Party Success

Miss K's party was a success. We had a few games. We played "pin the bow on Hello Kitty" and then drop the Hello Kitty clothespins in the jar. I was suprised how much even the older kids enjoyed that game. We played pass Hello Kitty and the twist was the person that has just given Hello Kitty to the next person got a treat. Okay, being fair and even, everyone got a treat. The party favor bags were fun. I had gathered all kinds of things before we came at various places around the city. I found little containers at the Japan Dollar Store, stickers at the stationary store, tissues and candy at the grocery store and a few other things. I even made a special gift bag for my 9 day old niece -- just a container and a washcloth.

It was a fun party and we have a year till we do it again.

Ramdom Reflects from Here

Coming from one of the most densely populated cities in the world we are amazed how big everything is here -- the houses, stores, cups of soda, and yes, even the people.

I am enjoying being able to run the washer and dryer at the same time.

I am reminded how easy things are here. Need something just get in the car and go to the nearest store. I am also working to be careful that I don't get greedy and buy everything that I see and think that I might want or know I want. One of the things that I have been learning is just how much we stuff we have available to purchase here and how easy it is to do that. Personally, I am learning to live with less. It is a slow learning with a few purchases that were not necessary.

I think one other thing that I have noticed this year coming home is the fact that now it is acceptable and fashionable to wear your lingerie in public.

Miss K is having fun in the sand box, the big grassy yard, and even learning to ride a tricycle.

I get to see all the new gadgets that have come out. My mom had to show me how to use her new can opener.

Things here are not marked with how many trans fats they contain.

Those are just a few of the reflections that I have had this past few weeks as we are adjusting to being here for a few week.s

My baby turned 3 today

Three years ago she entered our lives at just 6 pounds 1 ounce. We didn't know what all was ahead of us. We just had our first child. Three days later she had her first surgery to correct her stomach. We thought that was all and that she was fine and then learned about her heart. At two weeks she had her heart surgery.

When I filled out the order form for first child, I admit, I didn't check the box marked "Down Syndrome". God gave us what he knew we needed. We needed Miss K with Down Syndrome. We needed to love her, push her, encourage her, laugh with her, praise her, train her, teach her, hug her, tickle her, kiss her and all those other wonderful things you do with babies. We were able to sit and watch how God has shown us that he cares for her and us. It began with the hospital bill, then the PT, the free exam at University of Washington, then the EI center, and the list is more than we can recall.

I have a dear friend whose Chinese name is Kai-lene. I loved the sound and so we began to look for English names and liked what we picked. The English meaning isn't that great boomerang but we had a direct translation into Chinese and we liked that meaning -- victorious and beautiful. The middle name is one that my husband liked. We had two spellings and different meaning based on the spelling. We had planned to spell it one way but then last might sitting in the hosptial room as we were filling out the paper work we looked and realized if we spelled it the other way each name would have a letter that went below the line -- g, y, and another y. Only and engineer would engineer a name.

Today she speaks some words, she is a great eater, she walks, she laughs, she climbs out of her Pack 'N Play. She says "bye" when she doesn't want you around in a very independent way. She loves her baby. She is not delayed in whining or in stubbornness.

She is a joy and a blessing to our family.

This was a few weeks ago but shows her independent spirit.

She's back

This is a cousin funny. My one nephew, B, was filling my other nephew, M, in on what had happened while M was on vacation.

"She's back. That girl, she's back." B said. "She walks and is bigger."

He was referring to Miss K and not to me. I do walk but I don't think I am bigger.

Another Milestone

Yesterday I watched as Miss K finally was able to reach her leg up over the side of the Pack 'N Play. I told my mom and Bo. We chatted about it and Bo and I decided we had 6 months to even a 1 year before she would have the upper body strength to push herself out.

We put her down for her nap in her Pack 'N Play. I went up to get her up for dinner. I opened the door and the Pack 'N Play was empty. I looked at the dresser and found a little girl standing enjoying pulling the clothing out of her dresser drawer.

So much for a year or even 6 months. She is now climbing out. Oh no, what am I going to do. This morning Bo did see how she does it. He saw her put her leg up, put her head down and then begin to roll.

Pondering what to do with my baby who is not so much a baby.

Worshipping as a Family

We somewhat fell into taking Miss K to the worship service with us as the church we attended when she was born did not have a nursery. I could sit up on the 2nd floor and watch the service on video or train her to sit with us. We began at that time training her to sit with us. I do remember one Sunday that she laughed as she was looking at her Bible story book.

Since that time we have talked about what we want to do in regarding to this. Do we put her in nursery? Do we keep her in church with us? Slowly over the past few years we have come to decide that we want her worshipping with us. I love to see her enjoy singing and praising God with us. She will even raise her hands. Over the past year we have been working to have her learn to just sit. I will have a pencil or maybe a container of Golfish crackers if necessary but I save that until I really need it. I learned that if I get them out early just for her to have them then she wants something else and she doesn't sit as quietly.

Today I felt affirmed in what we are doing. The sermon was on prayer. She had a few pieces of paper and two pencils but a few times I noticed her folding her hands. It was so cute to watch her try to hold those papers up against her chest and at the same time fold her hands. She was listening to the sermon. She heard the pastor say "pray". That encouraged us to continue training and teaching her to worship God with us together as a family.

Jetlag

Jetlag - that is when your body is one place and you are trying to catch up to your body. As an adult I understand why in the middle of the afternoon I am ready to crash or why I wake up at 3:30 wide awake are ready for the day after that nap. But a 2 almost 3 year old has no clue why in the middle of the night her tummy is acting like it is the middle of the day and she is hungry. I was shopping and had her in the cart and she put her head down on the bar and feel asleep. I knew it was jetlag because she is social and loves to be out and she has moved to the point of going and going like the Energizer bunny.

Last night we arrived at Grandpa and Grandma's and she was fussy and tired. She feel asleep at 7:00 and woke up at 6:30. Yeah! I think we are on this time zone.