Favorite Photos from Friday

Karla and I decorated cupcakes on Friday with her friend Austin and his mom. Jen took some pictures of Karla and I and I think she got some good ones! :) Thanks Jen!

Who me?

Would a face like this give Mommy and Daddy a hard time????

Oh my, yes!

Karla is testing the waters these past few days!! Particularly at bedtime and in the morning when it is time to get dressed, comb hair, brush teeth, etc.

Today, Jason wasn't even to work yet (he was still driving) when I called him very frustrated and said "I don't know what to do with her!?"

I don't even know how to concisely describe her behavior other than she is saying "no" A LOT and TESTING, TESTING, TESTING.

We had a talk with her tonight and bedtime went surprisingly well...with lots of ignoring from us. At least now the rest of my evening isn't ruined by me trying to decompress. I hope we will all get a good night's sleep and start anew tomorrow! Whew...what a week.

Baby Javier

I talked to Diana last night but she hadn't talked to Heidy yet. She was going to try again today.

However - we got an email from Karina last night saying that everyone was surprised and happy because when Heidy went to the hospital yesterday morning the doctors told her that Javier could go HOME! She said he is okay but very tiny and needs special care and medicines. Heidy is supposed to wear him on her body at all times to keep him warm. Karina joked that Heidy was going to be a "kangaroo mother" for a while. I know this must make Heidy very happy...and I know she won't mind constantly holding her baby close to her heart.

I still hope Diana gets to talk to Heidy so we can find out more specifics. It seems odd that the doctors would say 8-10 weeks in the hospital and then just let the baby go home. But, it could be an answer to prayers! :)

Updates

Potty training continues to go well. We had an accident at Chik Fil A on Monday night and I think it was because I was just too confident that Karla would tell me when she had to go. What was I thinking? She was at Chik Fil A and in the play area! She hadn't had an accident since early last week so I was thinking less about it. That changed after Monday. This morning we ran errands and she went while we were out without problems...I just had to initiate going into the bathroom. It is amazing how much time taking a toddler to the bathroom adds to all of our routines...getting in the car, going to bed, shopping...

We increased Karla's asthma medication that she receives through her nebulizer on Saturday night because she still wasn't herself. The results since Saturday have been great! She sleeps much better, breathes easier and is just more pleasant. We had decreased the meds at the beginning of July knowing that they may have to be adjusted seasonally. She has a check-up in about 2 weeks with her doctor.

We did not receive a call from Karina last Friday but we did receive an email yesterday saying Heidy was at the hospital Friday because baby Javier was sick again. She said they would keep us posted through email or calls. I spoke with Diana again last night and she was going to try to call Heidy today to see how she is doing (they had met each other when I was in Guatemala)....so I'm going to call Diana again tonight and get the update. :)

Here are two pictures of Karla in my favorite outfit. :)

Handmade Hats for Guatemala

I finished 2 pink hats this week. They are fun to make, easy and fast! I made the first one and Karla wanted to put it on - but it was too small. So of course I had to make one her size. She is my model. Oso is wearing a hat too...but I didn't make his hat! :)

"Guatafamily" Get-together

Yesterday we went to our first get together with other families that have adopted from Guatemala. It is interesting because we all met through facebook (one of the reasons I joined) and all are relatively close to the Pittsburgh area. There were 7 children there from 5 families. We met at the house of a family who lives only 15 minutes from us. It was fun! The hosts even had cookie decorating for the kids after dinner and overflowing treat bags for the kids to take home! Karla was most excited about a candy necklace that she received. :) Karla woke up this morning and started talking about how she wanted to go see "her friends" again, referring to last night. An exciting thing for me is that she used the potty 3 times there...no accidents!!

How much Guatemalan cuteness can you handle???

Here's cookie decorating...it's hard to get 7 kids to look in one direction.




This is me, Karla, and Eliana. We were at Eliana's house and she enjoyed showing me her toys. :)


I meant to take my camera yesterday and I forgot. So these photos were taken by Eliana's mom.

Potty Trained!

We've had 2 1/2 days accident free! Today Karla initiated going into the bathroom every time - and twice when we were out and about (not at home)! So I am really excited. I realize the novelty could wear off but hopefully not. This morning she woke me up at 2am and 6am to go to the bathroom (and actually had to go) and today at nap time she didn't want to wear a pull-up - and she stayed dry.

Good Day

Karina emailed me this evening and said that baby Javier is "okay" but won't be home from the hospital for another 8 weeks. I can't believe it but I actually feel like I would like to go to Guatemala to be with Heidy and Karina! Don't worry - I'm not. :) Just didn't really think I'd have a strong desire to go back this soon.

I just called Karina a little while ago. It is so strange because I want to talk to her so badly but what we can say to each other is so limited because of her English and my non-existent Spanish. It's like the times I was actually with Heidy...I wanted to talk to her and ask her things so badly but I really could only get the basics through translation. Ugh! Karina just confirmed what she told me in the email earlier - that Javier is going to be in the hospital for 8-10 weeks. Heidy isn't able to see the baby much right now so Heidy is pretty upset. Karina said that she is going to see Heidy tomorrow and call us when they are together. She thought it might cheer Heidy up. We'll see. She might be disappointed Karla doesn't speak Spanish anymore. :)

Then I called our friend Diana in Guatemala who helped me out so much when I was there last October. It has been several months since I talked to her so it was great to hear her voice and pick up where we left off! Her English is quite good so it is much easier to talk to her.

I'm so proud of Karla, my BIG girl. We ventured out this morning to a friend's house. We were there for a few hours and three times Karla came to me, told me she had to go to the bathroom, walked to the bathroom with me willingly, and went on the big potty!!!!

Two times today Karla walked up to me, stuck her finger in the air saying "one minute, Mommy. I'll be right back", walked to the bathroom by herself, sat on her potty, said"come watch me", and then did her business! She didn't have any accidents today!! A few times she wasn't happy she had to disrupt her play to go into the bathroom but overall I'm so pleased with how the week has gone and I think she is too!

Isn't my life exciting?? :) Haha

Progress

Yesterday Karla was successful with using the potty all day. I was so proud of her! She seemed proud of herself too. Then in the evening I went to Pittsburgh to meet with a group making "Handmade Hats for Guatemala". She had two accidents while I was gone and one success. Then this morning she has had two successes - including her first BM in the potty - and one almost-accident (I'm pretty good at reading her signs).

Yesterday for her nap I forgot to put a pull-up over her underwear and she took a marathon 3 hour nap. She woke up dry! That was pretty exciting. :)

The event I went to last night was really fun. I've never been to anything like that before. A friend of a friend goes to various places in Guatemala every year for work and provides medical services to children. Last January when they went they had taken 20 crocheted hats that they had made to hand out to the children. I guess they were a huge hit and not nearly enough for everyone. So this year they want to take LOTS of hats. There were probably at least 25 people crocheting hats last night in a church basement. I almost finished one hat...I was hoping to finish one while there last night. I probably could have if I hadn't also been talking. :) I think the group is going to meet again before January to make more. What a great idea! For a cause close to my heart...and involving a craft I love. :)

On my way to Pittsburgh I was directly behind a bad car accident on the highway. If I had been seconds closer who knows what could have happened... I was really shaken up when I got to the church last night. I was feeling so thankful to be alive and not injured. It was one of the worst things I've ever seen. I want to look on the news today to see if everyone was okay. Be careful out there!!! I was nervous driving home last night after seeing such a sight...and glad I was by myself without Karla.

I feel like, even though Karla and I have been home the past few days, a lot has been happening. I got a sad piece of news this morning. I don't think I posted this before but Karla's foster mother found out she was pregnant this spring. She was very excited because she is older and this was a surprise, because there is no longer a need for foster mothers in Guatemala so she wasn't going to have babies in her home anymore, and because she no longer had Karla in her home. We've been corresponding with her through email at least once a month and sending her lots of pictures (something I wouldn't have predicted at the beginning of our adoption process!). Well, this morning I had an email from her sister saying that the baby was born last Wednesday - about 3 months early. Her sister, Karina, has limited English but it sounds like the baby, Javier, is in the hospital and Heidy (foster mother) is going to the hospital today to see how he is doing. Karina said that Heidy is just crying all the time and the doctors don't know what is going to happen to the baby. I feel so upset for her because I know she loves children, wants this baby, and may not be able to have one again - biological or fostering. I am going to try to call Karina this week to see if I can talk to her son who speaks English to find out more. Please pray for Heidy and her baby.

Better be going...Little K is calling. :)

BIG GIRL DAY continued...

more from yesterday:
streamers from top of bathroom door...yes there were balloons in there too

the presents... (I did end up wrapping the doll and stamps - I had opened the doll so I could "play" with it the night before...fun times)

Karla liked the doll right away...let the drinking and peeing begin!


Karla only initiated going to the potty once on her own yesterday. The book said once a child initiates twice "you're on your way to being fully potty trained". We made progress yesterday, it was just slow.

Nothing has happened yet today...only a matter of time now. :)

As soon as I typed the above sentence, I looked up at Karla, she looked at me with big eyes...and we ran to the potty! She did it! So, one success for today already!

BIG GIRL DAY

Karla had a low grade fever for most of yesterday, until about 5pm. Then she perked up for a bit until right before bedtime. She seems to be back to normal today. Thank goodness!

I have been planning Big Girl Day for about 2 weeks so I was glad she was better this morning!

Today is "Big Girl Day" at our house. I thought that sounded better than "potty training day". I'm using a combination of things people suggested and then a lot of what was recommended in a book called "Potty Training in One Day" by Narmin Parpia. So this morning we woke up and all 3 came downstairs to the hall right outside the bathroom. There were 6 little presents for Karla wrapped in "Ariel" (princess) wrapping paper. She got
*a shoe box with pull-ups in it (we are calling them big girl underwear for sleeping). I put them in a shoe box since the box they come in looks like a diaper box...she called the pull-ups swimming diapers when she opened that. Hope that is okay. I just don't think she's ready to be diaperless at night yet.
*Tinkerbell underwear (she already has Elmo and Dora)
*a 2-liter of Sprite (we don't let her drink pop but I thought this would be okay today since the book recommends having her drink LOTS today)
*a "drink and wet" doll
*underwear and bottle for doll (these came with the doll but I had to play with the doll last night to see how it worked so I wrapped them separately)
*stamps with ink (we realized at the farm show Karla likes these - so these are for reinforcement after using the potty)

We then collected all the diapers in the house and put them in a bag and "got rid of them". We folded up her changing table in her bedroom. We taught the doll how to drink from her bottle and then use the potty when she needed to.

Karla is now taking a nap and is 2:2. Two accidents, two successes.

We'll see what happens this afternoon...no turning back now. :)

Sick

I uploaded some new pictures to flickr today.

Karla had asthma difficulties last night and they are continuing today. I'm so glad we know what it is now and that we have the nebulizer and at home.

She starts out by getting lethargic, then feverish, then gagging or throwing up while having labored breathing.

I've only had to give her albuterol (through nebulizer) once today...hoping it stays that way. She is asleep now and I am hoping that she is able to sleep well so she can get better fast!

We were supposed to go to a family reunion today but obviously don't want to take Karla out away from the nebulizer and into the humid, hot air - especially when she doesn't feel good. I'm a little bummed though.

Time with Family

We've been busy for the past week! Karla and I got to see a couple of my high school friends and their kids last week. Then on Sunday Grandma "Non-uh" and Grandpa "fah-fah" came over. Karla had lots of fun! She got both Grandma and Grandpa to hide in her favorite spot - under Daddy's desk - multiple times. I love this picture because she got both of them under there at the same time. She took her good old time trying to find them too! We all got a good laugh of her pretending to look for them and not being able to find them.

Then we all went on a walk and finally Karla played in her pool with the four of us for an audience.

Last night we went to the farm show with Tio Ryan, Grammy "No-nee" and Pap-Pap. We walked around and saw the animals first. Karla warmed up to the animals the longer we were there and did pet several of them. Then she found the rides! She had seen the ferris wheel from the road on our way in and said she wanted to go "round and round" on it. I didn't really think she meant it but she didn't forget! So the first ride was the Ferris wheel! Then the carousel. I sat on a bench on the carousel in front of Karla. I was all teared up and could have cried very easily because I was so happy just to hear Karla laughing and see her smiling and LOVING the carousel. Never thought making a little person happy could make me so happy! :)


Needless to say Karla loved the other rides too! I hardly recognized her she was so excited to go on each and every ride...and didn't even mind going on them alone!!

I've got LOTS of pictures from the farm show so I'll have to upload them to flickr sometime.
That is it for now!

Thankful

As I mentioned on July 18, Joint Council's Community participated in a Call to Action from July 28 - July 30. The bill now has 14 co-sponsors in the House of Representatives! That is good news.

In the email I received today from JCICS there was an update about Guatemala adoptions in it and it made me feel sick to my stomach and very sad. I was going to elaborate but I won't because I'll get worked up. If you want to find out more click here.I'm not sure it will mean much if you don't know all the "Guatemala adoption lingo" but basically there are still families and CHILDREN waiting...the average is 3.4 years! This isn't beneficial for the children or parents.

Just makes me SO THANKFUL that Karla is here. I can't imagine what life would be like if we were still waiting...that's pretty scary to think about...so I won't.

So, tomorrow, when I hear "WHY?" 50 trillion times and "ME DO IT" 100 trillion times, I will smile and be patient and happy! :)

More highlights

Okay, so I am probably never going to have time to sit down and blog about everything I want to blog about.

Here are a few more highlights.

Last week Karla went to VBS (Son Rock Kids Camp) every night. She went to her class when it was time each night and didn't take Oso! That is a big thing! Oso usually goes everywhere. Then on Thursday and Friday night while I was getting things ready for my class, when Karla usually played in the room while I was setting things up, she walked up to me and said "Bye bye Mommy. Class." She wanted to go to her class on her own - before it was time. The first night I was so shocked I just looked at her and then she smiled at me so I asked for a hug. She hugged me and then off she went. I did follow her a moment later to make sure she made it to her room and that her teacher was there. She was already settling in to her room. I had tears in my eyes!!! One of the other teachers saw me and I told them what had happened. She said she remembered when we first brought Karla home and she would cry if we tried to leave her in the toddler room without us. She said we'd come a long way. And that we have!

Friday night at VBS all the kids sang for their parents. Karla didn't want to get up and sing. I was disappointed because we'd been singing the songs in the car ALL week!! And she liked to sing them! But, Friday night she was tired and I hadn't told her that all the kids would be "performing". So Sunday morning at church all the kids were going to sing again. We talked to her about it before church and told her she could take Oso up and that if she wanted, she could hold her friend Sophia's hand. She said "okay". So when it was time for the kids to sing she went up (without me) holding Sophia's hand and Oso. She stayed up there the whole time! I really didn't expect her to go up at all so I didn't have my camera. Thanks to Jenna, (Sophia and Ava's mom) we have some pictures! She didn't sing but she did a few gestures and made one of her "silly" faces at Jason a few times. Tears in my eyes again....

Sophia is in the green shirt behind Karla, Ava is to the left of Karla and Karla's friend Josiah is on her right.


The other thing that consumed some time last week was our 3 month old refrigerator. To make a long story short...it was not a good fridge so we got a new one (again) last Tuesday. It was a little battle though!!

My great-uncle and great-aunt made this awesome dollhouse for Karla! She has played with little else since she got it a week ago. It is awesome!



I have uploaded more pictures to flickr! :)

Catching Up

I jotted some things down to blog about the last week (or so) as a draft...and haven't gotten back to it since.

I will summarize the highlights.

We celebrated Pap-Pap and Grammy's birthdays. This was a huge deal to Karla because she loves birthdays and loves cake!

We have a wonderful friend who owns a mini-excavator so he came over and leveled two spots in our backyard. One for the swingset and one for the shed. It took him some time in an evening...it would have taken Jason, among others, hours and hours to do what he did for us! Jason and his dad got the swingset up this weekend. Karla was on her swing for quite some time this evening! She kept saying "mine, mine, mine". Pictures to follow in the next day or so. :)

We went to my cousin Chris's wedding last Saturday. It was lots of fun and Karla's first wedding reception! She danced and danced with me and her cousins. The photographer took some pictures of her because she was really into the dancing...I can't wait to see them! It was a beautiful wedding and was such a happy time. I enjoyed seeing all of my family too.

Karla is pretty much talking or singing NONSTOP these days!

I don't know if all 2 1/2 year olds have good memories but Karla sure does! I call it "freakish". :) She'll remember things from months ago - in great detail - or things that I wouldn't have remember had she not reminded me.

This is a picture I received about 2 weeks ago. My 8* year young grandpa is up in a tree...even though I have repeatedly told him he does not need to trim his trees by climbing up in them OR go up on his roof often to clean it. He does these things and then has my grandma take a picture of him! Supposedly she holds the camera and the phone in case she needs to dial 911. :) Can you see him way up there??

Cute picture from a zoo trip...

Yesterday Karla went boating for the first time with my family. She LOVED it! It was great fun - and finally a sunny day! This is my new favorite picture:

Lots more to write but have to break it up so I'm not on the computer all night.