A Little Taste

A little taste of life these days around here...

It's delicious!

We are trying new things, making lots of recipes from scratch,

and just enjoying food!

New tastes lately include homemade icing...

...and a special treat, dairy-free chocolate pudding!

Life is exhausting!

The boys are sleeping really well (finally!)

but little Miss Hannah is still struggling,

and taking us along with her!

I shouldn't have been surprised to look over

and find her asleep at lunchtime!

Life is taking care of those I love!

Poor Matthew had a nasty stomach bug this week.

We watched a lot of tv!

Thankfully it was only one day out of the week

and he is all better now :)

Life is fun!

Seeing Hannah start to come alive is so wonderful.

She is settling in more and more,

she is busy, busy, busy,

and I might be wrong but I think

she loves being able to get around!

Life is amazing!

Hearing Hannah's first word ("Up"),

seeing her tell our dog, "No, no, no!",

cheering for her today as she crawled 

halfway across the bedroom...

it's amazing!

What a gift to be able to experience these things with her!

Life is togetherness!

To think that less than 2 months ago

these two were strangers...

it's hard to believe!

They are becoming inseparable!

The sibling bond is growing

and wherever the boys are...

that's where you'll find Hannah!

In a nutshell, I am tired out but feeling so thankful

for how things are going.

I wouldn't trade my life for anything!

The Baby Will Fall...

Well, last week held a little more excitement than we expected.  On Thursday, Hannah took a fall and after a few hours it was pretty obvious she had injured something.  The question was - what?  That's the hard part with a baby when it isn't an obvious injury.  

I thought something was wrong with her arm, as she cried every time we picked her up under her arms and she wouldn't roll onto that side without screaming.  I took her in to the pediatrician, got sent for x-rays, and found out the next morning that she had broken her clavicle (collarbone).  Poor baby, I felt so bad for her!  She had a couple of rough days pain wise but yesterday seemed much better.  

The big bummer is that she was just starting to crawl and pull up, and now those things have been put on hold.  The good news is that it will heal on its own in just a few weeks.  And despite it all, her smile is still lighting up the room!

Lots of Good and a Little Bit of Less Good

It has been a great few weeks, despite the fact that we continue to battle sickness around here.  Last week was a loooooong week as Brad had to be at church several evenings helping to install a new sound board.  We made it through and even managed a special family outing - eating at a restaurant!  This was our first time taking all three out for dinner and it went amazingly well.  It wasn't relaxing or anything but we had fun and the kids did great...and I didn't have to cook, so that was a bonus!

Hannah has not been able to spend too much time with either of our families because of sickness, but she sure is warming up to everyone!  Here she is with her Aunt Jo - don't they look like best buddies?

The days have been so good! Hannah is signing so many things - more, all done, tub, potty, eat, and she is even trying to say some of these words!  She is so happy when she signs something and I understand her - her little face just lights up!

I must admit it was a bit concerning to see Hannah's muscle tone when we first met her, to realize that even sitting up was hard for her at 18 months old.  We didn't know what the coming months would look like.  There was even a point when I asked the physical therapist if she believed Hannah would walk one day...that's how uncertain it seemed at times.  The physical therapist replied that Hannah seems very determined so she expected her to walk, though it might be 6 months or more and she may need orthodics for her feet and lower legs (to help them align correctly so she doesn't get hurt).

In the last week we have seen just how determined our little girl is!  She is on the move, people!  The other night she pulled herself up to standing in the tub without any help.  I was amazed!  Then yesterday she got up on all fours a ton of times and even moved forward a little bit.  We were cheering her on so much and the look on her face was priceless :)  I think she'll be crawling all over very soon.  It is exciting to see her making so much progress so quickly!

The "little bit of less good" in our lives right now is sleep.  Or, rather, the lack of sleep.  With sickness comes lots of nighttime wakings.  Boo!  Add that to the fact that Hannah seems to be doing a lot of grieving and we've been having some very difficult nights.  Poor baby girl wakes up instantly screaming, angry, inconsolable...totally different from the day.  She doesn't seem to show any signs of not feeling well in the day, so I don't think it's that.  She is just sad.  It's totally understandable, and actually a good sign that she is grieving as it means she was attached to her foster family and is attaching to us.  It's still hard though.  I think we were up over 10 times last night between the 3 kids and we just had to laugh this morning about it (because otherwise we will cry!!!).

I know this is just a season, I know there will come an end to the sickness, I know that one day my babies won't be babies anymore and they won't need me in the middle of the night, so as strange as it seems I'm just taking this time for what it is, holding them close, and being thankful that I'm the one who gets to comfort them.  Over...and over...and over again...all night long...

There's nowhere I'd rather be!

Settling Into Our Schedule

It's no secret: there are a lot of different ways to parent.  Different things are important to different people, and we all have personalities and backgrounds that influence the way we do things with our kids.  

Since Hannah has been home, I've realized one big thing about myself: I'm a planner and I like a schedule.  For me, that's how I survive three kids four and under!  

If we're going to the store, I have a plan.  I know when we need to start getting ready to leave on time.  I methodically pack up our stuff on the table then load it in the diaper bag near the door.  The kids take turns going to the bathroom then getting their coats and shoes on.  I tell the kids where we're going, and who's going to ride in the cart or walk (Hannah rides in the front and the boys take turns riding in the back - I can't handle two on the loose at one time!!!).  They know what to expect and most of the time that helps things go really well.

Nap time has come to be the same.  Before Hannah came home, I was kind of winging it each day because Nathan would sometimes nap and sometimes he wouldn't.  And sometimes he'd scream for an hour - you know, just for fun :)  Nap time was a nightmare!  When Hannah came home I didn't know what I would do, since I knew she needed one.  But we made a plan and it has gone so well!  I give Hannah a bottle in our bedroom while the boys sit on the couch playing ipad/ipod and I can see them from our room.  She usually falls asleep before her bottle is even done, and I put her in her crib.  One down, two to go!  Then the boys get a 2 minute warning (this helps prevent meltdowns!) and then I take them into their bedroom.  Nathan now goes to sleep without us lying with him (yey!) so I put some quiet music on and sit just outside their door.  They sleep every day now that this is our routine!  It's amazing!  I often have an hour or more by myself...sweet bliss :)

We have a bedtime routine, a bath routine, we do a lot of things the same just so that the boys know what to expect.  It helps us know, too!  I totally get that not everyone is like this, and maybe it sounds like I'm a drill sergeant but we move through our routines with a lot of laughing and fun.  Well, sometimes.  :)  And sometimes I'm a drill sergeant :)  We're talking about survival, people!

I feel like we are finding our groove now...and although the transition has been surprisingly easy I have got to say that three kids is a lot of work!!!  I am so tired!!!  We definitely have to stay home more than we used to just because it's so tiring putting three little ones in car seats!

That's what we did this weekend - we stayed home!  Thankfully we had some nice weather and were able to play outside for a while.  We found out Hannah loves swinging.  I can't wait for summer and lots of time in the backyard!

A Kitchen Revolution

It's been a long time coming, but I must admit that even I am surprised to find myself making these changes in my life right now.  The issue: food.  You hear about it all the time - what you "should" eat, what you "shouldn't" eat, what is "good" for you, what is "not good" for you.  It seems like everyone has an opinion - and everyone's opinion is different!  I've been thinking about it for a long time, and this week finally took the plunge into some big changes for our family.

It all started in 2010 when we found out about Matthew's food allergies.  Wow, was that ever an overwhelming time for us!  Trying to learn to cook without eggs, dairy, nuts, berries, tomatoes...when I couldn't even cook at all really!  I didn't know where to start.  Slowly but surely we found our way.  We made changes, survived for a while, made more changes, I read and learned and we found our new normal.

Over time, this new normal transformed my feelings toward food and cooking.  I went from hating it, surviving it, and being frustrated every day, to loving it, enjoying it, and wanting to learn more.  Trying new recipes became fun instead of annoying.  I found things my kids loved and that tasted good to us, too.  And I got to the point where it wasn't stressful anymore to prepare dinner.

So over the last few years we have made a lot of changes, and I do a lot of cooking from scratch...but I still would take a shortcut whenever possible.  Snacks almost always came from a box and were some type of processed cookie, cracker or chip.  Don't get me wrong - we ate a lot of fruit (I thought) and my kids got plenty of vegetables (didn't they?).

As time has gone on, I've started thinking more about this.  I've been learning more about what is really in the food we've been eating.  And I've been wondering if we are really doing as well as I thought.  The driving force behind this, for me, is that I have not felt well for a long time.  I mean, stomach issues and headaches every day.  This can't just be normal, can it?  Do I just have to deal with it, or is there something I can do?

When we found out that Hannah has either a dairy allergy or intolerance, that was it for me.  I decided then and there that we were going to start eating differently.  I talked to Brad about it, and he was reserved but on board.  I knew that I couldn't just make small changes or I'd keep going the way we were going, so I decided to clean out the kitchen and start fresh.  I went through every cupboard, the fridge and freezer, and got rid of all the processed stuff in there.  Wow - was that eye opening!  We had way more than I ever expected.  I must say there are still some processed foods in the kitchen, as we seek out alternatives or finish up what we had.  But the majority of it is gone!  I even said good-bye to my most beloved salt and vinegar kettle chips!

My approach to our food is now this: I can eat whatever I want.  I am not going to say, "I'm not going to eat cookies!" because I know that just makes me want a cookie!  Instead I am just trying to be intentional and thinking about what will make me feel better, what is good for my body.  This approach is leading me to choose an apple and to feel good about that choice!  Plus, not having the other option in the house makes it easier.  This is not to say I will never eat a cookie - I had a couple about a week ago and that was great.  But I don't need to eat them every day (not that I would do that...nope...never...oh, okay maybe I used to just a little bit...).  I find I am not nearly craving sweets the same as I used to.  I used to have to finish every meal with some kind of sweet.  Now, I just finish my meal and that's that!  We are eating more fresh fruit and vegetables than I ever could imagine and I even found myself buying organic (would've sworn a few years ago that I would never jump on that bandwagon...).  Our dinners are mostly the same as they were already from scratch, but we've switched to whole wheat and whole grains, and have added more vegetables and salads to each meal.  We've done away with juice (for the most part) and we're all drinking a ton of water.  It's been a slow and steady change, and I feel good about what I'm eating and what I'm feeding my family.  I think more changes may come over time as I learn more, but for now, we're in a good place and I feel like these changes are sustainable.

I have yet to see if these changes will help me feel better, as I've had a cold this week so I couldn't tell...I feel pretty optimistic though.  I have had several days without a headache (that's a big deal for me!) and I don't feel so sluggish.  I'm excited to see what's ahead on this new journey!

A Daddy's Love

He's going to be so mad at me for saying this...

but she's got him wrapped around her little finger!

In all fairness, she's pretty smitten with him, too!

Everyone Says, "Take My Picture With the Dog"...

It's the thing to do, lately.

"Take my picture with the dog, Mom!"

Ok, then :)

Obviously, some turn out better than others!

(By the way, my dog is not a monster...she's just yawning!)

The New Thing Around Here

These boys are all about Rescue Bots these days...they're like Transformers for little kids, and the boys are crazy about them at the moment.  It is so funny to watch them play together as they get older.  They make up stories, "rescue" each other, and laugh like crazy.  It is AWESOME and I just love it!  

It's so funny to see how "rough and tumble" Nathan is with Matthew, and then to see how gentle (most of the time!) he is with Hannah.  I love seeing these different sides of him and watching the three of them interact.  People ask me all the time if they are brothers.  My answer..."Yep!".  Without a doubt, they are brothers!

Adventures at the Audiologist

I've got to admit, having walked down this road a little bit already, I am finding this time around much easier and much less stressful.  I know what to expect, I know the doctors and therapists and audiologist, I understand more, and it's way easier.  This week we started the journey towards getting Hannah hearing!  What an exciting journey to be on!

We headed to our audiologist and ENT, and before Hannah got to go back, it was Nathan's turn for a hearing test.  I don't remember if I posted this last time or not, but Nathan can tend to be a little bit of a stinker and is usually pretty uncooperative for these things :)  This time, I prepped him for days and I have to say, it paid off!  He did AWESOME!  I was so proud of my little man, and excited to learn that his hearing has improved a little over the last few months.  

Next up was Little Miss, and she did amazingly well (actually, I believe "outstanding" is the word the audiologist used!).  I was pretty surprised to find out that she actually falls into the "mild/moderate" hearing loss range, which is even better than Nathan's hearing.  Wow!  Not what we expected, but great news!  We also found out that she will be able to wear a Bone Anchored Hearing Aid (BAHA) which is on a soft headband (it transmits sound through the bone), and that she will have normal hearing with this!  Wow again!  We had prepared for the worst but it looks like once again we got the best possible outcome.  We hope to have our little one's BAHA in the coming weeks and to get started with speech therapy.  I can't even imagine how loud our house is going to be a year from now (you should hear how loud it is already!).

Every day I marvel at this precious little gift God has brought to our lives.  She fits so perfectly in with our family, she is a joy and brings a crazy amount of smiles to all our faces, and we just feel so blessed.  It's hard to believe I really wrestled with God about saying yes to her file...I felt like it was too soon, and it would be too hard, and too expensive, and the kids were all too close together in age...but He knew all along that she was to be our child.  I'm so thankful that He helped me past the fear and the doubts and took us on yet another journey of faith.  It is not always easy, but it is more wonderful than anything I could think up for my life.

Look What She's Been Up To...

We have seen so much improvement in Hannah's strength since we first met her.  She is not able to pull up to standing yet...but if I prop her up she can now stand at the couch for a little while without falling over or sitting down!  

After a few minutes, she does start to look a little worried...

Another big accomplishment this week - Hannah learned how to sit up from lying down!  I was so proud of my little girl when she figured this out and you should have seen the look on her face - she was proud of herself, too!  Now she does it all the time...Nathan still claps for her every time she sits up :)  When I went to get her up from her nap the other day I found her sitting in her bed (first time she'd sat up without anyone encouraging her!).

I have no idea how long of a journey it will be for our little one to get from here to walking, but I am excited to get started with physical and occupational therapy next week and to keep building up those muscles.  There is lots more clapping to come, I'm sure!

Tired But Happy...

I'm feeling a bit "zombie-like" today...sleep seems to be eluding our household once again!  Sickness has come, which has Matthew coughing and waking up a lot.  Nathan is learning to sleep on his own (without us laying beside him) which sometimes has great results (slept through the night alone two nights ago!) and sometimes is a pain in the neck (up at 5:30am yesterday and today).  Hannah has been having "mystery symptoms" and stomach issues and has been waking up a lot.  The doctor thinks she is allergic to milk...are you kidding me?  She had blood work done yesterday to see if she is, and if she has any other allergies.  We just had to laugh at this one - at least we have experience with this issue!

Once we took her off dairy, Hannah cheered up immensely.  During the day.  I'm not sure if it is pain or grief at night, but there was some serious crying last night.  Thankfully it didn't last long and she is comforted by me or Brad pretty well.

Hannah had almost stopped eating for the last week with not feeling well.  One day she wouldn't eat anything for me...I went to fix my lunch and when I turned around I found Nathan feeding her!  She ate the whole bowl for him!  So funny and cute!  He is so gentle with her it astounds me (because he is totally a rough and tumble kind of boy).

Hannah has been playing in the pack-and-play a little bit each day just so that I have somewhere safe to put her if I need to go and switch laundry or something like that.  She fusses at first a tiny bit then sits and plays happily for 10-15 minutes.  

Whenever Brad puts Hannah to bed, it seems that he puts himself to bed, too!  This is what I found when I went in at 9pm the other night (he put her to bed at 7pm!).  We are so tired out it's hard not to fall asleep anytime we're horizontal!

I'm so thankful that the only real problem we've had with Nathan since bringing Hannah home is that Nathan loves his sister too much sometimes...he wants to sit with her, touch her, play with her all the time and sometimes she just needs a little space!  She loves him, too, though - the other day she was in the bath, and Nathan came in and asked to get in as well.  When I put him in with her she smiled so big, it was very sweet.

I'm so thankful her smile returned yesterday after we changed her diet!  She hasn't been this happy since we were in China - it was wonderful to see!  I kind of felt like we broke her!

Our consistency with Nathan seems to be paying off (although he is sitting in time-out as I type this for sitting on his brother's head...again...sigh).  He has been listening so well, playing nicely, and seems much happier these last few days.  I hope he knows that we will be his Mom and Dad forever and that these trips have not hurt him but actually solidified for him that we will always love him.  He is so precious and I'm so thankful for how he has come through this transition!

And if they would only sleep...life would be close to perfect...