I Should Be Sleeping, But.....

I'll post instead.

Today was my turn to take M. for her transfusion. AND.....it really went well, Praise God! We started with a visit to the audiologist. (same facility, different floor) to get a baseline screening. (everything's fine.) There are some concerns with chelation meds and affects on sight and hearing. Everything should be fine, but we will do periodic screenings just to be sure.

In the waiting room, we met another little girl adopted in Sept. from Kazakhstan (I know I utterly butchered the spelling on that one, but it's too late to look it up. Scratch that--Firefox fixed it for me!) This girl could really speak well. But she can't jump. M. can jump. Well, kind of. But I'm still not worried--her mom is a speech pathologist! (Note to self: STOP comparing your kids with other people's kids. WHEN will I fully apply this?)

After we got our papers we said goodbye to our new acquaintances and went up to the transfusion ward. Things went pretty quickly and "next thing we knew," we were walking into "the room." M. definitely knows it by sight and started to cry upon entrance. But it was more of a whimper than a cry--and FAR from a defiant scream. :-)

It was actually quite amazing. Last time around J. (after several failed attempts) had to go downstairs to hematology to have the line inserted and the blood drawn. This time?

One.
Smooth.
Attempt.
BINGO!
Her right arm. Her left hand is STILL a little black and blue from attempts THREE weeks ago. Poor girl.

And M.? She was a trooper! She didn't try to fight us until it was basically over and they were taping it on. She cried a little. Just a little. I was amazed. Last time I was there it took three of us to hold her down, while she looked up at me helplessly calling, "Baba! Baba! Baba!"
This went so well.

I love these days with her--after the needle part. We played, ate, snuggled and napped together. It was great. Great, but exhausting. It doesn't seem like you do much, but when you get home--wham! It feels like Sunday afternoon.

Overall a decent day. Thanks for your prayers, for M.

--The Baba

Exercising - M style!

I (J) have now realized that it is impossible to exercise outside of the home. There just is no time! I am now using a DVD with Jillian Michaels from the Biggest Loser. So the other night, I'm in the living room and working out with my weights - and of course ALL my children think this is great and are watching or joining in. Not to be left out, Miss M decides she too must have weights. She disappears for a few moments and returns with her Cinderella cell phone. She then spent the next 15 minutes stepping on and off of my step while "pumping" her phone. This doesn't bode well for our future finances. :-)

M Started Preschool!

Sorry we have no pictures! We intentionally left the camera at home so it wouldn't seem like a big deal to go. We're taking things super slowly as M just turned 3 in December. Since her talking is coming slowly, we thought making a few friends would be helpful in encouraging her to use words first and gestures second. While our boys are fantastic about having tea parties, playing dolls, and cooking in her kitchen with her, we also thought our little GIRL might appreciate some playtime with other girls (and that the boys might like a break!).

Although she definitely would like to be by me (J) for the whole class, she did go with the teacher and enjoyed playing in the centers. She especially likes the water table. No suprise there! And she LOVED taking a backpack just like big brother "Beeb."

I will be coming and going in and out of the room for the next few weeks so that M learns that when I go I always come back. She knows it at home, but hasn't always trusted that concept in other places.

One more thing...while M is growing, we could see again how tiny she is when with children her age. She's a peanut!

Bragging on our Boy!

Not only did our eldest son come home with the best report card of his life this week...my mom heart was encouraged to see him give two sacrifical gifts this week - one in the church offering and the other to his dad.

While out on an errand with me (J) he purchased a candy bar to share with his dad. "Mom, dad's always doing nice things for me. When we go out together, he buys a treat and always splits it with me. This time I"M doing the buying and I'll share with him."

Gotta' love true love.