It was Chase's turn to dry dishes tonight. I like when they clear the table or dry dishes. It gives me one on one time to chat and they're fairly willing since there's no one else in there with us.
Tonight I asked Chase if he felt lucky that we made all kinds of food to eat such as; Chinese, Mexican, Korean, Italian, American...anything that's yummy? He said well we used to not. Okay, not totally true because we've always cooked it all except Korean. I had really never heard of a Korean recipe before the 3 youngest kids. So, he tells me how glad he is that we adopted because they brought Korean food to the table. Funny and sweet all at the same time. Mom learned how to cook Korean because of you three and we all LOVE it! Mom has developed a craving for Korean as much as Chinese....possibly a little more. Never thought that would happen.
Lisa
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Saturday, January 30, 2010
Fun in the Sun
I didn't say warm sun, but there was sun. We had to take Jaemin out for his first time in the snow. It's snowed already this season, but he's always been sick or something else has prevented us from taking him out to try out the snow. Today, we did. He even tried sled riding. He liked it, okay, but was content just throwing the snow around. He also made his first snow angel....well, mommy helped him.
Here's making the snow angel.
And here's the finished product...can you see it?
Chelsi was still napping and we just stayed out for a little bit, so both girls stayed inside.
Here's making the snow angel.
And here's the finished product...can you see it?
Chelsi was still napping and we just stayed out for a little bit, so both girls stayed inside.
Little Country Girl
All in all, she actually likes just about any kind of music. Chelsi seems to have the most favorites within country songs. At daycare she watches/listens to CMT and has most songs mostly memorized. Of course, Taylor Swift is her absolute favorite. She screams if she hears her sing. But, she likes the 'Dancin' song and 'Bone' song as she calls them. Here she is watching CMT at home. She loves to mimic the dance moves on the 'Dancin' song and she thinks it's hillarious to do the hand motions Trace and Blake do on the 'Bone' song.
Thursday, January 28, 2010
How's the acid reflux you ask?
Getting better, I believe. He hasn't signed 'more' for over a week. He's content when he realizes he's done eating instead of constantly wanting more whether he's full or not. He doesn't need food to feel better. The only problem we've had is that he hates the meds. It has a strong peppermint flavor and I mean STRONG. So, we got the pharmacy to flavor it the best they could. It's still a little overpowering, but better. However, he still doesn't care much for it. So, tonight we only gave him a little juice with dinner, infused with his meds. He took it just fine, thank goodness.
So hopefully, soon we'll have him sleeping through the night too, 'cause after almost 1 year of not sleeping well, this momma could use some rest.
Lisa
So hopefully, soon we'll have him sleeping through the night too, 'cause after almost 1 year of not sleeping well, this momma could use some rest.
Lisa
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Can I replicate evenings like this?
Some nights are just so, relatively, smooth that I just want to replicate them. The kids listened as I gave one of my speeches about school and studying and homework. There were no excuses or arguing. Everyone ate dinner well. Not even a fight from Jaemin. Such a calm evening. If only it were like this all the time. :)
Lisa
Lisa
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
There's a new mouse in the house
It's not Chelsi or chwi (mouse in Korean). It's a real, live mouse. It's bound to happen when you live in the country...heck, I'm pretty sure if you have grass with some trees, it's bound to happen eventually. But, I guess the boys left the basement door left open one too many times and one got in. Brian saw it run across the basement floor tonight, so the kids and I were trying to catch it. We failed....miserably! It ended up under the entertainment center by the end of the night and we couldn't get it back out. So there are several traps under there just waiting. We'll try to get this little mouse out of our house. We only have room for one mouse here.
Lisa
Lisa
Monday, January 25, 2010
How do they process trauma?
It's impossible to know how little kids process trauma. We don't even understand how we, as adults, process trauma sometimes. I mean we're all different. I really never expected this to affect Chelsi so much, but now I know it did.
Chelsi was 2 1/2 when Brian had his accident. That was the last time I cut her fingernails. She has chewed them every since. I thought that may that's what she did out of being nervous and she just couldn't stop and the accident really never bothered her anymore, but I think it does. More than she can explain. The other morning at grandma's she announced that "daddy broke his neck the last time he played basketball". How do you take this? Is she associating sport with accidents? I don't think so. I guess you really just never know. I do know that we're all still really dealing with the repercussions. Especially, the two of us. There is very seldom a day that goes by that something doesn't remind you that it happened.
While we're happy Brian could walk again, it's very apparent to us how much our lives have forever changed. He and we will never be the same. Part of it is good and part of it is just okay. Part of it we're still just adjusting to, even 2 years later. Trauma is not something you just go on and say 'oh well'. It's a process. A process to get through, not over.
Lisa
Chelsi was 2 1/2 when Brian had his accident. That was the last time I cut her fingernails. She has chewed them every since. I thought that may that's what she did out of being nervous and she just couldn't stop and the accident really never bothered her anymore, but I think it does. More than she can explain. The other morning at grandma's she announced that "daddy broke his neck the last time he played basketball". How do you take this? Is she associating sport with accidents? I don't think so. I guess you really just never know. I do know that we're all still really dealing with the repercussions. Especially, the two of us. There is very seldom a day that goes by that something doesn't remind you that it happened.
While we're happy Brian could walk again, it's very apparent to us how much our lives have forever changed. He and we will never be the same. Part of it is good and part of it is just okay. Part of it we're still just adjusting to, even 2 years later. Trauma is not something you just go on and say 'oh well'. It's a process. A process to get through, not over.
Lisa
Finally found a way to get them closer.
I moved the living room furniture around a bit last night and the big part of the sectional is now off by itself with the chaise end. They ALL want to be there. Before this they'd all fight because the next person was just TOO close. Now they don't seem to mind. Go figure. I thought no one would sit there.
Saturday, January 23, 2010
Public Restrooms with Kids in Tow
I always just assumed it was bad manners to use a handicapped restroom stall, even when I had kids with me. So, I always squeeze myself and them into the stall and try to help them out. It's always very difficult. Today, we made our 2nd trip back to Walmart. Yes, second trip. I needed to grocery shop and Brian's glasses were ready. I had called yesterday to make sure there was no possibility of mine being ready this weekend and they assured me there wasn't. So, Jaemin, Chelsi and I ventured to Walmart this morning.
This afternoon, I got a call that my glasses were ready. Since I'm tired of struggling to read any small print or my computer screen I decided to go ahead and make a trip back in. Brian and the other kids had to go to church and the littles and I have to go tomorrow for Sunday school, so I took Jaemin and Chelsi back in with me for my glasses. Usually, if I have both of them I bring my Ergo carrier. I can then get Chelsi in the cart and carry Jaemin with no problems shopping. I wasn't going to do anything but grab my glasses and run, so I brought nothing. We ran in through the pouring rain and right as we get to the Vision Center Chelsi finally tells me she needs to pee. So we ran back to the restrooms and all I could think was how am I going to do this without putting Jaemin down. I'm a germaphobe big time and it nasties me out to think he may fall on that floor and touch it.
We walked in and I saw the handicap stall door open. Inside was this little seat attached to the wall with a harness for little ones to sit on. No way! So I strapped Jaemin on and helped Chelsi get the seat cover down and helped her on. Then when we walked out there was a short little sink perfectly her height. It made it SO much easier. I now know it's okay to use this stall if you are in a similar situation and there are no handicapped people needing to use it. There's no way we could have all fit in a regular one anyways.
Lisa
This afternoon, I got a call that my glasses were ready. Since I'm tired of struggling to read any small print or my computer screen I decided to go ahead and make a trip back in. Brian and the other kids had to go to church and the littles and I have to go tomorrow for Sunday school, so I took Jaemin and Chelsi back in with me for my glasses. Usually, if I have both of them I bring my Ergo carrier. I can then get Chelsi in the cart and carry Jaemin with no problems shopping. I wasn't going to do anything but grab my glasses and run, so I brought nothing. We ran in through the pouring rain and right as we get to the Vision Center Chelsi finally tells me she needs to pee. So we ran back to the restrooms and all I could think was how am I going to do this without putting Jaemin down. I'm a germaphobe big time and it nasties me out to think he may fall on that floor and touch it.
We walked in and I saw the handicap stall door open. Inside was this little seat attached to the wall with a harness for little ones to sit on. No way! So I strapped Jaemin on and helped Chelsi get the seat cover down and helped her on. Then when we walked out there was a short little sink perfectly her height. It made it SO much easier. I now know it's okay to use this stall if you are in a similar situation and there are no handicapped people needing to use it. There's no way we could have all fit in a regular one anyways.
Lisa
Friday, January 22, 2010
*new* Email Subscription Now Available
Wordpress has made email subscriptions available. So now you can have an email sent when there is a new post to your favorite blogs.
Lisa
Lisa
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Need a little 'Chicken Fry'?
I've mentioned before that this is one of Chelsi's favorite songs. Here's her homemade video. :)
Add to Difference Post
So, I was thinking about my post regarding parenting differences. I also meant to touch on, but forgot just parenting the adopted child differently than past generations. There's always talk of both sides of the coin. We know better than previous generations of adoptive parents, due to education and experience through them than they did. But, we still can do better. I always agree a parent can do better. No doubt for any parent. We are not perfect, by all means.
But, I think sometimes we go overboard. There are a-parents that want their children to just mesh in and become Americans and that's that. I think that's simplifying it, but a summary of what some parents do. This is much the same as decades ago. Some parents drastically change their lives for their adopted children. They will uproot and move to a diverse area of their state, city, etc. so their child will never 'feel' out of place. They make extra efforts for everything by reading every book, joining every group, etc., etc.
I would never say either is wrong. It's a parental choice on how or where to raise your children regardless of how they came to your family. But, I can't help but wonder sometimes are extremes, just too extreme? We can never know what the real personality of our children will be in their teen years and later when a lot of adoptees begin to vocalize that their parents didn't do enough for them,or possibly too much? How do we know that by going to extremes we're not making them any less unhappy...if that makes sense? Some adoptees I have spoken with are perfectly content with the way they grew up and it was no different, or very little, from my upbringing. I guess I tend to take a middle of the road approach. My three children are Korean-Americans, but I tell them they can be whatever they feel. If they want to say they're American, Korean-American or Korean, it's up to them and it may change through their life how they feel. We don't go to camps, but mostly because we can't afford to all go as a family and we usually do most things as a family. I am learning Korean, but for me...not them. It's my choice. I've told them that if they want to learn here and there I will teach them what I know, which is about their level anyways. We cook Korean because of them. At least that's what made me find the recipes and started it. Now, I cook it because I enjoy it like I do Mexican and Chinese. We do small traditional things too. We have Korean items, music and art in the house, but we will never be Korean. We love the culture and do what we can, but don't immerse in it. We can't. We don't have the ability and it's not feasible for many reasons. They will never be denied their birthland by us. It will always be important...of course, or we wouldn't be trying so hard to return to a country I have grown to love.
The other thing some a-parents do is dwell on our children's adoptedness. Everything our children do, then, is linked to them being adopted. Even simple, normal, phases of childhood get blamed on them being adopted. Sometimes it is because of being adopted...no doubt. Some children do have attachment problems. Some children do take longer to bond because of their previous broken bonds. But do we take this to extreme too?
I know I've changed a lot over the past 3 children. I knew a lot less with our first and progressively more, now. But, I've been guilty of blaming things on adoption. I, for instance, thought Jaemin wasn't sleeping through the night because he needed reassurance we were still here. I mean afterall, he wasn't ill or anything else all the time, so it had to be that. Since we started his Zantac 3 nights ago he's a completely different boy. He's always been my angel, but he's so happy now. He still gets up some, but quiets within seconds. I can't even get to his room before he finds his paci back and quiets. And he's now babbling sounds he's never said before. He feels so good and is SO happy. This whole time, it was this. Or it seems to be. So, it's easy when there's nothing visual, to just assume. Turns out he has bonded greatly, he just hurt.
So, while I do keep a watchful eye for attachment and all I know about it, I will try to decide and decipher whether it really may just be a childhood phase or something else, completely unrelated to adoption. There's never hurt in seeking professional help if an a-parent feels it could be attachment related, but the symptoms of attachment really mimic a lot of other things too. And, early on, when babies/children first come home we can't really expect that attachment checklist to be marked off in any particular amount of time. So they will cry and they will go through certain phases for weeks or months. That's normal AND okay. We, as adoptive parents, need to give them and ourselves some slack.
Lisa
But, I think sometimes we go overboard. There are a-parents that want their children to just mesh in and become Americans and that's that. I think that's simplifying it, but a summary of what some parents do. This is much the same as decades ago. Some parents drastically change their lives for their adopted children. They will uproot and move to a diverse area of their state, city, etc. so their child will never 'feel' out of place. They make extra efforts for everything by reading every book, joining every group, etc., etc.
I would never say either is wrong. It's a parental choice on how or where to raise your children regardless of how they came to your family. But, I can't help but wonder sometimes are extremes, just too extreme? We can never know what the real personality of our children will be in their teen years and later when a lot of adoptees begin to vocalize that their parents didn't do enough for them,or possibly too much? How do we know that by going to extremes we're not making them any less unhappy...if that makes sense? Some adoptees I have spoken with are perfectly content with the way they grew up and it was no different, or very little, from my upbringing. I guess I tend to take a middle of the road approach. My three children are Korean-Americans, but I tell them they can be whatever they feel. If they want to say they're American, Korean-American or Korean, it's up to them and it may change through their life how they feel. We don't go to camps, but mostly because we can't afford to all go as a family and we usually do most things as a family. I am learning Korean, but for me...not them. It's my choice. I've told them that if they want to learn here and there I will teach them what I know, which is about their level anyways. We cook Korean because of them. At least that's what made me find the recipes and started it. Now, I cook it because I enjoy it like I do Mexican and Chinese. We do small traditional things too. We have Korean items, music and art in the house, but we will never be Korean. We love the culture and do what we can, but don't immerse in it. We can't. We don't have the ability and it's not feasible for many reasons. They will never be denied their birthland by us. It will always be important...of course, or we wouldn't be trying so hard to return to a country I have grown to love.
The other thing some a-parents do is dwell on our children's adoptedness. Everything our children do, then, is linked to them being adopted. Even simple, normal, phases of childhood get blamed on them being adopted. Sometimes it is because of being adopted...no doubt. Some children do have attachment problems. Some children do take longer to bond because of their previous broken bonds. But do we take this to extreme too?
I know I've changed a lot over the past 3 children. I knew a lot less with our first and progressively more, now. But, I've been guilty of blaming things on adoption. I, for instance, thought Jaemin wasn't sleeping through the night because he needed reassurance we were still here. I mean afterall, he wasn't ill or anything else all the time, so it had to be that. Since we started his Zantac 3 nights ago he's a completely different boy. He's always been my angel, but he's so happy now. He still gets up some, but quiets within seconds. I can't even get to his room before he finds his paci back and quiets. And he's now babbling sounds he's never said before. He feels so good and is SO happy. This whole time, it was this. Or it seems to be. So, it's easy when there's nothing visual, to just assume. Turns out he has bonded greatly, he just hurt.
So, while I do keep a watchful eye for attachment and all I know about it, I will try to decide and decipher whether it really may just be a childhood phase or something else, completely unrelated to adoption. There's never hurt in seeking professional help if an a-parent feels it could be attachment related, but the symptoms of attachment really mimic a lot of other things too. And, early on, when babies/children first come home we can't really expect that attachment checklist to be marked off in any particular amount of time. So they will cry and they will go through certain phases for weeks or months. That's normal AND okay. We, as adoptive parents, need to give them and ourselves some slack.
Lisa
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Heartburn, diarhea, indigestion...
No, not a Pepto commercial. and I'm pretty sure it's just a heartburn/indigestion sort of thing, but we're trying some Zantac on Jae. He has not slept well since his arrival. We chalked it up to him just needing reassurance we were there and came every time he cried for the past 9 months 1-5 times per night. We chalked it up to some times when he's been ill or teething and gave him pain reliever. I tried cosleeping and it seems to not be working. He wakes up next to me and cries.
Something is waking him up. I also talked to my mother-in-law, his daycare provider and asked if he seemed hungry right after finishing a meal. She said he signs 'more' to her too. We both know he can't still be hungry because he eats a lot at each sitting. While, eating a lot is not a typical sign of acid reflux, food may be calming his belly and therefore he wants more because he knows what will happen. Smart guy, huh?! I talked to the doc and he agreed that he may have it, so we gave it to him and already he went to bed better than he has the entire time he's been with us. He also didn't sign for 'more' this evening. That's a first. I guess after a couple of nights or so we should have a better idea if that's what's waking him up at night.
We shall see.
Lisa
Something is waking him up. I also talked to my mother-in-law, his daycare provider and asked if he seemed hungry right after finishing a meal. She said he signs 'more' to her too. We both know he can't still be hungry because he eats a lot at each sitting. While, eating a lot is not a typical sign of acid reflux, food may be calming his belly and therefore he wants more because he knows what will happen. Smart guy, huh?! I talked to the doc and he agreed that he may have it, so we gave it to him and already he went to bed better than he has the entire time he's been with us. He also didn't sign for 'more' this evening. That's a first. I guess after a couple of nights or so we should have a better idea if that's what's waking him up at night.
We shall see.
Lisa
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Are they really so different?
I mean biological children from adoptees?
I know a lot of adoptees do feel different from their siblings who are biological to their parents and I'm sure that same scenario can be vice versa too. But, a lot of the adoptees you hear from were adopted decades ago. So much has changed. Adoptive parent education has greatly changed and not to mention just the world itself. I know there's a vast difference between the world I grew up in and the world my sister grew up in. We are 1 decade apart and a lot of times it feels that we are a full generation apart. I truly believe there's a generational gap between her and I. It closes in as we get older, of course, it's there.
Our attorney was watching my kids interact with each other in the hallway while we were waiting to finalize Jaemin's adoption last month. She mentioned that a lot of siblings she sees together where some are biological and some are adopted, and close in age, don't interact the same. She asked if they're the same way at home. I said "of course, sometimes they fight and sometimes they don't, but which ones are doing what varies." She asked how we broached the topic of adoption long ago and I told her the thing when we first started the process 8 years ago the boys were only 5 and 2. While we included our oldest in the discussion nothing seemed out of order to them or any different than a baby coming home from the hospital. They never acted any different. And as she got older they began including her on both the fun and the fights. Progressively, each time we adopted, we included the older children on the decision. We are very open with our kids and told them the negatives such as; not as much money for vacations, stuff, etc. But, did they want another child to share their lives with? The answer has always been yes...without hesitation. Even when Jaemin's surprise call came they really never hesitated, even knowing that number 5 would make things even more difficult.
Are they really so different? We do treat them different on occasion. But, it's mostly in our reactions. Some of what we do different is based on what we've learned from previous parenting and getting older. Some of our different parenting is things like not letting people hold right away, holding them more often, doing things that would look like spoiling, but are really just trust building exercises. We experience more because of them....but that's not parenting. This is more of an expanded world for us, that is due to them. We are fortunate to have our eyes opened up to Korean cuisine and the beautiful culture. If I had a close friend or family member I think I would be the same way because I am curious by nature. Do we really treat them different? I think no. Even some of the stuff that I have learned from adoptive parenting are good things to do for any parent and since the world is evolving I've noticed nonadoptive parents doing some of these same things.
Will my children have issues because we adopted some of them? Maybe? Will my children have issues because we didn't go to Korea to get some of them? Maybe. But, I think a lot of that will be their personality. For now, I know that we do our best. We have open, honest discussions with them and I thoroughly encourage them to talk to me about anything. I hope they always do. I open discussions if it seems like the opportune time and close them when they're not at their level. I never lie though.
I hope my kids don't think they were any different to us, one day. I hope they realize they all mean the world to us. We could care less how any of them came into the world....we would move mountains to take care of them and protect them. I love watching them interact. You can see the bond between them all. Their bond is close. They do fight and often, but that's not unexpected considering their closeness in age and the fact that in a house this small you can't actually get away from anyone. For God sake I have to go to my closet for timeout. But, they're amazing, even at their worst. I'm glad they will always have each other. I'm glad that because of three of them we will have some experiences we would never have had without them...such as going to Korea. There's nothing better than memories with your family. And they are my family and Korea is part of me because it's part of them.
I think I actually ventured a lot...but in the end I just don't think they're really all that different. We do our best with all 5, regardless and by default of personality they are all 5 different and we do parent them 5 different ways.
Lisa
I know a lot of adoptees do feel different from their siblings who are biological to their parents and I'm sure that same scenario can be vice versa too. But, a lot of the adoptees you hear from were adopted decades ago. So much has changed. Adoptive parent education has greatly changed and not to mention just the world itself. I know there's a vast difference between the world I grew up in and the world my sister grew up in. We are 1 decade apart and a lot of times it feels that we are a full generation apart. I truly believe there's a generational gap between her and I. It closes in as we get older, of course, it's there.
Our attorney was watching my kids interact with each other in the hallway while we were waiting to finalize Jaemin's adoption last month. She mentioned that a lot of siblings she sees together where some are biological and some are adopted, and close in age, don't interact the same. She asked if they're the same way at home. I said "of course, sometimes they fight and sometimes they don't, but which ones are doing what varies." She asked how we broached the topic of adoption long ago and I told her the thing when we first started the process 8 years ago the boys were only 5 and 2. While we included our oldest in the discussion nothing seemed out of order to them or any different than a baby coming home from the hospital. They never acted any different. And as she got older they began including her on both the fun and the fights. Progressively, each time we adopted, we included the older children on the decision. We are very open with our kids and told them the negatives such as; not as much money for vacations, stuff, etc. But, did they want another child to share their lives with? The answer has always been yes...without hesitation. Even when Jaemin's surprise call came they really never hesitated, even knowing that number 5 would make things even more difficult.
Are they really so different? We do treat them different on occasion. But, it's mostly in our reactions. Some of what we do different is based on what we've learned from previous parenting and getting older. Some of our different parenting is things like not letting people hold right away, holding them more often, doing things that would look like spoiling, but are really just trust building exercises. We experience more because of them....but that's not parenting. This is more of an expanded world for us, that is due to them. We are fortunate to have our eyes opened up to Korean cuisine and the beautiful culture. If I had a close friend or family member I think I would be the same way because I am curious by nature. Do we really treat them different? I think no. Even some of the stuff that I have learned from adoptive parenting are good things to do for any parent and since the world is evolving I've noticed nonadoptive parents doing some of these same things.
Will my children have issues because we adopted some of them? Maybe? Will my children have issues because we didn't go to Korea to get some of them? Maybe. But, I think a lot of that will be their personality. For now, I know that we do our best. We have open, honest discussions with them and I thoroughly encourage them to talk to me about anything. I hope they always do. I open discussions if it seems like the opportune time and close them when they're not at their level. I never lie though.
I hope my kids don't think they were any different to us, one day. I hope they realize they all mean the world to us. We could care less how any of them came into the world....we would move mountains to take care of them and protect them. I love watching them interact. You can see the bond between them all. Their bond is close. They do fight and often, but that's not unexpected considering their closeness in age and the fact that in a house this small you can't actually get away from anyone. For God sake I have to go to my closet for timeout. But, they're amazing, even at their worst. I'm glad they will always have each other. I'm glad that because of three of them we will have some experiences we would never have had without them...such as going to Korea. There's nothing better than memories with your family. And they are my family and Korea is part of me because it's part of them.
I think I actually ventured a lot...but in the end I just don't think they're really all that different. We do our best with all 5, regardless and by default of personality they are all 5 different and we do parent them 5 different ways.
Lisa
Kids need to expend energy
It's a fact. Staying inside too much is not good for any kid AND they drive parents nuts when they do. So anytime it's tolerable and the kids want to go outside....we say "go for it!"
The snow has just melted and it's soggy as it can get out there, but thankfully we have quite a bit of concrete for them to stay on. Of course, they still manage to find mud, but can't help that. Today, the big boys drew a track on the driveway and they decided to ride their bikes. It's also finally warm enough for their daily jogs again. They used to do them everyday and it REALLY helped with their irritation level, and therefore ours. It's a quick jog, but it tires them enough they don't fight near as much. :)
The snow has just melted and it's soggy as it can get out there, but thankfully we have quite a bit of concrete for them to stay on. Of course, they still manage to find mud, but can't help that. Today, the big boys drew a track on the driveway and they decided to ride their bikes. It's also finally warm enough for their daily jogs again. They used to do them everyday and it REALLY helped with their irritation level, and therefore ours. It's a quick jog, but it tires them enough they don't fight near as much. :)
Saturday, January 16, 2010
Save More, Live Better....Walmart
:)
Had to post the slogan. Chelsi loves to repeat it all the time. We are obviously there too often for everything!
I realize that the Walmarts of the world can be hurtful to the mom and pop shops of the world, but sometimes, especially for lower-middle class families like ourselves, they're a lifesaver! Kae and I just went to the vision center for eye exams today. Where else can you do all we did for $197 with no vision insurance. We can't afford family vision insurance. It would cost far too much over a year's time. But, with our health insurance allowing a $35 copay for the exam we're pretty set for self/private pay. For this money I got Brian's new frames and lenses, Kaelin's exam as well as my exam and lenses. That's really a good price for this! And, of course, I work this into a medical savings plan to save even more.
Brian's frames were in the $9 sets, so VERY cheap. His lenses were the $38 lenses they advertise....no frills, just plastic lenses with no glare protection since he only uses them at night after his contacts are out. Kaelin only needed the exam, but since she has an astigmatism and one eye is worse than the other she will need glasses within the next 2 years. We were well aware of this. They told us this 2 years ago that by the time she was 9 she'd be in glasses. Looks like she's still on target. She's already picked out some too cute frames for herself. She looks gorgeous in them, so no worries on her part. I had some old frames, so I just had them put my new lenses in them. My lenses were $35 more than Brian's, but because mine are for reading and computer use I need the glare. My astigmatism causes my eyes to get more tired and she said having that glare protection will help when they get tired. I asked if I could just get reading glasses, but one eye is quite a bit different than the other. It looked like the paper said 20/25 in one and 20/50 in the other. I have to say for what we paid, he was VERY thorough and VERY good with our daughter. He had a lot of patience with her constant moving and distractions.
Lisa
Had to post the slogan. Chelsi loves to repeat it all the time. We are obviously there too often for everything!
I realize that the Walmarts of the world can be hurtful to the mom and pop shops of the world, but sometimes, especially for lower-middle class families like ourselves, they're a lifesaver! Kae and I just went to the vision center for eye exams today. Where else can you do all we did for $197 with no vision insurance. We can't afford family vision insurance. It would cost far too much over a year's time. But, with our health insurance allowing a $35 copay for the exam we're pretty set for self/private pay. For this money I got Brian's new frames and lenses, Kaelin's exam as well as my exam and lenses. That's really a good price for this! And, of course, I work this into a medical savings plan to save even more.
Brian's frames were in the $9 sets, so VERY cheap. His lenses were the $38 lenses they advertise....no frills, just plastic lenses with no glare protection since he only uses them at night after his contacts are out. Kaelin only needed the exam, but since she has an astigmatism and one eye is worse than the other she will need glasses within the next 2 years. We were well aware of this. They told us this 2 years ago that by the time she was 9 she'd be in glasses. Looks like she's still on target. She's already picked out some too cute frames for herself. She looks gorgeous in them, so no worries on her part. I had some old frames, so I just had them put my new lenses in them. My lenses were $35 more than Brian's, but because mine are for reading and computer use I need the glare. My astigmatism causes my eyes to get more tired and she said having that glare protection will help when they get tired. I asked if I could just get reading glasses, but one eye is quite a bit different than the other. It looked like the paper said 20/25 in one and 20/50 in the other. I have to say for what we paid, he was VERY thorough and VERY good with our daughter. He had a lot of patience with her constant moving and distractions.
Lisa
Friday, January 15, 2010
Parenting No No
I'm doing a big parenting no no. So I may be complaining in a few years when I can't get my son out of my bed. But, for now it's just fine.
Yes, I've been partial cosleeping for the past few days. It seems to be helping Jaemin sleep better. If he sleep with me the first little bit of the night and goes to bed later he doesn't get up at night. If he sleeps in his bed all night he gets up 2-3 times. So I think, right now, it makes more sense to just let him sleep in our bed.
I think he wakes a little if he's in his bed and is continually hunting for us. If he's in our bed he can find me right away. He lies on me a lot of nights. The only nights that are hard are when he has a cold and he snores like a freight train. Yikes he's loud for a 1 year old.
I figure he's the baby, so if the last one cosleeps it doesn't feel like a big deal. Of course, Brian is convinced he may not be the last. :) He says I've said that 4 other times. :) Well, what can I say. God has laughed at us a lot! But, love having these kiddos....even if there are a lot more than we planned.
Lisa
Yes, I've been partial cosleeping for the past few days. It seems to be helping Jaemin sleep better. If he sleep with me the first little bit of the night and goes to bed later he doesn't get up at night. If he sleeps in his bed all night he gets up 2-3 times. So I think, right now, it makes more sense to just let him sleep in our bed.
I think he wakes a little if he's in his bed and is continually hunting for us. If he's in our bed he can find me right away. He lies on me a lot of nights. The only nights that are hard are when he has a cold and he snores like a freight train. Yikes he's loud for a 1 year old.
I figure he's the baby, so if the last one cosleeps it doesn't feel like a big deal. Of course, Brian is convinced he may not be the last. :) He says I've said that 4 other times. :) Well, what can I say. God has laughed at us a lot! But, love having these kiddos....even if there are a lot more than we planned.
Lisa
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Social Security Card Name Change....check!
Finally. After poor Brian had to go there 3 times he finally got them to do it. Apparently, only one person in that office knows what actual documentation is required to change the name of an internationally adopted child on their social security card. Catch is, she doesn't work the window and those people don't have a clue!
So for anyone out there reading this. All you need is your adoption decree and your child's foreign passport with visa to show they're still a permanent resident status. If you have a US passport or Certificate of Citizenship for them you can show that and get their status changed to US Citizen, but we've just sent off the N600 with his green card today to get the Certificate of Citizenship and that takes time. What I found out is that if your child's visa has I551 on it, it also serves as proof of permanent resident status.
So on the 3rd trip there with the same exact documentation as the other 2 and one phone call from me they did it. They really need to train the folks sitting at the window in that office.
One more trip after we get his Certificate of Citizenship and we don't have to do this for our children again...because no, we're having no more children. :)
Sometimes, I really wonder how many hundreds of papers we've filled out for these 3 adoptions and how much time we've spent doing it and crossing our ts and dotting our is. It's massive, I know it.
Lisa
So for anyone out there reading this. All you need is your adoption decree and your child's foreign passport with visa to show they're still a permanent resident status. If you have a US passport or Certificate of Citizenship for them you can show that and get their status changed to US Citizen, but we've just sent off the N600 with his green card today to get the Certificate of Citizenship and that takes time. What I found out is that if your child's visa has I551 on it, it also serves as proof of permanent resident status.
So on the 3rd trip there with the same exact documentation as the other 2 and one phone call from me they did it. They really need to train the folks sitting at the window in that office.
One more trip after we get his Certificate of Citizenship and we don't have to do this for our children again...because no, we're having no more children. :)
Sometimes, I really wonder how many hundreds of papers we've filled out for these 3 adoptions and how much time we've spent doing it and crossing our ts and dotting our is. It's massive, I know it.
Lisa
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Jaemin's Well-Baby Visit
Since it always seems that if I'm posting on Jaemin's health it's always when he's sick. Unfortunately, he's had a rough time of it the last few months. But, yesterday we had a well-baby visit. He is 15 months and I had asked that they put off some of October's shots so he wouldn't be getting so many at once. So, he got 3 additional vaccines yesterday...ouch!
The doctor did ask if he finally got over everything from a couple of weeks ago and I was happy to report he had. The doctor felt so bad for my baby. After weight and measurements he asked how his eating habits have been. I told him that even when he's sick his appetite rarely decreases. Jaemin can really put away the food! He, by far, eats more than his 4 yo sister. They checked his growth curve and he's doing very well. He said with a little man who has had pneumonia 3 times in the last 4 months he was expecting him to fall off some, but he has maintained his curve very well. He said he's still hovering at or a little above 50th in height and 50-75 in weight. He said he expects him to be a stocky young man. I have to laugh. Chase used to be built the same way and has really thinned out. We shall see.
He's a happy healthy little man. He is, however, very tired of doctors. He hates being weighed because mom has to put him down. Then when they check his ears and anything else that requires them getting to close to him he freaks out a little bit. He's fine anywhere else in any other environment, but not the doctors office. They wig him a bit.
He's also been such a big boy that he's sleeping in a toddler bed. He's done really well, but last night was a bit rough. Don't know if the shots threw his little body off or what. He woke at his usual 11-12 or so. Just a quick back to bed as usual. But, then he woke at 2. I put him back down and he cried for me again. Right as I was getting ready to walk back in his room Brian walked in. He got him quieted down and went back to bed. By 2:30 am, I could hear little man pitter pattering down the hall talking and babbling away to himself. Happy as can be in the middle of the night! He comes tootling into my room and stands beside my side of the bed and starts grunting as he pretends to pull himself up. So I pull him into bed since he usually goes right to sleep in my bed. Nope! He proceeded to talk and babble away again. Finally, I realized he was not going to go back to sleep, so I brought him back to his bed. He laid down just fine. But, by 4:30 am he was back in my room babbling away. I showed him that everyone else was in their rooms sleeping and he finally went to sleep. Come 7 am when it was time to go to daycare so mommy could go to work he was in a good sleep. Imagine that!
I've never gotten as many sleepless nights with all 4 older kids combined as I have with my little man. But, I will happily take them to have the joy of him in my life!
Lisa
The doctor did ask if he finally got over everything from a couple of weeks ago and I was happy to report he had. The doctor felt so bad for my baby. After weight and measurements he asked how his eating habits have been. I told him that even when he's sick his appetite rarely decreases. Jaemin can really put away the food! He, by far, eats more than his 4 yo sister. They checked his growth curve and he's doing very well. He said with a little man who has had pneumonia 3 times in the last 4 months he was expecting him to fall off some, but he has maintained his curve very well. He said he's still hovering at or a little above 50th in height and 50-75 in weight. He said he expects him to be a stocky young man. I have to laugh. Chase used to be built the same way and has really thinned out. We shall see.
He's a happy healthy little man. He is, however, very tired of doctors. He hates being weighed because mom has to put him down. Then when they check his ears and anything else that requires them getting to close to him he freaks out a little bit. He's fine anywhere else in any other environment, but not the doctors office. They wig him a bit.
He's also been such a big boy that he's sleeping in a toddler bed. He's done really well, but last night was a bit rough. Don't know if the shots threw his little body off or what. He woke at his usual 11-12 or so. Just a quick back to bed as usual. But, then he woke at 2. I put him back down and he cried for me again. Right as I was getting ready to walk back in his room Brian walked in. He got him quieted down and went back to bed. By 2:30 am, I could hear little man pitter pattering down the hall talking and babbling away to himself. Happy as can be in the middle of the night! He comes tootling into my room and stands beside my side of the bed and starts grunting as he pretends to pull himself up. So I pull him into bed since he usually goes right to sleep in my bed. Nope! He proceeded to talk and babble away again. Finally, I realized he was not going to go back to sleep, so I brought him back to his bed. He laid down just fine. But, by 4:30 am he was back in my room babbling away. I showed him that everyone else was in their rooms sleeping and he finally went to sleep. Come 7 am when it was time to go to daycare so mommy could go to work he was in a good sleep. Imagine that!
I've never gotten as many sleepless nights with all 4 older kids combined as I have with my little man. But, I will happily take them to have the joy of him in my life!
Lisa
Prayers for Haiti
Please pray for all those in Haiti now. It doesn't sound good after their earthquake and they may be expecting a tsunami, which will just amplify the devastation. It's terrible that a hospital collapsed. A friend of ours adopted their son from Haiti and I just cringe thinking of why may have happened to his birth family in this.
Lisa
Lisa
Saturday, January 9, 2010
We like Jonas brothers, apparently
When it's on they were both zoning. I've never seen this since they usually don't watch it. Even little brother didn't break their concentration.
Becoming parents at older ages
Not that our mid-thirties are old, by any means, but am I the only one that noticed that people are waiting longer and longer to either have their first or continue their families? I'm not talking about people who are putting these massive careers first or anything. People just like us.
I felt so old when we found out we were having Jaemin at almost 35...of course I had only turned 34 when he was actually born. But, when we grew up having a baby at that age was a bit older...or we thought. My mom was about that age when my sister was born, but we were all almost 6 years apart. Now, I'm noticing friends and acquaintances having babies now. I think it's becoming more of the norm now. Good to know that when J is in school he will NOT have the oldest parents.
On the flip side, does this mean that when Cole is driving in a couple of years and we have room in the van again we can adopt another boy?? Just kidding mom!
Lisa
I felt so old when we found out we were having Jaemin at almost 35...of course I had only turned 34 when he was actually born. But, when we grew up having a baby at that age was a bit older...or we thought. My mom was about that age when my sister was born, but we were all almost 6 years apart. Now, I'm noticing friends and acquaintances having babies now. I think it's becoming more of the norm now. Good to know that when J is in school he will NOT have the oldest parents.
On the flip side, does this mean that when Cole is driving in a couple of years and we have room in the van again we can adopt another boy?? Just kidding mom!
Lisa
Friday, January 8, 2010
Fun with boys and baskets
Jaemin found the big brothers later and sat with them, but first we found out how fun it is to sit in the toy basket. Then, we found out it was more fun to empty the toy basket and get inside and read our book there. He could have sat in there for a VERY long time. He loves getting inside things. The wagon from Christmas is still in the living room because he loves sitting in it so much. We played in Jaemin's room for a bit too and he found one of his favorite toys before he want to see big brothers. Remotes ARE a boys best friend.
I'm not sure what he's doing here other than walking. But, he looks like he's dancing. :)
He just looks SO big next to his big boy bed.
I'm not sure what he's doing here other than walking. But, he looks like he's dancing. :)
He just looks SO big next to his big boy bed.
Thursday, January 7, 2010
What's going on?
Well, we're finally all better. None of the kids got the stomach bug, which we're very thankful for. That would not have been as easy to contain once it starts in on the kids. The kids got to do lots of cleaning with chlorox wipes which they thought was entertaining. I figured it was easier than me trying to rush around cleaning the whole house.
Brian and I are both finally starting to clear our colds out too. Jaemin is MUCH better now. We could see a huge difference on Sunday. No more ooze out of his poor nose. He's in an awesome mood too. He's back to his usual happy self. Jaemin's been feeling SO good he's walking around singing and bobbing his head and talking and just smiling and laughing at everything. He's really an easy going little man, but when he doesn't feel good he's a lot like momma and is pretty grouchy. It's nice to have us all better and we're hoping it stays that way.
The kids are back at school, or were for a whopping 2 days before snow canceled it. Now it's too cold and they're canceling between the snow and cold. They're enjoying it....for now. They're going to hate making up the days when it warms back up...eventually.
Today, I took my first venture out into the snow with the new van. It got around a lot better than I thought. If we had gotten just 1 or 2 more inches though, I don't think I could have made it out since they hadn't plowed our road yet. I stayed on everyone else's tracks. It was just as well I went to work since most didn't show up and those that did were late. I was early, so I got to leave early to pick up the littles. Jaemin was so funny when I picked him up. Brian's mom was holding him when I walked in and he just about jumped out of her arms to get down and run to me. Man that makes me feel good!
Chelsi and Kaelin have spent the night reading to each other. Kaelin reads her 1st grade level reader to Chelsi then Chelsi reads a 1st grade level reader to Kaelin. So funny to think she's only 4 and can read at 1st grade level and do math. She may be small, but that little brain of hers sure does hold a lot!
We all took a trip to Bass Pro on Saturday. After having sick people in the house for 2 weeks I was dying to get out, cold or not. So, Brian and the big boys had gift cards to spend. Jaemin, Chelsi and I just walked around and looked at the fish. Jaemin really enjoyed it. Chase spent all of his gift card plus some of his grade money. Cole actually saved some of his aside so he could get some more later and get something nicer. Brian spent all of his plus some of his work bonus. He finally got a new tackle box, which he says he really needed. He got me a lovely pink Bass Pro ladies tshirt. I asked him for it. ;) We took the kids to pizza buffet afterward. It wasn't the best, but it was super cheap for all 7 of us. Jaemin was so good. He slept during the drive and I put him in the carrier at Bass Pro, so he just enjoyed the ride.
Now, we're all focusing on what activities the kids can do this year. We don't have funds/time for too many, so they have to start making choices and narrow it down. Cole will do football...if his grades are good enough. Chase will do football and is thinking about baseball. Kaelin is thinking about soccer again, but wants to try out basketball. Chelsi wants to try gymnastics. We'll see. That's a more expensive activity, but since she wants to be a cheerleader it makes a little more sense. Kaelin has ZERO interest in being a cheerleader, she wants to be in one of the other sports.
We'll see. But, really, I'm hoping Chase forgoes baseball this year so we can have a little more of a relax summer. We're not doing Fall soccer because the boys playing football will be enough. Kaelin will have to play Spring soccer instead. Just a couple more years and Jaemin will start into activities too. Oh my is it going to get busy. His dad swears he's born and built to play football and baseball!
Lisa
Brian and I are both finally starting to clear our colds out too. Jaemin is MUCH better now. We could see a huge difference on Sunday. No more ooze out of his poor nose. He's in an awesome mood too. He's back to his usual happy self. Jaemin's been feeling SO good he's walking around singing and bobbing his head and talking and just smiling and laughing at everything. He's really an easy going little man, but when he doesn't feel good he's a lot like momma and is pretty grouchy. It's nice to have us all better and we're hoping it stays that way.
The kids are back at school, or were for a whopping 2 days before snow canceled it. Now it's too cold and they're canceling between the snow and cold. They're enjoying it....for now. They're going to hate making up the days when it warms back up...eventually.
Today, I took my first venture out into the snow with the new van. It got around a lot better than I thought. If we had gotten just 1 or 2 more inches though, I don't think I could have made it out since they hadn't plowed our road yet. I stayed on everyone else's tracks. It was just as well I went to work since most didn't show up and those that did were late. I was early, so I got to leave early to pick up the littles. Jaemin was so funny when I picked him up. Brian's mom was holding him when I walked in and he just about jumped out of her arms to get down and run to me. Man that makes me feel good!
Chelsi and Kaelin have spent the night reading to each other. Kaelin reads her 1st grade level reader to Chelsi then Chelsi reads a 1st grade level reader to Kaelin. So funny to think she's only 4 and can read at 1st grade level and do math. She may be small, but that little brain of hers sure does hold a lot!
We all took a trip to Bass Pro on Saturday. After having sick people in the house for 2 weeks I was dying to get out, cold or not. So, Brian and the big boys had gift cards to spend. Jaemin, Chelsi and I just walked around and looked at the fish. Jaemin really enjoyed it. Chase spent all of his gift card plus some of his grade money. Cole actually saved some of his aside so he could get some more later and get something nicer. Brian spent all of his plus some of his work bonus. He finally got a new tackle box, which he says he really needed. He got me a lovely pink Bass Pro ladies tshirt. I asked him for it. ;) We took the kids to pizza buffet afterward. It wasn't the best, but it was super cheap for all 7 of us. Jaemin was so good. He slept during the drive and I put him in the carrier at Bass Pro, so he just enjoyed the ride.
Now, we're all focusing on what activities the kids can do this year. We don't have funds/time for too many, so they have to start making choices and narrow it down. Cole will do football...if his grades are good enough. Chase will do football and is thinking about baseball. Kaelin is thinking about soccer again, but wants to try out basketball. Chelsi wants to try gymnastics. We'll see. That's a more expensive activity, but since she wants to be a cheerleader it makes a little more sense. Kaelin has ZERO interest in being a cheerleader, she wants to be in one of the other sports.
We'll see. But, really, I'm hoping Chase forgoes baseball this year so we can have a little more of a relax summer. We're not doing Fall soccer because the boys playing football will be enough. Kaelin will have to play Spring soccer instead. Just a couple more years and Jaemin will start into activities too. Oh my is it going to get busy. His dad swears he's born and built to play football and baseball!
Lisa
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