Some pictures from visiting the family!

Grossmama and Grosspapa








A bath in the sink, just like home!








Look who's peaking through...










First time with horses and with Uncle Jeppe... both were great!!

We Have WALKAGE

Today, Max walked. He's been doing the "hang onto Mommy's fingers and toddle along" thing for a while now, but when Uncle Hans came home this afternoon, held him for a moment, then put him down on the kitchen floor, he zipped right along over to Jessi, a good 10 feet of solid one-foot-in-front-of-the-other.

I know, baby steps (literally), but this was WALKAGE, not to be confused with "three or four steps then kiss the floor." Incidentally, we quickly tired him out by passing him back and forth, and soon after, it WAS three or four steps then kiss the floor. But before that, he walked.

So Max is quickly becoming ambulatory, which, of course, is very cool! But it also means Mom's gonna have to get quicker in the chase as the little man ramps up his game and puts some speed on.

Here's a subsequent trip across the kitchen, admittedly not *quite* as cool as the very first, but lots of fun, nonetheless! (Turn your head or your computer sideways for optimal viewing angle (in other words, there is no video editing software in the house!).

Consultation at Childrens Hospital

I haven't written for a while - so sorry! Max and I are doing really well. We are settling into a nice routine. Max gets up around 6:30-7:30 AM, has a delicious breakfast, plays with his toys, goes on an outing with Momma and Nona, comes home for a snack and a nap, spends the afternoon either playing or on another outing, eats again, and goes to bed around 7:30. His meals are currently a combination of toddler formula, a little oatmeal cereal, and some baby food mixed in. He loves yogurt, banana, apples, peas, butternut squash, carrots, etc. Thankfully he is not a picky eater, and gulps it all down in a bottle.

We've seen several doctors already. Our first visit was a regular Post Placement Adoption visit where he got most of his shots, needed to give some blood (ouch), and basically get checked over. At that point, he was in the 3rd percentile of weight which we've been working to increase ever since. His highest score was in head size, which was around the 30th percentile.

Then Max had an ear infection, so back to the dr we went! He was quite the trooper as he endured 10 days of antibiotics. He's all healthy again, and we're all happy!

Today was our consultation appointment with Children's Hospital. We met with four different medical people: a pediatric doctor, a social worker, a nurse, and the surgeon. All of them were so nice and accommodating. We are truly lucky to have such a great hospital in our city!

To summarize, Max will probably have at least two surgeries for his cleft lip and palate. The first surgery can hopefully be scheduled before I need to go back to work in May. The actual surgery will last about 3 hours, and will include connecting the outside soft tissue of his lips and his nostrils. You and I have a circle of muscles around our mouth that lets us pucker our lips, suck a straw, say the "oo" sound, etc. Max doesn't have that cirlce. His musles end at his left nostril, so the surgeon needs to disconnect it from where it currently is, and connect this muscle group to where it should be, plus connect the lips, of course. He will also reshape Max's nostril. The cartilage is so used to being flat that he will probably have to get a silicone tube placed into his nostril to help reshape it. We will probably stay in the hospital for a night, and then have about a 5 day recovery period.

The second surgery will probably happen 4-6 months later, and will focus on the palate. Here, the surgeon noticed that, even though Max has a unilateral cleft lip/palate, his palate opening is actually quite big, similar to a bilaterail lip/palate. Max isn't helping things by putting his fingers in his mouth (his version of sucking his fingers), which is making the opening even bigger. Therefore, the second surgery will actually be a lot more detrimental for Max. I don't know a lot about the details here, and will wait until we have to have it to find out more.

So how am I feeling? I was so thankful that my friend Heidi (Griffin' s Mom) came to the appointment with me today. It was so helpful to have her hold Max so I could interact with the doctors, fill out paper work, etc. Thanks, Heidi!! Overall, I'm feeling similar to how I felt boarding the plane in Beijing. It will be a long road, but we'll get there! And there just isn't a choice here - he has to have these surgeries. So we just move forward, and get them out of the way.

In the meantime, I get to focus on his overwhelming cuteness factor, which seems to be getting greater every day. He is so close to walking, and is enjoying himself tremendously. He laughs a lot, eats a lot, poops alot, sleeps plenty, and hates hates hates getting his teeth brushed! He loves his buddies Griffin and Mason, loves Tante Heidi, Jemae, Ray, Laurie, Kristin, Anne, Uncle George, and adores his Uncle Hans. The list goes on and on, and will especially increase next week, as we're off to see his granparents, aunts, cousins, and more friends!!

Watch Out!

When I look back and see some of his first pictures , it's amazing to me how much Max struggled to be on his tummy, lift his head, and have that coordination. He hated it. It makes the video below even more amazing!! Max has been practicing walking with me for quite some time, but was always hesitant to try it with the help of anything else but Momma. Until two nights ago.

What you don't see in the video is how excited HE was about his accomplishment - the smiles, the giggles, the joy all came "off camera", but were definitely there!! It was such a great moment for him. Way to go, Max

.

We also had our first doctors appointment yesterday. We went to the Center for Adoption Medicine where they specialize in working with adopted kids. Overall, the news was all good. Yes, he's delayed in all of the areas one would think (growth and developmental), but he's adapting well to his new environment, is sleeping well, is bonding with me (sniff...), and is basically a happy baby. He is showing great progress, and we'll be back there in 6 weeks to continue keeping track of his growth. He got some shots and had some blood drawn, which wasn't pretty, but it was necessary. We also got that important referral to Children's Hospital so that we can proceed with scheduling his cleft lip/palate appointments.

After that, we went to school, so that he could meet some of the faculty and students. It was so great to see everyone, and our visit was really special. We spent time in one of the Kindergarten rooms, and they got a close look at his lip, and of course had many wonderful things to say. One of my favorite lines was: "Ahh... he smells like... China!" It was so cute to see the kids so excited to welcome him. Now we need to make a plan of how to visit all of the classes. Max will love all of the attention, and won't be shy about showing off his crawling skills.

Cruisin' Around

Today, Max had his first "mountain experience", and of course, the Little Emperor did great! He loved the car ride, enjoyed about 60% of the snow-shoe, and almost fell asleep in the car on the way down. It is now almost 8:00PM, and he's been sleeping since 5:00. My night is doomed! :)

It was a beautiful, sunny day (also something that Max isn't used to in China), so my friend Kristin and I headed up to Cabin Creek, off of I-90. We putzed around on some cross county trails, and both agreed that our actual snow-shoe walk should at least be longer than our car ride up there. Max enjoyed the way down, tried to fall asleep at our lunch spot, and was snoozing on the way down. I think he had fun... I think. :)




Here are some more pictures of Max.



And here's a video of him crawling. It won't be long now for him to be REALLY crawling. Then everything will change again! :)

Home

It's been several days since my last "confession" :). Carolyn left on Saturday morning. At that point, we were exhausted, both from the plane ride, the jetlag, and the overall excitement of the last few weeks, so saying goodbye was very difficult indeed. But Max and I spent our first day alone taking walks, having a first play-date with Mason and Ray, and continuing to catch up on sleep.
It's been so fun to introduce him to the neighborhood. I've lived here since 2000, so people know me as the owner of Nona, the cute black dog with the snaggle tooth! Well, now I'm the mom of Max, who by the way, can give Nona a run for her money with his own snaggle tooth. For now, his cleft lip is making his front teeth grow mighty crooked.

This morning as we stopped by our favorite coffee shop. I had Max in the sling and wrapped up in my big down coat, and Nona on the leash. We've been going to the same coffee shop for quite some time, and I am certain that they don't know my name, but they sure know Nona's. And wouldn't you know it: I have my new son strapped to my body, and the entire conversation was about Nona's snaggle tooth! I'm glad she's still receiving the attention she deserves. :)

Max is definitely an extrovert. He brightens up when people come visit and when he can be with others. He's made many friends already, and it just warms my heart how much love surrounds this little man!!

I'm so lucky!!

:)

Thank you, Jessi and Max - from Car

Hi everyone. It’s Car. About 6 days ago, I asked Jessi if I could write the last entry of the blog. Those of you who know me will be not surprised that I have written most of this already in my head --- while in vans and hotel rooms, seeing the sights and waiting in airports, walking quietly with Max and in a crowd of thousands, laughing and talking and crying, as I sit alone and in a big group. To be honest, I have had 3 breakdowns already today knowing that my part of this journey is coming to a close. To think that I can get through this without tears is crazy.

Jessi is my best friend. We’ve known each other for 24 years and I feel incredibly lucky and special to have shared these years and especially this amazing and beautiful experience with her. Blessed. I feel blessed.

I am a mom of 4 and I can’t remember a time in my life when I didn’t know that I would be a mom. David and I have created a family whom I cherish and love with all that I am.

To love is completely is selfless. And parenting is selfless. Adopting a child is beyond selfless. Aside from the official part of the process, the compassion and interest and unconditional acceptance of a child who comes to you with a history that you will never know completely, and to embrace it and all that follows is selfless.

I told Jessi today that her ease at being with Max from the 1st moment did not surprise me. I know she would be a wonderful, patient, gentle, and loving mother. She is that and so much more. Max is meant for Jessi and Jessi is meant for Max. He belongs to her, and she to him.

These last few weeks have been some of the most intense, emotional, joyful and wonderful of my life. Thank you all for being such an important part of Max’s beginning …

And, Jess, thank you for choosing me to join you in this. The absolute wonder in your eyes each time you look at Max makes me smile with all my heart.

And, as you said to me last week, “Car, I don’t have to give him back.”

No, you don’t. He’s yours to keep.