Saturday (continued)

Norah matching her hand print against the lions paw prints.

Pointing out the big "cat".

She was facinated by the bears.

We got to looking at this picture and started laughing. The little girl beside Norah is more interested in her than in the huge grizzly bear that is walking close to the glass.

Norah ran this fish food dispenser through the ringer. She went through close to $3.00 in quarters before we could lure her away with lemonaide.

Can't you just hear the Mission Impossible theme music playing. This orangutan worked his way around the whole wall of the enclosure pressed up against the wall.

The big man himself. Norah was really interested in him and waved almost the whole time we looked at him. He of course was completely unimpressed by everything.

Beautiful Lorikeet eating an orange.

After the zoo it was off to the park for lunch.

....and some MORE running.

Picnic at Daycare (Friday)

Gardening, and a big day for Norah and her family.

Thursday was a big day for Norah (and us). Norah had her hearing aids fitted by Dr. Christensen. She did very well with us being shown how to put the hearing aids in and then practicing to make sure that we could replicate the fit at home. We were provided with a kit to clean, check and store the hearing aids and instruction on how to change batteries, clean, ect. Then it was off to have a hearing screening to see where the hearing aids brought her hearing up to. Before, without hearing aids Norah could only hear things like a chainsaw starting close by. Now she can hear regular conversation, she should be right in the area on the charts that will allow her to learn speech. If she responds well to speech therapy we may not have to have a cochlear implant. If yesterday is any indication Norah wants to talk REALLY badly. We both had headaches by the end of the day from her being so vocal. After we got home from the Dr. at around 3:00 Norah had had enough. We took her hearing aids out and got her to go to sleep for about an hour.

She would only stay asleep as long as Lori was laying beside her, as soon as Lori got up to use the bathroom she woke up and kept going till she finally passed out at around 1 A.M. (yes, your read that right). Hopefully today will be a better day as far as attitude (she started out cranky yesterday, before we even got the hearing aids).

Norah does not have speech yet. Having only had hearing aids for approx. 6 months before we adopted her she has the speech of about a 10 month old. Lots of babbling and one syllable words (ma, ba, ect). We all have a lot of work ahead of us. It's a good thing we have a lifetime together to get through as much as we can. Norah getting her hearing checked after getting her hearing aids.

This was the attitude for the day. Just look at that face.

Norah working in the garden.

Love without boundaries EBay auction.

You can be the proud owner of this Going home Barbie if you are the lucky bidder on EBay.

April 23-28, 2009 Love Without Boundaries is having there "Born in my Heart" Ebay Auction. to help fund Heart surgeries for the kids in china. Norah had her heart repaired by Without Boundaries in 2007 and Lori and I can't thank the people at LWB from the people that travel to do the operations, the people that volunteer to help set up the auctions, to the people who buy at the auctions, you all had a hand at healing my daughters heart. To that we saved the Going home Barbie in it's box just so we could give it to LWB for this Auction to help someones eases child with a life saving surgeries.

Glen

From LWB.....

http://stores.ebay.com/Love-Without-Boundaries-Store

Our 6th Annual Love Without Boundaries "Born in my Heart" Art Auction is soon to go live. This year’s auction is set for April 23-28, 2009 with April 1st as the deadline for donations. For those who may not be familiar with this event, the “Born in my Heart” art auction is our tribute to the miracle of adoption, and a benefit for orphans in China who might never know that miracle without our help. Last year’s auction was a great success, raising over $35,000 and making it possible to help heal the hearts of many beautiful children! The Love Without Boundaries Foundation is an all-volunteer organization that has helped over 400 orphans receive life-changing surgery in the last year. Heart surgeries are always the most expensive, costing up to $5000 per child. They are also the most essential by far, as they truly give the gift of life. We would like to invite you to visit our website to read more about our art auction:
http://www.lovewithoutboundaries.com/borninmyheart2009.cfm You are welcome to email us at auction@lwbmail.com with questions about how to help. Be sure to check our site again (LWB eBay Store) for our 6th spectacular Born in my Heart Art Auction 4/23 - 4/28/09 and help raise funds for the heart surgeries of orphans in China. Love Without Boundaries, auction@lwbmail.com , http://www.lovewithoutboundaries.com/

Three/four year olds are busy people.

Norah never stops moving that girl can play all day. She is making progress with her sign language and attaching to me. One thing that I have noticed is that she is getting less clingy to Lori but that is only because Lori and I work on it everyday. If we didn't insist that Norah go places with just me or let me get her food, bathe her, and do her hair at the times when she only wants Lori, she would be attached to Lori's hip 24/7. Right now it's only 19/7. I have a feeling that if we let her just have Lori do it every time two things would happen. One Norah would not be making the progress that she has made with me and would just attach to Lori only and two Lori would run away from home.

Norah was born deaf, cute as a button, has a smile that can light up a room, and she is a happy child for most of the day but...she can also throw a world class fit like nobody's business if she either dosen't get her way or dosen't want to do something. I say however that who ever has not thrown a fit in their lives can cast the first stone. She is three almost four years old and fits are a big part of that age to start with. Lori says it's like living with a needy heart surgeon all the time.

If you find yourself in the position of your child attaching to only one person, remember it's a work of love. You can't let your feelings get hurt and give up. It does start to pay off with time.

Norah now does the sign for bath, potty, eat, drink, ect to me when she needs something almost as much as she does to Lori. Most of the day Lori and I are on a somewhat even playing field when it comes to her wanting help from both of us, or playtime inside or out, but every once in a while "Mommy only girl" appears. Most of the time it is when she starts to get tired at night. When the sun goes down she will not climb into my lap like she will during the day. It's cling to Lori time and that's understandable, in time this too will get better.

Lori and I came home to the same family members, home, cars, ect. Everything in our lives that we found comfort in before we left for China was here waiting for us when we got back. Everything in my dear daughters life is new.

After having different types of living situations and multiple "families" how long would it take you to get used to having to trust an all new family, home, life, and to start using sign language when you have really never had a language before in your life. Whe you saw it getting dark outside would you fear that you would fall asleep and everything that you have come to know and love was going to be different again?

Glen

Daycare and bugs

Norah got all signed up for daycare today. She will be going to the same daycare that her brother went to. She setteled right down to do puzzles and only looked up for me once. I even went out to the car for my wallet. The staff are all very good and showed a lot of interest in learning some more sign language so that they can effectively communicate with Norah. They already knew the basics like eat, toilet, ect so I feel really comfortable with her going there. I told them that I would make up a chart with pictures and signs so that they can refer to it if they need to. We will visit 2 more times this week for about an hour then 3 times next week then she will start staying by herself for a few hours 3 or 4 days a week for two weeks. By then, ready or not, it will be time for me to go back to work.
Lori

This is Norah watching the other kids get ready to eat lunch. They offered her some pizza and a spot at the table but she wasn't quite ready for that yet.

Who knew that weeds could be so interesting.

We found a caterpilar on the pourch today. She never would let me put it in her hand but she sure was keeping an eye on it.

This is as close as she would get with her hand.

Saturday, Easter, and hearing aids

Saturday morning Lori headed off to run some errands and have some well deserved alone time while Norah and I went to a citywide egg hunt at the local park. We also took some pictures in our backyard. The backyard needs lots of TLC to get it back into the shape it needs to be but we have had to much rain and to much going on to get out there.

Norah at the park with her bucket full of goodies.

Norah in the backyard, eating WAY to much candy. This is the look on her face the whole time she eats candy from her Easter bucket. Kind of a "Don't even think about it" look.

Norah on the swing in the backyard.

Easter morning. This is what we got when we did the sign for smile.

Norah in her Easter dress after church.

Playing with one of her Easter gifts. We went over to Lori's parents house for Easter lunch after church. It was nice to get to visit with everyone and Norah cleaned up on Easter presents. She also had WAY to much sugar for the second day in a row.

Norah "loving" on the kitty. Don't worry Lori saved him as soon as she got this picture. This has got to be the best cat ever. He just endures.

We went to the audiologist last Thursday and Norah had her hearing test. She is "Profoundly Deaf" She can only hear things like a shotgun or chainsaw if they are right by her ears. She had molds of her ears taken in order to get her hearing aids started. We will pick them up on the 23rd. Norah will also have her first speech therapy appointment on that day as well. The speech therapist that we consulted with at Children's Hospital said that we would most likely need to continue with learning sign language and teaching it to Norah due to the late start that she is getting in developing her speech. Norah will also be deaf at night and during bathtime because her hearing aids will have to be out at those times. The hearing aids will only bring her hearing up to the lower level where speech is able to be learned. Norah is however a candidate for cochlear implants. We are being told that the implants would be able to bring her hearing up to almost normal. Hearing aids are the first step, then we will go from there. We also met with the ENT doctor that does the implants. He seemes nice and knowledgable. Lori will still be asking around the OR for the other nurses and doctors impressions that have worked with him.

That's all for now.

Easter Egg Hunt, Shower, and Big Time Apology

Our church had an Easter Egg hunt and games a week early. They went all out. There was face painting, games, arts/crafts, and of course the egg hunt. My Mom and Dad were able to come watch Norah do her first Easter egg hunt. The butterfly on her cheek lasted all of 1 minute before she wiped it off, at least Glen got a picture of it.

It was just a tad windy.

It took Norah all of about 20 seconds to figure out the egg hunt. Once she saw that there was candy in the eggs that was it. She actually came close to running over some kids to get to those eggs. We will have lots of fun hiding eggs for her on Easter day. Afterwards she sat in the church hallway and stuffed an obscene amount of candy into her mouth. AHHH! Easter. Let the sugar high begin.

She wasn't to sure about the giant jumping palace to start with but she really took to it after just a couple of minutes. In fact I had to crawl halfway through one of the windows in the side to get her out so the next group of kids could go.

Norah being crafty. Watch out Martha!

Our Sunday School class gave us a shower this week and loaded Norah up with some really cool stuff. The little dog rain coat and tricycle were just two of the MANY gifts we received. We are very fortunate to have such great people in our lives.

Now for the apology: We missed Savannah's 4th Birthday party!!!! We feel awful about that. Savannah turned 4 on April 4th. Her birthday flier got covered up with sign language papers and art work on the fridge and we were SURE that the party was this coming weekend on the 12th. We OF COURSE were WRONG!!! We are soooo sorry Savannah and we will be personally delivering a gift to your house this weekend.

A fellow adoptive parent and friend of mine could win a car!

Charlotte Weddle is her name and she was one of the people that have been nominated for a chance to win a new car form the Arkansas Cars for a Cause. Charlotte is a kind a giving person that has a passion for helping kids and families in the adoption community. I have helped her unload her car at many FCC events and trust me I worry every time I see it, that it is going to just stop working and that she is going to get stuck out some where on a hot Arkansas day with a car full of her wonderful kids. Charlotte always helps people in need I really hope she wins this much needed Car.
Hares how to help.
Click on the red bar to vote
Click on Charlotte WeddleJoin katv.com for FREEThen VOTE for her to win a car!!
YOU CAN VOTE EVERY HOUR!!!
Below are some words from Charlotte.

Where do I begin ?

Well, about a month or so ago my good friend, Rosemary told me she wanted tonominate me to win a car from Cars for a Cause through KATV channel 7 here inArkansas. She had to write a 500 word essay on me and how we needed a new car !Well, we do, she is old, she has been good, but it is time for a new one, andcurrently an added car payment to the monthly bills doesn''t look like it couldhappen now. She has 254,000 miles on her, her trunk is ducktaped down, herdriver mirrors are missing, her front grid blew off in the wind one day, and herpower steering is shot !

With my job before as a hospice nurse, and now as aninfusion nurse

I put alot of miles on my car !

I was so amazed last week to get THE CALL !

That I was chosen as one of the 5 finalists !

Just to bechosen is an honor ! Thank you so much Rosemary for the nomination !This past Wednesday, this wonderful camera man, Tony came to the house and hevideotaped me and the kids and we told our story ~~~~ the story of our car, ofmy life as a Mom, the story of my love and passion and my mission to adopt a fewchildren from the lives they were born into ! The story of my Mom, and what shemeans to us.

I am going to post some wonderful pics from that day on my blog !

YOUR PART

Please Vote!http://cfc.katv.com/voting/vote.cfm?voteid=20

Videos http://cfc.katv.com/external.cfm?p=cars4cause_nominees

her blog http://charlottes4angels.blogspot.com/

Random Pictures

Norah inside the sling.

Glen made a sling out of a twin bed sheet and was swinging Norah around the living in it. She sure does like to rough house.

We were showing Norah how to play with the cat with a piece of ribbon. She found the ribbon to be interesting too. The goofy looking rabbit is something she picked up at WalMart, he hops and sings.

Puppet show time.

Norah has doscovered that she can get around the house by hitching a ride on anyones leg that passes by her.

Wlking on top of Dad's feet.

Norah LOVES the kitty! Now the kitty on the other hand.........

This is the look we got when she picked up her ball and it was wet. Notice that she is holding it with her fingertips.

Playing outside.