Art Center Pharoh Kids Day

The Arkansas Art Center was having a Kids Pharoh Day as part of their new Egyptian exhibit. Norah was really thrilled with all the crafts and the people dressed up in costume. She made
papyrus paper, painted a pharoh mask, made an amulet necklace and earned her junior archeologist certificate. Norah also "wrote" in hyroglyphics and was named pharoh by the volunteers. We were also glad to see Charlotte and her kids (Evelina, Riley, Raeghan, Rachael) there enjoying the fun. Norah's face just lit up when she saw them all come through the door.

We are really glad that there have started to be more fun things to do in our area for kids that don't cost alot of money and are different from the norm. Hopefully it is a trend that will continue.

Pumpkin Patch 2009

We went with some other members of the FCC (Families with Children from China) to the local pumpkin patch on Saturday the 19th. This was a new pumpkin patch for us and it was really nice. We will definitley go back next year. There were animals to look at, playground equipment to play on, hay rides, a big jumpy thing, huge sandbox, and horse rides (which were a HUGE hit). Norah had to ride the horses twice and spent most of the time riding and waving like she was the newly crowned rodeo queen. She didn't quite know what to think of the yellow wagons but after a short ride she would not get out without a meltdown.

She picked out a pumpkin for her and one for Brandon and then some little ones just for fun. It was really a fun and cheap (15.00 total) morning outing.

Sunday's Ensemble

This was the outfit that Norah HAD to wear Sunday. The tights and long sleeve shirt were a hard won addition since the weather was cold that day. She has just recently figured out that she likes to pose for her pictures when dressed up. She wore this all day and yes went out of the house in it because at this time in my parenting journey I really don't care what she chooses to wear as long as it is weather appropriate. Oh, the shoes that she chose to go with this outfit were the green, glow in the dark Halloween ghost shoes. PERFECT!
Mr. Blackwell, I dare you to say anything to her. Go ahead. I'll stand back here. This may get ugly.

The good helper

Lori was doing some gardening yesterday planting flowers and Norah was right there with her, just like Godzilla stepping on them as they worked there way throw the flowerbed. So they abandoned there plant and plant and smash job to work on the fence. Some of the nails had worked louse so they knocked them back in and added some nails as needed. Norah was eager to help and all too happy to put on her home depot nail holding apron. She likes doing crafts so much we are going to have to start marking our calendar the local Home Depot here in Cabot (and every where) has free kids workshops with crafts to do ever first Saturday of the month, starting at 9:00am until Noon or they run out of project kits.
With the economy the way it is it is nice that they still do this.
Saturday, Nov. 7, 2009 the project is a “Tile Trivet” AKA Hot plate like for a pan that is to hot for the counter or kitchen table? Then Saturday, December. 5, 2009 is a small pull wagon.

Oh yeah Norah and I also bedazzled her CI prosier and lead just for fun the girls got some

bling now!
Also the support person from Cochlear is going to help with Norah’s next mapping on Thursday yeah.
I am proud that my girl will be able to mend her own fence when she gets older, if she wants to that is.






From the home depot.

The Home Depot's Kids Workshops offer useful projects including the creation of toolboxes, fire trucks and mail organizers, as well as more educational projects, such as a window birdhouse, bughouse or Declaration of Independence frame kit.

The workshops teach children do-it-yourself skills and tool safety, while at the same time helping to instill a sense of accomplishment. Additionally, this fun time allows for quality one-on-one time between adults and children.

In addition to the newly constructed project kit, each child receives a kid-sized orange apron, similar to The Home Depot associates' aprons, and an achievement pin.

Drum Roll Please!!!!

The two coolest people we know (Melissa and Mike) have gone and had THE COOLEST kid ever!

Presenting - Eli

Born 10/07/09

6 pounds 3 ounces

20 inches long

Look out world! We expect great things from Eli.

The Crafty Witch

Last Halloween we new we were getting close to a referral so when the Halloween crafts went on sale we snatched them up and put them away for this year. When we got the Halloween decorations down it was fun to see what treasures awaited Norah. The first one we did was this Witch had puppet; I will get the other out over the coming days so she has a craft project to do every day.
We also had to play dress up with a Halloween flare she was way too excited about it and doesn’t even know about the candy that is about to come her why. Oh the girl loves candy and the first few times we go up to a house on Halloween night should be a riot.



I guess we will have to teach her to sign trick or treat because she can’t produce the T sound yet. That is some thing we will work towards for next year. Her latest hearing test was at 50-60 DB again so they tried to remap Norah but when Norah blinked her eyes in response to sound they backed off and put her back on the same program as before. Some one from Cochlear will be down on next Thursday to do training on new equipment at Children’s hospital and our CI person is going to try to get them to help with a new map for Norah.

Our Families Moon Festival

We went to the local Families with Children from China Moon Festival this weekend.
I will get back to that but first let’s say:

Wow!! Norah was in fine form that morning. She wanted to wear shorts and it was to cold out side for shorts so Lori and I vetoed her vote. One way or another she was going to be leaving the house in warm clothing and it took two of us to put pants and a long sleeve shirt on her that morning. Norah has a super power she can whip out when you ask her to do something she does not wan to do, like getting dressed in clothes she hasn't picked out.
She becomes the incredible hulk with super strength. She tries
to rip off the very clothes that you just struggled to put on her.
Man, she can get her self worked up over nothing.

She had gotten herself so worked up it took her awhile to calm down. When I was younger I problably would not want to leave the house when she was in full fit mode.
Now that I am older and we have somewhere to go we give Norah some time to calm down and if she doesn’t we head out anyway. I’m sure sometimes people can’t tell if I am trying to exorsize demons from Norah or simply buckle the straps on her car seat.
Luckily the hulk (Norah) like the Hulk on T.V. only comes out every once in awhile, and the loving and affectionate child that comes back out again to Lori and me more then makes up for the ugly green monster.

Which brings me back to the FCC. We were all talking about our daughters and there are a lot of us with four year olds that were all having the same experiences.
It was comforting to know that Norah is a normal 4 year old little girl wo just happens to be VERY strong willed and passionate. All traits that will serve her well later in life.


The kids had fun at the Moon Festival. They got to make masks, paper lanterns, cookies ("Moon Cakes") and play on the playground equipment.
You can see Norah’s personality coming out in the photos she is such a blessing to us and you have to love her spirit. The group photos below are in chronological order. She kept scooting over so that she could show off and then swing on the bar. What a nut!

Two girls that are deaf and 4 years old like Norah need families.

Julia (age 4) - Sensorineural deafness (severe), physica development delay

http://www.dropshots.com/ahhaa#albums/Julia

Hilary (age 4) - Sensorineural hearing loss (both ears); physica development delay

http://www.dropshots.com/ahhaa#albums/Hilary

I asked this morning and no one has looked at Julia’s file I didn’t ask about Hilary because I didn’t want to waste Dana’s time because it is still to soon for me and Lori to adopt again short of winning the lottery Ha, we are just going to have to wait until we get some of the debt from bringing Norah home and getting her settled in paid off before we can think about it again.

But maybe you or someone you know is thinking about adopting a waiting child from China with hearing loss, please help spread the word so that we can see pending placement by there names.

If interested you can email
dana@worldadoptions.org

A Helping Hand Adoption Agency

http://www.worldadoptions.org/specialdelivery/ChinaWaitingChildrenList.php

Julia (age 4) - Sensorineural deafness (severe), physica development delay

http://www.dropshots.com/ahhaa#albums/Julia

Hilary (age 4) - Sensorineural hearing loss (both ears); physica development delay

http://www.dropshots.com/ahhaa#albums/Hilary