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| | over on the YouTube ChannelI know I haven't posted for a while, but all is good. BeiLee is getting big, speaking in sentences, and having a great time every day. After a lot of time and a little help from Faith, my dossier is on a plane to Nepal, and we should get a referral this year. Things are busy and great and crazy. In February we took BeiLee to New Orleans for an early Mardi Gras. Check out his adventures on our YouTube page. http://www.youtube.com/user/adventuresinnepal And yes, DCFS has been notified that my mother is an insane tickle-monster. |
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| After a bit of research and some soul searching, we are going to Nepal to adopt a daughter. Nepal just recently became a democratic republic, and one of the first things they did was reopen adoptions. With their civil war hopefully at an end, there are a lot of orphans that need a home. And their rule is, if you have a son, you get a daughter. I can agree with that policy. And I have been fascinated by Nepalese politics and Mt. Everest for many years, so going there and having a lifelong tie will be wonderful. It has been crazy here. We now have a well in our backyard. Who knew those things could just reopen? But it's OK, the tree that fell last week is covering the well. We are in for some major work in the backyard and probably more unplanned expense but hey, this house is celebrating it's 110th birthday this year and I am just lucky the yard is falling apart and not the house. You have to see the well as half full, not half empty. We have had some great roadtrips with BeiLee recently. The zoo in Decatur, a blues fest in Taylorville, Brookfield Zoo and a Cubs game this Tuesday as a family outing. He is so much fun, and really loves learning/trying new things. The young guys at the Cubs game enjoyed playing "cheers" with Bei, and he loved clapping with the crowd. Tonight we took him to an outdoor concert at the Old State Capitol. He was just mesmerized by the fiddler, and I swear he has the makings of a musician in him. It is always wonderful to realize that I have a son to share these moments with, and that he is happy to have parents. It is hard to believe we have had him over ten months now. He is definitely happy and at home here. He is speaking a lot recently, playing with sounds and shocking me with words I did not realize he could say (backpack was a favorite). He will be evaluated tomorrow for the Early Learning Program next year, and I hope his speech will blossom with new teachers. We have been very lucky to have the support of Early Intervention and some really talented people, and he has a great foundation for his speech. Susan | | |
| I have been lazy lately. Things in Vietnam fell apart, and I took some time to process the confusion and loss. I really wanted to guarantee the second adoption, and to get into Vietnam I had to move a bit quicker than felt comfortable, and of course in international adoption there are no guarantees or refunds. Not sure where we are going next, but I have a good idea of all the countries that are not available. With that said, I have not been too depressed. I have a wonderful, healthy, active son who doesn't leave much time for sadness. I just want him to have a sister close in age to play with, to grow with, and to torment as he ages. One way I dealt with my sadness was by buying a triangle loom, and starting a pastel baby blanket in fleece. When it is finished (along with the pillow I am flipping around in my mind, and maybe a matching baby doll blanket) I will post. I am almost done with a slip stitch sweater in wild pinks and purples, and I started a flower collared sweater when I was in a conference one afternoon. So my daughter has a wardrobe of fun sweaters, and I continue to look for ways for her to join our family. Larry and I discussed adopting a second son, which is more of an option at this point, but he is right that I really want this daughter. I have dreamed of her for years, and I will always wonder where she is if I don't bring her home. This was my first year as a mother in reality, not just on paper, so we took the weekend to celebrate. Friday we went to Missouri and spent the afternoon with Aunt Cindy and Uncle Richard on the farm. The hog farm. I love that BeiLee will grow up seeing farms in places other than his books, but this experience was a bit too, shall we say, real for Mama. Running in the grass was great. Going to the Mennonite store and seeing the baby lambs was good. Playing with the fat kittens in the Smedley (don't ask if you don't know, it's better that way) was really fun. Seeing BeiLee stomp his new shoes in puddles of uncertain origin was a bit upsetting for several days, as the smell tended to linger. But he got to drive a tractor, and he absolutely loved chasing the pigs, and he never stopped being excited by all the fun things to do. Plus Aunt Cindy had new clothes for him that did not smell of pig, so supper was good. Then on to April and Mike's to relax, and I got to try out the new bedding set I quilted for his travel crib. He tends to be a wiggler, then the blankets get displaced and the bottom of the crib starts to squeak and noone is alseep. So I quilted a sleep sack that goes up the sides of the travel crib, in Thomas the Tank engine with a matching quilt, and he loved it. And it worked without squeaking and we slept like rocks through the night. Life at April's is always a constant oasis of calm. I am not sure how they do it with two sons, and as BeiLee ages I am sure I will puzzle over this more and not less. Saturday we visited Grandma Coogan in her living center, and had lunch with both Grandmas. BeiLee loves her room with the stools that slide under the chairs, the fun closets, and the little porch with birds. And he definitely loved being the center of attention as the little kid in the cute outfit, and was generous with hugs and high-fives. I was reminded that he spent two years living on the top floor of a five story nursing home, and this was familar to him. Then home for supper with Yia-Yia, Kelly and Eric, and on Sunday we had brunch with YiaYia. And I got breakfast in bed and my presents. Larry went to stores with BeiLee and bought what he picked out, so I got a book on Mamas and one about a woman who learns to knit, corn on the cob holders (quite colorful) and a scent diffuser. Little does Larry know that when we shop for Father's Day, we are going to the yarn store. BeiLee had a hearing test on Thursday, and although he has a blocked ear tube his hearing is now up to normal. He did not do well on the first test because he decided to ignore the sounds and concentrate on the stacking game, but there is a more precise test with a probe in the ear that he tolerated and it gave a good result. He is hearing everything, and that he does not always respond is a two year old issue. Larry is home from the Brewhaus (no coincidence I usually post on Wednesdays), so I will go. For those of you still following us, thank you and we will hopefully post more often in the future. Susan | | |
| With a two year-old, time often gets away from us. So I am updating with lots of photos, which are each worth a thousand words. And I must update now because this weekend we are going to Carbondale, where BeiLee will see his first circus and have pool parties with Kelly and Eric. The road goes on forever, and the party never ends in our house.
   
 
Easter was a lot of fun. First we went to a farm store and played with bunnies, chicks, and ducklings. Then my parents set up the first Easter egg hunt with lots of candy, then Aunt Cindy showed up with more eggs, some of which had money. BeiLee really loves money now--he carries it in his pockets and drops it into his piggy banks and then starts the process all over again. By the end of the day, he fully understood the egg hunting process. Mom and Cindy shoehorned Bei into the "Percy suit" which I always mocked when Kurt had to wear it. He loved the attention, and endured the process.
 
Easter morning we hid real and filled eggs in the front rooms and let him search for them, much to his excitement. Then we had brunch and watched BeiLee devour bowls of pineapple. That evening we had Easter dinner at Carlos O'Kelly's (Danny had to work, and we were pretty sure someone named Jesus would be there).
The day after Easter was not so fun, as BeiLee had his circumcism. As I type this, 16 days later, he has healed and forgiven me but it ws rough the first few days.
 
I have been dealing with my stress by knitting obsessively. Bei is wearing my latest design--the flower topped beret. It has a knitted tie so it will fit newborn to three, and it is so damned cute on BeiLee. I am starting a new set of hats for Vietnam, and these will be the start.
Friday we took BeiLee to his first baseball game, to Wrigley Field to see the Cubs. From the train rides up and back, to the joy on his face when he saw Aunt Mo and Aunt Laurie with the cookie tower, and for the wonderful deep nap that lasted through the 7th inning stretch, it was a day to remember for all of us.
 
All of this and the daily fun of BeiLee taking art classes, learning new words, and growing like a weed. This week's joy was watching him eat his first fresh blueberries, and seeing him demand grapes over candy each day. He is changing and learning and adapting to this new world with us. Playing in his sandbox, figuring out the bubble machine, overcoming his fear of the slide--each day is new and wonderful. He is really enjoying his Wednesdays with Danny, doing art projects and just having a big brother around.
 
And this week, for this short and wonderful time, noone in this house is sick. No drippy noses, no stomach upset (although Bei now pretends to throw up in the toilet, so he learned something new from Mama's pain) and no crankiness.
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|     Kelly was married 3/8/08, and we all came down with horrible colds afterwards so I am just now posting the photos. BeiLee was wonderful. He walked down the aisle with Kendall and Danny, ran straight to me, then went up the side aisle with my mother and had a great time shopping with her until the reception. At the reception, he learned that my house key opened a door, so he was happily distracted until the music began. He had been practicing his dancing for weeks, and he really loved every moment of it. It was a lovely day, and my favorite moment was when BeiLee yelled during the father/daughter dance and Kelly held out her arms for him to join them. He is so happy with his brother and sister, and has fun basking in their attention. More photos are in the photo file. We have been busy with work, sickness, and just daily life, but all is good. | | |
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