Sneak In One More

Just one more post before the Christmas post... did I make it? Belated post of doom headed your way. Since Thanksgiving, we've had a very busy house... more than normal, if you can imagine that! Nika had her Honor Choir Concert and was also chosen to sing at a regional meeting with about 150 principals. Whew... that would've made me nervous, but you wouldn't believe how awesome the children sang. Kole had his Holiday concert and the teacher surprised me by having him read The Grinch! I was shocked... he never told me and probably wouldn't have had I not been there... that little rascal...he did awesome.

We had Star Wars Fests with my sister and her hubby bringing presents of Jumbo over Thanksgiving, and also throw in some 4 projects for school including the water cycle, scare crow, Thanksgiving Turkey, and a Christmas Tree. Milana had doc appts. and our 6 month post placement. Milana is making huge strides with language and understanding discipline. Jadyn had her speech exam etc. (she qualifies for speech therapy; her cognitive language and psych eval set her at 6 yr and up... so we go with speech). The therapist said he'd never had a child test as high as her for her age group... I couldn't help but giggle through the evaluation because she was even surprising me.

I'm sure I'm forgetting lots like Milana seeing Santa for the first time and of course the first thing I hear is, "Mama, up PLEASE." Oh and the giant ear wax that came out of Milana's ear when her equilibrium straightened from her eye surgery... I saw this little piece I could reach and when I swiped it out... I started to scream because I'd never seen something so huge come out of a child's ear! She was very happy to have it out.

Included in the photos are Nika's water project, Santa pic, Milana's art... which I think there is a Chinese symbol in there somewhere, Our fakey camp out in a tent up in the loft, GIGANTIC EAR WAX O DOOM and more.
Nika wrapped herself up for Christmas!
Taking her painting very seriously. Actually she is concentrating on holding still for the picture and then immediately jumps up and down saying, "I see? Me see? ME ME!"

Someone want to translate? I think she has awesome brush strokes. Since when do two year old's have brush strokes?!
Hello ear wax! Hello broken finger! That sucker has always looked broken.

Kole had to make sure all 5 Luke's fit.

Nika married Luke off to Barbie... Kole wasn't too sure of that one!

Don't you wish you fit in a car seat still?

Few of my favorites

"Mom, you're older than Michael Jackson right?" -Nika Thank you, Nika.

"Mom! Mom! I got a Muscl-lator just for you!" Kole pronounced as he ran from one of the houses he trick-or-treated at for Halloween. Reading in dim light is hazardous to your health... you get "Whoopers, Sneakers and Muscl-lators" (Whoppers, Snickers, and Three Musketeers)... the latter given to your son by a man who looked like the only guy who could grow hair in N-sync... sorry Joey Fatone. I thought the Poor "Muscl-lator" was going to fall over when he heard Kole running off with his candy for me, while he tried to look very fancy in a tank-top during a cold Halloween night, giving candy out to children. P.s. I didn't snag all the Muscl-lators, Whoopers and Sneakers.... I swear.

Milana was woken up from a nap the other day and of all the things she could say before she even opened her eyes... "Mama, I want an Oreo."

Jadyn likes chap stick:
What Nika, Kole and Milana were doing....


What Jadyn was doing. She was tired.
The hot new doll fashion brought to you by Nika. Fully biodegradable and oh so chic.





Enjoying the tigers but oh so hungry and tired by now (Long day at The Dolphins and Secret Garden at the Mirage).
I have no idea how Nika does that... You just say her name, and POSE!

"Why isn't he eating him?" I didn't answer that one... got any ideas? ha ha And yes Kole, Baby tigers are very cute.

What part of my post would be complete without some screaming?! Turn down the sound. Daily exercising of Pepper the Hamster and crazy kids. "HAAAAMMMMMSSSTTTTTTTTAAAAARRR!"

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving everyone!

Halloween Costume Time!

Was I a witch?

I am Elvis? (thank you very much)

NO! I am Tinkerbell! What do you expect; it was my first hard word in English! Beautiful Fairy crown courtesy of Miss Judy.... thank you sooo very much; she loves it and we often keep it up because of the love oozing out to break it.

Give your 5 year old son a whip and you're guaranteed to have fun! My one and only Indy. Our little Batgirl all grown up and ready to fight crime!

Spidergirl steps out of the comics long enough to go to a rock concert; uh I mean trick or treating.

Fly Tink! Fly!

Family pic at Grandma's before forever altered by candy... although Daddy's eyebrow already looks altered. Milana did not like the sparkles I stuck on her face... she grimaced for awhile until they dried.
Sorting way too much loot with Daddy.

Goodnight Jack! Hey, who forgot to blow out the candle?

Post Surgery Updates

Yes, I know... how dare I make everyone worry about us... two weeks almost. Many excuses: waiting for the doctor check up to say a-ok (no counting chickens before hatched here), busy with a newly eye-sighted child (that's a major part) and life must go on... never slows down here. The reason: I just didn't do it. I apologize.

We have EYESIGHT! She is so excited to have her "new eyes"... and "eyes all better now" my favorite, "eyes no owie, all better, thank you." She is doing everything she couldn't do before as fast as she can as often as she can. First order of business was twirling ... lots and lots of twirling.
Well, actually the first order was to make sure Nika, Kole, Jadyn, Daddy were all still here. She was scared going in to the center because the girl knows what's up. She glared at nurses plenty but cooperated. After she was dressed (lovely nurses let her keep her pj bottoms on... Kole's ear surgery... different story), she went with Grandma and I to a child's room where she played with a wagon of toys. That was some serious fun in her book. Then I gave the camera to her and she snapped away until the anesthesiologist came in and ordered up the Versed. Translates to very loopy child with sedative (drunk) behavior and no short term memory. Kinda funny to watch and lightens the mood when your child is stumbling around mumbling abc's. I was sooo grateful she still was speaking in English and still remembered everyone. That was an odd fear of mine.

Off she went groggy; we walked her to the double doors where she parted with the OR nurse and mumbled "bye"... half way down the hall... Versed can't stop her! She realized that is not a proper goodbye and screamed at the top of her lungs down the hall, "BYYYYYYYEEEEEEEEE!!!!" I yelled back "bye" as all the nurses giggled. 1.5 hrs later, "She's crying for ya." I can hear her as I near the door and she's calling for mama. Yeah! She still speaks English and remembers me. She snuggled into my arms and just settled down to try and wake up.

As soon as she was home, she wanted to be ready to go but the darn meds, just made her so tired. That didn't stop her from trying. Hardly any blood in her tears and she was EXTREMELY obedient about not rubbing her eyes... crazy will-power.

All at once, she could see, she was so excited to point everything she hadn't really gotten to see. She ran around the house (as best she could and also for the next couple days), just excited. The best part: She looks me in the eyes and her countenance changes. A small tweak of the face to reveal a soft smile when I look at her... not a blank searching, trying to put images together. This is something your children do and I never noticed it fully until Milana. It is a HUGE forgotten gift and blessing. As I put her in the car for her first car ride after surgery, she stopped and studied my face and ran her fingers along my cheek and jaw slowly and then met my eyes... and then smiled and giggled. I have not had that yet and wow, pretty powerful stuff.

After this honeymoon period, she wised up and even though she couldn't figure out what had happened, she knew something had happened that wasn't fun. She kinda reverted here and there with behaviors, words, temperament, while she processed feelings. Now, she's all back and then some. Having her eye surgery has not only given her sight, it has helped us get past almost everything that has been a struggle for all of us. It was like overnight she just totally said to herself, I am part of this family.

Yesterday, we went to the doctor to check and everything is healing beautifully. Her eyes are just a tiny flick out (which is good because you don't want them in). The doc says only he would notice this and he also said it's not often. She has completely memorized his doc routine. Lately after surgery, she's had one night accident and one day... I figure still processing everything. Stress can wreak havoc on ya. Yesterday, we went to the park and this is the first time I've ever actually seen her enjoy the park. Donnie said all this in one sentence, "She is very enjoyable." Enjoyable... this really has been and she most definitely is. The other children are thrilled to have her seeing as well... and oh my stress levels have seriously dropped. I ran around crazy scared that she was going to eat it down stairs, off curbs, chairs, slides... etc. We are soo glad you can see, wo de bao bei. Daddy calls her little Ni Hao. hee hee Donnie also yells out kai shing! at odd times or asks her if she is. She always giggles. The one word she has kept as never interchangeable... wo chi... my foot.... oh I love those wo chi's.
She was ready to cruise outta there with that wagon.

She's LOVES her wo chi's. Not bad focusing for being two!
She took this of me and then laughed with approval.

Grandma just gave her Minnie and now she's in LOVE with anything Minnie and even sings "It's the Minnie Mouse Clubhouse." Mickey, you got the boot.

Never too ill to help... she loves the dishes.

A couple hours after coming home from the surgery center with her new baby doll.

My little loopy Milana.

Before Surgery & Thoughts & Some Pics

They totally did the "slow motion run to each other across the grass and hug" move and I didn't have the camera on video mode.

Here Milana! You Kick Like This!!

This is one of my favorites because it looks like Kole is pulling Milana's hair. He is actually explaining the dynamics of "how to do a jedi force punch." I'm not sure if he made this move up or not.

Oh! My Bubbles!

Are you not turtle-y enough for the turtle club?
Before surgery. I often wonder what she can see. I once asked her and pointed, "Is this the eye you are looking at me with?" She jumped and then laughed and said yes.
Thank you Sarah for the lemonade dress... this child definitely makes lovely life lemonade. P.S.Milana really likes to point and ask for this dress almost everyday.

Today is a choking back the tears day. Tomorrow, Milana's eye muscles for her strabismus will be repositioned. Four months ago tomorrow, Milana walked off a plane, onto American soil, and into our home and hearts. I have seen such growth from all of us. Some tremendous amounts of patience has grown from a tree we didn't know existed. Some more buds of patience continue to grow. A tree of deep soul-searching and deep unconditional love is growing from each of us in different ways and amazingly at different rates. When one of us is weak, the others carry the weight to keep the family going, and most often the person who is faltering. The enrichment this little one has given our lives is something special. It's funny how perspective can give you a heavy dose of what is real and what is your reality.

Perspective. Today, I am quite a bit more patient with the children. Knowing of the surgery to come can do that. I will wake up tomorrow at 5 am, off to the surgery center at 6 am, surgery is at 7:30. I will bundle a still sleeping Milana who I have told about the surgery, shown pictures, and role played a little, but she is still a very oblivious little one who trusts me so much to protect her. I am nervous about her being scared most of all. I am going to ask them to give her a sedative before they separate us... I think it's more for me. Will I feel this way tomorrow? Scared, nervous, hopeful and strangely calm that we will have a helpful outcome.Don't know. I know I won't feel this way even months from now. That's perspective. Hindsight. Life.

That's what happens. I know that I have been guilty of not having fresh perspective, when my nerves are worn and the children are "extra exploratory with brain challenges". This life is all about learning. Tomorrow, my world will not be black and white as a memory or photo, but in full action color. I must love this little girl because man, my heart is breaking a bit. I know it is important for her to have this surgery, but when you are the one experiencing the helplessness of letting others do work on your child, whew... self-restraint and composure... where are you. Wish us well, keep us in your thoughts and prayers.

Funny, I know my family is strong-willed which I think I may hold the crown... often to prevent mutiny, I must remember to breathe and let life be. As strong willed as Milana is, I have always been told by my mother, You must be stronger. But I know when it comes to coping skills, Milana has us all beat. I stand amazed at her strength to endure. I am often reminded by Donnie when I worry about her, "She can handle it. She is a tough girl." So tomorrow, she will be fine, I will have been have been taught another lesson in life by my two-year old. Everything you need to know in life, your children will teach you.