As I pull up our blogspot, I see that the last post was August 15 - what a slacker I am. Things are much busier with 2 rugrats! Reese was supposed to get her hearing aid on Wednesday but they called me the night before and said that it was backordered. big bummer for us all. hopefully it won't take too long. But on the bright side, Reese started school this week. We enrolled her in an oral deaf program nearby and she goes weekday mornings. There are 4 other little girls in her class and her teacher says that she fits right in. She can stay in this program as long as necessary - until we feel she is ready to mainstream into a regular classroom - hopefully by kindergarten. It is very nice because she can even take the bus and we don't have to travel as much.
There is my quick update - now off to work and the girls to Ama's.

We have now seen the plastic surgeon and as long as Reese's hearing aid gives her adequate hearing he wants to wait until she is at least 10 to do surgery. He said that the surgery all rides on how compliant she is - at 3 she will not be. There are a lot of tubes and suction involved and if she pulled one out, the surgery is history. There is no second chance. So, she should have her hearing aid in the next couple of weeks and we shall see. There is a possibility of her getting involved in some special stuff right now to help with her language development - since it is delayed for a few reasons. I have been told by the specialists in town that there are tons of options - from oral to sign. She will be evaluated for that in the next couple of weeks too.
In the meantime, the child has become a waterbug. In the last couple of weeks, she loves to be thrown in the pool or jumps in on her own off of the side. She has given up on the swimmies and just likes her 1/2 life vest. It is amazing. My dad said the other day, " is that the same girl we brought back from China?"
Reese loves to torture her sister - typical 3 year old - and is doing great with her sign language. We never have to question what she wants. Show her once and she's got it.
Reese started day care last week and loves it. She goes while I sleep after work and really enjoys playing with the other kids. I am so thankful that we found a good, Christian provider. She is a friend of a friend and is great and very close by - 2 minutes.
We shall see how often the updates happen now - I will do my best.
Blessings!!

I apologize that I have not updated in a little while. Having two kids now is keeping me on the run. (especially when one is 3). Reese saw the ENT last week and had a hearing test. She hears everything we say, it is just muffled to her. That is why we can't understand some of her English! She doesn't hear us clearly - but she will repeat everything. We will be getting her a bone conduction hearing aid and she will see the plastic surgeon in August. The ENT said they may not want to do surgery for a few more years - depending on what plastics thinks. Meanwhile the hearing aid will serve the same purpose as opening the ear canal.
Reese has adjusted remarkably well. It is hard to believe it has been almost a month since we have been home. I worked one day last week and one this week, then back to full time next week. She stayed with Kendall at mom and dad's and did great. They both slept until 10 am both times. She is a good sleeper and usually wakes up with a dry pull up. When she goes to bed, I turn on some music for her - kind of loud - and lay next to her for 5 minutes at the most. I then leave the room and she goes right to sleep.
She is a true drama queen. Everything is a big deal for a very long time. She scraped her knee 2 days ago and it was no biggie then. But 2 days later when the scab formed she whined about it for an hour. Some things we have to ignore because she is so melodramatic. Hopefully when she gets her hearing aid the drama at least won't be so loud!! She does make us giggle often though.
I will try to keep at least the medical part of our continuing saga updated...

We have been home a few days now and I think that we may have finally recovered from jetlag. It was pretty wicked the first couple days. We felt dizzy all the time. Kendall was waking up at 2:30 am and I would have to make her stay up all day. By Saturday she said she thought she felt like an American again. but then today we all slept until 11...even Reese. I am used to being tired but that was the extreme. Reese seems to be adjusting well. At times I can walk away for a minute or two and she doesn't panic. And she will let Ama hold her as long as she knows where I am. yesterday she took right to my niece, Lexi, and wanted to be held by her a lot. No complaints here. She has been taking naps which is nice for me - gives me a little break. Last night she slept in her own bed instead of on Kendall's floor. She has been sleeping quite well since she got on an antibiotic. She still has a cough and runny nose but no fever since Saturday. She loves to take walks thru the neighborhood in her jogger stroller which we call her cadillac! She just doesn't want to get out of it. We need to break her of the fact that no one can push it but me. Kendall and Reese played in the sprinkler in their clothes last night and had a riot after we convinced her that it was ok to get her clothes wet with mom's permission. She is doing well with Ellie - just yells "no" when she gets too close.
Our next feat is to get her to fall asleep without me in the room at night and for naps. she won't let Jeff hold her yet unless they are playing but she does follow him around. In good time I am sure.

Well, this will be my last addition to the blog before we depart from China. We did a little shopping this morning - trying to spend the last of our yuans. Then we went to the pool and soaked up a little of the last of the China sun. It was a hot but not so humid day. At 3 we boarded a bus to go to the US embassy just to change buses because we had a flat tire. It was pretty melodramatic. We all - the adoptive families - had to stand, raise our right hand, swear all our paperwork was true and well, that's all. We received Reese's official paperwork and her visa and were told that she would be a US citizen as soon as we touch down at Detroit and go thru immigration. YEAH!!
I guess she is stuck with us now!!
there will be a lot of adoptive families on our flight so I am sure everyone will sympathize with each family as their child takes their turn screaming.
Hopefully the adjustment period doesn't take too long once we get home. Thursday morning my sister is having a c-section and I am going to be able to be back to be her nurse!! We are all excited about that. Reese will, I am sure, freak out when I leave but my family will bring her to the hospital as soon as they can. This is so important to myself and my sister - someday Reese will understand.
Pray for safe and fast travel and that the kids sleep a lot!

Today I was stuck in the room until 1200 because our coordinator took all our paperwork to the US Embassy and I needed to be available in case she had questions. At quarter to 12 the phone rang. Reese's visa picture wasn't acceptable - they couldn't see her ears (or lack of). So we had to trudge down to the "photo" place to have another one taken. Oh well. We took it easy all day and hung out at the pool to soak up a little sun..of course it started raining after a while. Reese played with Kendall and let her take her under the waterfall. Brave girl. She wanted to do it over and over. At least she is finally leaving my side. She will run down the hall in front of me and doesn't always have to hold my hand. Very nice for me!! We still have our daily temper tantrums but we just ignore them.
Only one day left to kill. We will go the embassy for the oath ceremony at 4. Then time to pack up. We are trying to figure out how much after transportation and food we need to spend on gifts since we can't trade our money back from yuans. Nothing like having to spend money!!
The island that we are staying on is so much better than Zhengzhou. We don't have to pray for our lives when we cross the street and we dare eat the food. But I can't say that I will miss any of it. I love America more and more and feel so bad for the children that have no hope. The poverty here is unbelievable. Maybe that is why the kids wear split pants?? I hope that someday Reese understands how lucky she is. God is looking out for her.