Life with Makenna

Fairy house festival

2011-06-08T15:10:00.000-07:00

Makenna and I went to the cutest festival recently. It was based on a book called The Fairy House (I admit I have not read the book) and Makenna LOVED it! She got to dress up and get her face painted, chase bubbles, and see tiny houses made for fairies. What's not to love for a three year old? You should check out www.fairyhouses.com to see if they are having one near you.

Imagination

2011-04-05T09:16:00.000-07:00

We are loving Makenna's big imagination around here lately! Although she still struggles with speech issues her language is really growing. And when she is around us (her family) we mostly know what she is saying. What is so great is that she has a wonderful sense of humor and cracks us up all the time. She is also ramping up the imaginary play lately. She is always making up some scenario for us to particiapte in here. After 10 or 30 times it has lost it's charm for her big brother and sister sometimes but oh well that is what being 3 is all about, right?

This is a picture of Makenna after she put on the hat, grabbed a rope, and said she was going to catch a horse.

Five years

2011-02-28T14:49:00.000-08:00

On 2/28/2006 our paperwork was logged in with the CCAA in China.
Five years ago. Today.
For years I lived and breathed that date. Cursed that date. Cried about that date.
Olivia was 8, five years ago. Jackson was 5.
And now five years later it is just a memory.
In a couple of months we will be home with Makenna for two years. So long and really it has flown by. The thing is, some people with log in dates just a few months after ours are. still. waiting. Unimaginable.
I was just thinking how lucky we are to have Makenna in all of our lives today. Each of my children add such a unique piece to our family puzzle. We all fit together.
My thoughts are with all the families in the world hoping, praying, waiting, and dreaming of their future. I hope you find some peace and joy in each day and that soon you can look back at this time and feel thankful that it brought you where you are now.

My baby is 3!

2011-02-09T14:23:00.000-08:00

Today Makenna turns 3 years old. Hard to believe she is not a baby anymore. She has been so excited about this day! We had a little party with just our family of five. Cake, ice cream, and presents that came in the mail from her family in KY. She got a Dora guitar (from us), a baby doll w/ a little pig (Nana & Papa), handmade doll blanket/pillow, hopper ball (Nana &Papa), big doll and finger paints (Granny), cards and money (Grandpa). Pretty great day all around.

My wish today is that I could somehow let her birthfamily in China know what an amazing little person she is. How full of love and giggles she can be. How much she is loved. How thankful we are every day that we get to be her family. It is so hard to reconcile the fact that their horrible loss brings our family so much joy. So on this day, even though I can't be sure they are thinking of her, I am thinking of them.

Favorites

2011-01-30T07:56:00.000-08:00

Things change around here so often I thought I would take a minute to write down some of Makenna's current favorite things for me to remember later.

*She still LOVES Dora but a few new favorite shows are Team UmiZoomi, Bubble Guppies, and Busytown

*She used to respond to "I love you" with "Too Mom (or Dad, or whoever)" but now she can say "I luh you Mom" and we all can't get enough

*She started going to toddler storytime at the library and thinks it is the greatest thing

*She had her second haircut yesterday and did a great job....no crying!

*She is starting to get an opinion about what she wears (and she is very stubborn)

* She started wearing underwear in October but she refused to go #2 in the potty for a long time. She is doing better now and only wears a diaper at bedtime!

*Favorite foods: pizza, bananas, apples, peanut butter, cereal ( she also has a big sweet tooth and will do almost anything for chocolate or candy)

*She now has speech therapy 2x per week and she is crazy about her therapist

*Even though it is difficult for her she works really hard to get her words out and she has made great progress.....she is no where near age appropriate for expressive language but I know she will get there!

*She is so happy, funny, silly, stubborn, smart,cute, and she laughs all the time......we love her to pieces!!!

Makenna 2010 (part 2)

2011-01-09T07:52:00.001-08:00

June 2010 July 2010- Granny's wedding, lots of playing with cousins

August 2010- the big move! Just being silly with her morning cereal.

September- at a parade in some beautiful weather! October 2010- with Jack at a pumpkin farm

November 2010- playing in the chilly weather at a waterfront park

December 2010- Merry Christmas (our second as a family of five!) Well it was a good year with lots of change and lots of fun. We are excited to see what 2011 has in store!

Makenna 2010

2011-01-05T12:13:00.000-08:00

OK I am a little late but I loved the idea from Kerry Lu's blog to show a picture of Makenna from each month last year. So here we go!

January

February- She turned two!March- Having fun at her big sister's 13th birthday partyApril- All three kids at a horse farmMay- Posing for our one year post placement report photo.

Well I will have finish in another post. It won't let me add more pictures.

Santa!

2010-12-04T21:04:00.000-08:00

Ok so we heard that Santa would be at the Walgreens right by our house today and I thought we would test the waters and see how Makenna felt about him this year. We have been talking him up quite a bit in our house and she has been interested. Whenever anyone mentions what Santa is bringing her she says "dollhouse" about 5 times.

So we wander in to the store and they told us Santa was in the back. When we round the corner and spot Santa chatting with two employees I was not prepared for Makenna's reaction. She was so EXCITED!! She runs toward him shouting (over and over) DOLLHOUSE!.....DOLLHOUSE!

It was hysterical. She sat on his lap grinning from ear to ear (and repeating dollhouse here and there for good measure) and loved every minute.

Anyway, I think Santa understood what needs to be under the tree this year by the time we left:)

Trick or Treat

2010-10-31T16:55:00.000-07:00

Trick or Treating in our new neighborhood was different this year. Not many people were into it but that didn't decrease Makenna's enthusiasm one bit! She loved knocking and saying "Triiii...treeee" the best she could.

Fall Fun

2010-10-10T16:34:00.000-07:00

This place was really cool! The Great Pumpkin Farm. I wish I could get a picture with all three kids looking and smiling, but oh well. We are going to check out another pumpkin farm next weekend and get some pumpkins for our house.

The Shiner

2010-10-01T13:02:00.000-07:00

Well it was only a matter of time with this little wild one, right? Makenna fell out of our bed yesterday and got a big black eye. She still sleeps about half the night in her bed and the other half in ours. She tosses and turns so much and in general is NO FUN to sleep with! I usually block the other side of the bed with pillows (if it is a work night for Drew) but somehow she fell out of the bottom of the bed by the footboard and hit her eye.

It looks really painful but she just rolls with it. At least something matches her shins now:)

Oh and the capsule in the picture is her fish oil that I poke a hole in and she sucks all the juice out! EEEWWWW I know, but she loves it.

Just for fun

2010-09-17T06:17:00.000-07:00

No special reason or theme here. Just a few pictures of us having fun in our new city. The first two pictures are from a Peach Festival near here. And the third is silly Makenna walking in the park from Three Sisters Island near the Falls. We have been enjoying the nice weather as much as possible because I know the winter will be LOOOOONG, from what I hear!

Fashion- Makenna style

2010-09-09T18:38:00.000-07:00

Usually Makenna could care less what I pick out for her to wear. One day last week I was busy and told her to go pick something to wear.

This is what she liked. Hey, who knows maybe she will be into fashion design someday:)

The big move

2010-08-28T20:00:00.000-07:00

We moved on August 13th and things have been pretty busy since then. We are trying to settle into our new normal. Easier said than done for the kiddos. Especially Makenna. She has had a rough time adjusting. Every little thing just sets her off. Super whiny, super clingy, and very demanding of my time and attention. I know this change is very tough. Big changes in her life do not go over well. I know why and so I try to be understanding and patient. I am sure I don't succeed sometimes but I am making an effort.

On a brighter note we are exploring our new area and that is exciting. I am sad to leave my hometown and all that is familiar but finding new favorite things together as a family is fun.

Some current new favorites for us: beautiful blue skies and no humidity, Dicamillo's Bakery (yum), living close to water, Wegmans grocery store, Niagara Falls, and the Buffalo Zoo. I will keep everyone posted on getting settled. Here are a few pictures from the month.

Cousins and Grandparents

2010-08-09T18:26:00.000-07:00

We had these pictures made with all the cousins on my side and my parents. Makenna is the youngest grandchild on this side but she did great! I just love these photos and these kids! I am going to miss them so much when we move. I hope for lots of visits with my parents, sisters, and all of these beautiful kiddos that are growing up way too fast.

Popsicles

2010-08-03T18:38:00.000-07:00

Because I can't just tie Makenna up in order to get everything done for the move, we use lots of popsicles and other diversions. I know...I know. I should not bribe her with treats to get a few quiet minutes to make phone calls and such but hey...you do what you gotta do.

And how can you resist when she looks so cute eating it?

My summer sweetie!

2010-07-27T20:51:00.000-07:00

Just stole a couple photos from my sister-in-law because I am still without the camera cord. And truthfully have been too busy to just take the card to Target or something. Thought these were cute of Makenna. My big kids avoid the camera now a little bit so I have to catch them when I can. Makenna is so silly and happy most of the time, I just love it!

This was taken from her speech-preschool's website! Makenna goes once a week for 2 hours (in addition to her weekly speech therapy) and she really loves it.

Playing in the sprinkler at Granny's house.

She really does know how to smile when she wants to!

Been a while!

2010-07-23T19:06:00.000-07:00

Have not posted in a while because it is super busy around here. We are planning a big move to another state and things are chaotic. Meanwhile we have some family in from out of town and the kids are all enjoying the company. We had a picture made of all the cousins on my husband's side and it was cute. You may have noticed an edited version that is now a fixture on the side of my blog. Makenna did such a good job! There were three 2 year olds in the photo and we all expected a disaster. Thankfully it went off without a hitch! I will share the complete cousins photo with you because sadly I can't find my camera cord in all the moving hustle and I don't have any others off my camera yet.

I love my brother!

2010-06-18T08:56:00.000-07:00

The trademark Makenna scrunchy- face smile

2010-05-20T18:27:00.000-07:00

You just have to laugh! Sometimes I catch a real smile, but more often than not if she sees the camera this is what we get.

Then and Now

2010-05-03T19:24:00.000-07:00

One year ago
(May 4, 2009)
Nanchang, JiangxiAnd one year later
(Home)

One year ago...

2010-05-03T18:41:00.000-07:00

I met Makenna.
I was nervous and sad that Drew wouldn't be able to share this moment with me (and happy that my Dad was there to help me hold it together). I was worried how Makenna would feel being taken away from everything she had ever known. Especially her foster mom that she was reported to be very close to. The moment she was carried into the room is one I wil never forget. She was beautiful, and bigger than I imagined. And she had the saddest look on her face. It was quiet at first and papers had to be in order and the director had to be present before the caregiver could hand her to me. I looked at her and wanted to hold her and I was afraid to at the same time. I was hot, anxious, and close to tears. I did not want to cry and scare her. Then the woman who carried her in handed her to me. Makenna had a crumpled family photo of us in her hands and a doll that we had sent in a care package. She was scared and she cried like her heart was broken. I tried hard not to. We looked at each other. This daughter of mine that had been in my heart for years but was so unfamiliar in my arms. I didn't know her yet but loved her. She didn't know me...and it would take a while. As I walked her around the halls of the civil affairs office trying to make her happy I caught a glimpse of the woman who brought Makenna into the room earlier. She was sobbing quietly into her hands. She looked up and saw me and hurried away. I know now that she was not Makenna's foster mother but I still wonder if there was a connection there.
I wish I could say the transition was smooth but it wasn't. Not for me and certainly not for Makenna. She was sad and desperately clung to me in China and for a long time home as well. Adjusting to Daddy joining the family after being home for four months was tough too. But she let him into her heart little by little and now she is crazy about him. For a long time I couldn't leave her side because she cried like I was never coming back. I knew why she felt that way but it was tough. Sleep was a rollercoaster for many months but she does pretty well now. I can tell she is much more sure of herself now and of me. We have come a long way in these past 12 months. I do not see that terrible, sad face anymore. I get to hear her wonderful giggles and belly laughs instead. Makenna is fiercely independent,silly,curious, caring,fun, and wild! Her father, brother, sister and I all love her so much. She is home and solidly a part of our family. She carries in her little heart and mind secrets and scars of her past, but she is brave and joyous beyond belief also. We are lucky to have her in our life and our family.
Happy one year home sweet girl, we look forward to every new day!

Hide and Seek

2010-04-15T17:47:00.000-07:00

Well I wasn't home when this happened but apparently Makenna thought it would be fun to hide from Daddy after bath time! I am glad they thought to snap a picture for me:) Drew said she was being really quiet but occasionally giggling and that is what gave up her hiding spot.

Makenna LOVES having her hair fixed!

2010-04-11T18:40:00.000-07:00

Not really. Some days trying to get her hair pulled up out of her eyes is very challenging. Olivia took these one day last week to document the struggle. I love it!

Catch up

2010-03-23T17:29:00.000-07:00

We have been so busy lately. All three of the kids have had their birthday parties and now spring is here!!! Makenna loves being outside and we are looking forward to lots of playing in the sunshine. Makenna continues to grow and change every day. She is starting to look so much older. Early Intervention continues to help her become more confident and to communicate with us. Speech is still a struggle but she learns signs easily and she attempts more words all the time. The biggest success lately is her transition to her speech playgroup. The first 5 times she went she cried most of the time! It only lasts for 2 hours one day a week and I was ready to throw in the towel and say we were done, when she started to do better! The last two Mondays she has gone into the classroom with out tears and the teachers(who are developmental specialists) report that she is happy and playful the whole time. She has a great sense of humor and keeps us laughing all the time. One of her favorite games right now is for her Daddy to hold her and say "my baby!" while I chase them and say "no, my baby!". She thinks this is hysterical. She loves to dance and climb and jump. She starts a gymnastics class this week and I think she will love it!
She is such a happy girl and she is so much more settled than even few months ago. Just recently I realized I have relaxed with her and I can enjoy her so much more. For a long time I just tried to "get through" each day and figure out what she wanted. Now we can have fun and when all five of us are together it feels right. She fits and completes our family.

Makenna.....being Makenna

2010-03-02T19:45:00.000-08:00

You just gotta love this crazy girl!

Playing in the snow

2010-02-11T11:40:00.000-08:00

We actually had some real snow this week! Nothing close to DC/Maryland proportions but more than usual for us. The older kids had a blast but Makenna was a little unsure about walking in it. She did make a snow angel and she loved watching her big brother and sister have a snowball fight.

Giving Daddy a kiss

Big sister Olivia

Big brother Jackson

Look at my red cheeks!

Birthday Party

2010-02-07T11:57:00.000-08:00

We had Makenna's birthday party on Saturday. It was a lot of fun and I think she thought it was great. Her family was there as well as Makenna's cute Jiangxi friend Kerry Lu. We had cupcakes with the number 2 on them (but I forgot to take a pic of them!) and she wasn't freaked out by us singing the Happy Birthday song to her. Mostly the kids all just ran around and played. And isn't that the best kind of party when you are 2?

I love this girl!

2010-02-04T07:11:00.000-08:00

No exciting reason for this post. Just liked this picture because it seems to capture a little bit of the spark that is Makenna. She is so funny and full of life. She is almost two and I can't believe it. We are so lucky to have her in our lives and in our family.

Poem

2010-01-27T20:25:00.000-08:00

I found this poem online and I think it is beautiful.

The Family of Adoption-A Poem by Joyce Maquire Pavao

You cannot change the truth-These are your children-But they came from somewhere else-And they are the children of those places-And of those people as well-Help them to know all about their past-And all about their present-Help them to know that they are from extended families-But they have more than mothers and fathers-They have grandmothers, godmothers, birth mothers, mother countries, mother earth-They have grandfathers, godfathers, birth fathers, and fatherlands-They have family by birth and by adoption-They have family by choice and by chance-Childhood is short-These are our children to raise-These are our children to love-And then they are citizens of the world-What we do to them creates the world that we live in-Give them life-Give them their truth-Give them love-Give them all that they came with-Give them all that they grow with-Your children do not belong to you-But they belong with you-You can not keep them from what is theirs-But you can keep loving them-You do not own your children-But they are your own.

The front door

2010-01-23T06:51:00.000-08:00

This is why the front door is always covered in fingerprints or smeary tongue marks! She thinks this is soooo funny.

Baby pictures of Makenna!!

2010-01-04T06:09:00.001-08:00

We managed to find baby pictures of our sweet girl! We got them through someone who has done some research in Fuzhou with the foster moms there. These pictures were taken on June 30, 2008. So Makenna was not quite 5 months old! I have 40 pictures of her and her foster mom and her home. They are the only baby pictures Makenna will ever have of herself so of course they are priceless. To see her smiling in these pictures just reinforces to us that she was a happy, well cared for baby. I just can't stop staring at her toothless grin and little stick up hair! She is just adorable and we are so happy to have these pictures.

Christmas

2009-12-27T17:38:00.001-08:00

Olivia and her new ipod

Christmas Eve

Christmas morning at 5:30 am

We had a great first Christmas with Makenna. She had fun and we all enjoyed seeing her face full of excitement at each new thing. Olivia and Jackson said it was the best Christmas ever! Last year on Christmas we were matched with Fu Yan Hao by the CCAA and we saw her face for the first time 4 days later. So happy she is home now:)

Christmas card picture attempts

2009-12-08T06:55:00.000-08:00

Okay there were actually many more pictures. This was just a sample. I obviously was so caught up in trying to get them in the picture I didn't even adjust the camera so there would be no red eye and blurriness. The third one would be my choice but it is soooooo blurry! In my mind the three kids would put on their Christmas pjs and all smile and look cute for a Christmas card picture. Well........ they all managed to look cute but, we will have to try again tonight to get a photo we can use. Makenna is still a challenge to photograph. She is in constant motion and doesn't care if she looks or smiles. She does what SHE wants. I keep reminding myself that being strong-willed and independent are good qualities :)

Wish me luck.

Six Months

2009-11-04T08:04:00.000-08:00

We have had Makenna in our lives for six months today. It really has flown by but it also seems like she has been around forever. Just like when her big sister and brother came into our lives now our family feels like we couldn't be complete without her! She amazes us every day with her spirit and ability to let us into her heart a little more. Her first almost 15 months without us are still very present for her but she is also settling into our family. She has made so much progress since we came home. She learned to walk and now she understands EVERYTHING we say. We even spell things already like S-t-r-o-l-l-e-r because if she hears it there better be a walk on the way! Her speech is improving also. She is trying to say things and she says Mama (and she means me!)Dada, Jack, bubble, dog,hot, duck, that, and she says Na when she points to herself. She will point to pictures in a book and can point to all of her body parts when asked...even her booty...lol! Her balance has improved and she falls less and is doing less walking on her toes. She has also grown alot physically. I don't know her current height but the girl has gained about 5 pounds since coming home from China, and she weighed 22 lbs in China! I feel like I am bragging but we are just so impressed with everything that can happen in 6 short months!

Of course we have a long road until she is completely comfortable. She does NOT like Mama to leave, even though Daddy is home now. She is actually more clingy now that he is here. Bedtime has to be with Mama and if she wakes up at night (which she does now-EVERY night) then only Mama can hold her and rock her back to sleep. She points all of us in our family out (Mama, Daddy, Liv, Jack, and Makenna) about 50 times a day. It seems like she is really trying to reinforce or reassure herself that we are all a family and she belongs in it. If two of us hug or kiss she has to be included, and at bedtime she won't go to sleep unless she gets a kiss and hug from everybody (sometimes several!).

She is our busy, silly, smiley, stubborn, brave girl who challenges us daily.

We wouldn't want her any other way.

We love you Makenna and are so glad you are home.

Halloween Fun!

2009-11-01T05:48:00.000-08:00

We have had a fun weekend. We met up with Kerry Lu and her family at the Jack o' Lantern stroll on Friday. It was rainy and hectic but nice to be able to see them again! It was a challenge to try and get a picture of two very busy toddlers but you can see how totally adorable they are! I hope as they get older they can enjoy being friends. The monkey costume was cute but everyone thought Makenna was a boy, so next year we need to go for a more girly outfit I guess.
We practically had to hold them down and distract them for a picture!

This is Makenna's "cheese" face

Jackson and Makenna ready to head out for Trick or Treat

2009-10-29T08:02:00.000-07:00

I know this picture is tiny, Drew took it with his phone, but I just love it! I really should put more pictures up but things have been busy around here. I promise I will put some pictures of Halloween on here, because I am sure they will be funny. Makenna is going to be a monkey BTW (Thanks Michelle!). Also we are hoping to meet up with Kerry Lu and her family this weekend so I will definitely put some pictures of that double adorable-ness on here!

Picking Pumpkins!

2009-10-04T12:34:00.000-07:00

Olivia liked the small ones

Jack's awesome pumpkin!

Makenna giving Daddy a kiss

We took a trip to Hubers today. I love the annual pumpkin picking trip. This was Makenna's first time and she enjoyed it. She wanted to be carried in the patch because it was pretty uneven terrain but she liked looking at all the pumpkins. Olivia and Jackson found some great ones! Beautiful Fall day with the whole family!

Four months ago..

2009-09-04T13:43:00.001-07:00

We met a scared, sad little girl in Nanchang. What a difference already. We can't wait to see what comes next. You are an amazing little girl and your family loves you so much!

New Pictures

2009-08-30T18:27:00.001-07:00

She wanted to ride in the wagon wearing just the football helmet....so she did.

Makenna with her cousin Sam. I love the look on her face. Like she is really pondering something. Also you can see how much her hair has grown!

I managed to get two little pigtails in on this day!! But did not manage to get a picture where she was actually looking AT the camera.

Makenna is really blossoming every day. She has started being so much more affectionate with all of us. When she climbed into my lap the other day and just laid her head on my chest and snuggled with me I just about cried. And now she will sometimes just walk up and want to give me or her brother or sister a kiss or hug. She would do these things before but only when you asked for a kiss or hug. Not just because SHE wanted to give you one. And just today she did the sweetest thing. I always give her kisses while I am holding her and getting ready to put her into bed. Today at nap time and again at bedtime she would reach up and grab my face and give me kisses. Then look at me and do it again. About three times in a row. I think she is really deciding that we are her family. We were Ok before, but now she has really claimed us for her own.

And it is wonderful.

Funny Girl

2009-08-18T18:39:00.000-07:00

She is so silly! Makenna had her 18 month check up and all is well. She is a little over 31 inches tall and weighs 24 lbs 12 oz. Her iron is still a little low but improved from 15 months. She was doing lots of things on the developmental checklist but she is not really talking much. Had a meeting with the First Steps (early intervention)coordinator yesterday and she will be evaluated soon. I am sure they will help her get all those thoughts into words! She understands so much of what we say and she is getting more and more frustrated that she can't respond.

I love how you can see all the way to her tonsils in the last picture! She cracks me up.

Big Brother

2009-08-07T19:50:00.000-07:00

Makenna has the BEST big brother in the world. Jackson loves her so much and the feeling is definitely mutual. Nobody makes her laugh like he does. It is so cool to see them together.

Updates

2009-07-19T10:45:00.000-07:00

Makenna can do lots of things now. She still has no real words yet in English(except mama) but she communicates with us pretty effectively. She uses a few simple signs like more and eat and all done. When I say things to her sometimes she just watches my mouth and moves her mouth but doesn't make any sound. It is like she is practicing the movement of her mouth or something. She understands what we say a lot of the time. She can point to several body parts when we ask. She will give kisses and hugs to me and both the other kids but not all the time. When we ask for a kiss or hug she sometimes will just shake her head no. She LOVES books and will bring me books to read her all the time. When she gets hurt just a little (not really hurt) she makes a little whiny sound and walks over for me to kiss it and make it better. If she falls or bumps into something pretty hard she will usually cry really hard and resist me trying to comfort or cuddle her. She is still very clingy with me a lot of the time. She wants me to walk around the room with her or walk with her to go look out the door. It is so frustrating at times. I know she is trying to learn to explore on her own but doesn't feel confident enough yet. When I get irritated with her I feel pretty guilty because she is doing really well overall. I am just tired of being everything to everybody I guess, and I really want a break. Guess I will just have to wait for that.

Article on our family

2009-07-12T15:01:00.000-07:00

The Air Force paper wrote a nice article on our situation with Drew being deployed and not meeting Makenna yet. I will save a copy for her to see when she is older and can understand how much her Daddy missed her before they met!

http://www.445aw.afrc.af.mil/news/story.asp?storyID=123157005

Adoption everywhere!

2009-07-10T13:51:00.000-07:00

Apparently, if you didn't already know the Target on Westport Rd. is a hotbed of International Adoption. Today during our hour or so in there we met a mama home four weeks with her adorable Olivia (also from Jiangxi province), a woman with her sweet 8 or 9 year old daughter, and another woman who is starting paperwork for an adoption from Ethiopia! So nice to meet other families like ours. Hard to know how to approach them but easier than before Makenna was home. We can kind of exchange looks and usually start a conversation. I exchanged numbers with Olivia's mom Sara, so hopefully we can get together sometime. I would love for Makenna to have friends adopted from China. We will get involved with the local FCC but it is kinda nice just meeting people by chance (or by blog like Kerry Lu's mama)!

And here are a couple of pictures of course.

Running up and down hills

2009-07-06T20:30:00.000-07:00

One of Makenna's favorite things is to find a hill or ramp and go up and down it...oh about 250 times! This hill is at the park on the waterfront and it is made of the recycled rubber stuff so I felt a little better about her running down it. She just laughs her head off while she is doing it. It is hard to get a good shot because she moves so FAST! But my favorite is the one where you just see the outline of her and her sprout of a ponytail! Cracks me up:)

Summer Fun!

2009-06-28T15:54:00.000-07:00

Riding in her cousin Sam's new birthday present!

Hanging out at Aunt Joans

I am such a messy girl -but I LOVE noodles!

Grandparents

2009-06-19T08:42:00.000-07:00

Makenna with all of her grandparents!

Top photo is Granny (Drew's Mom), then Grandpa Slahta (Drew's Dad), Grandpa Darnell (Dana's Dad), and Nana (Dana's Mom). She is so lucky to have such wonderful grandparents!

Pictures

2009-06-12T13:55:00.001-07:00

Trip to the Zoo

2009-06-07T21:57:00.000-07:00

The kids and I went to the Zoo today. It was nice and Makenna liked looking at all the people. She liked the splash park as long as she wasn't really close to any spraying water. She is so hard to get a picture of because she is constantly moving!

Test results

2009-06-02T16:28:00.000-07:00

Tests results are back and everything is negative!!! Stool samples and all! So happy to get those results and know that we have a happy, healthy little girl. She does need a chest x-ray due to her positive reaction to the TB skin test but hopefully that is the last thing for a while.

Settling in

2009-05-27T17:57:00.000-07:00

Makenna is such a happy baby! Liv and Jack are totally in love and I think the feeling is mutual. We are slowly introducing her to all of her family and she seems to enjoy new experiences. Of course she likes most people at a distance! She is going to have blood drawn tomorrow to be tested for everything under the sun. She had a TB skin test today and I collected 2 of 3 stool samples that I have to take to the lab tomorrow. Our pediatrician thinks she is pretty healthy but for our whole family's sake she should have the tests. Every day she discovers some new skill and it makes her so happy. She started walking a few days after we came home and now she is everywhere! She smiles and laughs all the time. Today she started dancing to music especially cartoon music. Every day I am so thankful to her foster family for giving her so much love and care. She could never be so silly and happy if she hadn't been loved by them first. I only hope that sending updates and pictures will make them happy for her in her new life.

We are home!

2009-05-16T18:42:00.000-07:00

Wow what a trip. I don't think I am ready to put my thoughts together about my adoption trip. The journey home was long and stressful. But being home is all worth it. I missed Liv and Jack so much it was terrible. Makenna has really taken to them also. She loves having her big brother and sister around. Now if we could just get back on a decent sleep pattern we would be good. For everybody out there still waiting it really will be your turn one day and memories of the wait will fade (not go away-but fade) and you will think how lucky you are to have this child in your life.

Last post from China!

2009-05-13T07:40:00.000-07:00

We are leaving in the morning and I am so ready to come home. I know the plane ride will be tough but we will make it through and then we can start our real life together. The red couch photo was a disaster. Makenna was not in the mood. She pretty much hates to sit still. Oh well we tried.

Chillin at Starbucks and street market

2009-05-12T07:23:00.000-07:00

Makenna started feeling better this afternoon and we cooled off at Starbucks while she acted silly. Afterwards we walked to the pearl market and went through a very interesting area of Guangzhou where they sell a lot of ingredients for traditional medicine and foods. Dad and I felt like we were in an episode of that bizarre foods show!

medical exam

2009-05-11T00:58:00.000-07:00

Makenna weighs 22 lbs and is 29.5 inches long. She received five shots today and is doing well. She hated it.

Guangzhou

2009-05-10T01:51:00.000-07:00

Makenna gets happier everyday. I am not saying it is easy now, it is NOT. This is a lot harder than I thought it would be. I know she is worth it and when we get home this will all start to fade. When she is happy she is so much fun! She is also very curious and busy. I can never sit still unless she is sleeping.I will post more about China when I can but Makenna is the focus of every minute right now. I know what people mean when they say this is not a vacation or tourist trip. It is all about her and what she needs, and that is ok with me because I can see what a wonderful baby she really is. Anyway here are a couple new photos of Makenna.She is so cute!

Leaving for Guangzhou

2009-05-08T15:30:00.000-07:00

This morning we are flying to Guangzhou. I really like Nanchang and if I were here for different reasons I might like to stay BUT I am so happy to be one day closer to home! Makenna had lots of smiley, happy times yesterday and several periods of crying inconsolably. But those happy grins help you through the tough parts. I managed to have a 12 year old girl who is learning english help me pick out a gift for Liv at the street market near our hotel. Very interesting experience at the street market. A real glimpse of what life is really like here. Well I have to pack so wish us luck on Makenna's first flight!

Better every day

2009-05-07T00:39:00.000-07:00

Makenna gets a little more relaxed every day. She is still attached to me like velcro but will venture a little bit holding my hand. She can't walk by herself but can do ok holding one hand. I can tell she has not had much practice at being on the ground :) There is so much to tell about China and Nanchang but you really want to see pictures and that is about all I have time for while she sleeps!

Getting used to us

2009-05-06T14:59:00.000-07:00

I have not had time to post much info because Makenna is on me all the time! She wants to be held all day. So far she has spent most of the time crying or sleeping but we have had a few glimpses of the happy girl that I'm sure is in there. She won't sit in a high chair or a stroller so I carry her all day. I am so happy I brought a baby sling. It has been a lifesaver. She is adorable and seems very healthy and loved. Her grief is so hard to watch sometimes it makes me cry. She cries out for Mama when she is sad and that is not me yet. We make a little progress every day and I know it will get better. Meanwhile enjoy the smiley picture it was the first one we managed to get so far!

Makenna

2009-05-05T14:08:00.001-07:00

Nanchang

2009-05-03T04:56:00.000-07:00

Coming to Nanchang was very different from Beijing. Beijing was like a Disney World version of China almost. Very clean, shiny, and touristy. The people in Nanchang live the way most people in China do. Our hotel is very nice and within walking distance of several shops and restaurants. Most people here do not speak much english but they are very polite and eager to try and help. Dinner tonight was at the hotel where four of us had four people waiting on us! None of them spoke more than a few words of english so ordering was a challenge. The food turned out to be great(even though the chicken dish was a whole chicken on the plate with the chicken head staring at us!) And the whole meal for four of us including drinks came to about 30 US dollars. This is for a very nice meal at the five star hotel. Eating at a local restaurant will cost even less.

Tomorrow at 11am (that is 11 pm for all you Louisville people) we go to the civil affairs office to meet Makenna! When we checked into the hotel they already had a crib and a baby bathtub in our room. I am so excited I hope I can sleep tonight because I need it.
The next post will have the pictures you have all been waiting for!!!

More pictures

2009-05-02T06:47:00.001-07:00

More pictures of the day.

Full Day

2009-05-02T06:16:00.000-07:00

We had a really full, fun day today. We started at the Tiananmen square, the forbidden city, and the Great Wall. We also visited a cloisonne factory and had lunch at a restaurant there. China is really amazing and it is difficult to really describe it. It is very different but not as foreign as I thought in some parts. But we are in Beijing so it is a huge city with 15 million people.

Now I understand what everyone said about the driving in China! Wow. That is really all I can say. Our bus driver made it through spots I didn't think a small car would fit through. It was crazy, but we made it. Dad and I took so many pictures that both of our cameras died. We did buy a few things today at the cloisonne factory and a cool surprise for Jack at the Great Wall. I am still looking for the perfect purse for you Liv! Our guide, Grace, said it is possible that we may get Makenna tomorrow when we get to her province (Jiangxi)! That would be so wonderful, I can't wait to see her little face! I hope she does well with the transition. I am so excited and it breaks my heart that she has to be so sad for a liitle while.

Enjoy the pictures and I will see you in Nanchang!

We are in Beijing!

2009-05-01T04:32:00.000-07:00

We arrived safely. The flight was really LONG! We are totally exhausted but happy we are here. Too tired too say much. Will be touring Great Wall and other sites tomorrow. Everything will look better after some sleep

Leaving in the Morning

2009-04-29T19:05:00.000-07:00

I am leaving for China in the morning. I am all packed and the suitcases don't weigh near 44 pounds so it can be done. Please let both suitcases arrive in China when we do! I am really just exhausted and ready to see Makenna. I hope the flight goes by quickly and I can sleep for most of it. I will miss Liv and Jack sooooo much while I am gone but they will do fine.
I know I will miss Drew every minute of the trip and when I think of meeting our baby without him I cry every time. Wish me luck that I can keep it together when I see her and don't freak her out! Please everyone who reads the blog, leave comments for us while we are in China! It helps to know all the people who are sending love your way across the world :)
Well I am going to try to sleep.
I know this will be the trip of a lifetime.
Next post from Beijing!!!!!

Six Days

2009-04-24T12:02:00.000-07:00

Ok I am less than a week away from leaving for China and only nine days away from meeting my daughter! I am a very last minute person but most things are falling into place. I have lots of little baby clothes all washed in Dreft and hanging in the closet or in the suitcase. It seems very real that a baby will be here soon when you wash cute little girl clothes! I bought tons of medicines today and hope I won't need many of them but I will take them just in case.

I now have a new digital camera so there will be photos on here from China! My Dad and I will hopefully also be able to put videos on the blog so Drew, Liv, and Jack (as well as all of you!) will be able to see Makenna in action.

Not much else to report.

We are so close.

I can't believe I'm going to China!

2009-04-16T14:10:00.000-07:00

Seriously. I think that about 100 times a day. Lucky for my kids I only say it out loud about half of those times. Hopefully (if I entered the code correctly) you can look to the right of this post and see a countdown until the day we meet Makenna.
All the paperwork is coming together now (cross your fingers someone at the Air Force base gets a clue about what a notary is) and other than packing everything Makenna and I will need for two weeks, I am totally ready to go! Haha
Today I printed off a list of medicines I should bring to China. I have exactly NONE of them yet.
I can't decide what clothes to bring for her and which toys are absolutely necessary, and what clothes to bring for myself!
Umm.....Dad if you are reading this I hope you were only planning to pack a toothbrush and a change of clothes in your bag, because I might need the space. Thanks.

Travel Dates

2009-04-11T05:38:00.000-07:00

Well it is official. We leave the US on April 30 and return on May 14. We will meet Makenna on May 4th in Jiangxi. We are all so excited! Rebecca at our agency suggested I start a yahoo group for people who will travel around the same time as us, and I am so glad I did. I am meeting (online) some of the families that will travel with me. It is so nice to share this experience with people who understand what you have been through.

I have a lot to do in the next few weeks. I will probably pack and re-pack a hundred times before I go, and still forget something I wish I had.

Catch up

2009-04-07T15:20:00.000-07:00

I haven't posted in a while but a lot has happened! On the 28th my family and friends had the BEST baby shower for us. It was beautiful and fun and Makenna has so many new things. I feel so blessed to know so many wonderful people who will welcome Makenna into their lives. (I will try to post a photo from the shower later)
Also we received the final approval (I800) that we needed before travelling to China! It came in only 7 days. Now my adoption agency will contact CCAA to request an appointment at the consulate in Guangzhou. When we have that date we can book our flights and pack our bags!
It looks like we will leave the last week in April, but it is not confirmed yet.
I really can't believe it is finally happening.
I am really going to China to bring our daughter home.
Somebody pinch me.

APPROVED!!

2009-03-26T12:31:00.000-07:00

Today we received our approval from the USCIS! I have to mail some documents off and in about 10 days we will be completely ready to go to China. We are thinking we are at about one month until travel. Makenna here we come!!!!

So much to do....

2009-03-24T15:49:00.000-07:00

Update on us.

We were fingerprinted and it went very smoothly! The officer assigned to our case at the USCIS is just waiting on them to wrap up our approval. The passports were sent off to get our visas and I am working on the" one spouse travel" documents. It is all really happening fast now. This weekend my family is hosting a shower for us and I am really excited. The more baby things we have in our house the closer we feel to having our baby! I can't believe in just a few weeks we could be heading to China. After over three long years it is hard to feel like it is real. We all talk about Makenna and what it will be like when she is home. Jackson can't wait to be a middle child, and Olivia can't wait to show her off to her friends. I have been really overwhelmed with everything that has been happening in our lives but I am hoping I will get everything under control when I start my adoption leave from work. Everyone who knows me in real life knows I am a total procrastinator, but I work well under pressure:) It will all come together when it needs to-I promise.

Fingerprints

2009-03-12T04:47:00.000-07:00

We now have our fingerprint appointment with USCIS!!! We are now in the final stretch of things we need to get before approval. Hopefully our I800a will be approved quickly and the

@$%#* Trade Fair in Guangzhou will not delay our travel too long. Things are moving along slowly but surely. Next step- to get our visas for travel and the power of attorney I need for only one spouse travelling.

Don't You Have Children of Your Own?

2009-02-28T14:49:00.000-08:00

Four Adoption Terms Defined
Natural child: any child who is not artificial.
Real parent: any parent who is not imaginary.
Your own child: any child who is not someone else's child.
Adopted child: a natural child, with a real parent, who is all my own.
(Rita Laws)

Just found this online and I love it.
I have already encountered several (unintentional-I'm sure) comments that just don't sit right with me but I'm not sure how to respond. Because I have biological kids I get the "children of your own" comment. As in, "So you're adopting?" "Yes, we are" "You have children of your own though, right?". How exactly do you answer this? Yes, I do have other children? I know some of the things I think in my head can easily come off as rude. Most of the time the person is just ignorant about adoption and doesn't really deserve a rude answer. I have read tons of information on this subject but somehow when you are in the moment, every well thought out answer just flies out of your head. I guess I will continue to think about it and work on it as Makenna gets older.

Map of China

2009-02-22T11:33:00.000-08:00

This map shows the provinces in China. When we travel we will go to Beijing, then on to Jiangxi (Makenna's province), then to Guangzhou to complete the adoption. The capital city of Jiangxi is Nanchang and that is likely where we will stay. I hope we are able to visit Fuzhou and the orphanage on our trip. I am sure I will take tons of photos but it will never be enough. I am so glad my Dad will be there to help me document every moment of the trip, especially when we meet Makenna. Sorry, there is no new news so I thought I would just show some pictures of where she lives now. Just click on the map and you can see it larger (and actually be able to read the words!).

Now we are waiting on USCIS

2009-02-20T03:41:00.000-08:00

Our application for government approval is on it's way to Chicago (or possibly already there). This is the big hurdle that we have to get through before we travel to bring Makenna home. Processing times at the USCIS (United States Citizenship and Immigration Services) have been speeding up so I am hoping for a quick turnaround. After they process our application we will be contacted for a fingerprint appointment. At that time I can go ahead and apply for visas and start on the next round of paperwork for travel. After all this waiting, once that approval comes through things will move quickly. I still don't know when we will travel. I hope it is no later than May, but would be thrilled if it was April!

I have contacted several people who are travelling to Makenna's province ,(and who have children from her SWI )in the next few weeks and asked them to take pictures if they are able to visit the orphanage. I hope someone is able to bring us some new photos!

Updated Measurements

2009-02-10T18:29:00.000-08:00

Ann at Red Thread did manage to get some updated size info on Makenna but sadly no new photos. I was sooooo looking forward to seeing more pictures of our baby girl! Anyway we found out how big she is now and that she has two top teeth and three bottom teeth. I know it is a little thing but any tiny piece of information keeps me going! I just thought I would share with those of you that are following along.

Happy Birthday

2009-02-08T17:59:00.000-08:00

Today Makenna is one year old. I will try not to be sad about the time we have missed with her. Instead I will look forward to all the things she will do when she is home. I can't wait to see her smile, hear her laugh, and kiss her little face. Although we think about her all the time, she has no idea her life is about to change. What I hope for her on her birthday is that someone is holding her, kissing her, and making her happy. I hope she is healthy, warm, and loved by someone until she can be home with us. Happy first birthday Makenna -We love you so much.

Care Package for Makenna

2009-02-08T10:07:00.000-08:00

The care package is finally on it's way! Ann at Red Thread China has called the orphanage several times but the person in charge of adoption was not available. She is sending an average size for Makenna. Ann said she will call again after Monday to confirm that they received the package. It should arrive the day after her birthday. I hope they take lots of pictures of her and she likes the doll and blanket.

Everything is mailed off!

2009-02-01T16:04:00.000-08:00

Or put another way, things are finally out of my hands. Even though the horrible weather held us up a few days I mailed all the documents to our homestudy agency with our I800a application on Friday! I also faxed copies to our social worker so she can complete our report. Then the completed homestudy will be sent to Chicago (USCIS) along with our application and fee. Hopefully that will be very soon so our countdown to approval can begin. A few weeks after the application is received Drew and I will get an appointment to be fingerprinted (again!). Things are moving along, it just feels too slow for me.
I did order a care package for Makenna from Ann at Red Thread China. It includes a pair of pajamas, a soft baby doll, a blanket, candies for her caretakers, a disposable camera, a family photo, and a letter from us (Ann translates it for you). I will post a picture of the care package when Ann sends the final photo to me. I can't wait for Makenna to get it and I am hoping Ann gets some updates for us as well. I think I have memorized every detail of the three photos we have of Makenna and I am so ready for the real thing!

One big step completed!!

2009-01-22T12:55:00.000-08:00

We had a visit with our social worker today (who is awesome!) and gave her the updated documents needed to file the I800a with the US government. We have a couple of little details that we need to take care of and send to her and then she will file our application. Then we wait-not so patiently for our approval. This can take up to 90 days but we are hoping for sooner. Feels kind of good to be done gathering all the documents we had to update but now all we can do is wait. We waited three years already I guess I can hold out a few more months! And for those of you that don't know, Drew won't be able to come to China with me but my wonderful Dad has offered to travel with me and keep me sane throughout the surely emotional trip. I am so happy I won't be travelling alone.

P.S. No updated info on Makenna yet but my agency is trying.

Ok trying to figure out posting comments issue

2009-01-20T16:53:00.001-08:00

I think I have the problem of not being able to post comments figured out! Too bad I deleted my cute Lotus flowers design because now I don't think that was the issue. Anyway people should be able to post now. Jaime try it out and let me know.

Our Wait

2009-01-14T20:23:00.001-08:00

Custom Countdowns & MySpace Layouts

Pictures of Fuzhou Social Welfare Institute

2009-01-13T18:08:00.000-08:00

I found some photos of the SWI(Social Welfare Institute) that Makenna may or may not be living in right now. I called our adoption agency and our coordinator is contacting the CCAA (China Center of Adoption Affairs) to find out if she is in foster care or at the SWI. She also said she would try to get updated measurements (height/weight etc.) if she can. I would love to find out how big she is and get some updated photos if possible.

Progress

2009-01-09T06:20:00.000-08:00

Well things are moving along for our update. As many of you know some of our paperwork expired during our three year wait. We now have to apply for a different government approval than when we applied the first time. In hindsight I wish we would have kept everything current but many times things seemed so uncertain. We have all the paperwork together and our social worker will be coming here on the 22cnd to do a home study update and then send in our application. This is where our timeframe to travel is up in the air. It really depends on how long they take to process our application. In the recent past it has been taking several months because it is a new process. I have heard some encouraging news that more staff has been hired and trained and things are going more smoothly. I really have to hope that things will go quickly because we want to bring her home as soon as possible! Thanks for everyone's sweet comments it is so encouraging to know so many people care and are excited for us.

PS Makenna is 11 months old today!

Introducing Fu Yan Hao - soon to be Makenna!!

2009-01-02T18:16:00.000-08:00

I love those chubby cheeks!

How cute is she?!

Ok I am totally new at this blog thing but I will try to figure it out so that people I care about can follow this process. On December 29 we received a referral for a baby girl in China. To make an extremely long story short we started the process to adopt over 3 years ago. When the process that was supposed to take 6-8 months had stretched beyond a year we started to worry. We had all but given up hope that it would happen for us when Makenna showed up! Our baby is Fu Yan Hao and her birthday is February 9, 2008. She is currently in the Fuzhou SWI in Jiangxi province. I will keep this blog updated about when we travel to bring her home and all the other details. We are thrilled beyond belief and can't wait to hold her in our arms.