tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-189550542024-03-13T03:59:29.085-07:00The Hollis FamilyThe chronicles of two rookie parents raising a toddler and our journey to parenthood.Loriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05026097647592796123noreply@blogger.comBlogger155125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18955054.post-80487406214825828272012-08-12T08:17:00.002-07:002012-08-12T08:21:27.953-07:00All is quiet this morning. The hubz and the munch are at church and I am home with our newest additon. So, the blog is taking new direction. Life post-adoption and now, life with an exchange student from China. We picked up the newest member of our family at the airport yesterday. I do not know what to expect from this experience. I know what I am expecting, but how do I make that happen? <br />
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Anyway, the pick-up was much like our adoption experience. High hopes, lots of expectations and then reality...a scared, quiet child. Lilli and I had made a sign welcoming our young lady and had brought her flowers as well. As soon as she saw us we waved and she shyly walked toward us. I think the sign and flowers embarrassed her. She made no notice of either one and seemed like she really wanted to get out of the airport as quickly as possible. So we walked quietly to the car and packed her up to bring her home. I attempted to engage her in conversation but I think she was exhausted and really missing her family.<br />
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Before heading home we went to a restaurant to get something to eat. ONG (our new guest) was just so shell-shocked and tired; eating out probably wasn't the best move on night one. I ordered for her because I wasn't sure she could read the menu and there were a lot of options. I'm sure it was overwhelming. She ate half of a hamburger, tried spinach and artichoke dip and drank sweet tea. She consumed all of it without any protest so I have to assume that she liked it.<br />
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The ride home was rough for her as we live off of a very hilly and steep road out in the boonies. The hubz had to back off the accelerator a bit. We showed her to her room and allowed her some space so she could unpack and get settled. We did not see her again by her own will but I did check on her once. At about 11:00 she came upstairs to get some water and she is still sleeping right now!! It is 11:14 A.M. I'm going to get her up and make sure she is OK. Lots of shopping to do today and then school tomorrow. This is going to be very interesting!!Loriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05026097647592796123noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18955054.post-19545126914695005132012-06-26T09:26:00.000-07:002012-06-26T09:26:41.671-07:00It has been almost 5 years since I posted anything. I am attempting to get back in to blogging as I have many things on my mind! I'd also like to start going in a different direction than just childcare but things that the munchkin and I do together. We are crafting up a storm this summer! More entertainment to come!!Loriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05026097647592796123noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18955054.post-9041788293166696672007-07-14T19:23:00.000-07:002007-07-14T19:27:08.680-07:00Almost a yearTuesday will be Lilli's "Gotcha" Day. I can't believe it has been a year! Time flies so fast. It has been an interesting year with lots of ups and a few downs. Becoming a parent of a toddler has certainly been challenging, but we've had so much fun. <br /><br />I will post my last post on July 17th and then I am shutting down this blog. I have been printing the entries for her baby book and I hope that some day she will have a good laugh at her crazy mommy. <br /><br />Thanks to everyone who has supported me during this year. I appreciate the positive comments. <br /><br />LorieLoriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05026097647592796123noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18955054.post-80158313738446538422007-05-16T19:59:00.000-07:002007-05-16T20:03:05.075-07:00The Toddler BedLilli's bed has been converted! Things were going great until tonight when she discovered that she could get out of bed. It was really cute the first time. We have hardwood floors and we heard her slide out of bed and the pitter-patter of her feet on the floor. When we went to her door, we saw a little head make a bee-line for her bed. This little game got old very quickly and dh ended up having to lie beside her bed until she fell asleep. <br /><br />The tubes went well. Lilli hears everything now and she doesn't want to eat any more. Apparently she can now taste the food and has become quite picky! What a little stinker. She definitely keeps life interesting.Loriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05026097647592796123noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18955054.post-48625279418286793712007-04-26T19:42:00.000-07:002007-04-26T19:44:25.615-07:00TubesLilli is getting tubes in her ears in the morning. It should be an interesting day. I'm worried about the time when she gets up until she can have something to eat. She is going to be extremely crabby if she can't have something to eat in the morning. I will update more tomorrow after her surgery.Loriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05026097647592796123noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18955054.post-70845119100083659502007-04-25T19:54:00.000-07:002007-04-25T20:00:27.185-07:00Silly, giggly girl<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd7IQqyZqa8MNhGSTHbals7L3y7KX0LehCR4s-8bpZtVbAV7MHsvp-hAVFQOZkotsQmDfRicMmvkvPsGJvLEliq_vkMdNCYL-P-rmuwB9GvYxgG536772UHtSYQ9hDbAtIsABh/s1600-h/flower+girl+fitting+%231+001.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5057566281267391266" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd7IQqyZqa8MNhGSTHbals7L3y7KX0LehCR4s-8bpZtVbAV7MHsvp-hAVFQOZkotsQmDfRicMmvkvPsGJvLEliq_vkMdNCYL-P-rmuwB9GvYxgG536772UHtSYQ9hDbAtIsABh/s200/flower+girl+fitting+%231+001.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2HwaxXfI5WU5aHv7_JhZX_MtNMeTt3mPldjRHMpW-8b7F7rI2B5GlQ6MxeIDFZ8h-Gz_7RdDlZImGQ5K0TNZPik-0zzq8B6eVcqceDEUuV0lLqKFAYzaeiGAT4sk3p4EkKhNg/s1600-h/flower+girl+fitting+%231+002.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5057566118058634002" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2HwaxXfI5WU5aHv7_JhZX_MtNMeTt3mPldjRHMpW-8b7F7rI2B5GlQ6MxeIDFZ8h-Gz_7RdDlZImGQ5K0TNZPik-0zzq8B6eVcqceDEUuV0lLqKFAYzaeiGAT4sk3p4EkKhNg/s200/flower+girl+fitting+%231+002.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJrNkk73TdOBMhbHzZ2xjiuUvyXNHmMxGtVuJgiEaluEfxUhrOGJ7W_5RuRPsFfbaYzqUXsVyeKVQz63wvMIdQuPdmN9R71-kvfme6knsvMLUlWPkWVHFjDCOxEh_f1OjJ0TKc/s1600-h/flower+girl+fitting+%231+004.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5057565804526021378" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJrNkk73TdOBMhbHzZ2xjiuUvyXNHmMxGtVuJgiEaluEfxUhrOGJ7W_5RuRPsFfbaYzqUXsVyeKVQz63wvMIdQuPdmN9R71-kvfme6knsvMLUlWPkWVHFjDCOxEh_f1OjJ0TKc/s200/flower+girl+fitting+%231+004.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><div>Lilli is going to be a flower girl in my cousin's wedding. I was FINALLY able to get her to try on the dress. She has spent the last week walking by it and hitting it. She has this thing about dresses. Here are some pix of her in the dress.</div></div></div>Loriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05026097647592796123noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18955054.post-17521579151570396682007-04-22T20:25:00.000-07:002007-04-22T20:37:50.798-07:006 Weeks!The longest time between posts! Life with a 2 y/o is chaotic to say the least and blogging is one of the last things I do with my down time.<br /><br />Everyone here is doing well. We have celebrated Lilli's birthday, Easter, and many other occasions since my last post. Lilli is doing GREAT! She is so much fun. Her personality just seems to get brighter and brighter with each passing day. Her speech is coming along as well which is cutting down on some of the frustration. She is a classic 2 y/o in that she throws tantrums, but nothing out of the ordinary.<br /><br />Last week, Lilli was moved from the toddler room at daycare to the "Terrific Twos" room. I was devastated because we LOVED her toddler teachers. They made everything so easy for us and Lilli became so attached to them. I hope she does just as well in the 2 y/o room. She is so much smaller than the other kids!<br /><br />On Friday Lilli is having tubes put in her ears. The kid keeps having ear infections and has been on so many antibiotics that I can't see continuing to put her through all of that nonsense anymore. Our pediatrician recommended it and referred us to an ENT. I am so hoping that the tubes will help with her speech as well. Maybe the reason why she has been so slow to communicate is because she can't hear!<br /><br />Lilli says several words now: Mommy, puppy, kitty, beep-beep (cars), fish, more, juice, drink, yes, and her favorite words NO, and STOP IT! I have to keep myself from laughing when she tells us to STOP IT! It is hilarious. I'm sure there are other things she says, but I can't think of them right now.<br /><br />I forgot to mention that Lilli is now sleeping every night in her crib AND we put her in the crib and leave. More nights than not she spends the ENTIRE night in her bed! Yeah us! 9 months of HORRID bedtimes have finally paid off!<br /><br />Well, I'm off to bed.Loriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05026097647592796123noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18955054.post-58480792577147067912007-03-04T19:31:00.000-08:002007-03-04T19:40:45.945-08:00Sicknesses and birthday partiesI'm terrible about updating my blog! Time goes by so quickly anymore and I just don't leave time to blog. <br /><br />Anyway, Lilli did not get to attend her Valentine's Day party. Her daycare called us to come and pick her up because she had a temperature. Turns out that she had another double ear infection plus pink eye. This poor kid can't catch a break. We were able to celebrate CNY and my food items were scrumptious! The steamed buns and bean paste were incredibly time-consuming, but it was worth it. My family really enjoyed trying some new Chinese food.<br /><br />We are busy preparing to Lilli's birthday party. It is in less than two weeks. Of course, being on St. Patrick's Day, the theme is going to be green. I spent the day Saturday searching for just the right invitations and decorations. As usual the best invitations are the homemade kind and that is what I will be sending out. I've also decided that I am going to make the adults play games. We are going to play "Pin the Hat on the Leprechaun" and Hot Potato. This should be interesting. I hope the weather is nice enough for some of the guests to go outside--you just never know what it is going to be like in March here.<br /><br />We are having Lilli's 2-year picture taken on Saturday. I am excited about that. We are having her picture taken in traditional Chinese dress, a Colts cheerleading outfit and then something casual. I'm not sure what just yet. I have some really nice dresses for her but she throws an absolute fit when I put her in a dress. I've placed the two dresses I would like for her to wear in her room hoping that she will want to try them on==so far she hasn't shown any interest in them.<br /><br />Well, it is late and I must go.Loriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05026097647592796123noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18955054.post-71849154842915566452007-02-11T19:41:00.000-08:002007-02-01T17:19:50.563-08:00150th Post!Wow! I've shared my thoughts 150 times! It hardly seems possible. I've been thinking about when I will stop the blog completely and I am thinking of ending it on July 17th which would be the one year anniversary of when Lilli came into our lives. I haven't made any definitive decisions, but I am thinking that I will end then.<br /><br />Anyway, I think Lilli finally feels like she is home. She has been the happiest child the last two weeks. I absolutely ADORE this baby! She has been such a ball of energy and smiles and we have been fit free! I don't really know how to put what I am feeling into words. What I know for sure is that I thank God for bringing Lilli into our lives. It has been a long, tough journey so far. I know we are just beginning, but I am so glad that we are now a family.<br /><br />Lilli's speech is finally coming together. She has several words and phrases that she uses regularly and she can sign. Being able to communicate makes things so much easier. Her speech is very rough, but we know what she is trying to tell us or what she wants. We will continue the speech therapy at least until she is three and then determine if she needs to continue. My guess is that she will not need any speech after she turns three.<br /><br />Lilli has her Valentine's party at daycare on Wednesday. They made Valentine bags at her daycare and we are bringing in candy and Valentines for her class. Parents are invited to attend. I contemplated doing something for her class for Chinese New Year, but I don't think the kids will understand. I printed some coloring sheets so maybe I can give them to her class to color. I think I'll save the Chinese New Year celebration at school for when she is older and the kids understand. I ordered her a book about Chinese New Year that explains the importance of this holiday in China. I also printed some recipes and we are going to celebrate Chinese New Year as a family on Sunday. Wish me luck with the recipes. I'm going to attempt steamed buns and moon cakes. And, for added torture, I am making sweet red bean paste to fill the buns and moon cakes. We fell in love with the steamed buns and red bean paste while in China and I've been dying to find a recipe easy enough for me to follow. I'll keep you posted as to how everything turns out!<br /><br />By the way, Lilli will be home 7 months on Saturday!Loriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05026097647592796123noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18955054.post-76510685062099675622007-01-31T18:02:00.000-08:002007-01-31T18:12:58.850-08:00Still goin'It has been a week since we have had a measurable fit. Sure we've had small fits, but those were more like tropical depressions or thunderstorms--no tornadoes! :) I took Lilli to a basketball game tonight at my school and she did really well. I was nervous because she had three mini-fits before we went. She played with another little girl that was there and climbed all over the bleachers. I didn't watch much of the game but it was nice to be out of the house. <br /><br />Lilli's latest thing is screaming while bathing. Unfortunately for her I'm kind of a bath-Nazi. Lilli gets a bath almost every night. I can't stand stinky kids and I'll be darned if my kid is going to smell bad. I also know how dirty she gets during a day's play. She was loving the bath until just recently. She doesn't even want her toys in with her anymore. It's crazy. Once you think you've got one thing licked, something else takes its place.<br /><br />I think I'm ready to start leaving Lilli with a real babysitter. I have several reliable older girls who would be willing to watch Lilli for pay. It would be nice not to have to rely on my mom all of the time to babysit. <br /><br />We are signing up for a Parent/Toddler gymnastics class. It sounds like so much fun and looks like a great time for the kids. I can't wait to get back to cartwheels and somersaults! Ha! <br /><br />Nothing much else going on. Todd took some great pix tonight so I will post some soon.Loriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05026097647592796123noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18955054.post-67898069585937907612007-01-27T21:06:00.000-08:002007-01-27T21:25:51.617-08:00Gettin' in the grooveTwenty days have passed since my last post. Being a working mom is tough and by the end of the day blogging is the last thing on my mind. I really don't have that much to report. School is going fine and Lilli seems to like daycare. I can't really complain about anything right now. <br /><br />Lilli is receiving speech therapy and developmental therapy once a week. These seem to be going well. She doesn't say many words with consistency, but she can sign complete sentences. Her signing vocabulary is fairly large and the signs make communicating easier. I know she still gets very frustrated at times and I do as well. Sometimes when she gets frustrated she throws a humdinger of a fit. She throws them often enough that we rate them like a tornado. An F5 is the strongest and an F1 would be mild. We haven't had many F1's. Last Wednesday she had an F5. It lasted for three hours. She screamed for so long and so loudly that I put some tissue in my ears to save my hearing. Nothing soothes her during these times and we don't usually know what, exactly, set her off. The F5 last Wednesday bothered us so much that we thought she might be hurt and need to go to the ER. It just wasn't normal. <br /><br />My mom thinks Lilli may have mild attachment disorder. There are times when I think that may be a possibility. We are in the process of securing an Occupational Therapist to help us with sensory issues so Lilli can calm herself during a fit. You would have to see a fit to believe the severity of it. Lilli was in the midst of one of her fits (an F4) when the speech therapist came this week. The therapist was in complete shock and said she would have never thought that a fit could be so bad. I was glad that someone on the "outside" was able to witness one. I needed someone to take me seriously.<br /><br />We are making plans for Chinese New Year and for Lilli's second birthday which is March 17 -- a St. Patrick's Day baby! I've got grand plans for that celebration and of course it involves green. By the time Lilli is 10 or 11 she will be begging me to not use green decorations at her birthday party.Loriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05026097647592796123noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18955054.post-14896730507690706992007-01-07T17:35:00.000-08:002007-01-07T17:54:21.145-08:00I can't believe it!It has been such a long time since I posted anything. There have been so many changes since my last post that I don't even know where to begin. Obviously, Christmas happened as well as New Year's Eve. We got through those two events pretty much unscathed. Christmas was quite overwhelming for Lilli. It didn't take her long to figure out what to do with a brightly wrapped box! She was completely overstimulated by the end of the evening which cut our evening short and made for an early bed time. She got a lot of nice things and I think she enjoyed all of the "cousin" time.<br /><br />Lilli stayed with my parents New Year's Eve and got some undivided attention from her Uncle Mike and Aunt Laura. I think they really enjoyed spending some one-on-one time with her. Laura hadn't seen Lilli since the first week we were home from China! That is almost six months! It will be six months on the 17th of this month.<br /><br />I went back to work last Thursday. Lilli started going to daycare on December 27. So far, so good. The greatest thing about daycare is that our nights have gotten SO much better. I had to fight to keep Lilli awake until 7:00 tonight. After her bath, I put her down in her crib and she fell asleep almost immediately. We have been so grateful for the calm bedtime. It has made such a difference in so many things. Getting her to sleep in her own bed has been such a difficult thing for us. I am just so thankful that our (Todd's) hard work (and daycare) are paying off. <br /><br />Another great thing since daycare is that Lilli has a few words that she uses consistently. One of them is HILARIOUS. It is more of a phrase, really, and we probably shouldn't encourage her to say it, but we think it is too cute. When somebody is doing something they shouldn't be doing or she doesn't like it, Lilli will point her finger at them and say, "top it!" (Stop it!)She also has a stern look that goes along with it. My sil said I shouldn't worry about her saying this and that it is no worse than a child saying "no, no." I guess. Her other words are puppy, mommy, daddy, bye-bye and sometimes baby. She is still very stubborn when it comes to talking. She does things on her own time and NO one is going to force her otherwise. I kind of like that about her.<br /><br />I am finally starting to feel like we are a family. It has taken us six months to settle in and feel like we are parents and for Lilli to become used to us. What a wild ride!Loriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05026097647592796123noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18955054.post-70722165863931201292006-12-23T11:22:00.000-08:002006-12-23T11:30:56.433-08:00Happy Holidays!Hello everyone! It has been over a week since I last posted. As I'm sure is the case with most people, I am really busy right now. We are gearing up for our first holiday with the peanut and boy is she ever loving the gift thing. Every time someone stops by our house, they bring her a present. She is going to think that it will always be that way! She's too cute to watch though when she is opening a gift. <br /><br />Yesterday was my last day home with Lilli until summer break. I go back to work on January 4 and she starts daycare on Wednesday. I think she is really going to like daycare. She loves other kids and I think she is bored here at home. She desperately needs outside stimulation. I do not regret the time I took off to be with her these first 5 month, but I know it is time for her to start learning things like sharing, and getting along with others. It's hard to do that when mommy gives you anything you want! It will be difficult to leave her with someone else but I know it is for the best. I'm certain her language will take off when she starts hearing the other kids jabber. <br /><br />Hope everyone has a very happy holiday season. My family has a lot to be thankful for this year. I hope all waiting families are able to focus on the joy of the season. May God bless each of you and guide you through this time and for the year to come!Loriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05026097647592796123noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18955054.post-76285660358726434092006-12-15T00:37:00.000-08:002006-12-15T00:57:28.096-08:00need to ventIt is 3:37 A.M. and I am having trouble sleeping. Mostly it is because I know that Lilli will be waking up very soon and scream for an hour or more until someone comes and gets her. Nighttime is still SOOOOOO frustrating! We started putting her to bed in her crib on October 3. Bedtime has only gotten marginally better. The last three nights have been particularly bad. She has screamed (and I don't mean cry--blood-curdling, hysterical screams) for an hour or more when we put her down. She stands up in her crib and starts throwing things out. She hits the sides with her fists and just goes bananas. It is absolutely ridiculous! We have tried it all: read all of the books on nighttime woes, taken all of the advice given, etc. and nothing seems to make this time any easier. I'm ready to throw in the towel and just be content with the "family bed". Unfortunately, DH does not want to do this. He thinks that she doesn't want to sleep alone. I couldn't agree more, but we haven't been able to convince her that she will be fine and that we will be there when she wakes up. We have tried all of the techniques of gradually transitioning her to her bed, but again, it just hasn't worked. I need a freaking miracle. I'm not sure how much more my blood pressure can take. Tonight I found myself praying to God and bargaining somehow for some answers to this dilemma. Maybe it is just our cross to bear. <br /><br />On a more positive note, dh and Lilli seem to be bonding much better. The last week or so has brought about great strides in the attachment department. I'm grateful. I hate to see the dejected look on dh's face everytime Lilli pushes him away. It is hard on everybody.<br /><br />OK, I feel better.Loriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05026097647592796123noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18955054.post-79023177610404130092006-12-11T20:04:00.000-08:002006-12-11T20:08:57.895-08:00Santa and Christmas Photos<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGdt8tEwUTYo61aJV3zuSneNGN5ZMk12mcDDU7K84dH9QNlNPDmwcBu6-ZjVnPBDJijc-VK3IS4McDlpR-Bg6NDeTnE5hCMHDdrtqZrf8gVgtBA4b-oSCIAfPk0GpqzWXACxpK/s1600-h/Christmas+party+"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5007486860105711618" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGdt8tEwUTYo61aJV3zuSneNGN5ZMk12mcDDU7K84dH9QNlNPDmwcBu6-ZjVnPBDJijc-VK3IS4McDlpR-Bg6NDeTnE5hCMHDdrtqZrf8gVgtBA4b-oSCIAfPk0GpqzWXACxpK/s200/Christmas+party+%2706+009.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggQV3CAGo0rkN4JDJP2cTB3Ixt4LQROQ-j8QG78exKNpw6QyCst9-nlibtFBeujqTKRvUb9J1I3mYujfJuOiq2vN4PV9BKYhmBntz2TOwLdAb7WHBISMh2m6iLl-4IhP6Zn5UW/s1600-h/Christmas+party+"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5007486709781856242" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggQV3CAGo0rkN4JDJP2cTB3Ixt4LQROQ-j8QG78exKNpw6QyCst9-nlibtFBeujqTKRvUb9J1I3mYujfJuOiq2vN4PV9BKYhmBntz2TOwLdAb7WHBISMh2m6iLl-4IhP6Zn5UW/s200/Christmas+party+%2706+005.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJioGuriwzVpt1YdWpqmWzQN9VvdNBDsrcz4GoTzLNjn2iyE8AAhqgUgOqMU6A4htdzTaBHG6WcLvl4yfW6WsssqkhcvyMbHOOgO5j6rXbzYwQhhSdhIiKAc2eqaYGzFBq5Nao/s1600-h/Christmas+party+"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5007486572342902754" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJioGuriwzVpt1YdWpqmWzQN9VvdNBDsrcz4GoTzLNjn2iyE8AAhqgUgOqMU6A4htdzTaBHG6WcLvl4yfW6WsssqkhcvyMbHOOgO5j6rXbzYwQhhSdhIiKAc2eqaYGzFBq5Nao/s200/Christmas+party+%2706+001.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Here is a pictorial account of yesterday's festivities. The top picture is of Lilli enjoying opening her gift. The second picture is the sheer terror she felt while sitting on Santa's lap. The third picture is of her protesting having to wear the red dress. What a stinker! You gotta love her sassiness! We don't call her the "Spicy Dragon" for nothing!<br /><div></div></div></div>Loriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05026097647592796123noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18955054.post-77669424843293531442006-12-11T19:19:00.000-08:002006-12-11T19:36:10.601-08:00Spreading her wingsLilli gets more comfortable every day. She is blossoming right in front of us and it is absolutely amazing to watch. She still prefers me, but she is getting more and more comfortable with Todd. <br /><br />Yesterday Lilli and I got up to read the paper and play around until Todd got up. She was kind of a cuddle-bug and sat in my lap while I read the paper. At some point she crawled out of my lap, grabbed her blanket and lay down on the floor. SHE FELL ASLEEP! Some of you may be asking why this is such a big deal--well, I'll tell you. Our biggest obstacles have been with sleeping. Lilli hates to be alone and HATES bedtime. It isn't as bad as it used to be, but we always have to fight with her to get her to lay down. The fact that she felt comfortable enough to lay down on the floor and then to fall asleep, I think this speaks volumes about her comfort level and I really feel like that was a giant step for us. Imagine my surprise when I looked down at her and she was gast asleep! I was ecstatic. It was all I could do to keep from running upstairs and waking up Todd.<br /><br />We also had our first encounter with Santa Claus yesterday. This didn't go quite as well. She was a bit startled at a Christmas party when Santa burst throught the doors shouting, "Ho, ho, ho," and jingling bells. Her eyes searched the crowd for mine and she started screaming MOMMY!!!!! She ran to me and clung to me for dear life. When her name was called for her gift, I carried her up to Santa but she was having NO part in sitting on his lap. I got her gift and she enjoyed unwrapping it. Later we tried again to get a photo of her on Santa's lap, but no dice Chicago! I'm sure this was all very overwhelming for her.<br /><br />My mom thinks I'm crazy but I think Lilli has an aversion to the color red. When the orphanage director handed her to me in July, Lilli was all decked out in red. We haven't really put her in anything red since then. Friday night I bought her a Christmas dress, and of course, it is red. I brought it home and pulled it out of the bag to show her. At first she held onto the dress and acted like she really liked it. When we tried it on her, she started screaming and fighting and pulling at the dress. We finally took it off of her and put it in her closet. When we got ready to go to the Christmas party I pulled the dress out of the closet and the hysterics started again. Todd had to distract her to enable me to finish dressing her. She wanted no part of that dress and tried several times to take it off. I can't imagine why she detests the dress so much. It was really cute. The only thing I can think of is the red connection. Again, my mom thinks I'm crazy but I think there is substance to my theory.Loriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05026097647592796123noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18955054.post-2488960251769871072006-12-06T20:58:00.000-08:002006-12-06T21:20:41.363-08:00Feeling betterI think Lilli is out of the woods. She seems to be feeling better. Her mood has improved tremendously and she is up and playing again. <br /><br />Things are starting to get easier. I'm realizing what life is REALLY like being a mom and I'm dealing with it. I think my expectations about parenthood were a bit off. Many people get this cute, fuzzy image of how it is to be a mom and it just isn't that way. Yes, there are times when Lilli can melt my heart and I LOVE those time; but, there are also times when she sends my blood pressure through the roof. I think the latter is the part of motherhood that I wasn't prepared for. I don't think anything or anyone can prepare you. Being a mom is all about first-hand, on-the-job training and about being brave enough to not have specific expectations. Everyday is a new experience and what worked yesterday may not work today. It is absolutely amazing in so many ways. <br /><br />I'm done preaching. Lilli starts her therapy tomorrow. She is beginning with Developmental Therapy and we were just notified that they have a Speech Pathologist for us. We are thrilled because she is still not talking. We have noticed that she is making several different and new noises, but nothing with consistency or anything that is understandable. She has called me "mommy" 3-4 times in the last few weeks, but the "eee" sound is a new one for her and she's using it a lot. I will be glad when she can communicate with us and there isn't all of this yelling, grunting, screaming, etc. to get her needs met. <br /><br />Bedtime is still problematic. She doesn't like to be alone. I hate putting her in her room by herself. I'm sure she senses this. Todd is now the bedtime man; I'm bath time girl: we are a team! For some reason Todd can put her in crib without so much as a peep. I get wild hysteria when I lay her down. Again, I think she can sense my hesitation. I can't help it. I love sleeping next to her. She is quite the cuddle-bug and the sweetest thing in the morning. It has been two months since we started putting her in her crib and it isn't much better than when we started. There has to be a better way.<br /><br />Well, I'm being booted off the computer. I've got some cute pix to post which I will do later.Loriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05026097647592796123noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18955054.post-40024325594710073672006-11-30T20:35:00.000-08:002006-11-30T20:50:11.516-08:00Sick little peanutLilli is sick. I took her to the doctor today and she has pneumonia. I couldn't believe it. So, she is taking some hefty antibiotics and is supposed to get lots of rest and fluids. She has been running a fever off and on since Monday. I figured it was just a cold or something and gave her some Tylenol. Then, when she stopped eating I knew something was wrong. Being sick has made her a Cranky Crabcake. Nothing appeases the dragon and everything ticks her off! Mama said there'd be days like this!<br /><br />Lilli had her hearing test on Wednesday and everything is fine. She has no hearing loss so that is not contributing to the fact that she isn't talking. Her vision is also good and she will not have to have surgery on her eyelids. We went to the eye doctor on Tuesday and he feels that she will grow out of the eyelid thing. Her bottom eye lids roll over into her eyes and the lashes lay against the eyeball. Sometimes this causes irritation, but in Lilli's case it doesn't seem to be causing a problem. In fact, Todd and I both feel it has improved since we've been home. We have to go back to this doctor in six months for a review but I think all will be well.<br /><br />I go back to work in a few weeks. I still haven't made any childcare decisions. I know she will be fine and I will be fine, but I am having a problem with the thought of someone else being with her for most of the day. It just doesn't seem right. <br /><br />I went to school yesterday for the first time in a few months and met one of my classes. It felt surreal walking into my classroom. The kids seemed so much bigger than I remember. I'm sure that has to do with me seeing Lilli all the time. I was able to interact with that class a bit and it felt good. I have certainly missed being around 9th graders. <br /><br />Alrighty, I'm babbling and don't have anything interesting to say. Until next time . . .Loriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05026097647592796123noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18955054.post-63594962176182434872006-11-26T18:46:00.000-08:002006-11-26T18:54:58.910-08:00Home at lastWe are finally home from our LAST trip of the year. I will not be going anywhere else unless someone calls me and tells me I have won a cruise or something. I'm so ready to be in my house in my bed and Lilli is, too. We have had a great time, but our routines are all askew and there is much to be taken care of here at home.<br /><br />Nothing much to report. Everyone here is doing well. I put Lilli to bed tonight (fully asleep) and she didn't cry or anything. It was heaven. The last couple of nights have been trying to say the least. Being in a strange place is very hard on her. It probably wasn't the wisest of decisions to make all of these trips so close together. I think her attachment to Todd has suffered as well as her progression with the English language. Having some down time for the next several weeks will give us the opportunity to get back to work on the above topics.<br /><br />I start back to work in January. I'm trying to figure out how I will get myself ready and get Lilli ready in the morning and still make it to school on time. As soon as I find childcare we will practice our morning several times to get us used to the routine. Hopefully when the real day comes we will be quasi-prepared. I know nothing can prepare me for leaving her that first day "for real", but it was going to happen sooner or later. I still have 5 weeks so I'm not going to dwell too much.<br /><br />Well, I'm going to go watch Desperate Housewives.Loriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05026097647592796123noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18955054.post-31449041005759272912006-11-21T21:48:00.000-08:002006-11-21T21:53:02.361-08:00Travel update<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/6958/2313/1600/Lilli%20and%20Hope%20Reunion%20"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/6958/2313/200/Lilli%20and%20Hope%20Reunion%20%2706%20005.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/6958/2313/1600/Lilli%20and%20Hope%20Reunion"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/6958/2313/200/Lilli%20and%20Hope%20Reunion%20%2706%20009.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/6958/2313/1600/Lilli%20and%20Hope%20Reunion"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/6958/2313/200/Lilli%20and%20Hope%20Reunion%20%2706%20002.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><div>I promise I will write more tomorrow, but I just had to share what an awesome weekend we had in Birmingham and New Orleans. The baptism went well and our visit with the other "Spice Girl" was such fun! I will post a few pics and then write more in the morning. I've got to get to bed soon because the spicy dragon will be up before you know it!</div></div></div>Loriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05026097647592796123noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18955054.post-27944059525999527752006-11-13T18:17:00.000-08:002006-11-13T18:28:51.781-08:00Travelin' foolsWell, we took another trip and Lilli did really well. This trip was 3 hours long and we only stopped once for her. She did exceptionally well. The real test is Thursday when we travel to New Orleans for our nephew's baptism. We are excited about stopping in Birmingham to visit some of our travel-mates. It will also chop the trip in half (more or less) so Lilli won't have to be in a carseat for 12 hours. I am NOT looking forward to those 12 hours at all. I know it will be fine, but I am still dreading it.<br /><br />We visited Lilli's Godparents this weekend in Northern IN. It was a great weekend. Their kids are 4 and 2 and Lilli played very well with both kids--most of the time. Their daughter liked Lilli as long as she wasn't touching the toys she was playing with. Their son and Lilli are cut from the same cloth. They are both aggressive kids who don't take crap from anyone. There were a couple of times when hitting, scratching, and throwing toys happened, but nobody has any bruises. I have to laugh when those two are together. They are a hoot to watch!<br /><br />Nothing much else to report. Lilli is on antibiotics for a sinus infection. I probably need to be on them as well. This cold we have been passing back and forth is a doozie! We just can't shake it. I've disinfected every inch of the house, but it doesn't seem to be making a difference. I can't complain because this is the first illness we have experienced with her since we've been home from China. She still has the same attitude and the sniffles don't seem to be wearing her down.<br /><br />Hopefully I will get to post again before Turkey Day! Hope everyone is well!Loriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05026097647592796123noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18955054.post-82751572005489172572006-11-02T18:11:00.000-08:002006-11-03T10:21:26.088-08:00It's official--we're parents<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/6958/2313/1600/halloween%20night%2006%20025.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/6958/2313/200/halloween%20night%2006%20025.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/6958/2313/1600/halloween%20night%2006%20014.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/6958/2313/200/halloween%20night%2006%20014.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div>I think we had a rite of passage this evening. We were finally initiated into the "Brown Log" Club in the bathtub. Something new is always happening here!</div><div> </div><div>I posted a few more pics of Lilli Halloween night. She had a blue sucker that kept her busy the entire night. It also created a HUGE blue stain on her face. Too cute!</div></div>Loriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05026097647592796123noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18955054.post-44546981420876260802006-10-31T10:00:00.000-08:002006-10-31T10:05:54.702-08:00As promised . . .<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/6958/2313/1600/downtown%20halloween%2006%20021.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/6958/2313/200/downtown%20halloween%2006%20021.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/6958/2313/1600/downtown%20halloween%2006%20015.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/6958/2313/200/downtown%20halloween%2006%20015.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/6958/2313/1600/downtown%20halloween%2006%20010.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/6958/2313/200/downtown%20halloween%2006%20010.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/6958/2313/1600/downtown%20halloween%2006%20003.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/6958/2313/200/downtown%20halloween%2006%20003.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><div>You can tell Lilli wasn't very happy about being in a costume. She especially didn't like the headpiece. She looked too cute, though! The second picture is the only one we got of her smiling last night. The top picture is of her eating a sucker. She was fine with the whole costume thing once she had candy!</div></div></div></div>Loriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05026097647592796123noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18955054.post-62511503490231122802006-10-30T18:59:00.000-08:002006-10-30T19:15:37.408-08:00Lilli's 1st HalloweenWe took Lilli out trick-or-treating tonight at a local festival. She is too young to really understand what is going on, but of course we had to take her out for her first Halloween. Dressing her up in a costume was really for Todd and I to enjoy and take pictures. She would have been much happier in a onesie and sweats! She didn't care for the headpiece on the costume too much. We only got one picture where she is smiling. You wouldn't believe the show we were putting on behing the camera to get that picture! The things parents will do!<br /><br />Tomorrow night we are doing the "real" trick-or-treating with my sil and some family friends. We are going to have chili and hot dogs and take the kids around her neighborhood. It is supposed to rain tomorrow so we'll see what happens.<br /><br />This weekend my mom and dad kept Lilli overnight. It was a glorious 24 hours! I felt like a horrible mom because I wasn't ready to go pick her up! I was really enjoying my free time. We used the time to babyproof the crap out of the kitchen and to clean up the house a bit. I'm amazed at how quickly the house gets messy. I've said this before, but no one can prepare you for the amount of work that comes with having children. <br /><br />We went to the zoo today because the weather was so nice. The gorillas were extremely active and a hoot to watch. We spent a lot of time at that exhibit. One of the gorillas came up to the window and looked at Lilli. She just stood there looking. I wish I knew what she was thinking. <br /><br />I will post some new pix of Lilli in her Halloween costume.Loriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05026097647592796123noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18955054.post-7819268771429917752006-10-26T09:00:00.000-07:002006-10-26T09:12:15.372-07:003 months today!Today marks three months home with Lilli. Just wanted to share!Loriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05026097647592796123noreply@blogger.com1