tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-43765357749657349562026-05-27T02:00:18.923-07:00I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Philippians 4:13Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger99125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4376535774965734956.post-81302648517061700422010-11-08T08:53:00.000-08:002010-11-08T09:27:47.268-08:00

The kids had their first outside-the-family play-at-their house playdate yesterday.  This is the first time they have been in a non-relative's home without a parent or relative to keep tabs on them.  I got this in a morning email:  We were so happy to have your kids over. They were delightful and we'd love to have them again. There manners were very good and they played very

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4376535774965734956.post-1895106078584762572009-12-14T11:30:00.001-08:002009-12-14T17:15:17.430-08:00

Do your kids drive you crazy with The Stall Question? Of course not, for you are a paragon of patience and loving-kindness. Me? Not so much. They drive me nuts with the lame-o unnecessary already-know-the-answer-and-we-all-know-that-you-know-the-answer questions that they ask to put off the inevitable for one more second, or that they ask for the sheer joy of watching Mom's head explode. I

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4376535774965734956.post-49890662313477372992009-11-09T00:46:00.000-08:002010-07-30T00:55:24.671-07:00

In the fall of 2006 we brought home from Russia two confused and neglected children, ages 5 and 6. Here are two snapshots of the grief that our little ones carry: December 2006: our son had been with us for nearly three months before this conversation occurred, during an alphabet lesson: We did the letter "B" last week: "Ball. Banana. Bunnies. Bread. Breakfast. Baby." I said. "Mama doesn't

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4376535774965734956.post-5161459070968879562009-10-27T12:21:00.000-07:002009-10-27T12:28:45.601-07:00

If you know us in real-life, or even in blog-life I guess, you know that Dandy is not a free-range kid. I always have to know where he is and what he is doing. If I don't, he gets himself into trouble. It's not a lot different from parenting a 4-year-old, only a lot taller.Any way, he has been sneaking off for the last few days. You know where I find him?On his bed. Reading.Oh happiness and

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4376535774965734956.post-69314083859227288882009-08-06T13:24:00.001-07:002009-08-06T16:26:32.851-07:00

We just got Dandy's test results from the end of the school year. I am posting this for all of you that question our home-schooling decision.Let's look at Reading first. The top line is the district norm, the triangles are his class norm (pretty much the same). The lower line is Dandy. The first measure is May 2008. Then September 2008, then May 2009. Yes, he is below grade level (

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4376535774965734956.post-23641590081628861752009-07-21T09:45:00.000-07:002009-07-21T09:45:00.266-07:00

Yup. That is what Dandy's day camp counselor told us at the end of the week. That our son, the one that is usually the Difficult One in other contexts, did not make the naughty list at day camp. We are so pleased. I can't possibly share with you how many hours of coaching and parenting and intervening and fretting this accomplishment cost us, nor how pleased we are to -- at least not on this

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4376535774965734956.post-20478127346936317122009-07-12T08:36:00.000-07:002009-07-12T08:36:00.157-07:00

Each child has or is having the treat of day camp this summer. Chickadee finished her week last Friday, coming home so tired that one evening we found her dozing of standing up with her head on the counter. She came home every evening sticky and dirty: pine pitch, dirt, pine needles, what have you. Dirty, tired, and happy -- she loves camp.Dandy goes off to camp this week. I signed them up

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4376535774965734956.post-62797500353247761942009-04-05T07:53:00.000-07:002009-04-05T07:53:00.298-07:00

Try to contain your excitement, as here is another growth report, with illustrations this time.

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4376535774965734956.post-73938165477244885252009-01-05T22:04:00.000-08:002010-07-30T18:49:44.973-07:00

upstairs: Chickadee: G'night, I love you. Dandy: I love you too.

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4376535774965734956.post-64835076402603856732008-12-04T00:56:00.000-08:002008-12-08T11:55:55.555-08:00

Remember when, for Chickadee's 6th birthday I threw out all her size 2s, not because they were too small but because I was just sick of them? Well we have reached a new milestone. Her size 3Ts are finally too small. She is 7 years 4 months.:: one year ago today: to post? or not to post? that is the question and if you watch just one Ron Paul video, let it be this one:: two years ago today:

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4376535774965734956.post-22396446214149339002008-10-29T10:05:00.001-07:002008-11-04T00:29:31.705-08:00

Did I ever tell you about the day we met Dandy and he wowed me with his analytical skills? We met and of course used a translator to communicate. While English was being used, Dandy focused intently on us, tracking the conversation though of course understanding none of it.During a lull, he presented me with a picture book and was very insistent that I look at the book and he would point to

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4376535774965734956.post-15128158107815678112008-10-22T12:18:00.000-07:002008-10-22T12:24:00.838-07:00

Will it ever end?

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4376535774965734956.post-68433112006060285222008-09-07T09:39:00.000-07:002008-09-12T12:25:09.912-07:00

Yuck. Once again Dandy has completely grossed me out by showing up with gum in his mouth. Found Gum. Used Gum. Off the sidewalk Gum.Am I the only mom that has to deal with this? What would you do? parenting, older+child+adoption

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4376535774965734956.post-65495507741646776722008-09-02T16:59:00.000-07:002008-09-19T21:17:58.023-07:00

Twice I have sent Dandy across the lawn to the convenience store (we are vacationing with Mom in Canada) to pick up this or that. I made it over to the store today and the clerk pulled me over to say that on each of Andy's visits the other customers had been vigoursly commenting on what a nice polite well-behaved little boy he was. She wanted to make sure I knew that it was working even when I

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4376535774965734956.post-28260796884344739562008-08-20T10:46:00.000-07:002008-09-15T01:01:08.139-07:00

Okay, so, here is the situation.1. Dandy wakes up bright-eyed and bushy-tailed and Chickadee and I, well, we are very fond of lazy restful mornings.2. Dandy wakes up starving.3. Dandy loves to cook.From an attachment point of view, I'm supposed to be the great food-dispenser, the goddess of all things yummy. From a practical point of view, he is the obvious choice for breakfast cook.Am I doing

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4376535774965734956.post-51671857938212500372008-04-20T07:43:00.000-07:002008-09-12T11:47:28.314-07:00

Dandy2006October 3rd at age 6 yrs 11 mths:48.5 inches (62nd percentile)50 pounds (47th percentile).2007May 9th at age 7 yrs 6 mths):50 inches (63rd percentile)55 pounds (56th percentile).:: Total gain of 1.5 inches & 5 lbs in 7 mths :: June 28th at age 7 yrs 8 mths):50.75 inches (68th percentile)57 pounds (60th percentile).:: Total gain of 2.25 inches & 7 lbs in 9 mths :: August 8th

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4376535774965734956.post-43646023580512828772008-04-16T08:03:00.000-07:002008-09-11T10:54:41.159-07:00

For any other families adopting older children, here is my best idea yet for helping your children catch up with all the nursery rhymes, stories, and folktales of their new culture.First, I went to eBay and got a cheap iPod shuffle, the old style. Then I gathered together a huge selection of children's lit and music via iTunes (which is a free download). I install a random collection of Lit and

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4376535774965734956.post-4648890140326044912008-04-06T14:03:00.000-07:002008-09-12T12:27:08.029-07:00

Dandy has been known to go on nocturnal walkabouts before, but he has confined himself to the upstairs. I would hear him bumping about and go up and lead him back to bed. Last night, though, he was downstairs, meandering through the living room. I was still up and sent him back to bed.Then I went to bed.Then I heard bumpbump bump.I jumped out of bed and intercepted him halfway out the deck

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4376535774965734956.post-11864716897971810172008-03-24T10:05:00.000-07:002008-09-12T12:27:39.382-07:00

The food was good; the guests were interesting; it was a lovely lovely day. The best part? Dandy was able to enjoy the attention of the whatever adult he was with without constantly surveying the room to see if everyone else was watching or if his sister was getting more attention from someone else. As mom put it, he acted 'normal". And though I am not precisely sure what "normal" means, I

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4376535774965734956.post-40628836198386378062008-03-20T22:13:00.000-07:002008-09-11T11:49:50.595-07:00

A year and a half ago today our plane landed in Chicago and our kids became US citizens. Hours later another plane landed in Seattle and we were picked up and driven home. A year and a half ago today -- a mere 18 months -- our children walked into our home for the first time. We were still speaking Russglish back then, still using sign language, still essentially strangers to one another. Twas

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4376535774965734956.post-5472646970104654032008-03-20T22:12:00.000-07:002008-11-19T10:27:05.517-08:00

I borrowed a copy of Raising Children Who Think for Themselves by Elisa Medhus, M.D. from Dandy's therapist because I picked it up and it just fell open to the section on sulking and pouting. Dr. Medhus has this to say:Make it a rule that if your children try to get something by sulking or pouting, they definately won't get it under any circumstances.Yup - that's what we do.No sulkers or pouters

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4376535774965734956.post-86878645688571032382008-03-11T10:01:00.000-07:002008-09-11T10:54:41.171-07:00

We saw Chickadee's eye doctor last week. Since we started patching and changed the lens in her glasses, her vision has improved from 70/20 to 40/20. The patching is done for vision, not focus/crossed-eyes. To correct the wandering, both eyes will need surgery later this year.

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4376535774965734956.post-27435736923726754452008-02-14T17:30:00.000-08:002008-09-11T10:54:41.174-07:00

We are in the midst of a big decision here. Remember when we pulled Dandy out of school for a couple weeks due to behavior that is unblogable? Well it has proven to be a good decision and we are now considering extending the hiatus for the rest of the year.Pros:: Many more hours available each day for wholesome family interactions to promote attachment.:: No driving! I spend 1.5 hours a day

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4376535774965734956.post-47249691979032256492008-02-07T11:27:00.000-08:002008-09-11T10:54:41.175-07:00

We’ve pulled Dandy out of school for a week or two. His behavior at home was getting outrageous and was escalating to where he was nearly always being disciplined. What a yucky way for us all to live.So, we are back to staking our tomato. He is pretty much in the room with me or with his Dad all the time. If he is to be alone it is only to do a clearly defined activity with clear starting and

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4376535774965734956.post-25416853399137547892008-01-15T20:26:00.000-08:002008-09-11T11:49:41.461-07:00

Today I met with my local school district to discuss Chickadee's IEP, even though she does not attend the local school. We have a rather cool option here, in that she is home-schooled and attends classes with other home-schoolers in the district. Because the school provides the administrative aspects of the classes, the district gets to keep us on their rosters (think funding) but the parents

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0