Tuesday, July 31, 2007
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
Christmas in July....
As you might remember, I organized a fundraiser for the Holiday Project at our agencies care center (Layla House). The volunteers made a video of the Christmas celebration, and the agency sent them out to the families... I received my video a little bit late - on Friday! Anyway... I was pleasantly surprised to see my sweet Ava Sidisse on the film. She was only at Layla House for about a week at the end of December, beginning of January... and she ended up on the DVD... she looks so tiny... I snatched a still picture from the video... It's a little bit grainy, but you can see her! See if you can pick her out! And Enjoy Christmas in July!
Sunday, July 22, 2007
Longing to stand on her own...
Ava has been dying to stand up... she always wants you to pull her up. She is even trying to pull up on the coffee table and exersaucer by herself... but ends up needing just a little help... She hasn't yet got the concept that she needs to hold on. She does great however, once she is up there.... So, for your enjoyment... a few pics of Ava standing. She looks like such a big girl!
This stuff is even more fun from this side!
Wow... There's a lot of cool stuff up here!
I want that!
Not the Doll, the Beads!
This stuff is even more fun from this side!
Wow... There's a lot of cool stuff up here!
I want that!
Not the Doll, the Beads!
Ava's Sitting up! And Leyton gets a new do!
Wow... lots of progress in the last week.... Ava started sitting up all by herself. Its so cute, to turn around and see her sitting, and I didn't put her like that! She rolls wherever she wants to go, and then just sits up, so matter-of-factly.... Its nice to see her doing so well... And of course, Leyton is all over her.... She is also cutting four more teeth... two on the top and two on the bottom... the bottom ones poked thier corners through the gums a day or so ago, and the tops are close, but still not through. She is getting so big... a whopping 21 lbs, and 29"... amazing what a few months at home with your Mama will do!
In other news.... Leyton was in such need of a haircut... He usually goes with Daddy, but this time, he was so excited to go downtown to the shop that cuts my hair, and half the little boys hair in town! He came out with a pretty versatile do.... He can wear it down, In a spike, or in a mohawk... or as he likes to call it... an 'incredible hawk!'....
Man, He looks like such a big kid now... How time flies.
In other news.... Leyton was in such need of a haircut... He usually goes with Daddy, but this time, he was so excited to go downtown to the shop that cuts my hair, and half the little boys hair in town! He came out with a pretty versatile do.... He can wear it down, In a spike, or in a mohawk... or as he likes to call it... an 'incredible hawk!'....
Man, He looks like such a big kid now... How time flies.
Sunday, July 15, 2007
A Crazy Few Weeks...
Of course, What's new? It seems like it is always a 'crazy few weeks' around here. It has been just over a month (14 more to go!) since Jon left for the desert, and we are missing him. I believe that there are two 'worst parts' to the deployment... the first, is getting past that first month - Thank God that is over... and the second is about half way... When you know you are almost done, but in our case, will look at it as still having 7.5 months to go.
I have spoken to Jon a few times... (Hi, honey... if you get the chance to read this!) He seems to be doing okay, he has been busy working 12-14 hour days and trying to stay out of the heat. He still doesn't have his internet hooked up, but it should be any day... I really hope he will have a better connection than he had in Kuwait.
On the 2nd of July, Ava went in to the hospital for a minor outpatient surgery on her tongue, and for the follow-up MRI. The surgery went great, and she now has a full range of motion (she was tongue-tied). The MRI, however, wasn't so good. Her Doctors and I were shocked to see the images. Ava has been diagnosed with an extremely rare birth defect, schizencephaly, where her brain didn't develop properly in the womb. Of course, with the language barrier (we are seeing German Pediatric Neurologists), it was difficult to understand what the prognosis might be... Ava's Neuro has never seen a case of his own... so he has referred us to a specialist in Munich... we will be going there in a few weeks. I have researched the web, but there really isn't a definitive answer on how things could turn out. The defect causes a number of problems, that Thankfully, Ava does NOT suffer from, so we (the neuro and I) are guessing that she is on the mild side of the spectrum. However, the diagnosis does explain the tight muscles on her right side... she is using them much more, but they are still tight. It also explains why she isn't crawling/pulling up/walking/talking yet. The disorder affects her movement and speech... She is able to get everywhere she wants to be, by rolling.... She has no problem in that area! She is making a lot more noise since the surgery, but is still not saying any words... mama, baba, dada, etc...
I'm sure you can imagine how difficult the first few days were after I received the news.... I was at the hospital alone, with Ava... who by the way, was out cold... for 12 hours! And no way to get ahold of Jon... Everything always happens when he is away... that is the rule. I think I spent most of that week crying, or on the verge of tears... It wasn't until the following week, when I joined a group for families who have children with this same diagnosis, that I began to pick myself up... After all, I have to be the strong one. I have two little kids to worry about, and take care of. From the families in this group, I have gotten a great deal of info, and hope that I couldn't find anywhere else... And I have every reason to believe that she will be exactly what God intended her to be. She has made so much progress since we brought her home, it is amazing. She is a totally different baby. I believe that she will crawl/walk/talk, maybe not as soon as expected, but eventually... (And I hope that you will keep her/us in your thoughts and prayers... Jon, too... he probably needs them more!)
I have spoken to Jon a few times... (Hi, honey... if you get the chance to read this!) He seems to be doing okay, he has been busy working 12-14 hour days and trying to stay out of the heat. He still doesn't have his internet hooked up, but it should be any day... I really hope he will have a better connection than he had in Kuwait.
On the 2nd of July, Ava went in to the hospital for a minor outpatient surgery on her tongue, and for the follow-up MRI. The surgery went great, and she now has a full range of motion (she was tongue-tied). The MRI, however, wasn't so good. Her Doctors and I were shocked to see the images. Ava has been diagnosed with an extremely rare birth defect, schizencephaly, where her brain didn't develop properly in the womb. Of course, with the language barrier (we are seeing German Pediatric Neurologists), it was difficult to understand what the prognosis might be... Ava's Neuro has never seen a case of his own... so he has referred us to a specialist in Munich... we will be going there in a few weeks. I have researched the web, but there really isn't a definitive answer on how things could turn out. The defect causes a number of problems, that Thankfully, Ava does NOT suffer from, so we (the neuro and I) are guessing that she is on the mild side of the spectrum. However, the diagnosis does explain the tight muscles on her right side... she is using them much more, but they are still tight. It also explains why she isn't crawling/pulling up/walking/talking yet. The disorder affects her movement and speech... She is able to get everywhere she wants to be, by rolling.... She has no problem in that area! She is making a lot more noise since the surgery, but is still not saying any words... mama, baba, dada, etc...
I'm sure you can imagine how difficult the first few days were after I received the news.... I was at the hospital alone, with Ava... who by the way, was out cold... for 12 hours! And no way to get ahold of Jon... Everything always happens when he is away... that is the rule. I think I spent most of that week crying, or on the verge of tears... It wasn't until the following week, when I joined a group for families who have children with this same diagnosis, that I began to pick myself up... After all, I have to be the strong one. I have two little kids to worry about, and take care of. From the families in this group, I have gotten a great deal of info, and hope that I couldn't find anywhere else... And I have every reason to believe that she will be exactly what God intended her to be. She has made so much progress since we brought her home, it is amazing. She is a totally different baby. I believe that she will crawl/walk/talk, maybe not as soon as expected, but eventually... (And I hope that you will keep her/us in your thoughts and prayers... Jon, too... he probably needs them more!)
Sunday, July 01, 2007
Saturday, June 30, 2007
He made his way North...
Well, Jon made it to Balad, Iraq on Tuesday. We have yet to hear from him, we missed his scheduled call yesterday, when we were walking the dog... Go figure!
Things have been really busy here, busier than normal really... Ava went to the Kinderklinik on Tuesday for a consultation for the surgery to fix her tongue... The surgery should be on Monday 2 July.
She cut two more teeth on Tuesday, as well... the top fronts are in! Pics below!
More to come, enjoy the pics...
Sunday, June 17, 2007
Ava's Top Ten...
A few days ago, one of my best friends from High School became a mother... Looking at her baby registry and trying to pick out the perfect gift, made me think about all of the great things that I couldn't do without on a daily basis... So, without further ado... Here is Ava's Top Ten...
(Welcome to the world, little Caden!)
#1: Lucky Baby Sling....
Used every single day at some point... (as seen below) I love this sling. I have had both back carriers and front carriers, and can never wear them for long because of the back pain that they cause.... With this one, I have no pain. And it is very versatile, it can hold a baby from birth to about 35lbs... Leyton could fit in there up to about two months ago!
#2: The Bumbo Seat
Used every day for feeding, Ava has figured out how to get out of it, but it is still great for toting to restaraunts, and for feeding at the table here at home... It is lightweight, and convenient. Good for babies from about 3 months up, as long as they can hold up their own head. Check it out at the link...
#3: The Leachco Safer Bather Bath Seat
The BEST for bathtime... With Leyton we tried the baby tub... what a hassle and a pain! It is so much easier to put this foam seat into the tub and put Ava in it... she can kick and splash in the water... and good from birth till whenever... Ava can lay or sit up on hers.... We love it! It also has a hook to hang dry.
#4: Oxi Magic Stain Remover
I have tried a lot of different products to remove pesky stains... but this seems to work the best.... It takes out just about everything!
#5: Exersaucer
This one has been through a number of kids... I bought it for Leyton, and it was affectionately known as 'Leytonland'... now of course, it is 'Avaland'. This one has 3 adjustable heights, and plenty of things to keep baby busy! It also folds down has a handle for easy storage and transportation. Love it...
#6. Maileg Rattles
We received two of these fun rattles as a gift from a Danish friend. They are handmade in Denmark, and so cute! Ava loves them, because she can grab onto the arms easily, and each one has its own rattle sound... Her favorite... the Pirate!
#7: Trumpette Mary Jane Socks
These are the cutest socks... they are well made, and don't stretch out... they stay on, and are so cute... they make several different styles for boys and girls alike...
#8: Burt's Bees Baby Bee Apricot Oil
This oil is so light and really works great on Ava's dry skin. A little bit after the bath leaves her skin soft and smelling great!
#9: Carol's Daughter Mimosa Hair Honey
I love this hair product... Ava has soft curls, that tend to get crazy when dry. You can use this product on wet or dry hair, and it works great! I usually put on a little after her bath when her hair is still wet, and it forms perfect, soft, little curls. It is not greasy, or heavy... and lasts a long time... can also be used for a pick-me-up after nap, or hat wearing... And the smell is not as strong as some of the other CD products.
#10: The First Years Take and Toss Spoons
Just the right size for baby's mouth... The best spoons we have tried.
(Welcome to the world, little Caden!)
#1: Lucky Baby Sling....
Used every single day at some point... (as seen below) I love this sling. I have had both back carriers and front carriers, and can never wear them for long because of the back pain that they cause.... With this one, I have no pain. And it is very versatile, it can hold a baby from birth to about 35lbs... Leyton could fit in there up to about two months ago!
#2: The Bumbo Seat
Used every day for feeding, Ava has figured out how to get out of it, but it is still great for toting to restaraunts, and for feeding at the table here at home... It is lightweight, and convenient. Good for babies from about 3 months up, as long as they can hold up their own head. Check it out at the link...
#3: The Leachco Safer Bather Bath Seat
The BEST for bathtime... With Leyton we tried the baby tub... what a hassle and a pain! It is so much easier to put this foam seat into the tub and put Ava in it... she can kick and splash in the water... and good from birth till whenever... Ava can lay or sit up on hers.... We love it! It also has a hook to hang dry.
#4: Oxi Magic Stain Remover
I have tried a lot of different products to remove pesky stains... but this seems to work the best.... It takes out just about everything!
#5: Exersaucer
This one has been through a number of kids... I bought it for Leyton, and it was affectionately known as 'Leytonland'... now of course, it is 'Avaland'. This one has 3 adjustable heights, and plenty of things to keep baby busy! It also folds down has a handle for easy storage and transportation. Love it...
#6. Maileg Rattles
We received two of these fun rattles as a gift from a Danish friend. They are handmade in Denmark, and so cute! Ava loves them, because she can grab onto the arms easily, and each one has its own rattle sound... Her favorite... the Pirate!
#7: Trumpette Mary Jane Socks
These are the cutest socks... they are well made, and don't stretch out... they stay on, and are so cute... they make several different styles for boys and girls alike...
#8: Burt's Bees Baby Bee Apricot Oil
This oil is so light and really works great on Ava's dry skin. A little bit after the bath leaves her skin soft and smelling great!
#9: Carol's Daughter Mimosa Hair Honey
I love this hair product... Ava has soft curls, that tend to get crazy when dry. You can use this product on wet or dry hair, and it works great! I usually put on a little after her bath when her hair is still wet, and it forms perfect, soft, little curls. It is not greasy, or heavy... and lasts a long time... can also be used for a pick-me-up after nap, or hat wearing... And the smell is not as strong as some of the other CD products.
#10: The First Years Take and Toss Spoons
Just the right size for baby's mouth... The best spoons we have tried.
Quick Update...
Just a little note to let you all know that we have heard from Jon, and he is doing well... We were surprised to find out that he is now able to have 2, 15 minute morale calls each week... We really thought that we would have to wait a few weeks to hear from him...He is still in Kuwait doing some training, before heading up to Iraq. He says that it is Hot... I think that is an understatement, seeing that it was 111 degrees at 10am the other morning.... and climbs much higher as the day goes on. At least things are a little more established this time around... he says that they are living in tents for the time-being, but they have AC, so at least they can get a descent nights sleep.
He should be heading north in the next week or two, so keep him in your thoughts and prayers.
Things are starting to become a new normal here, Leyton is doing much better, but he really misses his daddy. It helps that we are here, and he is able to go to school, and keep his everyday routine... We'll make it.
He should be heading north in the next week or two, so keep him in your thoughts and prayers.
Things are starting to become a new normal here, Leyton is doing much better, but he really misses his daddy. It helps that we are here, and he is able to go to school, and keep his everyday routine... We'll make it.
Wednesday, June 06, 2007
He's On His Way...
Jon left last night, or rather early this morning, for Iraq. We took him to the hangar at 7:30pm, and hung out there with him till the kids couldn't stay awake any longer... around 11:30. It was heart-wrenching to see all of the bags, and buses... and then all the families who will be without thier loved ones for over a year. Of course, I am a crier anyway... but it was really hard to keep it together last night. My heart really hurts for Leyton.... Ava is too young to understand, and will adjust when he gets back... but Leyton is so upset by the whole thing... Its hard not to cry when he is... (Keep that in mind when you take a look at the pics.)
It just doesn't seem fair. I know that Jon (we) has been lucky, that he isn't working on his 3rd deployment to Iraq by now.... but still... Is the job security really worth it? At this point, I think not.
At any rate, he is gone now, and will be gone for the next 15 months, at least...
He will be in Kuwait for about 3 weeks, for some training, and then will fly into Iraq. We probably won't hear from him at all until he gets to the Airbase in Iraq. Please keep him in your thoughts/prayers.
I will update more, when I know more....
It just doesn't seem fair. I know that Jon (we) has been lucky, that he isn't working on his 3rd deployment to Iraq by now.... but still... Is the job security really worth it? At this point, I think not.
At any rate, he is gone now, and will be gone for the next 15 months, at least...
He will be in Kuwait for about 3 weeks, for some training, and then will fly into Iraq. We probably won't hear from him at all until he gets to the Airbase in Iraq. Please keep him in your thoughts/prayers.
I will update more, when I know more....
Saturday, June 02, 2007
The 'Hightlights'....
8 April: Easter Sunday... Flew Home 1st Class from Ethiopia with Ava! She slept through the night as soon as we had her home.
10 April: Ava's 1st appointment with Doctor on Base. Caught up on Shots, and received a referral to the Kinderclinic in Nuerenburg to run tests for the seizure diagnosis.
17-19 April: Ava admitted to Kinderclinic for the tests. Everything comes back normal. They recommend some physical/occupational therapy to get her on track, and an MRI when we return from the States.
26 April: 1st Postplacement visit.
2-4 May: Ava & Mandie went to Holland for a long time friends wedding.... Introducing Martine and Arvid.
5 May: We flew to Detroit where Ava went through immigration and became a citizen.
6 May: We finally made it to Ohio, after a 7.5 hour layover. Off to see Oma and Opa.
9 May: Ava gets her first tooth!
15 May: We head to PA to spend some time with the Doaks.
17-20 May: The Gilbert's come for a visit... and the Doaks throw a big party to welcome us home.
22 May: We met up with the Vedder's, another family that adopted while we were in Addis in February. They adopted Bisrat, Yabsira, and Mihret. It was great to see them, and hear them speak English... after such a short time. Today Jon also took a flight on a tiny plane....
24 May: We left Pitt for Germany.
30 May: Jon received his final orders. He leaves on Tuesday.
10 April: Ava's 1st appointment with Doctor on Base. Caught up on Shots, and received a referral to the Kinderclinic in Nuerenburg to run tests for the seizure diagnosis.
17-19 April: Ava admitted to Kinderclinic for the tests. Everything comes back normal. They recommend some physical/occupational therapy to get her on track, and an MRI when we return from the States.
26 April: 1st Postplacement visit.
2-4 May: Ava & Mandie went to Holland for a long time friends wedding.... Introducing Martine and Arvid.
5 May: We flew to Detroit where Ava went through immigration and became a citizen.
6 May: We finally made it to Ohio, after a 7.5 hour layover. Off to see Oma and Opa.
9 May: Ava gets her first tooth!
15 May: We head to PA to spend some time with the Doaks.
17-20 May: The Gilbert's come for a visit... and the Doaks throw a big party to welcome us home.
22 May: We met up with the Vedder's, another family that adopted while we were in Addis in February. They adopted Bisrat, Yabsira, and Mihret. It was great to see them, and hear them speak English... after such a short time. Today Jon also took a flight on a tiny plane....
24 May: We left Pitt for Germany.
30 May: Jon received his final orders. He leaves on Tuesday.
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