4/26/08 "As strong as . . ."

This afternoon, after John helped Lacie with something she was struggling with, Lacie said very seriously, “Daddy, you are as strong as Jordan.” Jordan is the cute boy (3 years old) in her class who she really likes and thinks he is all that. John and I were just chuckling about it – and John said, “I better watch out. I have tough competition.” Here is a picture of Jordan:

Don’t girls usually look at boys and compare them to their daddy?

But no one will take the place of Noah, Lacie’s first friend in the U.S. AND her true best friend now. Noah’s family took care of Lacie for several days when we were in Korea (Kre-a according to Lacie). Here are Lacie and Noah at Christmas time:

Baby Paul has been busy. He is doing very well and is over all a very very happy boy. He seems taken with Lacie and loves to wrestle with daddy. He loves helping mommy out with household chores. Somehow I do not move any faster with his help. Imagine that.
Laundry:

Sweeping:

Vacuuming:

He will also make a great daddy some day:

We need Prayers. In about two weeks baby Paul goes to school for the first time as I have to return to work. He is very clingy to me – and cries very hard when I am out of sight for any period of time. He also wakes from most naps very sad and cries hard. Almost like that first day we had him, but not as long. I think he still misses his foster family. And I understand that because I miss them and I only knew them on two visits. I wish we could have time to sit and talk and love Paul as a team as he adjusts or transitions.

Pray for Paul’s heart, that it not break much longer;

Pray for his adjustment to school (daycare);

Pray he likes school and his teachers; and

Pray for his teachers – that they understand his pain and don’t get tired of his crying, if he does cry a lot.

Also, Pray for Lacie as she is also still adjusting from being number one to one of two. She is doing very well too and each day gets better. She has a new playmate and really loves playing with Paul. However, there are times though that I need to stop and give her attention and lap time and those times are not always feasible.

Thanks for the prayers.

Love,

the Blogsingers

4/21/2008 quick story

Tonight I hurt Lacie's feelings. She told me, "I do not like you mommy." Then she said, "I am not going to play with you any more." I told her that no matter what she said or did, I still loved her very very much and nothing would take my love away. Then I told her that it is ok to have those feelings but saying it can hurt. We can't say hurtful things to each other. We are family and need to stick together (or something along those lines.) (Thanks Carla - good advice.) Anyway -after we got out of the car she said, "Mommy, I know you love me. And I love you and I am sorry I was grumpy to you." CAN YOU BELIEVE THAT? Just how sweet was that? Is she amazing or what?

And that she verbalized all those words and sentences so perfectly and effectively. Hmmmm -

Carla, do you want to come over an be our family coach regularly?

Oh - another cute thing - Lacie was upset with me one day and told me: I am a mean dandy lion. I told her that I was the momma lion though so I was still the boss. Later I asked her if she was my princess. She said no, she was "daddy's princess!" Ah - right into the heart.

Paul is doing well - he has a giggle that is so contagious. I get so tickled when he gets to giggling. He is getting bigger and more independent. His independence ends when he is sleepy. He really loves to cuddle. Lacie has always loved to cuddle. I love my cuddly kids!

Love to all,
The Blogsingers

4/19/08 SLEEP! (or am I speaking too soon?)

Quick update and lots of pictures! On Wednesday, Baby Paul had his doctor appointment at the International Adoption Clinic. Dr. Taylor is just too awesome. (Any future adopters – let us know if you want her contact number.) Baby Paul weighs 19.9 lbs. He is 29 inches tall. He had a full exam by Dr. Taylor. He had an entire arm of blood taken for multiple tests. They took vial after vial after vial. I did not know a little boy had so much blood in him. I cried too. They also gave him a TB skin test so he had two sticks in one day. We get his report in a few weeks. . He also had an exam by an occupational therapist. Boy she has a tough job. We sat on the floor and played with toys. She said he was perfect developmentally for his age and needs no PT or OT at the current time. We give all credit to his wonderful foster family who loved him so much.

Sleep is better. One night as I was wide awake sandwiched between husband and son I came up with a game plan. Move a twin mattress in Paul’s room and put a pallet on the floor next to the twin mattress and sleep separate from him but very close. Then a friend/resource in Korea (dear Tamm) suggested putting Lacie and Paul together. Brilliant! So, last night Paul, Lacie and I all slept in there and we slept ALL night. (ok the chronic worrier was afraid to sleep for fear they would roll over on each other and hurt each other – but Paul slept all night.) With crib, twin mattress and pallet on floor – Paul’s room is wall to wall bed. This is nap time:

Things are beginning to feel better and more natural to have a second child. I thought it would take longer. Lacie is doing much better each day and is very possessive of him. She likes having a play mate. They chased each other around our basement family room last night. Paul forgets he can’t run yet so fell a lot – but each time he just giggled. Then he would crawl as fast as he can to catch up with Lacie or run from her. Hearing them laugh together and enjoy each other makes a mommy’s heart feel good. They recently played in the sand box – so much that they both needed a bath. Here are some pictures:

John has a friend who used to be in his small group at church years ago – and is now in college. Ryan is adopted from Korea some 20 + years ago when he was 14 months old. He came for a visit today and baby Paul really took to him – a face from “home?” Ryan could end up being a good resource for Paul as Paul gets older and may need some one to look up to like himself. Here are their pics -

Have a wonderful week! Love,

The Blogsingers

4/15/08 Update

We got a call on Sunday morning sometime around 7:00 a.m. We could not get to the phone in time. When we listened to the message we were so thrilled to hear from a very dear person to us who does not live close by. If you are by chance reading this, it warmed our hearts to get that call.

I lost my voice two days ago. I would open my mouth and no sound would come out. That makes mommy-hood very difficult. Lacie kept asking me why I was whispering and I finally told her my voice was sick. Anyway – for those who have called and left messages, I have not been able to talk. Imagine that.

Lacie is doing better. The past two days have been pretty pleasant. We are still struggling with jealously. Lacie was playing with John and he was wrestling with her and Paul was very interested. She looked at him and said, “no no baby Paul, I am playing with daddy!”

I went to pick her up from school today. Lacie’s favorite friends are boys. One of her friends helped her get her little plastic box down off the shelf so she could get her papers out, etc and then he lifted it back on the shelf again with a little of a ‘humph.” Lacie looked at him and said, “Jordan, you are SO strong.” Jordan said, “Thank you Lacie.” Then they hugged. EEK!

Baby Wonwoo/Baby Paul (depends on if you want his attention or not) is doing well. He is more amazing every day. Two days ago he called me Mama! Good boy! And he was referencing ME! His foster mom will always be his Umma though. I even miss her and her husband, and I only got to meet them two times. They seemed like family after knowing them for such a short while. I guess they are since they raised our son for many months.

Paul is strong! AND smart! He lifts things that are bigger than he is. He was able to break through one of our kid proof locks on one of the cabinet doors. He is always figuring things out – like how to get past the next barricade. He climbs and grabs and touches everything.

Here are some pics:

Remember when I said they do not smile at the same time?

Her smile:

His smile:

Playing with sidewalk chalk – Paul tried to eat it:

This is what happens when daddy is in charge:

Family Photo:

Brother and sister:

Love to all,

The Blogsingers

Since many folks may want to see just pictures I will not write a very long post AND will write after the pics this time. We went to the park a few days ago with our dear friends Bette, Mike and Noah. Lacie stayed with our friends while we were in Korea. After Lacie and Noah informed baby Paul that "no babies are allowed" on the jungle gym/slides, they later fought over baby Paul and who was going to push him in the swing.





And now a big smile from Baby Paul!


All are doing well. Paul has slept through the night two nights in a row. Mommy is still not sleeping (it is hard being sandwiched between husband and son). Daddy sleeps once mommy comes to bed and baby Paul is not pressed against him. Lacie still wants to sleep with us but there is no room and we can't start a bad habit.

Lacie has decided that she does not like her picture being taken much so there are not as many pics with her - UGH. Some day I hope to point this out to her when she asks why we did not take as many of her AND she will understand. My friend Pam was my witness today. I have a hard time getting them to smile at the same time for the same pictures (for future reference).

This is all for tonight -

Love to all,
The Blogsingers

4/8/08 "sprinkles of booty"

The past few days have been relatively better with sleep. Baby Paul is sleeping most the night but still very restless and wakes around 3:00 a.m. to have a bottle. We are co-sleeping right now so none of us are getting much sleep. Paul was a co-sleeper in Korea and to put him in his own bed now would be traumatic for him to say the least.

He is still adjusting but doing much better each day. He is obviously feeling more comfortable with us cause he is beginning to be more independent and even having flaring tempers – when something does not go his way he will throw himself on the floor – thank God he is so cute! He seems more like an older toddler in the ways he plays and responds to situations and then he seems more like a baby in other ways. He is definitely an asset and a blessing to our family.

Today when baby Paul was sitting next to me in cuddle mode, I said to him, “Sa rang hay yo” (“I love you” in Korean.) Baby Paul just looked up and me and smiled. Bless his little heart – I have been “loving” him in English for a week. He knows my actions and kisses but not my words. Thank you Tammy and Elizabeth for sharing some Korean things to say to our boy. I need to use the words more often.

He had a fever today – which made mommy worry like crazy. But he seems to be doing better later in the evening.

Lacie is still amazing (of course)! The dogwood trees have been in bloom this week. As we were heading down a tree lined street in our neighborhood I pointed them out to Lacie and told her, “Lacie, see these pretty trees with the flowers on them? They will only have flowers for a very little while. God gave us these pretty trees as sprinkles of beauty to remind us He is still there.” Now when we are driving anywhere Lacie will point out any flowering tree and say, “Mommy look, sprinkles of booty, sprinkles of booty.”

Lacie still uses her pull up for No. 2. She just won’t use the potty for this potty business. No. 1 is down pat – but no. 2 in the potty is still a work in progress. Tonight when we were at the FCC dinner she told us she had to go potty. John took her. A few minutes after they returned she informed me that she had to go No. 2. (We had a pull up on her for safety sake.) I just stared at her – knowing that I did not want to deal with changing a messy pull- up in the parking lot. I really do not know what I said to her, but her response to me was – very matter of fact, “well, what would you like for me to do then?” I am still laughing that all that came out of my baby’s mouth – in one strait sentence and mature like – but about going No. 2 in her pull-up! I told her to go ahead – but she chose to wait till we got home. Thank God!

Lacie loves being a big sister. She still has moments but overall is doing awesome. Tonight when we were getting out of the car from an FCC (Families with Children from China) dinner, I carried her to the porch and was going to go back to get Paul next. But she saw that I was walking away from the car and she said, “Are you going to leave baby Paul in the car?” I laughed and thought, “oh, you wish!” Lacie helps with getting diapers for me when it is time to change him. She loves fetching anything I may need. If he drops something she will pick it up for him. He pulled her hair out of anger once and she took it like a champ. I am proud of her.

At our FCC dinner tonight a family came who has already adopted from Korea and is planning to adopt another. They are using the same placing agency as we did and therefore the same in country agency. It was great meeting them. Their son is just 3 years old and so cute. I am thrilled that we are now meeting and developing friends who have adopted from Korea – the friends (who are more like family) have been so valuable to us with our adoption of Lacie from China. I know some of these new Korea friends will also become like family. We already have another Korea adoptive family we met a few months ago and have cherished since.

Here is our first family picture of the four of us. Hopefully we will get a more formal one done soon.

Here is a picture of Daniel (from Korea) with baby Paul.

Daniels mom took these pics for us. Thank you Suzannah!

We hope everyone is having a great week!

Vonda, John, Lacie and baby Paul

4/6/2008 "Bad Monster"

Saturday was a good day. Lacie and baby Paul and I had a slumber party in our bed Friday night/ Saturday morning. After our boy tossed and turned from 12:00 midnight till 3:00 a.m., we gave him a bottle. Then he was WIRED for sound. At 5:00 a.m. he was given to daddy – “here is your boy.” John took it well, and I did not know a thing until 8:00 a.m. when baby Paul was put into bed with me again and then Lacie, Paul and I all slept till 11:00 a.m.

Paul actually played away from me a good portion of the day today. He wandered across the room to play with toys. He LOVES Lacie’s play kitchen. He will take a spoon and bowl and pretend to stir something and then will scoop his make believe food and put it in his mouth. He will pick up the play blender and pretend to drink right from it. Hopefully he will be a true Blogsinger and be a good cook. It does run in the Blogsinger family. It also runs in my family – but the good cook gene skipped me – not the generation since my siblings are great cooks as well as cousins – well – I need confess no more.

We had lots of visitors on Saturday. Except the initial meetings our boy was very friendly AND all smiles. He definitely knows who his mommy and daddy are now (ok at least his primary caregivers – I am sure to him his mommy and daddy are still in Korea) but he likes us and seems to really trust us. He is also very sweet and will pat us on the face, or back or shoulder. He and daddy are doing much better. He does not cry very long now when I leave him with daddy. And he goes to him easier for play. John actually took Paul to bed with him tonight and they are sleeping good “for now.”

Lacie seems to have grown a lot since we were gone. She seems to weigh more and she is TALLLLLL! But she really has not grown – she just seems huge. As soon as we got home from Korea, John asked her if she had “grown a foot” since we had left. She looked at her feet very seriously and then back to John and said, “huh?” At this age they are so very literal. She is still struggling and wants so bad to be a “big girl” but also wants to be our baby.

Saturday night when Lacie was having an attitude she looked at John and said to him, “I am a very bad monster.” I think she was threatening him. Later she told me she was a monster. I said, “OK Ms. Monster if you want to read two books tonight then it is time to go brush teeth.” She smiled and obliged. I think she liked being referred to as Ms Monster. Later she told me that I could call her Lacie again – “my name is Lacie now.”

She is also dressing up in her princess outfits so now I have to ask her, “are you Lacie, the bad monster or a princess now?”

Paul technically slept through the night Saturday night/Sunday a.m. I had an extreme case of insomnia though and did not get to sleep till after 5:00 a.m. Our clock was set for 8:00 a.m. to go to church – we did not make it. We had cuddle time this morning with Lacie and Paul. Lacie told me, “Hey, Paul looks like me.” I told her that he did. She then said that she had brown eyes like mommy’s. Later she informed me that we all have to share. I said yes we do. She said that mommy and daddy have to share their baby’s. Daddy got to read books to her tonight instead of mommy. My little girl really is growing up. While jealous, she is also very possessive with her brother. She makes it clear to anyone who is around that “baby Paul is MY brother.”

Here are some pics:

Playing in kitchen

Whatever was in that blender must have been good!

Lacie making me pizza soup with liquid from Paul’s bottle:

He already looks up to her

Daddy and Paul

4/3/2008 Day two down, but we are still up

What a wonderful surprise when we arrived at the airport to see so many people there to greet us – and at 11:00 p.m. on April Fools day at that – We felt so blessed at the friends and family who showed up on a school night. Thanks to everyone who was there – for being there. Does anyone have any pictures? We only have about four and they are not that great. Bette and Mike and Noah – thank you for the signs you made – how sweet of you. You all have done so much in addition to keeping Lacie part of the time we were gone. Thank you for your generosity and time! We love you.

The trip home was totally uneventful. Thank God. That is what we wanted. Since we left at 6:00 p.m. Korea time, we were technically traveling at nighttime. So, Won-U slept 99% of the time.

We are trying to get back to a normal sleep mode. With Lacie it was so easy. She slept through the night the second night. Our little man is up most the day cept a normal nap, but he is also up half the night. We can barely keep him up past 8:30 p and then he us up again between 11:00 and 12:00pm. Then he is on fire till about 1:30 a. Then he tosses and turns. Thank God he is cute! He seems to be adjusting well. He is very clingy with me and won’t let others hold him. He likes John if I am in the room. He will venture away from me to play with toys if we are alone. Last night he did it for a while after Lacie got home. He seems to really like her play kitchen.

He is very good-natured. He is mischievous – which makes him even cuter since he seems to appear very serious at times. He will reach for things that he most likely knows he should not have and watches for a reaction and once we react, he begins to laugh and squeal and then goes at it again. We have learned a new meaning to child proofing. Lacie was so easy – she really never got into things. He eats most everything we offer. He is a wonderful wonderful boy and we are blessed beyond imagination to have received the gift of parenting him.

Lacie is doing very well under the circumstances. She was away from us for a week. Her schedule is up side down. She is also trying to figure out her role now. She knows she is a “big sister,” a “big girl,” and stuff, but she really is too young to completely understand it all. Because Won-U cries when I leave the room it is tough for me (mom guilt here) to leave him with John to give Lacie the time she also needs. But we do it and it is good for baby and daddy to try and bond too. Our second night home after I got her in bed and got Won-U strapped on with the carrier, she began to cry for me. I went in and tried to rock her (and him too). She kept trying to push him aside and finally said, “Mommy, baby Paul is taking my space.” Poor little girl. I tried to hold back the tears cause it was such a profound thing for her to say. I encouraged her that he is not taking her space, that we now just need to take turns having the “space.”

Today she went back to school. When John picked her up she asked him if “Paul was still at our house.” John told her that he was still there and will be forever. She apparently seemed happy about that. She is a big girl. She has helped me feed a bottle, she fetches diapers, she picks up his toys, and she will try to console him when he is upset.

Over all, it has been great. We are tired but surviving and will know better about life with Paul after a few weeks.

Attached are pictures of:

Greeting Lacie at the Airport:

What time is is?

Reading before bed at 1:00 a.m. Wednesday a.m

We are home safely!!

A quick post to let everyone know we are home safely.

More later with pictures!

Vonda, John, Lacie and Paul (Won-U)