G'byeah G'byeah

From Karin:
I feel like it has been forever since my last update. I will try to keep it short and sweet. Yeah, right.

Surgery was a huge success. Five days ago Lulu had the two lateral horizontal muscles of the eyes shortened. It was a long but well supported day and she was amazing. I do have to say that Swedish Hospital in Seattle really handles pediatric surgeries amazingly as does Dr. Epley.

The most major challenge beyond the long day, and surgery of course was that Lulu responds so well to anesthesia that she slept for four hours at the hospital and we couldn't go home until she would eat and drink. When we did get home, her only desire was to sleep and only if sitting right on Mommy. When we tried to put a crashed out sweetie in her own bed, she would have nothing to do with it until Quin was to be in his neighboring bed. She made her requirements very clear and we had to comply or else her tears looked Iike something out of Tru Blood (Vampire TV show for the uninitiated).

Adoption from China was also a theme that day because we met a boy, adopted from Henan Province years ago, in a hospital play room. In the first recovery suite, one of the nurses was an adoptive mother of a daughter from Guangdong who is now 4 and home for 3 years. When we advised all the nurses that we would need to have both parents in the first recovery room due to the fact that Lulu is still in the phase of her attachment process where she has Mommy and Daddy both near her 99% of the time, they told us that it would unfortunately be only one person in recovery because there were so many children that day. They expressed understanding but still could only take back one. When I went back to be with her as she was coming out of anesthesia, she did exactly what we said she would. She cried for Mama and was immediately consolable by me. Then she wanted Daddy too and the nurses realized right away that she was certainly stable and needed both of us. They swiftly arranged for a move to the second recovery level and on the way there, let me carry Lulu to find her Daddy. She was absolutely content and spent the next few hours sleeping on one or the other of us.

I have to say that it is so phenomenal to have the privilege of loving and caring for this trusting and precious little girl who has only been united with her family for less than two months. Last night when we said goodnight to Lulu, she said, "Goodnight Sweet Mom! Goodnight Sweet Dad!". Wow.

Luli is doing great with her English and is turning out to be quite the little linguist. The massively talkative household as well as attending pre-school (with Daddy present at school until the New Year for attachment) have all helped with communication. She relates mostly in English now but with some Mandarin mixed in, although, of course the Enlgish phrases are much shorter than she would like them to be. As she is a person who really likes to talk, she ends up sometimes giving an entire story in practice English which we respond to with something like, "great!" or "really?" or "that's interesting" or "thanks for telling me".

She and Quin love to relate in Chinglish and they have their own insider jokes. They love to shout the word for sleep (shuijiao) in a variety of hysterical and loud tones. They like to help each other pick out toys or clothes and ask whether the other likes the item in Mandarin (Ni xihuan ma. Answered with xihuan or bu xihuan for like or don't like). The most long-standing term is from when Lulu spent each evening trying to keep the boys up and checking on people. After a few nights of being up far too late and being miserably tired, we doting parents told the boys that they had to stop participating in the entertainment. That didn't stop anything so we told them that they would lose privileges if she kept getting out of bed. Wrong answer. They were so desperate not to lose video games or something that when she got out of bed, they screamed , "GET BACK In BED!" at her. We told them immediately not to do that again as we assumed that it scared her and we also realized that they just needed to pretend to be sleeping and that she would lose interest. That did help but the next time one of them tried to put a foot on the floor, she screamed, "G'byeah g'byeah!". This was 5 weeks ago, mind you. Well, it lead to a volley of "G'byeah g'byeah"s back and forth across the room followed by hysterical laughter. It is still a beloved phrase in this house and no longer limited to bedtime. It's like an after dinner mint enjoyed all day long.

The best news after the surgery to uncross Lulu's eyes was the news that she will be a candidate to either have lens implants placed into the anterior chamber of her eyes- the ideal location. If the anterior chamber won't support a lens, it will go in the posterior chamber. This is fantastic news because the closer to the correct location, the better chance she has of improving her vision and improving optical brain connections. Her lack of eye coordination is the biggest long term challenge and the sooner this can be done, the better. So, Lulu will have one lens implanted in two months and one more about 4 weeks later.

I am mildly apprehensive about the toll that surgery takes on her but that is massively overridden by my gratitude that she is a candidate for these surgeries and that they are now available to her. Lulu has so much zest for life and wants so much to be able to do everything a child can do. Who wouldn't? We already see how much better it is for her with better glasses. Just imagine having eyes that see straight (feel free to pray that the changes in the muscles turn the eyes forward) and having actual lenses in one's eyes. I thank God every day for bringing Lulu into our life. She is truly a gift to our family as are all three of our children. Those nephews and our niece are amazing too. Gotta love these funny little people!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Does She Really Need Naps?!

We have been asked by a few people whether Minlan really needs a daily nap as she is almost 4 years old.  She has seemed to benefit from them but today we thought we would try out the "no nap" plan.  We went up to the school to find out who Quin's new 2nd grade teacher would be and then played at the playground for two hours with friends and neighbors.  She didn't even fall asleep in the stroller on her first stroller outing (we have only carried her for as recommended for attachment but the stroller seemed like fun for today). 

She was a bit cranky before dinner.  Her dolly didn't like any of the dress options that Minlan offered her.  Minlan ended up telling off the dolly.  It was very mild but definitely a new negative way of expressing herself.  Then, at the dinner table, she pulled a Quin. The eyelids started fluttering closed, the food was waving in front of her face and dangerously close to the eyes instead of anywhere near her mouth, and then she rested her little chin in her hand on the edge of the plate and fell fast asleep.  The boys laughed hysterically through the whole process and this didn't even keep her up.  We told them that it was the exact trick that Quin pulled twice at the age of 3-4 and once he even fell right off of his chair without waking up. 

So, we took Minlan up to bed at 6PM.  She slept until 6:45 and woke up furious with the whole situation.  She was still so exhausted but also didn't want to be sleeping.  She was calmed easily but then unhappy with everything because she couldn't figure out what to do with her tired self.  I decided it was time for jammies and it was like dressing a wriggling sea cucumber on the floor.  Once she realized that I had said we weren't going to bed yet, she was dressing and then going downstairs, she settled down into a miserable but silent lump of girl.  Sitting upright, but doing absolutely nothing.  "No, I'm not ready for bed yet. "  Oh, really now...

Each day brings new joys and new challenges.  I think I am getting used to having no control over the day, getting nothing done, and interpreting the needs of three children adjusting to their new situation.  Am I totally in love with all of them?  Yes!  Am I thrilled to be a new parent?  Yes!  Is it wiping me out a bit?  Absolutely.  But that is why I took time off.  A bright future is ahead but there is much slogging to be done along the way.  Thom is so patient with Minlan and we are both working very hard to keep things together and help get the boys off to a successful year in 2nd and 4th grades.  They start in 4 days and had gotten a bit untrained by having a completely unstructured month.  Not to mention having to share their parents with their new 3 year old sister who is developing her trust in our family and needs to be with all four of us all the time for now.  They are superstar brothers and share their life so willingly with their little sister.  The other day, one of them said that she was so cute and wonderful that they wanted another.  Why couldn't they have two little sisters?  I told them that they should enjoy the one they have.  She is a precious gift of a person and all five are working hard to adapt.  Successfully, I must say, but not without tremendous effort as one does with every new child.

Speaking of effort, we have another new family member.  Dear Auntie Masha, in Moldova, delivered her son Alexander Passec on August 17th.  We got to see him via Skype today and he, Mommy, and Babushka are all doing great.  He was born 20 minutes after arriving at the birth center.  Wow, Masha!  He is sleeping and eating well for Mommy and is an adorable little punkin.  When I have photos to share of Alexander, I will send them.

For now, enjoy Daddy's stylin' grocery helper (she was tapping on the car to tell him she wanted to help bring in the groceries).  The next costume she put on herself.  Little Red Riding Hood or very feminine Ewok?  You decide.  She had a blast in this and loves to dress up.  She is now a true 4T and we are only buying 5T now.  She will be in them soon.  She eats so well.  We are going through much more food and even had to buy more plates to accommodate having 5 at home all day.

First Morning in Beijing- The Great Wall!

Ready for our first adventure in Beijing driven expertly by 007 aka Mr. Zhang.

Time to get used to lack of seatbelts in China.  Hmmm....

Major Metropolis Beijing

Greenery of Beijing

Our fabulous tour guide Lee (Beijing Xin Hua Tours)

Shops and houses on way to Mutianyu  Section of the Great Wåll.

Ring Circle (Major Roads of Beijing organized in rings going out from old center of city.

 

Snacks for the climb- "Ham Chips" beloved by kids (really beef Pringles) and iced green tea enjoyed daily by parents.  Plus lots and lots of bottled water.

Map of Mutianyu Section of Wall.  This section is a bit farther from Beijing than the Badaling section so less crowded.

 

No, we didn't go up this way. This donkey carried popscicles up the mountain for its owner.  5 yuan each, happily paid.

After hiking up a small hill, we will take a cable car up to Watchtower 14.

Top of the market area as one approaches Cable Car entrance.

Looking down on the valley from which we started.

World Cultural Heritage Site

The Direction in which we were NOT going (mostly uphill).

The direction we went- more downhill than up. 

Much steep terrain heading toward Watchtower 8.  We will take the toboggan back down to the bottom of the mountain.

Amazing Guide Lee who, along with Thom, guided Mom each step of the way.

One of the few even areas.

Note different styles of Watchtowers.

Trying to catch a breeze in a watchtower.  Mom's face tells you how hot it was.

Mom showed everyone what a person with low vision can accomplish!

Sunscreen time!  It was so hot, it was like putting on melted butter.  Sizzle, sizzle.  But hey, my skin looked nice and moist.

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Waiting for the awesome toboggan ride downhill.  Tiny sled.  One brake.  Steel channel/runnel.  Fun!

We made it to the bottom!  Nana even loved the ride down.

Hitting the market.  Not really.  Just Dec looking for his special Panda.

No panda.  No sale.

Tough negotiator.  Price too high- 50 yuan.  Moving on- across the path.

The perfect round panda.  He worked the price down to 30 yuan- still a great sale for the shop lady.  Sold!

We were here!  This means our adventure to receive Minlan has really begun.  Yay for China!  We love it here!  Minus the heat of course.

Going Public

We have opened the blog to anyone who wants to look at it now that Minlan is here.  As she is now our daughter, we can leave the site open and are not at risk of violating the rules of the Chinese Adoption regulators.  So, feel free to share the web address with friends or family who might want to see it.  The address is www.weloveluluharp.blogspot.com

Thanks for reading and please feel free to post your comments.  We would love to have them as a part of this record for our family and friends. 

Women ai nimen! (We love you!)
K,T,D,Q&M

Photo Time- Flight Seattle to Beijing

I am going to work a bit each day if I can to share some great photos of our trip.  Finally!  Allura Minlan is taking her nap now and Thom is writing while the boys goof off without electronics for the moment.  Gotta work quickly as this is the time I get...  Haven't even taken a shower yet and it is 1PM!  Oh, well.

5 Tickets to Bejing!  Let's go- "zou ba!"

The golden folder.  It contains all the documents required to receive Minlan.  

Patient boys at Sea-Tac.  Super travelers!

 

 

 

 

On our way!

Bright and shiny faces.

Our route.  We flew right over two places we have seen and even lived in- Russia and Alaska.

Zzzzzzzzz..............

Touchdown in Beijing.  We're here!