From the mouths of babes......

Today Kaden and I cleaned up his play room.  It was so cluttered, no "playing" could actually occur because there was no floor space!  Anyway, once it was cleaned up he was delighted to realize he could now use his Sit 'N Spin because he had plenty of room. 

He was spinning along, having a great 'ole time, and then asked me if I'd like to try it.  I told him it was very nice of him to offer but that my booty was too big.  He got up, came over to me, and said, "Let me see."  He then stared at my rear for awhile and exclaimed, "Yep.  It's big alright!"

What's in a nickname?

I'm not even sure how it happened, but when Ryan and I started dating, we began to refer to each other as Funny Bunny (me) and Silly Goose (him).  When Kaden came home, we called him many different nicknames.  He was Wiggle Worm, Cranky Pants, Smiley Boy, Pumpkin Head, and many others. Nothing seemed to "stick" until we came across Buddy Bear.  Now he'll even tell you that he's Buddy Bear!

So, all of our nicknames are animals.  The other day, we were trying our hardest to come up with a nickname for our next child.  We couldn't seem to come up with anything, at least not animal related.  But today, the inspiration came!  Ryan said, "You'd better write the story of how this name came about now before you forget it."  So here I am, blogging the story.

Kaden and Ryan were playing a game.  Kaden would cover himself up in his blanket and then Ryan would say, "I wonder what's under that blanket?  Is it a cow?"  Kaden would respond by making the sound of the animal just mentioned.  Then Ryan would run through a list of types of that animal.  "Is it a Jersey cow?  Is it an Angus?  No! (he lifts the blanket) It's a Kaden cow!"  Then they'd both giggled and the game would begin again.

Well, as Ryan was listing different types of sheep, he said, "Is it a little lamb?"  For some reason, that just struck me!  It was like a light bulb came on over my head.  Little lamb!  That's it!  That's our little girl's nickname.

So, Little Lamb, Mommy, Daddy, & Brother are excited to be starting the journey to you!

It's Official!

I submitted our online application with Holt International this morning. They will send us an adoption agreement that must be signed and notarized and then we should recieve our approval and homestudy packet! My goal is to have our homestudy completed and sent to Korea by the end of the year. Then we will officially apply with the Waiting Child program to request a girl. After that, it's anybody's guess. We could get a referral within a few weeks, or it could take over a year. But, hopefully by the end of 2009 we will have a daughter!

Kaden's 2 year-old pictures

Although they're 3 months late, we finally got around to having Kaden's 2-year-old portraits taken. We tried JC Penney's this time around because Portrait Innovations is closed on Mondays and we were trying to fit a photo shoot in with a doctor's appointment, so the day wasn't movable.

At PI, they taken about 60 photos for you to choose from. JCP only took a total of 17! But, all 17 turned out really great. Kaden was a perfect angel for the session. The photographer said she was the best 2-year-old she'd ever had. He followed every single one of her directions and even posed himself for several shots!

But, unlike PI, JCP is not very affordable. So, I was only able to get the advertised portrait package and could only choose one photo. Since I was going for "look who's 2", I chose the best one of him with the present and #2 cake. I really liked the one of him with his elbow on his knee too. It was so hard to decide.

Another disappointing thing about JCP is that the online viewing for the pictures is very, very small. It's really hard to see the pictures and you can't enlarge them at all. Plus, you have to enter your full name to get into the site. That's not exactly something I want to post here on the internet for the world to see. So, rather than giving you the link to the site, I have created a collage out of my favorites of the 17 poses. Sorry they are so small!

In regards to my last post, nothing definitive has been decided. I'm just holding on for now. After Ryan is full-time at the telephone company and we've had a chance to figure out the new insurance, we will re-evaluate. I have another appointment with the doctor on Nov. 9. Hopefully she can answer a lot of my questions about the hysterectomy at that time. I'm also hoping that the new insurance will cover a visit to a endometriosis specialist in Nebraska. I guess only time will tell.

Major Life Changes Ahead

I am 32. At least, I think I am. Anymore, it's hard to tell. I feel like an old, old woman. I have some major decisions to make that I don't think anyone at my age should have to face.

What am I talking about? The big "H" word. Hysterectomy. My endometriosis has been getting very, very bad again. I had laproscopic surgery 4 years ago and the pain subsided for awhile. The doctor is now tellingme that doing another lap would be a waste of money, my time, and her time. So, here are my options:

• Do Nothing. Keep living with the pain for now. Revisit options 2 & 3 at a later date.
• Take Lupron. This is a highly controversial drug that would throw me into early menopause. While it would help the pain, it has many negative side effects and is still just a temporary fix.
• Hysterectomy. This would stop the endometriosis and could possibly help the IC as well. But, I would have to take measures to prevent premature aging, loss of bone density, and to maintain hormonal balance. There's also a higher risk of cancer and heart disease and if I do take HRT, the endo on my intestines will still grow. Plus, it takes away any hope of ever having a biological child. I don't really have any false hopes of ever conceiving, but it is a loss I'll have to grieve.

After doing a lot of research on Lupron and talking to people who have taken it, I think I would honestly just rather do the hyst and get it over with. So then the biggest issue is timing. If I were to have it done now, before October 1, the surgery would be free. We've already met our deductible for this year because of Ryan's broken hand. But, the timing is bad. I am teaching a class and would not be able to miss several weeks in a row. Ryan will be in harvest in September and then he starts a new job. Mom is saving her days off for when my sister's baby is born. So while we could probably find people to care for Kaden, who would take care of me? Or, should I wait and keep muddling through until I'm 40 and then not worry about HRT?

I am overwhelmed by this all and would really appreciate prayer. I want to have God's peace and a clear sense of discernment regarding this decision. I want to be sure that whatever course I choose, I will have no regrets and will be able to see that God's hand led me to that decision. Right now, everything is very unclear. I feel as though I am in a dark, locked room and am groping for the light switch.

On Friday, Ryan and I will have been married 10 years. Can you believe it? When I look back on my wedding day, I realize that I could have never imagined the road that life would take us on. As a idealistic bride, it never occurred to me that I wouldn't be able to have a baby or that I would be facing a huge life changing decision like this one at age 32. I am very glad that infertility led us to Kaden, but the medical side of it has become more than I can bear.

So, please pray, pray, pray!

Exciting News!

I've lost 10 lbs.!!!! Yeah!!!! My pants are literally starting to fall off of me and I couldn't be happier. I just started this diet, actually more of a lifestyle change, just 3 weeks ago. Seeing the change in how my clothing fits has definitely motivated me to keep it up. I know that the first 10 lbs. are always the easiest to lose and then it gets harder from there. I'd ideally like to lose another 20, so I've got a ways to go.

More Kaden Funnies

Kaden is talking more and more these days and starting to get really good at formulating sentences and complete thoughts. But, the English language can still be a bit confusing at times. Here's a couple of examples!

We were having a discussion one morning and he told me something that I knew could not possibly be true. So I asked him, "Are you lyin' to me?" His response: "Roar"! I guess I just have to ask him if he's telling me the truth next time and leave the King of the Jungle out of it!

A couple of days ago Kaden couldn't find a toy he was looking for. He told me he didn't know where it was and I told him I didn't know either. He looked at me funny and asked, "Eyeore?" I guess he wondered what Pooh's donkey friend had to do with it! How exactly do you explain the word "either" to a 2-year-old?

He has me laughing a lot these days. I know there's been other funnies this past week, but I think my brain is fried or something. I can't remember what I did 2 hours ago, let alone remember all the things Kaden has said. I need to keep a notepad with me at all times so I can jot these things down as they happen!

Bad Blogger

I can't seem to keep up with my blog anymore. But, I'm excited to announce that I have lost 6 lbs. since my last post! Apparently the diet is working for both health and weight. Seeing the numbers on the scale gave me the encouragement I needed to keep going strong. No sugar for me!

It's amazing to me how observant Kaden is. He picks up on things a little too well sometimes. Today we were playing with his "Rescue Heroes" (a set of wooden figurines). I was playing the part of the stuffed bunny rabbit who was asking the Rescue Heroes about their jobs. Kaden was having fun and I thought it was a good way to teach him about different jobs. For example, I had the bunny ask the Fireman, "How do you put out fires?" Kaden didn't know at first, but after playing this scenario several times, he knew to answer, "I put water on it!"

So, we were playing with each of the Rescue Heroes and finally got to the Policman. I had the bunny say, "Thank Mr. Policeman for keeping us safe. I'm glad you put the bad guys who are naughty in jail so they can get better." Kaden then put down the policman and said, "Yeah. Uncle Tim is naughty. He's in jail, but he can get out when he decides to be good again." We really haven't talked directly to Kaden about this situation. I thought that he just knew that Uncle Tim went "bye, bye". He definitely listens to everything we say, even when we are not talking to him, and analyzes it all. So, if you have a toddler, beware! Little ears are listening!

Not much to post

There isn't too much going on around here. I've started a new diet. It's more of a "get healthy" diet as opposed to a "lose weight" diet, but I'm hopeful that it will actually do both. I am cutting out sugar entirely. I did this once before about 6 years ago and actually lost 30 lbs. and felt great, but eventually my willpower collapsed (it's not a temporary diet, but a total lifestyle change) and I started adding sugar back in. So, now I've gained all that back plus some.

It's going to be even harder this time around. When I was on the diet before, I could at least indulge in sugar free snacks. Sugar free jello, pudding, etc. really don't taste too bad. But, thanks to my interstitial cystitis, I can no longer have anything that contains aspartame. Well, I can, if I want my bladder to feel like it's on fire and have to go to the bathroom every 15 minutes! So, in order to protect my sanity, I can't have anything sugar free either.

Where does that leave me? I'm pretty much eating meats and vegetables. I think I'll need to start taking a calcium pill, because I can't drink milk anymore (lactose is a sugar) and soy milk is on the IC no-no list. Maybe I'll try rice milk. Anyone know if that's decent?

Anyway, enough about my depressing new eating habits. In other news, I am filling in as the church secretary this week. I've really been enjoying it. As much as I love and adore Kaden, I've really enjoyed spending my mornings around adults and doing work that doesn't involve putting accessories on potato heads. Kaden's been loving his break from me too because Uncle Buh is watching him when I go to work. We all know how much he adores his Uncle Buh!

I guess that's about it. I told you there wasn't anything exciting to report! Kaden continues to grow and his vocabulary and speech clarity continue to grow as well. Unfortunately, his attitude has also been growing a bit, but I guess that's to be expected for a 2-year-old!

Happy 4th of July!

This was Kaden's first year to experience fireworks.  He really, really enjoyed them!  I think he's going to be a pyromaniac like his father.  I will eventually get more photos posted to DropShots, but for now, here's a cute one of Kaden with the flag.  Happy 4th!

Two Years Ago Today

Two years ago today, we saw our sweet boys face for the first time. It was such an amazing day! To recall Kaden's referral, you can watch the video of us seeing his picture for the first time on DropShots.

I can't believe how much our lives have changed since the day of Kaden's referral. He has brought us so much joy. It's been so fun to watch him grow and learn new things. We love him so much.

Happy 2nd Referral Day Kaden!!!!

New Cute Kaden Sayings

Kaden has been extra sweet lately. I am so proud of our caring, compassionate boy. The other day, I took a little too big of drink and it caused me to cough and catch my breath. We were in the car at the time and I heard a little voice from the back seat ask, "Are you okay Mommy?" It melted my heart!

Then yesterday, I was opening a Handi Snack (you know, the crackers you dip in cheese) for Kaden's snack. I pulled back on the wrapper a little too hard and the crackers went flying everywhere. As I was profusely apologizing to Kaden, he began to pick up the spilt crackers and reassured me, "It's okay Mommy. It was an accident."

Finally, I always get nervous when Kaden climbs on things. The other day, Naboo decided to climb up our screen door. Of course, I yelled at the cat and said, "No Naboo! Get down." Kaden, however, had a different approach. He went over to Naboo (still hanging on the screen), gently petted him and said, "Be careful Naboo. You could get hurt." Awww.........

Watch our video!

Okay, so it's not really "our" video, but I found a link to the Stephen Curtis Chapman video of "When Love Takes You In" that features clips of adoptive families, including US! No, I did not make this video! It was made by SC2's people and he shows it at his concerts. You can watch the video by clicking on the picture in my sidebar to the right. We're about halfway into it.

Speaking of SC2, please continue to pray for him and his family. They lost their youngest daughter, Maria, in tragic accident last week. My heart goes out to them.

I WON!

A few months ago, Digital Srapbooking Magazine ran a contest. They were having their own digital scrapbook "awards". You could submit a layout for best comedy, romance, documentary, etc. I asked Debby & Ferrell Allison if they would mind if I submitted my "Greensburg Tornado" page. The page prodominently features a picture of their destroyed home, so I didn't want to enter it in a contest without them knowing.

Well, guess what? I won the "Best Documentary" category! Here's a picture of the prize package I received:


There are 3 Digital Scrapbook Memories C.D.s (these contain digiscrap kits!), 1 Scrapbook Max C.D. (more kits!), a photo album, and a perfect printing pouch. I'm also getting some scrapbook actions and prints from Shutterfly. Yahoo!

The letter that was enclosed in my prize package said that they aren't sure yet whether or not they will print the winning pages in the magazine or not. But, they will at least list the winners. I'm excited either way!

BTW, here's the winning page:

The ZOO!!!

Yesterday, the whole family took Kaden to the zoo. We met up with some friends there and had a great time seeing all the animals. It had been almost a year since we had last taken Kaden. He was a little too young then to really "get" it. But this time, he had a blast! It was so cute to see him point at the animals and say their name or the sound that they make. His favorite thing by far was the gorillas. I think he would have stayed and watched them all day if we'd let him.

Here's some pictures! You can click on them to see them full screen.

Kaden pointing to the baboons:

Getting a better view of the zebra:

Here's all the kids:

As always, just pop on over to DropShots to see a LOT more pictures and video clips!

Some New Kaden Funnies!

Kaden loves to talk on the phone. Ryan often calls to from work to let me know he'll be late. Kaden points at the phone and says "Daddy, Daddy!" until I let him talk to him. Then even after he's done, he'll try to grab the phone back while saying, "More Daddy." Repeatedly. Anyway, he and Ryan have a pretty routine "conversation" that they hold each time they talk on the phone:

R: "Are you having a fun day Kaden?"
K: "Uh huh."
R: "Have you been a good boy?"
K: "Uh huh."
R: "Obey Mommy."
K" "Okay."

There are sometimes slight varations, but that's the gist of it. So, a few days ago Ryan called to let me know he'd be late. Kaden begged for the phone as usual. As soon as he had it to his ear, before Ryan even said anything, Kaden exclaimed, "Obey Mommy!"

Kaden loves the two exchange students that Mom and Dad have been hosting this year. However, on occasion he has been a bit "cold" to Ye-In. He will sometimes refuse to hug her when asked and has even hit her before. So, we have often talked with him about being nice to Ye-In and not being rude.

Yesterday I was having "one of those days" and just needed a little while to myself. Ye-In graciously agreed to watch Kaden for a few hours after school. She picked him up on her way home and I was able to enjoy some peace and quiet. I picked him up around 4:30 and on the walk home we had the following conversation:

Me: "Did you have fun with Ye-In?"
K: "Yah. I nice to Ye Ye. No rude."

It was so cute in his toddler voice. It phoenetically sounded like, "I nigh to Ye Ye. No wude," as he shook his head!

The last one, if I haven't bored you enough already, happened this morning. We walked down to Grandma and Grandpa's house to make sure Ye-In was awake and give her a message. On the way, our cat Naboo followed us. On the way home, Naboo decided to take the lead. Kaden was chasing after him, hands in the air, cow backpack swaying as he bounced along, yelling, "Wait Boo. Wait Boo. Wait!"

Kaden is TWO!

Can you believe it? I can't. It seems like just yesterday we were celebrating his first birthday. This year went so fast and he has changed so much.

Here are a few pictures from the big day. As always, you can see a LOT more by going to our DropShots account.

The birthday cake




Enjoying the birthday cake




Kaden with some of his "bounty"

The Power of the People!!!!

It turns out the power of the people has prevailed! Don't ever think that you can't change something. Enough of us adoptive mothers wrote and complained about the "Non-Mom" category in the NBC "Amercia's Favorite Mom" contest (see my previous post), that they changed wording. That category is now called "Adoptive Moms". I still find it sad that they feel a need to put us in a seperate category, but at least we are no longer being considered "Non-Moms". It's a step in the right direction.

Do you consider me a MOM?

I'm just wondering, because apparently NBC does not. Grrrr...... They are having an contest called "America's Favorite Mom". They have different categories of "moms" including:

The Military Mom
The Working Mom
The Single Mom
The Non-Mom Mom
The "Chairman Of Everything" Mom

Okay, I can understand most of the categories, but what exactly is a Non-Mom? Well, according to the description on the "America's Favorite Mom" website, a Non-Mom is:
"Grandparent, stepmom, or mom to adopted children, each one raising and loving a child. A priceless gift for everybody."

Well, thanks for the "pricless gift" part, but I'm sorry, I don't consider myself a "Non Mom". I think they could have chosen a much, much better word for this category. I have to wonder what grandmothers and stepmoms think about being considered "Non Moms" as well. I think maybe "Non Traditional" Mom would have been a better description for this category.

But, that brings me to my next question. Should adoptive mom even have been lumped in this category? Foster moms, yes, but adoptive moms? I don't think so. It makes me wonder, if there is an amazing adoptive mother out there that is in the military, would they have let her be considered as a candidate for the "Military Mom" category? Or, did she automatically have to be considered for the "Non-Mom" category simply because she did not give birth to her child?

In addition to this, one of the "Non-Mom" finalists is Jennifer Keller from Home, Kansas. They described her as: "She was an adopted child who is now mom to her own daughter, plus six adopted children who started life as "meth babies"." Nothing gets my goat more than when people feel it necessary to seperate biological children from adopted children. She is the mother of 7. Period. No one has ever introduced my mom as the mother of "two of her own daughters and one adopted son." She is simply the mother of 3 children: 2 girls and 1 boy. Ugh!

Maybe I'm just extra sensitive today and reading too much into this. But, I sent a rather strongly worded e-mail to the contest. If you would like to stand up for adoptive mothers everywhere, I'd appreciate if you'd send an e-mail as well.

Here's the link to the contest: Click HERE

Here's the e-mail address:
support@americasfavoritemom.com

Okay, I'm getting off my soapbox now. Thanks for "listening"!!!

Tricia

Prom

It's so fun having teenage sisters again. I'm just sad they are leaving soon. :(

Anyway, last night was prom and I hot rolled Ye-In and Tina's hair. Ye-In had to also participate in the state music contest that day, so we did her hair early. She got a one rating on her flute solo. Yeah! We had just enough time when we she got home to add a few more quick curls and take pictures. By the time she got to prom, the curls were gone. I swear I put a ton of hairspray on too. I guess her hair just won't hold the curl.

Here she is in curlers:

Here she is with her hair all curly:

And here's how it looked when she arrived at prom:

Oh well, we tried! And she still looked beautiful.

Tina was lucky enough to have the whole afternoon to get ready. I hot rolled her hair to get it nice and full and then Kara fixed it for her and did her makeup.

Here's what the back of her hair looked like:

And here she is all dolled up and ready to go to prom! Pretty!

Kaden also had fun getting ready for prom. He was particularly interested in Ye-In's sparkly shoes!