Ricky in an outfit given to him by one of my buds on the the best adoption board out there. It is great outfit!

Ricky just loves his big sister. Most days start with Ricky signing Emily and going over and cliimbing into her a lap and getting a hug. He imitates everything she does and they have a great time playing together. You would think the age difference would make a difference. It definitely doesn't at least at this point. She loves to play with him and him with her. It is very cute to see them play and it is terrific to here them both laughing at the same time.