Finding our new norm and a celebration!

Danny went back to work today and while I was definitely stressed, not because I didn't think I could handle it, but rather attempting to actually get kids to places at certain times during nap, etc., I must say that the kids (and I) did great schedule wise today.  Miss Em usually likes to sleep in and Braedan has to be at school at 8am, and there is nothing more I dislike than having to wake a sleeping baby.  But lo and behold, when daddy isn't home to take the big kids downstairs when they wake up, their noisiness wakes baby sister up at 7:15!  Everyone ate breakfast and we got brother to school on time! Phew!

Then the girls and I got showered and dressed and headed to the Korean market!  We were out of lots of our favorite goodies and boy, did we load up!  It was absolute chaos with these two in the market though. Could not get either of them to stay anywhere near me and at one point, I had to drop everything in my hands (almost broke a jar of gochujang!) and run to the door where Em decided to head out.  It's a small market and they know us in there, so thankful for that, but I tried my best and our cart was too full to put them both in there, so what's a girl to do?  I'm not really sure!  They didn't break anything, so can we let that one slide???? No?!?!

Did some serious damage at that market!

Came home to cook up some scrumptious lunch!  Made some old stuff we love and new stuff we didn't love so much, but the girls chowed down!  (and so did I) :)

Rice wrapped in toasted seaweed, fried fish cake, jangjorim and bean curd wraps stuffed with rice (girls were not a fan of that one!)

The only 'new' thing we bought today was this bean paste...it was on Emersyn's list of foods she eats on her pre-flight report.  Any idea how to use it?  I think it's mostly for soups? That's not something I usually cook with.

Was all on target to put Em down for a nap by 12:30 ish to make sure she was up in time to pick up big brother at 3pm, but as I was getting her bottle ready and tracking down her blankie, the school nurse called me to say that Braedan wasn't feeling well and I sent my mom to pick him up.  She said he was complaining his head and stomach hurt...

By the time I got Em to sleep, they were walking in the door and as soon as the TV went on and he had some snacks in hand, it seemed it was perfectly fine.  I suspected that maybe he was a bit overwhelmed at school today and just needed to be home with us.  That was evident at church yesterday too.  Once Danny got home from work, we sat down and discussed it further and he admitted all the change was a lot for him lately and he just wanted to be home the girls and I.  I was so glad he could talk that out and we could address that it was totally okay for him to be feeling that way.  And if taking a time out from school was what he needed, then so be it.  Sometimes as an adoptive parent, I am so focused on the changes and transition of the newly adopted baby, that I forget what big changes and transitions come with the siblings too...

He's a trooper and such a great kid.  

My three old is still trying hard...but still having a hard time.  Yes, most three old girls I know can have some serious tantrums and whining, but oh my, lately, it has been out of control!  The second, no, the nano second Em even looks at something wrong, she immediately tries to correct her, yell at her, or get physical with her, then starts the whining to me.  No matter how hard I try to explain, it just makes it worse and today was the worst back talking I have ever experienced.  (her teenage years are going to major karma for me) Then the tears come, then they love each other again, then it starts all over again.  Being the youngest, the only girl, getting all the attention when Braedan is at school, to then becoming the big sister, the middle child and now the oldest when Braedan is at school, has proven difficult for my Zoey.

But I keep reminding myself that it has only been a little over a week, and any kind of change gets some taking used to.  Finding our family's new 'norm' will continue to be something we work at.

And then Miss Em. 

Well, she's getting bolder, more demanding (as in more comfortable with her surroundings, therefore resisting more) and unfortunately, it's coming out violent.  In the past week, she has pinched, pushed, pulled hair and hit...but usually it was because she was upset someone took her toy and did something she didn't want them to do.  I watched her today walk across the room, right up to Zoey, hit her in the face and then grab a large chunk of her hair and pull as hard as she could till Zoey cried.  I, of course, ran over to break it up as soon as possible, but it surprised me to see her do so without being provoked. Zoey was just sitting there.  It seems she's starting to test the boundaries too and this is one area I wish there was not a language barrier...we're working on how to handle discipline at this point in time too...

But they are certainly capable of getting along as evidenced here in a little coloring session this afternoon.

And picture time over so I can get someone off the kitchen table!

After trying to keep the peace and busy till dinner time, they were ready for some grub!

These three definitely love to eat!

Overall though, I believe we are still doing quite well, especially given the time frame we've officially been a family of five.  Sometimes you take giant leaps forward...then maybe a half step back, so you hunker down and take it day by day.  

The last two nights, when putting Em down for bed, she was much more restless.  Tonight especially.  Sleep was the biggest transition when Zoey came home (we didn't sleep for six months, no joke) and I would notice days we may have overwhelmed her or overdid it, she had even more wake ups that night and a much harder time falling asleep...so being able to recognize that we should try and keep our world a little smaller and focus a little more on their needs is so helpful for us and we're making sure to take the cues from our kiddos.  Big kids are at school tomorrow and Em and I plan to just hang out and play all day. 

Just the two of us. 

***********************************************************

And the the celebration!!

 TRAVEL CALL DAY!!

April 23, 2009 

Today will be remembered forever! This morning, I woke up at 7:40am and went downstairs to make the dreaded phone call to DC. I was half asleep and went through the normal steps...press 1 for the main menu, press 0 to speak to a representative. I got "Hans" on the phone and promptly gave him Zoey's SEO number and name. He responded with, "The interview is scheduled for tomorrow at 1pm." To which I responded, "What?!?!? Are you serious?!?!?!" He laughed and assured me it was true. I thanked him as I hung up the phone and burst into tears! I called my husband right away and told him the news! I was in such shock I wasn't so sure I had heard the operator correctly! I hung up with my husband...I needed to call DC again to really verify what had been said! I got a woman this time and explained to her that I needed to hear it again! She was so sweet and confirmed what we had hoped - VI was indeed scheduled! She then commented how cute Seon-Mi is as her picture was now in the system. 

I was now glued to my phone! I was preparing myself that the call could still take a few days. I dropped my son off at school and ran some errands, then went to pick up my husband for lunch. About two minutes from his work, the phone rang. I checked the caller ID. 541 area code. That was Oregon. At 11:55am, I pressed the answer key. "Hello?" I said excitedly. "Is this Kimberly ______?" she said. "Yes, is this Holt?!?!??" "Yes, this is Sue with Holt and this is the call you've been waiting for. You're baby is ready for travel!" A huge sigh of relief for me and a little more tears! I told her how excited I was that my husband and I got the call together and she asked me if I was driving. I told her yes and she promptly asked me to pull over! We finished the conversation with all the details and I was to get back in touch with her upon making all my travel plans. On the way home, I called everyone! My dad was in a very important meeting, but still got teary eyed as I told him, my brother was at work and immediately called his wife, my oldest sister was picking up her son and started crying at school as people walked by and asked her if everything was okay! And my mom knew the minute the secretary at her school called down to her classroom to tell her I needed to speak with her and she picked up the phone already in tears! As soon as the words "Travel call!" came out of my mouth, she started screaming! We told Braedan as soon as we picked him up from school. I asked him, "Who's in Korea?" and he said, "Zoey!" As soon as he knew I was going, he changed the subject and started talking about a prize he had won at school! That was about the attention span I had expected from a three year old! What a day this has been so far. What a wonderful end to a long wait and what a beautiful start we have to look forward to as our family will be together! I am coming Seon-Mi! I am finally coming for you! 

Happy Travel Call Day Seon-mi!

April 2009 

April 2010

April 2011

April 2012