Halloween

I've been thinking about updating my blog for over a month but I've been ever so ill with health problems that I could never muster enough energy to even take care of my family and job (and used up most of my leave) but I am finally finding enough strength to sit at the computer for a few non-work moments and get some photos uploaded and do a quick update. The week of Halloween was tough. My cat was put to sleep. My health problems got worse to the point of me being rushed to the hospital on Halloween day and being told not to drive or be left alone or alone with the baby! I had to get another root canal (I HATE my teeth) and had a very unpleasant medical procedure performed. It was a tough, tough week but we still managed to have a bit of fun. Since then it's been all downhill but I am trying to keep a positive attitude. Click on the collages to get a better view of the photos.

Despite my health problems Samantha had a pretty good Halloween and Sierra had a good time showing her what Halloween is all about. They both dressed as black cats and Samantha loved getting dressed up and Sierra loved wearing makeup! At Sierra's school Halloween carnival she won a cake and about a dozen cupcakes plus a bunch of toys and odds and ends. She was very excited about all of her "booty". All of the kids posed for a group shot at the end of the carnial so if you look closely you will see Sierra holding Samantha.

At Sierra's school the children are not allowed to dress up in normal Halloween costumes instead they must dress like an important figure from history. This year they were required to dress as either a former US President or former US First Lady. Sierra chose Rosalyn Carter (actually she chose Jacqueline Kennedy but she was already taken) and this was the best we could do for a costume! I know it's pretty bad but we didn't have a lot of time and I was too sick to get to a store so we did our best. We tried to make her hair look short and make her look middle aged. She didn't mind how bad the costume was she was just happy I let her wear lipstick and eye shadow! She also wrote an oral report which she gave in front of the school. I know it's probably a very educational idea but it's a real pain putting together two costumes in one day every year!!!

Stormy was a good cat and she is missed. Stormy was with me for 18 years. That is a very long time. She was the first pet I got as an adult and she was a very affectionate and attached kitty. Wherever I was there was Stormy. She was also a very good cat. Despite being extremely ill, which we didn't know about until near the end, she never missed using her litter box and still used her paws to clean up garbage or spills. It was always so cute when she did that.

The first photo is Stormy as a kitten and the rest in the top row are Stormy (as an 8 or 9 year old cat) with Sierra as a toddler. She was very accepting of Sierra despite spending her first 8 years with no children in the home. Then there are photos of Stormy and me as youngsters (the only one I found) as well as Amber and Jeremy in their younger days. The last photos are of Stormy in her final days, including one of the only photos of Samantha with Stormy, and then the little goodbye we had for Stormy. Sierra and Jeremy made a little collage of photos and Sierra wrote a poem and Jeremy printed up a poem. It was a extremely sad day for us, me especially, but Stormy left the world at peace. She was in my arms looking into my eyes until the end. She was never agitated and that does give me some peace. She was such a loving and good cat and she deserved to leave this world peacefully.

Logan has good days and bad days but no matter what he wants to play! The kids having fun together on a recent Saturday. Logan has been in quarantine for most of his chemo so when he does actually get to leave his house, or the hospital, we all enjoy - no one more than him!

These photos were taken nearly two months ago but I think they are so sweet and funny I decided to share. Samantha has many babies, all pilfered from JeiJei, and she LOVES to take care of them. In these photos she went from changing baby's diaper to giving her a bottle and then asking me to give her a bottle, giving her another bottle and then giving her a big kiss. Then she got up and put baby where every good mommy puts their baby - the kitchen drawer! Which is actually where she keeps two of her babies most of the time. She also keeps on in the storage compartment of her little car and some "hidden" in a foot stool. She always takes a baby, or two, out with her, and always has to feed, diaper and give them bottles while we are out. We steer her towards the more plastic babies for going out because they often end up in her food if we are out to eat!

Party party!

This weekend was both my birthday and a party thrown by a fellow adoptive Taiwan mom with three other adoptive Taiwan moms (and dads).


Ok now for photos - Btw I'm trying something new with my photos. I have no idea if it will work but I'm going to give it a try. Btw the movie of Samantha I promised has been harder to do than I expected. If anyone can tell me how to do it that'd be great!!

Lori's birthday

Kids at party

Tiff's party


First, my birthday was good, if not exactly lively. I haven't been feeling very well but my girls made my day extra special. I got up to a table decorated by Sierra with flowers and Happy Birthday signs all over the place and a made to order breakfast. Then we had a mini party in the morning at Amber's house since that's when Logan feels best. I had made 4 dozen cupcakes -from scratch - for bake sale at school Friday, so I saved out four for my birthday morning party (although Sierra tried to tell me I couldn't keep any because they were for the school! HA!). Since Logan's white blood cell count finally came up we were able to take Samantha for the first time in two weeks (when it was under 100 it was considered life threatening and babies are off limits) and the three of them had a great time. He really loves his cousins and has been so bored that he got a little crazy. For dinner J made me steak and crab, which was yummy, and chicken and potatoes for the girls. I got several lovely homemade cards and presents from both Sierra and Samantha. Samantha loves to color and she made me several cards and Sierra loves to design fancy cards for me so I got two very fancy ones from her. Since Sierra was two years old she has given me gifts from her own stuff (her toys or knick knacks basically) - this is the first year that she did not do that! Everything she gave me was either bought or made and she even spent her own money, which she saved. My baby is growing up!

The other weekend party was a get-together with four other families who also adopted from Taiwan. It was great to finally meet everyone. I have "known" Megan since my very first day going onto the adoptions boards (May 2007) and "met" Jackie a few months later and Tiff just after that and only got to know Ramona recently through Tiff.

We had met Megan in Taiwan since we picked up our girls the same day a few hours a part and then we got together the next day with several other adoptive families. It was great to see Kimi again. The last time we saw her she was glaring at everyone (it was a very cute glare because she is just adorable) but Sunday she was sweet, polite and very loving - giving both Sierra and Samantha hugs and holding onto Sierra's hand and asking Sierra to help her on the slide several times. Although her mom said she has a problem sharing she did happily push Samantha on a tricycle, which was good because Samantha's legs weren't long enough for her feet to reach the pedals!

Although we did not meet Jackie until Sunday we had met Lucy in Taiwan. When we went to pick up Samantha Jackie was waiting for Lucy so I made a point of asking to see Lucy when we were at SLC and her personality is as strong as ever. She is very independent, silly and adventurous. Sunday while she was alternating between chasing and running from the dog she got both me, my husband and Sierra to pick her up at various times so she could look at the dog from above. She also climbed into and onto several things so her climbing reputation is fully intact and quite amazing!

We also did not meet Ramona until Sunday but we had met and talked to Jaden at SLC. We did not know who Ramona was at the time but Jaden caught our attention while we were touring SLC and she has been in our hearts ever since. She was very quiet there but wanted us to pick her up (which we were not allowed to do) but we did bend down and talk to her and she gave us a big laugh - mostly for Sierra I think. It was great to see her doing so well Sunday. She was running around, playing and having a great time.

Gracyn was very quiet but very persistent in attempting to tell me what she wanted. At one point she insisted I pick her up and she kept pointing until I had taken her from outside to the kitchen for a snack and another time she did the same until I helped her onto the slide several times. She is very, very sweet and seems very delicate. She hasn't been home for very long but once she starts fully talking I think her mom and dad and big brother are in for some trouble. She's very cute and very persistent and there's nothing like a strong willed beauty!!

Tiff threw a great party. I haven't been feeling well so I didn't think we'd stay very long but we were the last to leave! Sierra had such a great time playing with all of the babies and little boys, jumping in the bounce house and playing in the over-stocked playroom that she asked when we can go back. She also announced she would like more baby sisters and maybe a brother too (Not gonna happen!)! I know Samantha had a great time because she played on her own more than she's ever done before. She especially liked the baby size piano (she loves to "pay pan" and asks at home CONSTANTLY to play our full size piano) and she was fascinated with the realistic looking kitchen. She was frustrated though that water would not come out and spent the afternoon asking where was the water and even after we left she was still asking. It was too funny.

First, I must say that most of this post was written September 8th, the day before Logan's surgery. I am just going to move it up on the blog and add a quick update. Oh, and Ramona from http://twobabybos.blogspot.com/ tagged me. I have to be honest I am not 100% sure what being tagged means but I'll look into it! In the month since I wrote this post things have improved for Sierra at school because they have several new activities which she was allowed to join. She now part of the school newspaper. This month she has four jobs - general reporter, Staff Spotlight, Parent-Teacher Association Spotlight (me - I'm the VP), cooking reviewer AND she wrote a story about her dad who saved a co-workers life with the Heimlich maneuver last week! She was also allowed to join the yearbook staff (the reason I say allowed is because only kids who passed certain tests are allowed to join these activities) and they have started an after school Dance and Drama program, which she just loves. So, although she still misses her friends terribly she is so busy at school she isn't as miserable as she was the first two weeks. As for Logan he is still in treatment. The date for his next round of chemo is up in the air because of how his body is responding.

OK now for the post I wrote September 8th and never posted:
Today begins Sierra’s second week of school and she has had a really rough start to the school year. Last summer (2007) her best friend (they were inseparable at school and loved to have sleepovers) moved to France, leaving Sierra without a best friend at school. Consequently, last September she was very sad on her first day of school, but within weeks she was becoming close friends with a small group of girls who liked to play (many girls at school mainly sit and talk about celebrities/boys etc., of which Sierra has no interest). Fast forward to this school year, ALL of those girls (three - two were sisters) moved this summer and quit the school! She goes to a very tiny school so in her grade there are now only four other girls, two of whom are not very nice and they don’t play anyway. However, although she has really had a bad start to school true to who she is she LOVES the school work and it's HARD!!! If only she hadn't skipped a grade she would still have friends since NONE of the 5th graders have moved or left the school in the four years she's been there! Just to really make things more difficult her Girl Scout troop dropped from eight girls to two girls and those two are close friends with each other, and one of them is one of the not so nice girls from school. One family moved but the rest just quit scouts (which is extremely common at this age). **Update one new girl joined Girl Scouts so hopefully they'll like each other and she's feeling better about school - see above**

Oh, one thing I do want to share is how proud I am of Sierra. She wrote a paper Friday and in it she said her goals and dreams in life are to go to college to become a vet and not charge much so that poor people can have healthy pets AND to adopt as many babies as she and her husband can and to help as many children who don't have families as she can help!! She wrote an entire paragraph about why she wants to adopt (I won’t share those details) but it was very, very touching and obviously involved her sister, her and me!

Now onto Samantha. She is doing very well. She is still very, very, very (did I say very) mommy centered. The funny thing is Sierra was the same way and I thought it was just her but it must be me! I suppose the fact that we're together 24/7 has an impact! She says MAMA so many times in a day (and has done since her second week in our family) that sometimes I ask her to stop (she doesn't)! She wasnts me to see or experience everything she sees and experiences! She also adores her sister and desperately misses her now that she's at school all day. She also tattles on Jei Jei A LOT! She asks periodically if we can go "cool Jei Jei" and when it's finally 2:30 she is SOOO excited. Sierra is an amazing big sister. She loves her and is so affectionate and loving and helps explain things to her and just loves being with her and loving her. If only she would change a diaper - just kidding!! As Sierra explained to me that would damage their relationship!!!! **Update Sierra signed up for a drama/dance class at school so some days she gets home at 4:00 and two days not until 5:30 - Samantha misses her more than ever but Sierra is enjoying school way more then before**

Sierra and I also keep a list of silly, strange or funny things Samantha does. Sierra thought it would be fun to post the list:
*Samantha is very polite, almost always saying "thank you" and if you don't respond with "you're welcome" she then starts SCREAMING "THANK YOU"!
*Samantha is always very proud of herself for doing the right thing, and even more proud for not doing the wrong thing! When Samantha does something good she will clap for herself and say, "yeaaa mamanma" but when she stops doing something she shouldn't be doing (usually after being told to stop 2-3-4-5 times) she doesn't just clap, she cheers and jumps up and down and screams it at the top of her lungs!
*In a related development when Samantha is caught trying to, or doing, something she knows she's not allowed to do she will stop and say, "nooooooo - Mama, Jei Jei, Dad nooooo mamanma
*If you ask Samantha if she is a good girl she vigorously shakes her head no and says in a very serious voice, "noooooooooooooo".
*Samantha is *OBSESSED* with pooping! She has been for about six months (has told us when she went poopy every time since that time) but now she tells us when she’s about to go (a good sign I think for potty training – Sierra potty trained in one day, could I be that lucky twice?!!) AND when she has gas! And sometimes she does it as a trick. She’ll tell me and when I go to pick her up to change her she laughs and says, “no poopy” and she’s totally hysterically laughing!
*On a similar note she constantly tells me "baby poopy" and insists I change her dolls diapers - this goes on all day and all evening!!!
*If anyone says the words shock, surprise or you won’t believe this she does a quick inhale (like she’s shocked). It’s just so funny.
*She is obsessed her hair and she MUST have her hair fixed. This began when she had only been here a few weeks but it’s much, much, much worse now.
*Her favorite word (besides MAMA) is “UH OHHHHH” and she says it about everything and anything that's wrong, even about other people, even people we don’t know and aren’t with!
*She is a major HYPOCHONDRIAC!!!!! Everything from bumping (barely brushing) any part of her body on ANYTHING to falling softly on carpet– causes her to "UH OHH" followed by OWWWWW followed by ICCCCEEEEE. If she doesn’t get ice she doesn’t get better!! The funniest part is the ice always goes on the top of her head or her face even though the owie is usually on a leg or arm! Also when she falls if no one will help her up she will lie there, just as she’s fallen, yelling help until someone pulls her up! And if Jei Jei gets hurt she needs ice too!
*She loves SPOONS! Yes, spoons. Loves them. When we go to someone’s house to eat and sit down she starts yelling about the spoons. In restaurants she yells about the spoons so loudly that we now carry small spoons with us so she’ll stop!
*Loves to help me and Jei Jei and daddy… throws away garbage; gets papers out of the fax or copy machine while I’m working and will put them on the desk or in the file, whichever I tell her; helps me clean with a rag and water and helps Jei Jei dust and clean her room; helps Jei Jei clear the table – loves to help fill the dishwasher; helps Jei Jei with homework by holding (sometimes stealing) the eraser and handing her papers; helps daddy in the garden by running around like a lunatic in the yard (ok that's not really helpful), but will then carry any veggies he picks and then she wants to eat them NOW!
Favorite sayings…
*LOVE JEI JEI; Love MAMA
*Mik pees mama seeeeepyyyyy” (Milk please mama sleepy)
*Ti hair mamanma (pretty hair Samantha);
*Nooooooooo;
*MINE!!
*ah done, no more...pees cookie (when she’s done with dinner even though we almost never give her any sweets she always says she's "done, no more" and then asks for a cookie!) We end every meal with fruit, which she loves and devours, but she always asks for a cookie anyway. Sierra says Samantha asks on the off chance I will suddenly decide cookies are a better end of meal treat than fruit, which Sierra thinks isn't such a bad idea!
*she had her first poopy on the potty October 10th! It was her idea so I'm hoping that means early potty training!!

Now for more fun stuff. First, I have all of these odd photos that I want to share. Not odd really but just have no theme. Every photo I post tends to be because of an event. These are just random photos taken for no reason either by me or by Sierra. Some are both girls, some are just Sierra or Samantha just living life and being themselves and all are from summer.

Do either one of them look like morning people?!?!?! If you're wondering what they're looking at - NOTHING!!


Samantha loves to have Jei Jei push her around in the old stroller that Amber gave us so they often go up and down the hallway and Samantha just laughs hysterically the entire time, while yelling for me to look!


One sunflower grew bigger then we expected the rest did not grow!


I will drive and no one, not even Jei Jei, will stop me!!


Shopping - I want to walk, why must I sit here PLEEEEASE walk!!


Sierra was trying to rest and Samantha climbed OVER her to lie down and do what she was doing!


I just love the look on Sierra's face as Samantha helps herself to some frosting - Sierra made this cake almost all by herself and she took it's attempted destruction very seriously, especially since it was for a party we were hosting.


I caught them having some "sister time"!


They have tons of fun in the backyard - we'll all miss Summer!

Samantha accidentally head butted (with the BACK of her head) Sierra on the nose one morning when we were all lying in bed. It was so severe that Sierra missed the first few hours of her favorite science camp, which she looks forward to all year! Anyway, from Samantha's facial expressions you would think she was injured. Not only was she not hurt but right after it happened she was laughing and talking. As soon as I got Sierra the ice this is what Samantha started doing!! Despite the pain Sierra ended up laughing because Samantha was more of a drama queen than usual (although I doubt she could top Sierra in that department!!).

New meaning to the term "dinner dance"!


Another fake injury caused by Sierra getting hurt and SAmantha needing ice and tending to!

Saying good night and then goofing around!

Tantrums are so much fun!

We don't wear shoes in our house and Samantha uses this fact in order to try on our shoes when we're not looking. This day she was trying on Jei Jei's shoes. She did try and walk away but ended up falling and then needing ice and hugs and kisses and she then ran back and yelled at the shoes!!


Looking super cool in her shades at Logan's house.


Can you say, "We are addicted to the Wii!?" - Samantha has her own Non-Wii steering wheel so she doesn't feel left out Saturday morning when Jei Jei and daddy play!


Look how cute and sweet I am. I would never do anything naughty...


like get into mommy's purse, find her gum and then start chewing it. I even took the wrapper off and gave it to mommy like a good girl (that's how I got caught darn it!). I like gum...mommy had better be more careful where she leaves her purse because now that I know what I might find!

OK I've found out what to do about being tagged but haven't had time to even think about it but eventually I will think about it and hopefully actually post something!
Rule #1: I've been tagged by
Rule #2: 7 weird things about me.
1. I spent
Rule #3: Tag 7 people.
Rule #4: Enjoy!

Logan starts treatment

Logan just hanging in his hospital bed, with his new haircut; Logan showing me his port (no photos of that, too graphic); Logan and mommy (my sis); Logan and Sierra (he calls her Cuz!).

Logan's chemotherapy begins tomorrow (it was delayed due to testing to determine his staging) but he's already been in the hospital for two days. Yesterday he had surgery to put a central line in his chest for the chemo and today he had both brain and bone scans. He is doing really well, but even recovering from two surgeries and with a morphine drip he wants to be up and active, so he's very bored and keeping him sitting or lying in a hospital bed is nearly impossible!

Also keeping him from pulling the port out of his chest will be quite a feat. It comes out of his chest, but is taped all the way down to his belly. He tries and tries to pull it out. He doesn't tolerate the IV's either (his chest was too small for them to fit two ports in his chest so he still has to have an IV for non-chemo stuff) and keeps trying to pull that out as well, at times becoming completely hysterical over it.

However, so far the hospital stay is going as well as could be expected. We are all dreading tomorrow since the way he responds to the chemo is an unknown. He will have three chemo drugs and we have been told they are some of the most difficult chemo drugs in terms of side effects and in terms of pain while it goes in. We are hoping that with sedation it will be ok.

The photos below were taken the day before Logan went into the hospital. We had a "Logan Day" where we got together and swam (even though the water was too cold!), ate hot dogs and chips and his favorite cookies made by Sierra and just played. Several of my friends gave us toys, books and cards so we went through all of that and he and Samantha had a great time playing with and fighting over all of that! I have been overwhelmed with how many people have sent cards and gifts or their prayers and well wishes for me to pass on. I have some fabulous friends in the real world AND online!

"LOGAN's DAY" before the hospital...

Swimming is his all time favorite activity. Here is his "getting" Sierra with his "hat splashing" - if you look at photo#2 the water really got her, which he thought was just great! He then came after me and Samantha (we were next to, not in, the pool) but I managed to escape, poor Samantha was not so lucky!!


Golfing is one of his favorite activities, although I wouldn't say he actually golfs! Sierra does know how to golf but that is not possible with these two close by!

Reading and snuggling are other favorite activities!

Some of the gifts and cards that were sent to Logan this week and they keep coming. We are overwhelmed.


Sierra and Logan then and now - at two hours old and at two years old!! My how they've changed! I am putting a little photo album together for Logan for the hospital and when I was going through the photos these two just caught my eye. It feels like Logan was just born and Sierra was just rushed over from swimming (I had been in the delivery room all day) to meet her first baby cousin, which is when I took this photo. Doesn't he look like a little elf?!

Smile Award

Tiffanie over at http://blessedwithsweetpeas.blogspot.com/ posted that I deserve the Smile Award. Although I haven't been smiling much lately the fact that someone actually thinks I deserve any kind of award did make me smile and has given a little lift to my otherwise very distressing day. Thank you so much Tiff!!!



Here are the Smile Award rules:
1. The recipient must link back the the award's creator
2. You must post these rules if you receive the award.
3. You must choose 5 people to receive the award after receiving it yourself.
4. You must fit the characteristics of the recipient of the award.
5. You must post the characteristics of a recipient.
6. You must create a post sharing your win with others.
7. You must thank your giver.
Characteristics for the Smile Award:
1. Must display a cheerful attitude (not necessarily at all times--we are all human).
2. Must love one another.
3. Must make mistakes.
4. Must learn from others.
5. Must be a positive contributor to blog world.
6. Must love life.
7. Must love kids.

I wish I could award the smile award to Tiffanie because she is honestly one of the most supportive, thoughtful and kind people I have ever "met" online or in real life! However, I suppose I'm supposed to choose other people. I am not very good at linking things so if I don't actually link anything like I'm supposed to please excuse me.

Everyone I picked to get a smile award meets all of the characteristics. I wish I had more time to expand but I will quickly say one or two things about each mommy~

Sara/Sofa - http://preciouswondersandlittlemonkeys.blogspot.com/ - Has been super, super supportive about Logan and has sent me emails that helped me tremendously. Also gave me food tips for Logan.

Megan - http://kimberlynwilliams.blogspot.com/ - Was a wonderful and helpful friend for the 8 months I waited after referral to pick up Samantha and then we met in Taiwan and since coming home has always, always been supportive and helpful. Gave advice about Logan to pass on to my sister, which really helped ease her mind.


Holli - http://becksfamilyblog.blogspot.com/ - Always has a kind comment and has always offered help and support to whomever needs it. Also has been kind and supportive about Logan.

Lora - http://waitingforalliegirl.blogspot.com/ - Has always been very kind and supportive about Samantha and has been very supportive and thoughtful about Logan.

Ramona - http://twobabybos.blogspot.com/ - Brought us pacifiers from Taiwan when she didn't even know us! Also has been kind and supportive with regard to Logan.