This is so sad but you can help!
This boy has a brain tumor along with other medical and spectrum disorders. His family is desperately trying raise enough money to pay their bills, along with collecting unused coupons, empty ink cartriges and soup labels, among other things. They even have an Ebay store to help with fundraising.
Click here or Please go to
http://www.brandonnoble.com/
and do whatever you can to help this little guy and his family out!!
P.S. They also have an Amazon wish list that you can access by going here
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
Some sad news, and the questions of a little inquiring mind.
On New Years eve, Johnny, our pet Preying Mantis passed away. He was not eating very well in the couple weeks preceding his demise, so it wasn't completely unexpected.The day after New Years, I told Sonja about Johnny's fate and told her he was in heaven with our dog Hank (who passed away in 2006 from osteosarcoma) and Big Al our cat (who succumbed to feline AIDS in 2007).
This morning while I was helping Sonja get ready for UPK, she said to me "Mommy, Johnny is going to get hurt! He's too small and Hankie and Big Al are going to step on him!"
At first, I hadn't a clue as to what she was talking about, but after asking her to repeat it, I then understood what she meant. I told her that as far as I know, heaven has trees and plants and is like a paradise! He can climb up in the trees and hide in plants and near rocks and stuff so that he doesn't get hurt. He's safe and I'm sure having fun with other Preying Mantis' (?) who are there too, along with Hankie and Al. I tried to calm her concerns.
She smiled and said "Oh! That's good." And that was the end of it! I guess what I told her worked!
I have a feeling that in the future, instead of seeing a stray dog or cat and saying "Can we keep it", Sonja will be saying it about any "stray" preying mantis that crosses her path!
That's my girl!
Until next time.....
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
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Sunday, December 28, 2008
GREAT NEWS, Christmas and the "shelf elf"!
On New Years Eve day, Max had his cystogram at the hospital. Late in the afternoon, we received a message from Max's Dr. that Max's test came back good!!!!! Her office is closed for the next few days but she said if I had any further questions to call her on Friday.
As I was shopping at our local market New years eve, I saw her and thanked her for the happy news (what a great ending to the year and hopefully a sign of the good things to come in the next!) We celebrated the New year with a party!!! Sparkling grape juice all around!!!
Next is the story of our Christmas elf.
This is the shelf elf.
When I was a little girl, my parents had these shelf elves. We had two larger ones, one was silver lame' and one gold lame' and also two smaller ones, one red felt and one green felt. In recent years, there has been a resurgence of these little guys. I'm just surprised it took so long!
My mother still has the originals and I'm going to be the happy recipient of them, but I purchased the one above this holiday season for the kids, as I wanted them to experience the "magic" I experienced when I was a child.
A few days before Christmas, the kids were allowed to open a present and this one was decorated very attractively, so of course, they picked it. When they opened it I read them the story of the shelf elf and Sonja came up with "his" name. She named him Kalpin because she thought the boy in her new favorite Christmas movie "Home Alone" was named "Kalpin" (instead of Kevin). I decided I'd place him atop the curio in the great room. Later in the afternoon, we were decorating the gingerbread house and Dan took a quick break. After we finished decorating the yummy house, Sonja went into the great room and discovered that the elf had magically moved from the curio to over on top of my decorative houses. She yelled "Mommy! Mommy! Come here QUICK!!!! When I entered the room she told me that the elf moved! I told her that SHE must have moved him and she said "NO I DIDN'T!!!" I told her that Max must have and I asked Max if he did, to which he said "NO"!! I told her that she was fibbing and she was adament that she didn't, getting a bit mad that I was accusing her of such a thing!
The elf moved from there to here and back again over the next few days and it was always a fun game to see where he was hiding (usually somewhere he could get a good view of what the kids were doing, as to keep Santa well informed of their deeds, good or bad!) until Christmas. On Christmas day he was happily sitting in the tree watching us open the presents Santa left.
Here are a few more pictures of the munchkins in their holiday duds.
Bear just HAD to get in this one! Our "little" puppy! He'll celebrate his 1st birthday on January 15th! He can easily rest his paws on my shoulders when standing on his back legs and he's almost as tall as I am!!
Sonja sitting on Nana's (my mom's) lap at Grandma G's house. My Mom spent the night at our house Christmas eve so she could watch the kids open their gifts Christmas morning.
Some of the goodies left on Christmas eve before being opened. Sonja will be soo surprised!
I'm trying to instill in our kids that they can't always get what they want and especially to expect it without some hard work. Every time Sonja would see something on T.V. she would say "I want Santa to bring me that Mommy!" I told her that Santa can't bring everything that she wants AND things for ALL of the kids in the world. So I told her that she could make a list but it can only have four things on it so she must choose wisely. Everytime she wanted something new she would have to decide what on the list was staying and what was going. After many changes she ended up with the Quinny 4 in one stroller, Baby alive, a mermaid costume and roll over doggie. She was extremely surprised when she woke up Christmas morning to see all of those presents, and grateful for each and every one of them! Everytime she opened a gift, whether it be from Santa, Nana or Daddy and I, she would say "Thank You so MUCH (insert name). For Santa's gifts she would say "I've been wanting that SO much. How did he know!" Santa knows everything!!!
Max came down and immediately went right to his tool bench. Notice how many pictures he's wearing his "safety goggles in!
Putting down his safety goggles to better manage his power tools. Even Sonja got in on the action!
Putting goggles back on.
Safety first! No safety violation here!
Max took forever opening his gifts. He would open one and play with it until we'd tell him to open another. He ended up refusing to open anymore so I had to finish for him.
We now have too many toys, so Sonja decided to give her old ones away. She knows that there are kids that would love them just as she did when she first received them (like the land of misfit toys!)
I was delighted and really surprised with the present "the kids" got me....a complete day at the spa with a one hour massage, one hour facial, manicure, pedicure, hair color, cut, style and a few other things!!!!!! It's a little distance from were we live but Dan said he'd drop me off and take the kids someplace while I get pampered (have I mentioned what a wonderful husband I have!). I always joke and say that I would love to have a day at the spa, but I didn't think I ever would actually get one! Santa truly does know everything!
Well, we hope you all had a very Merry Christmas and that all have a wonderful New year!!!
As I was shopping at our local market New years eve, I saw her and thanked her for the happy news (what a great ending to the year and hopefully a sign of the good things to come in the next!) We celebrated the New year with a party!!! Sparkling grape juice all around!!!
Next is the story of our Christmas elf.
This is the shelf elf.
When I was a little girl, my parents had these shelf elves. We had two larger ones, one was silver lame' and one gold lame' and also two smaller ones, one red felt and one green felt. In recent years, there has been a resurgence of these little guys. I'm just surprised it took so long!
My mother still has the originals and I'm going to be the happy recipient of them, but I purchased the one above this holiday season for the kids, as I wanted them to experience the "magic" I experienced when I was a child.
A few days before Christmas, the kids were allowed to open a present and this one was decorated very attractively, so of course, they picked it. When they opened it I read them the story of the shelf elf and Sonja came up with "his" name. She named him Kalpin because she thought the boy in her new favorite Christmas movie "Home Alone" was named "Kalpin" (instead of Kevin). I decided I'd place him atop the curio in the great room. Later in the afternoon, we were decorating the gingerbread house and Dan took a quick break. After we finished decorating the yummy house, Sonja went into the great room and discovered that the elf had magically moved from the curio to over on top of my decorative houses. She yelled "Mommy! Mommy! Come here QUICK!!!! When I entered the room she told me that the elf moved! I told her that SHE must have moved him and she said "NO I DIDN'T!!!" I told her that Max must have and I asked Max if he did, to which he said "NO"!! I told her that she was fibbing and she was adament that she didn't, getting a bit mad that I was accusing her of such a thing!
The elf moved from there to here and back again over the next few days and it was always a fun game to see where he was hiding (usually somewhere he could get a good view of what the kids were doing, as to keep Santa well informed of their deeds, good or bad!) until Christmas. On Christmas day he was happily sitting in the tree watching us open the presents Santa left.
Here are a few more pictures of the munchkins in their holiday duds.
Bear just HAD to get in this one! Our "little" puppy! He'll celebrate his 1st birthday on January 15th! He can easily rest his paws on my shoulders when standing on his back legs and he's almost as tall as I am!!
Sonja sitting on Nana's (my mom's) lap at Grandma G's house. My Mom spent the night at our house Christmas eve so she could watch the kids open their gifts Christmas morning.
Some of the goodies left on Christmas eve before being opened. Sonja will be soo surprised!I'm trying to instill in our kids that they can't always get what they want and especially to expect it without some hard work. Every time Sonja would see something on T.V. she would say "I want Santa to bring me that Mommy!" I told her that Santa can't bring everything that she wants AND things for ALL of the kids in the world. So I told her that she could make a list but it can only have four things on it so she must choose wisely. Everytime she wanted something new she would have to decide what on the list was staying and what was going. After many changes she ended up with the Quinny 4 in one stroller, Baby alive, a mermaid costume and roll over doggie. She was extremely surprised when she woke up Christmas morning to see all of those presents, and grateful for each and every one of them! Everytime she opened a gift, whether it be from Santa, Nana or Daddy and I, she would say "Thank You so MUCH (insert name). For Santa's gifts she would say "I've been wanting that SO much. How did he know!" Santa knows everything!!!
Max came down and immediately went right to his tool bench. Notice how many pictures he's wearing his "safety goggles in!
Putting down his safety goggles to better manage his power tools. Even Sonja got in on the action!
Putting goggles back on.
Safety first! No safety violation here!
Max took forever opening his gifts. He would open one and play with it until we'd tell him to open another. He ended up refusing to open anymore so I had to finish for him.
We now have too many toys, so Sonja decided to give her old ones away. She knows that there are kids that would love them just as she did when she first received them (like the land of misfit toys!)I was delighted and really surprised with the present "the kids" got me....a complete day at the spa with a one hour massage, one hour facial, manicure, pedicure, hair color, cut, style and a few other things!!!!!! It's a little distance from were we live but Dan said he'd drop me off and take the kids someplace while I get pampered (have I mentioned what a wonderful husband I have!). I always joke and say that I would love to have a day at the spa, but I didn't think I ever would actually get one! Santa truly does know everything!
Well, we hope you all had a very Merry Christmas and that all have a wonderful New year!!!
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
Oh Christmas tree?
Merry Christmas everyone!!!WOW...busy, busy, busy....getting gifts, playing, baking, and just plain having FUN!!!
As you can see we have a Sonja tree for a Christmas tree! We also have our "real" Christmas tree (see below)
Sonja wanted to dress up as a Christmas tree. We also dressed Max up, but we were unable to get his picture before his greenery started to fall off. He looked pretty good too.
Here's our tree. Thank God for pre-lite Christmas trees!!! I always dreaded stringing the lights on the tree. The only part of decorating the tree I didn't like!This year, the kids really got into trimming the tree, putting the ornaments on (mostly on the bottom, every inch or so). They loved it.
Here are a few pictures I took of the kids one night. The lighting isn't the best but I know Nana doesn't care. She'll love them just the same. Max poses like he's a GQ model or something.
Pretty funny. Look at Max. He's got his hand in his pocket and his other on Sonja's shoulder. I can't help but giggle when I look at it. I think he's the ham of the two!
Bear with his icicles hanging off his beard. He just LOVES the snow. He'll romp in it for hours until he has snow packed in his pads and looks like this! His coat is so woolly that the snow and moisture never gets down to his skin.
Snow diggleberries hanging on Bears butt!
We made our gingerbread house. Well, it was actually our second, as we decorated one at our friend Hannah's birthday party. Here are the kids ready to get busy!
Here's the basics ingredients.
Max taste testing for quality assurance.
More testing
Do you think he's been into the frosting?
Sharing with sis! Great!!! Now TWO toddlers with a "sugar high"!
The finished product!
As Sonja would say...."PERFECTO!" and "SCRUMPTIOUS!"
Hope everyone has a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!Tonight we'll make Christmas cookies for Santa!!!!!!
Until next time.....
Monday, December 1, 2008
Max and his ultrasound
Max had an ultrasound done a few weeks ago. He had an ultrasound of the kidneys and also of the bladder. The reason he had it done is twofold.
One, being that he was born with microtia and children born with microtia have a higher incidence of having kidney malformations on the affected side, sometimes causing problems.
Second, being that he was born in China and having been raised on formula in China, he is at risk for melamine sickening/poisoning. The American Pediatric Association recommends that children adopted from China, some going back as far as 2005, should be tested for melamine poisoning as there have been children adopted in 2005 that have been recently diagnosed with Kidney/bladder stones or worse.
So like any good mother, I took this info to my pediatrician and she ordered the testing.
I received a call today from Max's doctor stating that they found something in Max's bladder and that he will have to undergo a urethrocystogram (?). He had an appointment to she her this week so she'll tell me when the testing will be done and where. It's suspected to be a calculi that formed in the bladder. Bladder calculi (stones) and Kidneys calculi are the outcome of melamine sickening/ingestion/poisoning. He has never had any problems since being home that was detectable by us, but his history prior to coming to us is almost completely unknown. Also, Max having a communication barrier makes it difficult for him to articulate exactly what is going on with himself other than to say something like "It hurk" and pointing to a body part etc.
I'm not exactly sure what will be done, if in fact he does have a stone, but we'll see how the testing comes out first.
Sonja will be tested in the next month.
So, my reason for this post besides informing family/friends, is to urge any adoptive parent out their with a child from China during the W.H.O. stated time frame to GET THEM TESTED!!!
If your child gets sick, you'll wish you had!!!!!
Take care and take it easy!
Until next time.....
One, being that he was born with microtia and children born with microtia have a higher incidence of having kidney malformations on the affected side, sometimes causing problems.
Second, being that he was born in China and having been raised on formula in China, he is at risk for melamine sickening/poisoning. The American Pediatric Association recommends that children adopted from China, some going back as far as 2005, should be tested for melamine poisoning as there have been children adopted in 2005 that have been recently diagnosed with Kidney/bladder stones or worse.
So like any good mother, I took this info to my pediatrician and she ordered the testing.
I received a call today from Max's doctor stating that they found something in Max's bladder and that he will have to undergo a urethrocystogram (?). He had an appointment to she her this week so she'll tell me when the testing will be done and where. It's suspected to be a calculi that formed in the bladder. Bladder calculi (stones) and Kidneys calculi are the outcome of melamine sickening/ingestion/poisoning. He has never had any problems since being home that was detectable by us, but his history prior to coming to us is almost completely unknown. Also, Max having a communication barrier makes it difficult for him to articulate exactly what is going on with himself other than to say something like "It hurk" and pointing to a body part etc.
I'm not exactly sure what will be done, if in fact he does have a stone, but we'll see how the testing comes out first.
Sonja will be tested in the next month.
So, my reason for this post besides informing family/friends, is to urge any adoptive parent out their with a child from China during the W.H.O. stated time frame to GET THEM TESTED!!!
If your child gets sick, you'll wish you had!!!!!
Take care and take it easy!
Until next time.....
Thursday, November 27, 2008
Happy Thanksgiving!!!
I just wanted to wish all of you out in the "blogasphere" a very Happy Thanksgiving!
I personally have much to be thankful for.
I'm thankful for my family first and foremost. I never thought that my childhood "premonition" of adopting from China would have actually come true. In Catholic school, We had a "feed the children" program that was, at that time called "pagan babies" (I know, I know). Anyway, you would give a daily or weekly tithe to help provide for children struggling in other countries. You would then get to "pick out" the "baby" which was a picture of a child from another country glued to a cardboard backer and it was on a stand (kind of like paper dolls. I picked out a child from China and a child from India (even at that young age, which was 1st and 2nd grade, I was fascinated by the cultures, and still am!). The only problem was that I thought I was really going to get to "have" these babies and when I found out they weren't coming to my house to live at some point, I was told by my Mom I was devastated. As an adult Dan and I were having a problem conceiving. In 1996 or 1997 a friend and former co-worker of mine Deb had just returned from China with her daughter Kate. She had offered to help me with all of my paperwork etc when we were ready as she's an R.N. and social worker. It was then I knew we would adopt from China for sure. I would jokingly say I was going to adopt a baby boy from China, dye his hair red, put some fake freckles on his cheeks, and call him "Danielsan" (get it, I know not too funny, but I'm a cornball so now you know :-). My desire to adopt a child, and especially a child of a different ethnicity, was not too popular with some of the family on Dan's side as many were of an older generation rife with racial predjudices and overtones, a frequent topic on many adoption forums and I believe one of the biggest stressors adoptive familes face. Since that time all have come to adore our children. I believe it was more to do with fear of the unknown than anything.
We didn't adopt our son first as was the "plan" (nor have we dyed his hair red or freckled his face, as he's absolutely beautiful just the way he is)but we do have our family at long last, just the way it was meant to be and according to another plan much greater than our own.
I'm also very thankful for my extended family (Mom [a.k.a. Nana], sister, brothers and cousins). They are the BEST.
I'm also thankful for Dan's family. His father and mother are so great with the kids. Max is Grandpas boy and their faces light right up when they see eachother. Sonja loves her Grandma too and especially loves to bake at Grandma house with Grandma.
And last but not least, my friends both in my day to day life over the years, and my many friends I've met in cyberspace. You have all touched my life more deeply than I ever thought could be possible from people I've never "met" and I'm happy to call you friends.
I know I've probably forgotten someone. Please except my appologies if I have.
Thank you and Much love
Until next time.....
I personally have much to be thankful for.
I'm thankful for my family first and foremost. I never thought that my childhood "premonition" of adopting from China would have actually come true. In Catholic school, We had a "feed the children" program that was, at that time called "pagan babies" (I know, I know). Anyway, you would give a daily or weekly tithe to help provide for children struggling in other countries. You would then get to "pick out" the "baby" which was a picture of a child from another country glued to a cardboard backer and it was on a stand (kind of like paper dolls. I picked out a child from China and a child from India (even at that young age, which was 1st and 2nd grade, I was fascinated by the cultures, and still am!). The only problem was that I thought I was really going to get to "have" these babies and when I found out they weren't coming to my house to live at some point, I was told by my Mom I was devastated. As an adult Dan and I were having a problem conceiving. In 1996 or 1997 a friend and former co-worker of mine Deb had just returned from China with her daughter Kate. She had offered to help me with all of my paperwork etc when we were ready as she's an R.N. and social worker. It was then I knew we would adopt from China for sure. I would jokingly say I was going to adopt a baby boy from China, dye his hair red, put some fake freckles on his cheeks, and call him "Danielsan" (get it, I know not too funny, but I'm a cornball so now you know :-). My desire to adopt a child, and especially a child of a different ethnicity, was not too popular with some of the family on Dan's side as many were of an older generation rife with racial predjudices and overtones, a frequent topic on many adoption forums and I believe one of the biggest stressors adoptive familes face. Since that time all have come to adore our children. I believe it was more to do with fear of the unknown than anything.
We didn't adopt our son first as was the "plan" (nor have we dyed his hair red or freckled his face, as he's absolutely beautiful just the way he is)but we do have our family at long last, just the way it was meant to be and according to another plan much greater than our own.
I'm also very thankful for my extended family (Mom [a.k.a. Nana], sister, brothers and cousins). They are the BEST.
I'm also thankful for Dan's family. His father and mother are so great with the kids. Max is Grandpas boy and their faces light right up when they see eachother. Sonja loves her Grandma too and especially loves to bake at Grandma house with Grandma.
And last but not least, my friends both in my day to day life over the years, and my many friends I've met in cyberspace. You have all touched my life more deeply than I ever thought could be possible from people I've never "met" and I'm happy to call you friends.
I know I've probably forgotten someone. Please except my appologies if I have.
Thank you and Much love
Until next time.....
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