Playtime

Standing on his own!


Just a little ham with those eggs, please...


Playtime with Mama
The little gymnast on the balance beam...

Thursday nights we go to The Little Gym. During the winter and inclement weather (like the 50 degrees here now - brrr!) it is a great play outlet for Jordan. Plus last night Brian got to play inside for a while too! We always have a wonderful time.

Getting in the Groove

We had three days of weather advisories and an ice storm here in Dallas, so it has been "cabin fever" extraordinaire around here. Thank goodness the sun is out today (we had lots of fog this morning) and the weather is a balmy 52 degrees.

The kids are doing great together. They both have their moments, and my favorite is when Jordan screams and cries, "Mama, he's looking at me! I don't want him to look at me!". Too funny. I remember saying that to my mom when I was a little girl. Both kids of are taking turns tormenting the dog. Brian reaches his hand out with a cracker just until Annie can almost lick it, and then he pulls it back and laughs heartily. Needless to say, poor doggy gets lots of sympathy treats from Mama.


Out to Kroger for provisions...


Jordan loves to get up in Brian's crib and sing him to sleep. Her rendition of lullabies are a hoot. "Hush, Little Baby Don't say a word, Mama gonna's buy you a MONKEY bird." She thinks I've been singing Monkey Bird for three years now. To see if the baby is asleep, Jordan picks up his hand, pulls it up in the air and says loudly, "Baby Brian - are you asleep?" Always wakes him up. She is also a bit impatient that he can't say "Sister" yet, but she keeps working on him!

He is standing now - loves to pull up and then take his hands off the couch and put them both in the air - squealing loudly and smiling so we can see him! His legs are getting so strong. We get his blood results back next week at his last IA pediatrician appointment before switching him to our regular pediatrician.

We started Kindermusik on Monday - yeah I know - I said I was going to cut back on activities. Well - I changed my mind. I found out they have a class on Monday afternoon for Brian and me, and then Jordan's regular class is Monday nights. So we had a wonderful musical Monday together. The playtime in class is so great for me and the baby - he loved the beat and singing and us dancing together! He loved crawling around with the other children - it is apparent that he loves other kids. I am sure that like Jordan, they miss being with other children 24/7 when they find their forever home.

The Kindermusik program is so great to introduce kids to music and sounds. The CDs that come with the program are fun for the kids and family friendly. They teach me a lot of new songs and lullaby material also. I am glad we enrolled but I will probably find myself over extended on extra-curricular activities sometime this spring!

From my Domestic Organization post I received some great ideas, pictures and some cynical quips that I enjoy as well. Thanks all - like I said it is a journey so don't expect to see my house in tip-top shape anytime soon. I seem to be moving toys and playthings around too much to make real organizational progress!

Domestic Organization

I am a big fan of productivity and efficiency. I think that started when I worked for UPS at nights during college - unloading tractor trailer trucks. UPS utilized a variety of productivity processes, including "one time handling" and "hand to surface" placement. What this means is that one should handle a package once, and put it in the right place at the right time everytime. It also means that the package is always in someone's hands (never tossed) and placed on a surface carefully.

I try to transfer these principles to many areas of my life. When sorting the mail I always think - "one time handling" and either Toss or Keep. You get the picture.

I fall short in productivity every day. Sometimes by choice for a specific reason (like I choose to handwrite names on envelopes for personal mailings rather than print labels), but also sometimes by my own blindness or inefficient habits.

As a single parent I am always trying to learn and assess new opportunities for organization and productivity. I need lots of help to get the swing of this though... Last week, I found Closet Organization modules on sale at Target. Here's a view of Jordan's closet now a bit more organized.



We've also cleaned out and organize the bathrooms and all bath cabinets and closets this week. Cindy organized two closets while she was here, and I love that! There are still many areas of my house that need to undergo efficiency planning and organization. I have a good setup in the kitchen for a "coffee station" and a "baby area" cabinet and drawer for formula and baby food preparation. I've read many books and websites (Fly Lady is a great one) and love learning and applying small changes throughout the house to better function.

I would love to hear about and learn of time or space saving ideas and tips from other parents out there!

Specifically, here are some of our current challenges:

Jordan's Barbie's, their clothes, accessories and shoes. All are currently in a big shopping bag. I am looking for ideas on how to store these aesthetically and also in a way that is fun for her to play with them instead of dumping out the bag...

Toys for the baby. In our family room, we have a dozen or so toys out that Brian can play with. Does anyone have ideas of how to easily store and/or hide these toys when he isn't playing with them? Should I just leave them out and not sweat it?

Pantries, fridge... I'd love to see pictures of people's organized kitchen storage areas... or real messy ones if you want to make me feel better. :)

As every parent knows, cleaning and organizing is a constant battle... er... I mean JOY - yeah that's right - joy! I want to make it even more of a joy, to have a place for everything and everything in its place. It's a journey - I know.

Happy New Year!

Monday, January 26th marks the beginning of the Lunar New Year (celebrated by most Asian cultures) and also called "Tet" in Viet Nam. 2009 is the Year of the Water Buffalo.

Photo by Bruce Dale

I was also born under the sign of the Water Buffalo. If you'd like to learn more about the Chinese Zodiac and the personalities attributed to the symbols, go here:

http://www.theholidayspot.com/chinese_new_year/zodiacs.htm#rat

Jordan was born in the Year of the Rooster. People born under this sign are said to be pioneers in spirit and devoted to their work. Brian was born in the Year of the Rat. (Can you say Ratatouille?) People born under this sign are supposed to be ambitious and honest.

The New Year begins on January 26th, and continues for up to 7 (sometimes 15) days. Each day is marked by specific celebrations, such as celebrating ancestors one day, dogs another, having special holiday foods on certain days, etc. It is very clear that having a clean house during this period is one of the most important elements of keeping luck "in" and bad spirits "out" during the coming year. I wonder, since it is also called the first day of Spring in these cultures, if this is where the term "Spring Cleaning" originated? Hmm. I'll have to look that up.

Most workplaces and all government buildings are closed during the celebrations, sometimes lasting two weeks or more. All of the prospective adoptive families are waiting for the offices to open back up after Tet so that their adoptions can be completed. My prayers go to them!

My family wishes all of you a Happy Lunar New Year!

Blood-letting 101

I finally gathered all the necessary stool samples and took them to the Lab Corps lab on Wednesday, where Brian also had mega-blood taken. He squealed like a stuck pig. The lab tech and her assistant both had him held down, and my heart was just breaking for his pain. They got 5 vials of blood, and needed 2 more when the “well went dry”. I am not sure of the medical nomenclature for it – if the vein was “blown” or what. They just said they would have to try the other arm.

Both the lab tech and assistant couldn’t get a vein in the other arm after two sticks. Unfortunately, we would have to come back at another time to complete the blood-letting. I just couldn’t fathom continuing the torture for the lil guy at that moment.

Then I noticed his arms, both of them had hundreds of little red spots all over them, everywhere on his arms and hands below the tourniquet lines. The lab tech told me that it was normal with infants, and would go away. Poor guy. My heart was breaking.

Spots covering his arm below the tourniquet line...

(Side note – knowing that the blood draw process would be an ordeal, I deliberately timed it so that he was hungry when his blood was drawn. After the squalling subsided, a warm bottle was mucho immediate comfort for him, and he napped well. Plus- I try all the time to build a bonding attachment where I can provide many facets of comfort to his pain.)

We went back to the lab the next morning, Thursday, and they placed a little heating square on his arm for 5 minutes to make the process easier to find and get a vein. It worked well, and we were done. However, the lab tech that day told me that the red spots were from a latex allergy to the gloves that the lab tech wore the previous day. What? Did they even know? Two people in the same office were contradicting each other.

They told me that one of the blood samples needed, a newborn screen, would need to be taken but that we would have to go to the hospital for that lab procedure, they don’t perform it at the labs.

More torture… ugh….

After verifying everything with the pediatrician's office, we got to the hospital and they were very competent and quick. The lab tech was experienced in pediatric lab, empathetic to me as the parent and warm and loving to baby Brian. She quickly looked at Brian’s arm spots and said that the tourniquets were much too tight and these were blood blisters that surfaced all over. The newborn screen was from a stick in the heel, and about 8 or so samples squeezed from the heel.

If I could do it again, I’d only go to a lab that specialized in infant and pediatric lab work. Like the ped hospital. I just went to the lab that I was told to go to. I remembered (hindsight is 20/20) that my sister Betsy (Registered Nurse) told me once that anything that has to do with the health or safety of my child that I should ask more questions, demand only the best, and not be afraid of starting some conflict whenever necessary to ensure that my expectations are met. Shoulda, coulda, woulda...

So in a week or so, we’ll have his blood titers for immunization assessment, HIV, Lead, Hep, and all the various and sundry lab tests and results. I’ll share if there’s anything out of whack.

I remember Jordan had a lead count a little high that was attributed to the ceramic bowls they used in her orphanage in China. Sometimes, like the lead test with Jordan, the results are the same for all the children in the orphanage environment. Other times, the results are very specific to a child for different genetic or personal reasons. A friend of mine was told that her adoptive Chinese daughter was positive for HIV. It was several weeks while they did retesting only to discover that it was a false positive test, and she wasn’t HIV pos after all.

If there are any results that are outside the norms, I’m having them retested – by a pediatric hospital lab.

I'm still learning 'parenting' everyday. It is a journey - that's for sure.

Brian's arms spots are almost gone, and he is doing well. He just has a few venous bruises still and the spot from the heel stick. Thank God these little people are resilient.

Mongolian Spots

I haven't posted anything about this because it has been so matter-of-fact to me, but baby Brian has some rather pronounced Mongolian spots on his lower back and buttocks. Jordan had them too, although not as pronounced, but I learned about them during her adoption. I had also heard about a case in Pennsylvania where a child was removed from her newly adopted parents for suspicion of child abuse. After a couple of weeks, the "bruises" did not disappear, and the Mongolian spots were validated. The child was then returned to her parents.

Here is a URL and pictures I found on the net (not baby Brian's butt) if you want to learn more.

It is important to share this information with any child care providers and relatives who might be providing care for your infant.

http://www.drgreene.com/21_833.html

(Sleep) Walking in a Mommy Wonderland

Dueling Carseats

With the mild exception that I am usually zombie-like and moderately sleep deprived, life couldn't get any better. Really. These pictures below tell most of the story. What a marvelous, wonderful gift I have been given... to parent and love these two beautiful children and crazy food-addicted doggy.

We are getting back in a "schedule" - blending in Brian's bottle feeding and three baby food meals a day, diapee changees, bathtime and the extra laundry and dishes. Jordan had her last swim class on Thursday night, and her last Kindermusik class on Monday. She is starting soccer in a couple of weeks, and will have practice on Wednesday nights and games on Saturdays. Between soccer, The Little Gym and her Dance class -I think that's enough for her for now. I'll be looking into a Mommy and me swim class or Kindermusik class for Brian and me, and then our little family social obligations will be full. Of course, we'll have plenty of time for playgroups and fun times with friends impromptu.

I also love having some evenings at home, and eating our meals at the kitchen table. We say our blessings before, and well - sometimes during, our meals. Jordan loves to have Brian's highchair pulled up between the two of us, so that all three of us are seated close together (and therefore forming an Annie dog predator barrier as well). We have had some wonderful meals provided by friends lately - Country Burger hamburgers, spaghetti, coconut shrimp, and pasta casserole. Yum yum.



Princess Dress Up Day at Jordan's school - she is the wedding Cinderella, first princess, first row, left side

Brian's TB test (taken during his physical) came back negative. I am in the middle of 2 of 4 of his stool sample collections and then I have to take him and his excrement to the lab for lots of bloodwork. That should be sometime early this week. (Jordan finds great delight in the stool specimen collection process. She wants to "help". At first I said no, then I thought that this might just be the beginning of her medical education. She holds the vials and shakes them now. Like Abby on NCIS. Good girl!)

We are waiting for his certificate of citizenship to arrive in the mail. I will then have to file for readoption procedures in court here in Texas, get his Texas birth certificate and his US passport. You never know when I might feel compelled for us to just hop on Aeromexico for an all-inclusive Mexico weekend. I'm serious - this cold weather (50 something degrees today!) is chillin my bones. :) I am also in mucho need of a Top-shelf Margarita por favor...

Novice Crawl

Our days seem to be a blur of baths, feedings, playing, getting dressed, undressed, laundry, washing dishes, and potty room/diaper changing. The giggles, smiles, and interaction between us three are worth every sleepless minute.

Trying to stand -watch the wobbling legs... too cute