Interesting...

This was an email from our agency. Really makes you think. I have never considered carring that Humanitarian Parole Card with me on a daily basis. But, after reading this, maybe we should. However, the other part of me says, I don't need to "prove" anything to anyone who is so quick to make assumptions...and so far, haven't had anything like this happen to us. However, I have heard of similar situations happening to some of the other adoptive families as of lately.

One of our families told me about an incident they had at McDonald's when the family took their child out of the restaurant because the child was having a fit. Someone in the restaurant thought this parent was kidnapping the child! Followed the parent out to the car insisting the child be let go, even opened the car door from the other side, went in the restaurant to see if any black couple were missing their child, etc. This was one of the humaritarian paroled children. Of course this could happen to anyone with an tranracially adopted child.

Avery-Home 3 months

Or close enough...will be 3 months home in just a few days.

Avery is 26 pounds and 35 1/2 inches (she has gained a pound and grown and inch.) She is eating much better than she was just a month ago. She has added bananas, pasta, and a few other foods to her short list. Overall, she is doing really well. The exception continues to be speech. Obviously, she is going to need some professional help in this area, but I just want to give her time to adjust before being thrust full-force into speech therapy. Honestly, her speech issues are so severe, I can't really imagine her ever talking normally (I know she will...it just seems so far from where she is now.) EVERYTHING she says sounds EXACTLY the same. Preston is dede. Caden is dede. Dada is dede. Doggie is dede. And if it's not dede is uhuh. Yes is uhuh. No is uhuh. Cracker is uhuh. So I am not sure how a speech therapist will tackle this one. The one exception is Mommy...which is Nonny!

Everything else is going well. She can be a little rambunctious, but its only once and a while and really only when other kids get her going. When she is with older kids or us, she is just fine. She does prefer to run rather than walk, and yell rather than whisper, but again, not unexpected given her previous living conditions. And, she never sits still!

She still is our dream sleeper, but it's a little sad knowing the real reasons she stays put so well in her bed. She was so used to having no one to comfort her at night, she doesn't even bother to get up or call out. She would sit on her bed all day long if we didn't go in and get her. She never makes a sound from 7:30pm when she goes to bed until we get her in the morning. Even when she had a little stomach bug in the middle of the night, she didn't make a peep.

We are battling the Haitian poop issues still and starting our third round of Flagyl and some other drug tomorrow. Last lab report said all parasites were gone, but there HAS to be something in there causing that smell! :) Saw the infectious disease doc for the second time yesterday, and we are treating for some parasites that Avery tested negative for, but are commonly seen in Haiti.

Only a few more weeks of work left for me before I am off for summer. So it will be nice to finally spend some quality time working on some of these issues. And, the boys are doing great! Caden is finishing up soccer and Preston is as well. Both are looking forward to summer which will be here before we know it!!!

Our First Easter as a Family of Five

Today was Avery's first visit from the Easter bunny and well, she could really care less about her basket or anything in it...except her new Hello Kitty toothbrush. She LOVES to brush her teeth!!! By the way, are we lame parents for giving our kids toothbrushes in their baskets and hardly any candy? We gave each child 1 peanut butter egg, 1 ring pop, and 2 packs of sugarless gum and the rest was other stuff (like a frisbee, Batman Underoos, hair bows, etc.) They seem to know the routine and don't expect lots of candy.

Anyway, it was a beautiful day, although a little on the warm side. It's been over 80 degrees for the past week and our downstairs air conditioning died. We enjoyed the day at my sister's house, had brunch, egg hunt, kids played in the sprinkler and played. Avery wasn't a fan of the sprinkler, and I can't blame her. The water was icy cold. She did enjoy hunting for eggs and riding on her cousins pink Harley motorcycle.

All in all it was a good day. Happy Easter to all!