Cupcakes "donated" by our wonderful neighbors, who took a cake decorating class.
Matthew's summer haircut- he is humoring me with this photo.
Sofia, Megan's Chaoyang sister, turned four and got this trike for her birthday!
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Megan's Routines
These are posters I created, using line drawings given to me by Megan's Speech Therapist. She really loves to follow her charts and it helps her to stay on track.
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Megan Lost Her Two Bottom Teeth Today
After much wiggling and waggling, a proud Megan Ling unrooted BOTH her bottom teeth; one at 9:00PM and the other at 9:30PM. I told her she better get to sleep or the tooth fairy will be too tired to come!!
Thursday, June 4, 2009
May Update
May was another busy month, BLINK and it's GONE!
We had Mother's day celebrations at Megan Ling's school and at home with our family, various school field trips for the kids and the general everyday "busyness".
A highlight of the month was the one year anniversary of Megan Ling's adoption and the wonderful celebration that we had with family and friends. We invited folks to stop in anytime during an open house from afternoon to evening and asked guests to bring fabric for her 100 Wishes Quilt that I will be making her. We received so many exciting, beautiful and adorable fabrics. I can't wait to start sewing it. In lieu of gifts we asked for donations to Chaoyang SWI and collected almost $200 which Eric and I will match for a total of $400! The Chaoyang Mission Group will be going to China July 2-13, 2009 and they will take our donation and put it towards washing machines and playground equipment for the children.
Another highlight was our trip to Florida to visit my mom and stepfather.
Guy celebrated his "90 something" birthday last month and I really wanted Megan Ling to meet him. The girls and I went to see them while the boys went camping with Eric's parents. We had a great time in Florida. It was a quick visit, down Friday AM and return late on Sunday PM, but we fit in a lot of quality time, swimming in the pool and even went to the ocean, which both Megan Ling and Mary Alice loved.
The boys discovered a large patch of Lady Slippers, apparently a rare sighting.
And the weekend included a workshop displaying these beautiful birds.
This week was Megan's last dance class. She LOVES her teacher, Miss Elizabeth. She has enjoyed Kinderdance so much. Here is a video of her dance recital.
And this picture was just so darn cute, I had to include it. :)
We had Mother's day celebrations at Megan Ling's school and at home with our family, various school field trips for the kids and the general everyday "busyness".
A highlight of the month was the one year anniversary of Megan Ling's adoption and the wonderful celebration that we had with family and friends. We invited folks to stop in anytime during an open house from afternoon to evening and asked guests to bring fabric for her 100 Wishes Quilt that I will be making her. We received so many exciting, beautiful and adorable fabrics. I can't wait to start sewing it. In lieu of gifts we asked for donations to Chaoyang SWI and collected almost $200 which Eric and I will match for a total of $400! The Chaoyang Mission Group will be going to China July 2-13, 2009 and they will take our donation and put it towards washing machines and playground equipment for the children.
Another highlight was our trip to Florida to visit my mom and stepfather.
Guy celebrated his "90 something" birthday last month and I really wanted Megan Ling to meet him. The girls and I went to see them while the boys went camping with Eric's parents. We had a great time in Florida. It was a quick visit, down Friday AM and return late on Sunday PM, but we fit in a lot of quality time, swimming in the pool and even went to the ocean, which both Megan Ling and Mary Alice loved.
The boys discovered a large patch of Lady Slippers, apparently a rare sighting.
And the weekend included a workshop displaying these beautiful birds.
This week was Megan's last dance class. She LOVES her teacher, Miss Elizabeth. She has enjoyed Kinderdance so much. Here is a video of her dance recital.
And this picture was just so darn cute, I had to include it. :)
Monday, April 27, 2009
April Highlights
Wow, again the month went by in a blur. The children have their various regular activities and occasional health appointments that I drive them to and fro, which in and of itself is a full time job. I have continued to see my regular organizing clients, although on a somewhat cutback schedule of my own choosing.
I have been exploring some (long needed) evaluation and treatment of an "irritated nerve" in my neck that has produced aching and numbness in my arm. A slew of "tests" were ordered, including an MRI and a very uncomfortable electrical nerve test, various office visits with the specialist with the final outcome a recommendation for PT, which of course I will have difficulty fitting into my schedule!! My sister-in-law Cindy (bless her heart) has been recently certified in Yoga, and has opened her own studio!!!. She REALLY wants me to find 10 minutes a day to do some yoga. I want that too, but each day I don't do it. Maybe I need Phone Yoga to discipline me....... Cindy... what do you think???
I had two of my closets "done" by a local closet installation company (California Closets). The closet doors are off in the first picture so the inside can be viewed.
This is a catch-all for summer supplies and arts & crafts and Megan's educational toys that need rotation.
and today they installed a built in desk for us. I just love it. I am sitting at it right now, of course there is nothing in it yet, but that is a project for later on....
This month we had our 12 month and final post adoption visit from our social worker. It was simply a pleasure to talk about all the wonderful progress Megan Ling has made in our first year with her.
We also had a family portrait session, but unfortunately none of the pictures of the five of us came out good. We compromised with a photo of Eric and I alone and each of the kids individually. Megan used to smile so spontaneously for us, and now she is in a Making Faces stage and we are lucky to catch her at all. She is much more interested in taking the pictures than being in them!!
We went to a Children's Explore & Play museum and that was great fun. The following day the Girl's got their ears pierced! That was a really neat experience. Megan Ling was very brave and after she saw her big sister do it, she was happy to follow along. She is very proud of her new earrings. We haven't had any problems and are almost at the point that they can change them.
We spent Easter with Eric's parents at their home and enjoyed a yummy dinner. On Easter morning Megan enjoyed searching for her eggs (although we had done lots of practicing and this wasn't a NEW idea to her). Finding the basket was very exciting.
We had an incredible opportunity for an intimate visit with one of the girls who was on the Chaoyang Mission Trip to China when Megan Ling was still living there. Danielle travelled in 2007 along with others from her church to help bring love, joy, toys and hope to the orphans that live there. It is because of her group and thier tireless advocacy that we and other parents were able to adopt our children. They assured the director and nannies that these children were/are adoptable and that parents in the US want to raise them as their own. Many of them have special needs and may not otherwise have a very bright future. Thank goodness the orphanage listened, as we truly were blessed with their willingness to try and the mission groups dedication to these children.
Danielle came with her mother for dinner and the next morning we took them to Niagara Falls. Megan really enjoyed being with them and showing her room and home. Once again, her smile was hard to catch, so my photos are limited.
We had dinner with good friends and Michelle brought these beautiful strawberries, which we promptly devoured! Yum.
Matthew made friends with this Grosbeak at our window feeder.
We caught the spring flower show at our botanical garden. Matthew took some pretty awesome photos. Of course, none of us though. The battery died before that could be done.
Megan enjoying donuts.
The donuts Megan is enjoying......
Megan playing Wii "guitar hero"
Megan giving Dada a Shot!!
Checking his eyes.
I think he did okay.
Megan is learning and changing daily. Now she says things like "I can't reach", "come on, try it", and is able to follow several step directions (go upstairs and get a clean pair of socks and brush your teeth) and deliver a simple message (she will say "Matthew, shower, mama say!") She is so enthusiastic and curious about everything.
Every month, I think "whew, what a month" and this one is no different! "Whew, what a month!"
I have been exploring some (long needed) evaluation and treatment of an "irritated nerve" in my neck that has produced aching and numbness in my arm. A slew of "tests" were ordered, including an MRI and a very uncomfortable electrical nerve test, various office visits with the specialist with the final outcome a recommendation for PT, which of course I will have difficulty fitting into my schedule!! My sister-in-law Cindy (bless her heart) has been recently certified in Yoga, and has opened her own studio!!!. She REALLY wants me to find 10 minutes a day to do some yoga. I want that too, but each day I don't do it. Maybe I need Phone Yoga to discipline me....... Cindy... what do you think???
I had two of my closets "done" by a local closet installation company (California Closets). The closet doors are off in the first picture so the inside can be viewed.
This is a catch-all for summer supplies and arts & crafts and Megan's educational toys that need rotation.
and today they installed a built in desk for us. I just love it. I am sitting at it right now, of course there is nothing in it yet, but that is a project for later on....
This month we had our 12 month and final post adoption visit from our social worker. It was simply a pleasure to talk about all the wonderful progress Megan Ling has made in our first year with her.
We also had a family portrait session, but unfortunately none of the pictures of the five of us came out good. We compromised with a photo of Eric and I alone and each of the kids individually. Megan used to smile so spontaneously for us, and now she is in a Making Faces stage and we are lucky to catch her at all. She is much more interested in taking the pictures than being in them!!
We went to a Children's Explore & Play museum and that was great fun. The following day the Girl's got their ears pierced! That was a really neat experience. Megan Ling was very brave and after she saw her big sister do it, she was happy to follow along. She is very proud of her new earrings. We haven't had any problems and are almost at the point that they can change them.
We spent Easter with Eric's parents at their home and enjoyed a yummy dinner. On Easter morning Megan enjoyed searching for her eggs (although we had done lots of practicing and this wasn't a NEW idea to her). Finding the basket was very exciting.
We had an incredible opportunity for an intimate visit with one of the girls who was on the Chaoyang Mission Trip to China when Megan Ling was still living there. Danielle travelled in 2007 along with others from her church to help bring love, joy, toys and hope to the orphans that live there. It is because of her group and thier tireless advocacy that we and other parents were able to adopt our children. They assured the director and nannies that these children were/are adoptable and that parents in the US want to raise them as their own. Many of them have special needs and may not otherwise have a very bright future. Thank goodness the orphanage listened, as we truly were blessed with their willingness to try and the mission groups dedication to these children.
Danielle came with her mother for dinner and the next morning we took them to Niagara Falls. Megan really enjoyed being with them and showing her room and home. Once again, her smile was hard to catch, so my photos are limited.
We had dinner with good friends and Michelle brought these beautiful strawberries, which we promptly devoured! Yum.
Matthew made friends with this Grosbeak at our window feeder.
We caught the spring flower show at our botanical garden. Matthew took some pretty awesome photos. Of course, none of us though. The battery died before that could be done.
Megan enjoying donuts.
The donuts Megan is enjoying......
Megan playing Wii "guitar hero"
Megan giving Dada a Shot!!
Checking his eyes.
I think he did okay.Megan is learning and changing daily. Now she says things like "I can't reach", "come on, try it", and is able to follow several step directions (go upstairs and get a clean pair of socks and brush your teeth) and deliver a simple message (she will say "Matthew, shower, mama say!") She is so enthusiastic and curious about everything.
Every month, I think "whew, what a month" and this one is no different! "Whew, what a month!"
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