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
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
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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