HI NICHOLAS!!!!
THANKS FOR READING MY BLOG!
LOVE YA, AUNT HEATHER
Monday, June 30, 2008
Friday, June 27, 2008
Adventures In Water
Were are officially waterlogged! Wednesday we spent a couple of hours at the "Rainforest". For those of you who don't live in the area, this is a little kid sized water park. The water is only 6-8 inches deep and there are slides and fountains and all sorts of fun kid things. Last year Sammy was still a little too small to really appreciate it, but I had a feeling that this year would be different. And it was! He LOVED it! For the first 30 minutes he would not let me put him down because he was a little concerned about the big bucket of water that poured down every 5 minutes. There was a big tube slide that he would sit in my lap and ride down which he thought was really cool (I think we rode down the slide 20+ times, no joke). They also have a miniature lazy river that we probably floated in for a least 30 minutes. He enjoyed sitting in the innertube like a big boy. He would occasionally lay his head on my shoulder and just cuddle while we floated. It was sweet mommy/son time. By the last 30 minutes or so he finally got brave and was doing everything on his own. He was marching up the stairs and the ramp towards the slide with all the big kids. There would be tiny Sammy and like 4-5 8 year olds running towards the slide. He would have gone down the slide alone but I was afraid he would flip around in the dark tunnel and hit his head. There were also these huge metal waterguns that were affixed to these towers you could climb up. He was marching up the stairs to the towers and squirting the guns at the kids below. Too funny! All in all it was a blast! We decided that this will be a weekly treat. (sorry, no pictures from this day!)
Yesterday we met some friends at their neighborhood pool. I bought some floaties for Sammy's arms, but they wound up being too big (so big that he could not get his hand to his face to wipe away the water...it was really sad) and he had to switch with his cousin Emma. So, Emma had blue floaties and Sammy...well, he had pink. Daddy is not thrilled with the arrangement that was made, but we really had no choice. As reckless as Sammy can be I could not risk not having a floatation device on him. Although I have to say, I let go of him to see how well the floats worked....not so good people. His little face went right in to the water. If I was not there watching him he would have been far from safe. Anyway, we were at the pool for three hours and I feared that Sammy would have a horrible sunburn, but he just turned 3 shades browner instead. I on the other hand am more of a ripe tomato red. So not fair!!!!!!
Sammy in Emma's pink floaties....sorry Daddy!
Emma in Sammy's gigantic arm floaties
Ohhhh, this water is cooooold!
Beautiful brown Sammy and pasty white Mommy
mmmmm, CapriSun
Nothing like a piece of pizza after playing in the water!
Monday, June 23, 2008
Last Week
You all know that the last six posts were "homecoming 2006 reflections", so now I have to start posting all that was happening in real time last week. It shouldn't take too long though.
Sammy woke up Sunday morning (15th) feeling warm but I didn't check his temperature because I tend to not be very good at detecting a fever. I figured he was just warm from sleeping. Later that day he felt more than just a little warm so I took his temp and it was 101.5. It did not alarm me in the slightest, but I decided to keep him at home and calm until is passed. Well, three days later he was STILL running a fever only now it had hit 103.5. There were also no other symptoms accompanying the fever. He was acting like normal Sammy! On day 5 the fever went away and the rash showed up! When he had been running the fever days 1 and 2 I had gotten online and googled "fever with no symptoms". Main thing that it came back with was Roseola. So, I was fully expecting to see a rash pop up. Holy cow it looked awful!!!! If he was a fair complected child I probably would have had a panic attack. I could not believe that it didn't itch or hurt because it looked horribly uncomfortable. The doctor and the internet warned that it would make Sammy cranky and they weren't kidding! He was SOOOOOOOO emotional and short tempered. It was a test of my patience for sure. Thankfully the rash was gone by yesterday and he is back to normal today.
(Sammy chillin' on his "sick bed" and watching some cartoons)
Whenever my little muffin top is sick I make a bed on the floor for him. Fluffy blankets, pillows and all his favorite "guys" (Backyardigans). It goes against my grain a bit because I like my living room to be tidy so having blankets and whatnot on my floor for a WEEK is hard. BUT, my Mom always had a way of figuring out how to make being sick not so bad,and I want to create the same memories for Sammy. She would wait on us hand and foot (and still wrangle the 4 other kids AND educate them). She would fix us special food, and even though we did not have much money she would by us coloring books and new crayons, or maybe some paper dolls. Good times!
Friday the 20th was Sammy's homecoming day (as you know) so our little family of three had a celebration. I decorated the table with balloons and made some cupcakes. We got Sammy some little gifts (a tube of frogs...or as he would say "ahhggss", sunglasses and finger paints) and cooked out his favorite food, hotdogs with ketchup! After cupcakes, dinner, and more cupcakes we took Sammy out for a walk in his wagon. He seemed to really enjoy himself and was adequately tuckered out by 8:00. It was so fun to sit at the table and watch our little boy eat his hot dog like a big kid and then think back to how tiny he was two years ago. Some days he still seems like a baby to me and others he's so grown up it makes my heart ache. I am just trying to hang on to all the memories and soak up each moment of him needing me because all too soon he will be going to school, going to sleepovers, going to camp, dating, getting married, and having beautiful children of his own.
My attempt at Korean and American flags
Just what I have always wanted....fingerpaint!!!!
Friday, June 20, 2008
June 20,2006- The Big Day
Jordan posted this on his blog this morning and he said it all so well that I decided that it would be todays final post for our flashback to Sammy's arrival. We would invite you to also watch the homecoming video at the bottom of this post.it was two years ago today, heather and I were sitting in the international terminal of LAX in los angeles, anxiously awaiting the arrival of our first son. most people do this at the hospital, but that's not what God had in store for us. He had a much different plan. heather and i had spent over four years begging and pleading with God to grant us a child. at times we felt like our prayers were falling on deaf ears. we knew he was there, and we knew that he heard us, but we couldn't understand why He wouldn't grant us our desire. was it selfish to so desperately want to conceive and care for a child? friend after friend got pregnant and had babies and we just waited...and struggled. it's amazing how God works. God doesn't do ordinary. when He does something, he does it BIG. this was big. on march 12, 2005, God finally let us in on His plan, and it was a good one. heather and i went with our best friends (scottie and angela) to go see steven curtis chapman and chris tomlin in concert. during the concert, chapman spent about 20 minutes sharing about his family's call to adoption. he showed pictures of his three biological children (all teenagers) and then he showed pictures of these three beautiful little girls who they had adopted from china. he sang a song called "when love takes you in" and my heart melted. now, i've always had a hard time hearing God. not because he doesn't speak to me, but because i haven't yet learned how to listen. this night was different. God grabbed me by the shoulders, looked me right in the eyes, smiled and told me that this is what all the waiting was for. this was it. that very night i fell in love with sammy. i didn't know whether my child would be a boy or girl, and the name samuel hadn't yet been decided on, but i was in love nonetheless. and then, just over thirteen months later, there i was sitting in a busy terminal in an unfamiliar city just waiting for my world to be turned upside down. no, not waiting, longing. and as we waited, palms sweating, for our son to arrive and be placed in our arms, i thanked God for the journey. for the pain. for the struggle. for the hurt. for it all. He was faithful. He heard our prayers, and He must have been grinning as we cried in our despair. He knew what the waiting was for. it was for His glory and for our good. and even in that moment, as peace (mixed with nausea) overwhelmed me, there he was, the most perfect little boy i had ever seen, dressed in blue and yellow with a silly looking visor on his head. it was like being stuck in slow motion watching him being carried down a long corridor and into our arms. he was here. praise God, our son was finally here!
my prayer.
Father God, thank you for my son. thank you for blessing us with these last two years, and we thank you for however many days lie ahead. thank you for adopting me as your son, and for loving me as your own, even as you love your Son, Jesus. i pray that you would continue to mold me into the husband and the father that my wife and son deserve. raise up my son to be a man like noah. a man who will fly in the face of everything that this world stands for, and will stand for everything that You are. help me to raise a son who won't settle for status quo. i pray for your continued blessings on my family. i am a blessed man!
Thursday, June 19, 2008
June 15th - part of June 20th
We arrived in LA on the 19th and had most of the day and some of the next morning to kill before we would head back to the airport to meet Sammy. So we did what any normal tourist would do while in L.A......we hunted for movie stars. We didn't hit the "hot spots" or anything, we just kept our eyes peeled. I don't really know why because we wouldn't have asked for an autograph or picture. We would have just gawked and then had a good story to tell. I just needed something to distract me from the millions of butterflies fluttering around in my stomach and this pretty much did the job. Unfortunately we saw zero famous people. We did eat some good food and enjoyed the LA weather though. The next morning we walked to a little shopping area just down the street from our hotel to help fill the time until we headed for the airport. I remember that the stores weren't open yet so we sat on a bench outside and waited for someone to unlock a door. I could hear the sound of Jordan and Melinda's (SIL) voices but I had no idea what they were saying. I was silently counting down the hours and minutes until I was with my baby. I knew Jordan was doing the same in his head, but he was capable of behaving normally on the outside. Today I didn't want to shop, or talk, or fill my time with anything while we waited. I just wanted to sit in silence and wait. I wanted to be left alone with my thoughts. Would I be a good Mom? Would Sammy cry and be afraid of us? Would he bond quickly, or would he have a long grieving process? Did I pack enough diapers? What if his flight was delayed, or changed and no one called us? Did I pack enough clothes? What if he hates his carseat, do I just hold him in the cab on the way back to the hotel? Oh, I hope he sleeps well tonight! I wonder if he is going to be super chubby and not fit into the clothes I brought for him. Did I pack enough formula? Will he love me as much as I love him?
Even though I was being ridiculously obsessive, I still was finding comfort mulling over my fears and doubts. Sounds weird, but it made it all seem more real. This was happening! I was 2 hours away from being on my way to the airport. And then I was going to be 1 hour away from my son's flight landing, and then I would be another hour away from him finally being in my arms. Soon, my life would be changed forever!
Walking the streets of L.A.
(in our hotel room)
Gossip magazines are one of my weaknesses, and while most people I know won't buy them (except for my older sister...it's her fault I love them so much), they can't resist picking one up if it's just laying next to them. Including YOU Melinda! :) And you know you enjoyed it! ;)
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
June 6,2006
Got the call today that Sammy (Soo Min) had been issued his PASSPORT!!!!!!!!!! It had been 12 days since we had gotten EP. Things so far were running according to the schedule we had been told. We now had another 2-4 weeks to wait for his travel clearance. I wanted to start pricing out airfare to LA, and I was checking the dates around the time the Birthland Tour was coming home. I kept being warned by the Dillon staff that there was a good chance that Sammy would be cleared in time to come home with them, but I should not plan on it, just in case. That was hard to hear. I was so close and I felt like the slightest thing might make my world crumble around me. I just needed to hear something definite from someone. It was agonizing knowing that my child was so far away growing older by the minute and doing all sorts of cute things and I was missing it. I don't know how to adequately convey how difficult it is to know that a child is yours and to have already fallen in love with this child and not be able to hold them and play with them and do all the things that Mommy and Daddy are supposed to do. We enjoyed getting updates from Korea (video, pictures) but each time we did the ache in our heart grew bigger. So, at this point in the game with Passport issued and the Birthland Tour coming home in 2 weeks, I was becoming very anxious. I wanted to buy those tickets so that I would have something in front of me that said my baby was coming home.
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
May 25,2006- in 4 days Sammy will be 4 months old
This was a picture we received of Sammy before he came home. It was blurry, but we could still see that he was a happy and beautiful baby.
Monday, June 16, 2008
May 22, 2006
I was in Sammy's nursery attempting to hang his curtains. His room was pretty much done aside from some finishing touches here and there. I was in a bad mood that day and feeling REALLY emotional. I just wanted my baby already! Well, the curtains were not working. It was a roman shade that my sweet Mother-in-law had worked really hard to make, but come to find out the pattern was wrong which resulted in the shade not pulling up properly. So, I was sitting on the nursery floor crying when Jordan walked in the door with the mail. He handed me a letter from Citizen and Immigration Services. I opened the letter which stated that our I-600 had been processed. Now let me explain why this was shocking news. Once you receive a referral of a child you fill out a load of paperwork and mail it off to USCIS where they approve the child for entrance into the US. Once that's approved a Visa can be issued for that child. So here is the shocking part. We were told that it would take up to 12 weeks for this form to get approved. On the acceptance paperwork there were two dates noted. Date number 1- Date Petition Filed: 5/15/06, Date number 2- Date of Approval of Petition: 5/16/06!!!! Did you read that????? It was approved the day after they received it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This was the last thing needed on the US side in order for Korea to release Soo Min Lee to us!!!!!!!!! I called Dillon Intl. and told them about the letter. I remember them being so shocked that they asked me to fax it over right away so they could verify that it was in fact our I-600 approval. And....it was! I quickly picked myself up off the floor, stopped crying and went back to work on the nursery. Sammy was coming home sooner than we expected!
Saturday, June 14, 2008
Father's Day Gift
Yes, it's only Saturday, but I was so proud of myself that I couldn't wait to give Jordan his Father's Day gift. The gift included the following pictures, two of which were placed in a shadow box with both flags. He LOVED it! But how could he not, the kiddo in the picture is downright adorable!!!!!!! Oh, and the shirt Sammy is wearing is one of my sister and brother-in-law's designs AND my sister-in-law took the awesome pictures! Thank you family!!
Something funny was happening here which resulted in my crinkled nose and Sammy looking mischievous.
Thursday, June 5, 2008
Thoughts from a 4 year old
My niece Emma is the cutest and most precocious little 4 year old I have ever met. She has a way of saying things out of the blue that will just crack you up.
So, the other night I was babysitting her while her mommy was playing the piano for a children's program. We were eating dinner when she got up from the table and somehow managed to scratch herself on the corner of it. She climbed in my lap and fake cried for a few minutes and then looked up in my face and said, "when Sammy becomes a human, will he play with me?". Jordan and I looked at each other and just started dying laughing. Apparently Sammy has not reached "human" status. I wonder what it takes.
A week earlier she stayed at my house for a while and happened to notice a picture of Sammy with his foster mother. The questions that followed were ones that forced me to explain Sammy's adoption. I was sweating trying to think of a clear way of explaining everything. So, slowly but surely I begin (in a very watered down version) explaining adoption. Right as I was beginning to stumble over my words and sweat profusely, Emma looks at me and says angrily "Auntie Heather, pigs do not ride on skateboards!!". WHAT!!!!!!!!! The calendar on my refrigerator has a picture of a pig on a skateboard that she must have noticed somewhere in the midst of our conversation. All I could think was, whew, she wasn't listening!!! Well fast-forward to the same night as the "human" comment. At some point in the evening Emma looks at me and says, "when I was born I didn't have a mom and dad?" CRAP!!!!!!! What did I do????!!!!!!! I started re-explaining and emphasized that she had a mommy and a Daddy. She then cut me off and said, "Wait,I know....Sammy was born and then he came to live with Scottie and Angela." (these are her parents and she actually used their names). Either she was not ready for the conversation, or I just sucked that bad at explaining it. Probably a little of both. Either way, it was funny and made for a good laugh. What a kid!!!!!
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
My Favorite Things
So you know how Oprah does her "Favorite Things" episodes every year....I thought I would do a "favorite things" for kids stuff. This is a list of stuff that I personally have tried, from clothes and shoes, to baby gear . Some of you may find this useful, some of you may be bored to tears. I am mostly doing it so that three years from now when we start the process for baby #2 I can reference this list since I am sure by then I will have forgotten everything. So here are my top ten favorite things.......
1. Casual Shoe- my all time favorite casual shoe has been the Kenneth Cole Reaction "Too Fly". Sammy has a narrow foot and these were perfect. They also went well with everything. http://www.kennethcole.com/scripts/shop/thumbnailsRX.asp?cc=RTBSH
2. Sandals- I really don't like boy sandals at all, and since I have always been a shoe person it has been hard for me to just buy a generic sandal and be ok with it (FYI- Crocs are great, but too wide for Sammy's foot). Call it superficial if you will. So this year I searched high and low for something that satisfied the needs of Sammy's active lifestyle, and satisfied my desire for him to have at least a semi-fashionable foot. I then fell in love with the "Keen Footwear H2O Sandal" for kids. They are a wet/dry sandal, they are very flexible, and extremely soft inside. We got the "camo" color.
http://www.keenfootwear.com/product_detail.aspx?sku=8212
3. T-Shirts- there is nothing worse than spending money on a cute "t" and then having it fade and stretch out after 3 washings. It is a huge waste of money. Gap and Old Navy have been two of the worst in that area. They also make very boxy t-shirts. I don't know about your kids, but Sammy has a long and narrow torso and it has been a real trick finding shirts that don't swallow him up in the width or exposing his stomach with a slight lift of the arms. Let me introduce you to Zara! I don't know if every state has one, but it is a company that originates from Spain. They have the cutest boutique style shirts and they run anywhere from $6-$11. The cotton has some spandex in it so it maintains its shape really well.
Text says "No Comment"
"Panic In The City"
"UFO Detector"
"Three Dimension"
4. Diapers- At least for boys, Pampers Flex/Cruisers are the ultimate! All others including, Luvs and Huggies leaked horribly.
5. Diaper Rash Cream- California Baby carries a powder and cream that you use together and I swear the rash is gone in a day if not sooner. I was shocked!!!!! It is worth the price to shorten the time your child has to suffer from a raw bottom.
6. Stroller- I remain a HUGE advocate of the Graco Metrolite. The basket space is easily and accessible and roomy. The stroller is able to be collapsed with one hand. It has a two cup holders for the parent as well as a cup and snack holder for the child. AND it is reasonably priced. I LOVED everything about it. This is the exact one we have. Sammy is almost 2 1/2 and still fits in it comfortably.
7. Bedroom Furniture- Ok, the price is a little high up front, BUT all the furniture is convertible. We will not have to buy Sammy bedroom furniture from here on out. We purchased it in black and really like how it looks. When you say you bought black baby furniture people tend to look at you strange, but it just goes well with any color, so I can redecorate Sammy's room without have to change the furniture out.
8. Bottles/Sippy Cups- For bottles, Dr. Brown's was hands down the best. Sammy had some acid reflux and the air filtration system on these were great. Sippy Cups- They ALL LEAK! It does not matter what the packaging says! They lie!!!!!!!!! The ones that leak the least are the Playtex Insulators. I did notice though that if they do start leaking more than usual, you probably need to replace the plastic valve. You can buy replacements at Babies r' us. I have never been able to find them anywhere else.
9. Baby Gate- Seems a little cruel, but there are times when you need to run to the bathroom, or answer the phone and you can't leave your crawling child alone in a room. This little system worked really well for us, and you can form it to any shape you want. It is way roomier than a playpen, that's for sure. Sammy loved it!
10. Last thing would have to be.........the Radio Flyer "Pathfinder" Wagon. Sammy has the best time riding around in this thing. Especially if a friend joins him. http://radioflyer.com/plastic/plastic_2700.html
Cute Pics
Over the last few days Sammy has been particularly cute, so I thought I would post some pictures of him in the midst of his cuteness.
We are in the process of building a new fence and Sammy (of course) found some stray items to adorn himself with. I tried really hard not to be too disturbed by the fact that possibly the dirtiest gloves in the world were on my child's hands. Ugh!
My boys brushing their teeth. Sammy was watching Jordan like a hawk trying to mimic every movement Daddy made. I have been looking for a way to brush Sammy's teeth without having to place him in a headlock, and I think we struck gold this morning with this. If Daddy is doing it, then it's cool.
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