Laikyn Update- Four months

Sometimes when she looks up at me, I flash back to the first time I saw her serious little face staring at me from the computer screen. She still has that same expression and the picture pops into my mind every time she gives me that look. Loving her up close is very different than loving her from a computer screen. I now know what all those little expressions represent and usually can predict exactly what she is going to do after making a certain face. The four months since adoption have sped by at warp speed! I just noticed in my blog that I haven't updated her progress in a while. We went back to the doctor about three weeks ago. Her development is right on target in every area except for language, so she wanted her to come back after 3 months home to check on the speech progress. Two year olds should be able to say 50 words, and begin to put 2 words together. Laikyn says about 25 words and is adding words rapidly. She also says " jie jie go" so is beginning to put two together. Some of her words are light(lie), bye, hi, Halli (she is really good with l's), cookie(kiecoo), peepee, mama, dada,bubba, love you(laooo), bottle(babo), baby, Gdad. SHe is better with the beginning than word endings. The doctor felt she is progressing very well and said she likes for them to be caught up by one year, but feels Laikyn is progressing more rapidly than that. I asked about how she yells my name and then yaps away in her own little language. Rob says she and I will have very long conversations in the futture!! The doctor feels she is trying to speak and is approximating English by just putting together sounds she knows. She said to just keep talking, naming things, singing songs (She tries to sing Jesus Loves Me with sign language) and reading books. She obviously wants to talk, so the motivation will help. Her receptive language is awesome. She says "yeah" when we asks her questions and will correctly obey instructions for tasks like pick up your toy, throw it in the trash, bring me a diaper.We are going to check back again when she turns three in February, but at this time she doesn't recommend any intervention since she is doing so well. I wasn't planning on
Working on potty training until Christmas but little Ms Jillbug jumped the gun and took her to potty a few weeks ago. She went the first time and has now pooped on the potty about six or seven times over the past 2 weeks. She isn't telling us yet, but is very comfortable with the whole thing, and loves the praise, so we are going with that and asking her often. I don't think it's going to be as hard as I thought. She's so stubborn that it all depends on what she likes. Her comfort is growing in new places like the nursery at church. She now goes in to play without clinging and crying. She loves to help with chores like helping load and unload the dishwasher and throwing clothes in the dryer. She doesn't like to have help doing things. When we are in a hurry and put her shoes on for her, she takes them right off as soon as she gets in the car and puts them right back on. She also
doesn't like for me to turn her book pages for her when we are reading. I would describe her as fun loving with a serious stubborn streak, curious, and very smart. Problems? Well, she is two!! The biggest problem is tantrums with hitting and throwing things when she doesn't get her way. We notice it happens more often at Grandads where she like to get in his things. Not exactly baby proofed! Also she sleeps great, but I have now allowed her to sleep in our room. Ive not been feeling great and it gets me a better night sleep. I know I'm setting myself up! Hoping to get her in with Jillian by Christmas. Probably wishful thinking. I am attaching a couple of our latest family pictures we had made in August before Big Bro left for WKU. I just love them and think the photographer captured my kids perfectly.

Life With Crohns

I'm not usually a complainer,but lately it's hard... I am beyond grateful that I wasn't sick in China, but having had a couple years with nothing more than a few minor flares just spoiled me a little. I was amazed that we made it through the adoption stress without a flare since thats the kind of stress that usually causes this. Starting in July, the flareups began again. I was able to get a treatment in August, since I can only get one every eight weeks. August was good. Early September, another flare started. This one was definitely worse and has been ongoing for three or four weeks now. Besides all the intestinal junk, my mouth keeps breaking into sores, and various joints are flaring as well. My tailbone hurts so bad that it actually feels broken, which makes hoisting a two year old up and down excruciating at times, but I'm not about to tell her no, because that's the main thing she needs right now. I haven't slowed down my schedule much, because I do better if I just keep going. As bad as it is, I think back to the days before I started treatment and remember how I felt like I was going to die. There are days though when I dont think I can manage... Today I am at the hospital getting my Remicade infusion and praying for a some good weeks ahead. I used to hate doing this every other month, but when you're hurting, you can't wait to get here. Really hoping this will get me back into remission. I know that this is all for a purpose and our struggles are meant to refine us, so I'm writing all this with optimism, but I'm really, really missing life without Crohns!

Ants in the pants

This year, our annual South Hancock Ants in the Pants picnic had a new guest... Little Miss Laikyn! Her first school event!! Teacher's kiddos are always at home at school, but this kid is already acting like she owns the place. The highlight for the kids this year was the games. They were really fun food related games which were such a hit that we are going to use them for our birthday parties next time. Adding some pictures one of my coworkers sent me since I of course forgot my camera!

Korbins 7 th birthday

Korbin is a huge Toby Mac fan and wanted a party all about him. We had to settle for a rock star cake and decorations. His gift was a junior electric guitar. Loved Rob's question of "didn't we just get rid of one guitarist?" Oh well, the house was just getting too quiet with only three kids! Lol! Our big boy had a great day and is still playing his guitar every chance he gets. So thankful to be the mom of such a sweet hearted and funny little man! God is good!

Happy tenth gotcha day

Ten years ago, God entrusted us with his most precious of miracles. I was a basket of nerves as I sat in the conference room and waited on her to be delivered. It had been almost two years since God called me to adopt. I'll never forget how it confirmed to me that I was supposed to go to China. He worked on me for several years just to get me to the point of knowing I could adopt. Then I couldn't imagine where. In the midst of many weeks of prayer, I received a website of collected blogs from families that had adopted from an orphanage in Yang ChunCity, China. Within days, after reading until my eyes couldn't stay open, I knew God had a baby for me in China. We submitted paperwork in January and later found out that exactly nine months from that day, our baby girl was born in Yang Chun City, China. It sent chills down my spine because there were thousands of cites and orphanages. There was literally zero chance that I would've ever heard of that obscure city apart from Gods hand. It was his perfect timing! It was hard to see on that day however as I sat and shook to my core! The moment her nanny walked her into the room, time froze and the world was perfect again. I instinctively knew exactly what she needed and she seemed to know me immediately!! I am so overwhelmed when I think of her beginnings and how far Yang Chun Guo had to come to be the Beautiful young lady she is today! Taking her back to adopt her little sister this year was so great for her. She soaked everything in and really felt a that part of her that I'm not sure she knew was there! She is mature, helpful and wise beyond her years!! Happy Gotcha Day Jillian Chun Elise, my Jillibug! Momma Loves you!!!
As we do each year, we let her pick a family activity and she wanted to eat at Shogun and go to the movies, so that was the day! Very thankful that big bro came home to spend the day with us!

Talks with Laikyn

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dZRErQ6agD4&feature=youtube_gdata_player

One Less in the Nest

I've been putting off this post about Bran moving off to college even though it's major news in our household. I guess I'm not sure what to even say! If I say how I really feel, it will sound whiny and ungrateful. If I say the right thing, it wouldn't be real. I guess it's just that I truthfully have so many mixed emotions. I really feel like we made the right decision for him in insisting he start at the community college. As a result, he is starting at WKU with more maturity, better work ethic, and a greater sense of what he wants to do. He has shared some wisdom with me over the past year that lets me know he is in a stronger place in his walk with God as well.  I am also very happy that he wants to finish his education. I also realize that many parents don't get the opportunity to take their child to college or even see their child grow up for that matter. So for those things, I am extremely grateful. With that said, this momma just misses her kid! Taking him to the dorm last weekend, was exactly the same feeling as dropping him off for Kindergarten. It just left a pit in my stomach. Even though I know he is grown, I also remember how vulnerable I was in my early 20's and it felt like I was sending him into a den of wolves. I stayed and scrubbed the floor, straightened his bed, and rearranged his closet for as long as I could. Finally, we had to just go. We took him to eat, had a prayer with him and then drove away with me sobbing halfway to Owensboro. It feels like I just completed my family and now its incomplete again.On the bright side, he did have a great week and joined Baptist Campus Ministries which he is really excited about.  He also went to Living Hope with Uncle Kev (thankfully he lives only minutes from campus) and is looking into the possibility of playing with their praise band. He also really enjoyed all of the activities this week designed to teach him all about what WKU has to offer. He came home this weekend and is now back and ready to begin classes in the morning. Praying for a successful year and for God to watch over my boy!