Merry Day after Christmas!

Christmas holiday is almost over, so I thought I would add something before we go. Christmas videos haven't been downloaded yet; hopefully soon. Noah has had a blast with family but has reverted back to his sleeping habits from 3 months ago, causing sleepless nights for everyone. Unfortunately we share a room with him. I am so ready for a vacation! We hit the road on Sunday very early for our 14 hour drive and back to work Monday - we may be trying to do too much - nothing unusual there. Not much to add today...Merry Day after Christmas!! Happy Birthday Afton!

Merry Christmas from Albuquerque

Here we are... We made it from Denver to Albuquerque in about 7 hours even with Noah and feedings etc. He was a trooper, but we'll see how he sleeps in a packnplay in the same room as we are. He did great in Ethiopia, but this is not the same kid as we picked up 5 months ago. It's not that he is different, he has totally blossomed into an amazingly cool kid. Now we just have to get up in the morning, repack the car, feed and dress all of us and get in the car, hopefully hitting the Prescott area by 2pm or so - YAY! I will get some pictures and/or videos downloaded at some time this week.... He is getting big, 17lb 8oz or so last week- his top 2 teeth are coming in with a great intesity doing not so great things to his little system, but one of the two came in this week and the other is about halfway out... Signing off from Albuquerqu, next email from Arizona!

First Snow...finally

We finally got more than a dusting this weekend; in fact it flurried most of Saturday and Sunday. Noah seemed intrigued by it, we were still sleepy as you can see. As a bonus, a little Noah/Gracie turkey day smackdown

9 months old - already...

No new pictures today, just a couple of him in the vertical position he now favors. I'd like to say he's getting big, but he's getting EVEN more active and starting to lose a little weight - only a little so far. He can eat too - about 28 to 30 oz of formula a day (including the nighttime feedings we can't seem to get rid of) and 3 meals; breakfast is 4oz of fruit and cheerios or some other dry cereal. Lunch is either a 4oz veggie or meat with 2 oz of fruit or 4oz veggie with mashed bananas. Dinner is essentially the same as lunch and all include dry cereal or dry fruit since he wants to feed himself. Plus I know daycare gives him snacks the 3 days a week he is there. Is this normal???? We go for his 9 month appointment in a couple weeks - it seems the likelihood that his vaccines received in ET didn't do the job is pretty high. So we have to think about a new vaccine strategy...BUMMER, but we'll get it taken care of.
Otherwise this little guy is amazing - he is so strong and so alert....and now is awake, no surprise it's bottle time.

AT LEAST IT'S NOT A MINIVAN.....

I can't believe we bought a station wagon... Here is the plan, actually keep this car for 10 years - ANY BETS OUT THERE...really truly that's the goal! Wish us luck.....

HOPE...need I say more...

Little Dragon

My little red dragon

The cutest baby ever

Just a quick update. I am at lunch right now, seems like the only chance I get right now. Kiddo is busy, busy...He loves his daycare (he's only there 3 days a week right now) and he's crawling, climbing the stairs, pulling up on anything and everything. He still loves walks in his stroller and enjoys being outside as much as possible. He definitley has an affinity for trees. His little feet have improved greatly after 8 weeks of his misery. The scabies treatment actually worked! Didn't even remotely look like scabies and was mostly on his feet, but we are thankful he is feeling better. He is even sleeping better; only waking up for bottles and sometimes only one a night (I wish we could do that every night). He is gaining weight, they weigh him every time we go to any doctor and he was 17 lb 4oz last week. We'll see when he does his 9 month appointment in a couple weeks if things change much. He eats 3 solid meals a day and is experimenting with anything I can think of. He seems to like everything, but some textures take practice, ie: watermelon. That's it for right now....

3 Months, 8 Months and 1st Haircut

I can't believe we have had custody of Noah for 3 months today - time is flying. Unfortunately my biggest memory from that day was James getting so sick, refusing the hospital or any meds that didn't american names. I remember seeing Habtamu that morning, in a pretty light pink hooded jacket (he was Habtamu in our eyes until we signed off on custody). He was so happy; so tiny... We didn't take custoday that morning, they wanted us to wait until the afternoon...By afternoon James couldn't even go with us to pick him up...I should have held off for a couple days, but had no idea the next day his fever would be 104 and his abdomen would be swollen to twice it's normal size....We thankfully had a hotel doctor that came to the room (although so much later than he was supposed to be I almost called our driver to take us to the hospital after all). I was still sick and pacing the room trying to figure out what to do...thankfully Noah did something he rarely does anymore, he slept for literally 4 hours straight while I was nervous and pacing....I'm sure his anxiety caused him to shut down a bit. After a couple days we all felt better and we flew home at least feeling semi-healthy.

More shocking is that he will be 8 months old tomorrow! Such a big boy (well he's a peanut - finally not floating in 3-6 month clothes). He is such a funny, yet very seriousl kid. Not to mention I have never seen such physical strength or determination in someone this age. Here's a few things about Noah at 8 months:

1. He is eating 3 solid meals a day - loving everything (meat doesn't love him), soon to work off baby food and on more finger foods. Cheerios are still on of his favs!

2. He tried and loved my pancake this morning as well as a blueberry and pineapple.

3. He is taking a few steps - no not walking, CRAWLING.

4. He loves to stand, but can't yet pull himself up.

5. He loves his grandma, grandpa, auntie, cousin and a visiting uncle even though he's only met them once - it's amazing how they can 'just tell."

6. He is already eyeing the outlets - time to childproof a bit.

7. He is really clingy right now - and has challenging as that is - YA GOTTA LOVE IT!

8. He does everything with passion....laughing and CRYING. So much so that it hurts.

9. His feet have improved...but he still wakes alot in the night unable to put himself down. Still takes a bottle at 10pm and 2am - HELP!!

10. He is 16 pounds....26.5 inches tall....He grows like a weed!!!

Here are a few pictures from this weekend - his first haircut with Alexis - who needs Lollilocks!!

Bye, Bye Arizona!!!

Well, after a week meeting grandparents and an aunt and cousin, Noah and I are heading home tomorrow. It has been a great trip for the little guy. He flew for the first time since July when we returned from Ethiopia - otherwise known as the flight from hell....well maybe not that bad! This time it was just Noah and I, a diaper bag and a very heavy 17" laptop (what was I thinking - could I actually get work done??). He took a bottle right before boarding, had some tylenol and fell asleep as we took off; not waking until I woke him while we were on the runway in Phoenix - YAY!!! He had a little bottle meltdown as I was trying to figure out the rental carseat - oh well, what can ya do?? Otherwise he cried himself to sleep on the 2 hour drive up to Dewey and he had a great week, other than clinginess and some sleepless nights (I am sooooo tired!!!). He even got to watch his cousin play soccer today - he scored 3 or 4 times - YAY Brock!!!

Hopefully tomorrow goes smoothly...please please please! Then on Monday Noah gets his photos done, thanks to Celebrating Adoptions, dermatologist on Wednesday and our first post-placement visit on Friday. Unfortunately we didn't hear from the daycare that had 2 infant openings in October, which means I can't go back to work - yet! Crap!!! Here's a few pictures from the trip that I have downloaded.

HI, why can I only go backwards

Auntie Kim and cousin Brock...

Grammy, Auntie Kim and Noah

Friends....anniversary

Here's some pics....since I seem to be unable to write much these days... We passed our 2 year LID mark for China on Sept 12. Noah hit 7 months old on the same day...Today is our 4th anniversary - can it really be that long?? Noah and I are planning to visit Arizona from Sunday to Sunday - wish me luck on the fligh - well mostly security....it's a short flight. He will have the opportunity to meet his only living grandparents and and aunt and cousin...how exciting, family beyond mom and dad. Otherwise we've all been under the weather, daycare tours I'm sure... I've been preparing to do some work from home until I can go back part-time - I'm almost there!


Here's some recent photos...friend from the same orphanage (how great is that), wearing our loyalty, Boston Red Sox onsie, it's still really big on him (thank you Sonya and Bob), sitting in the courtyard and the first teething cookie.

I'm LAME... But here's some new pics!

I've been really lame about posting anything...even pictures. So here goes. I've been caught up in finding child care, treating his itchy and painful dermatitis on his feet and feeling a little sleep deprived as they have been waking him up almost hourly. Hopefully the new ointment works, but the poor little guy has been on benadryl for 3 weeks and it only minimally helps. Otherwise he is doing wonderful!!! He is just cruising around (rolling) and doing some basic sitting up. Oh, and he has already found the crawl position, belly off the ground and everything!! We were touring a child care center when he hopped in the crawl position, which was amazing! He has moved up to 3-6 month clothes and even 6 month if we roll things up - he looks really good; a peanut, but really good! We are starting readoption and getting his SS number and I am going to try to do some work from home until we get him into some sort of child care situation. So, I guess between doctors appointments and all of that on very little sleep, we've been busy, or at least very wrapped up. But here are a few recent pictures and if he doesn't wake up too soon, a video....

Has anyone seen one of these???

We have 0-3 months, but it's finally too small for him - YAY. Anyone have a 3-6 or 6-9 months that they would sell???

Friends.....with a side of thumb wrestling

Saturday shots

Here's some photos from this week... He has figured out how to roll from his back to his belly, as of Thursday waiting for his bath to fill and has done it repeatedly since - YAY, we are in so much trouble!!! We finally saw the pediatrician, again YAY... NOAH HAS HIT THE GROWTH CHARTS (not that I care much, but a positive milestone). He is 14 pounds and 25 inches tall (both 5% - not bad!). The doctor made us a last minute appointment with a dermatologist across town so he would suffer the itchy feet all weekend - so benadryl and very low dose hydrocortisone hopefully will do the trick! His feet have tons of little pimples and some are a little blistery. It looks miserable!










Could I be teething???










How do I look in green and brown??










IT WON'T FIT!!











GO RED SOX!!!!

Rewind 07.07.08

Scaffolding as Architecture

First Month

Today marks the first month with Noah in our custody. It's been a so wonderful having him home and he is changing so fast. He seemed so tiny, now with just a few extra pounds he seems huge; even though he's not. He is now able to eat 8oz of formula every 4 hours without spewing most of it, he moves around so much and he loves to hold your hands and stand. He seems really close to rolling from back to belly, but I think he hasn't had the interest yet. He is a kissable, cuddly boy - just watch out for hair and glasses!
Here's a picture from a few weeks ago when we returned and one from last night after Noah and I did a little steam bath to loosen congestion - He doesn't sit still enough anymore to take a similar picture - but does anyone else see the changes??? He's also gone from size 1 diapers to size 2 finally last week.

First Tooth!

I wish I could post a picture of his first tooth, must have cut through last night. It's the bottom center left, and the bottom center right is about to come through, looks like as early as today....Ask how I discovered it.....HE BIT DOWN ON MY CHIN.....the kid has great aim!
Here's a picture from today

Noah Update

Here's some of the latest pictures. We just found out he has salmonella and clostridium difficile - neither of which we are treating, seems he's had them for a while and only has trace amounts left. He is a trooper! Hopefully that explains tummy irritation and what seems to be a cry of extreme pain when he needs to eat. Hopefully it will pass within a couple weeks! Hopefully the 3 hour feedings in the middle of the night will also slow down as he gets better. He's been to the doctor, but will have his first pediatrician appointment next Wednesday - doesn't that sound exciting!
Last Friday we did a quick weight - he is up to 13 pounds! So here's some pictures from this week and last. I still need to download the videos - I am slow.....

Noah goes to the Zoo

We are lucky enough to be only 5 minutes from the Denver Zoo, but we also have great friends who have a membership. Thanks Crystal, Joey and Caleb for inviting us! It was Noah's first trip to the zoo and I as I expected - a bit young to care. But I had fun!!!











Very excited to ride the train...










Are we done yet????

The Story of Ranger's Love for Kitty Roca

Ranger has a new habit, KITTY ROCA, it seemed to develop in June sometime when we started using wheat cat litter. We've always had baby gates at the rooms that have litter, but while we were out of town it seems there were major incidences and some vomitting. So, obviously he is getting over the gates (he must have finally realized he could). Last weekend James installed small cat doors (Hobbes can barely get through them!) - NOW WE WAIT UNTIL RANGER COMES UP WITH A NEW METHOD OF DESTRUCTION....watch out for the smart dogs!