Monday, August 17, 2009

More Tests

Today was supposed to be another routine catch-up shot day at our pediatrician's office. We go every 4-6 weeks for a couple of shots because I can't bear to inject a child 4 or more times, and also because I don't feel that there is certainty with respect to the causes of autism. I'm trying to be safe, not sorry. Well, the week before school starts is NOT the time to decide to get shots! Thankfully, our pediatrician always gets us in a room quickly, but today we spent 2 hours in the examining room! Uggh! Two hours in a small, bare room is not fun with two two-year-olds that didn't get a nap or lunch!

So anyway, our pediatrician decided that Mamush is not growing properly. Duh! He's no where near the growth chart. Can you imagine the stares I get when people ask M&M's ages and learn that Mush is two, but looks like he might be 8-12 months? And I can't offer any explanation because I don't know why. Well, Mamush is now getting a consult with a pediatric endocrinologist at Texas Children's. I don't look forward to the drive or the madness of the Houston medical center, but I'll just have to make a pitstop at our favorite Ethiopian restaurant. Mamush also is getting a CT of his brain, and an ultrasound of his heart and kidneys. If you are reading this post, then please say a small prayer for us. I'm really not even sure what to ask for?

Friday, August 14, 2009

How You Change

Funny how after learning about something and then actually witnessing it that your attitude can change from indifference to passionate. I know how I've become aware of situations, but I got to witness how this adoption experience has changed my husband. You see, Wednesday night he picked up two of our children from a church function where these teens and pre-teens were having a food fight for "Crud Night." This really struck a chord in my husband's heart, so much so that he texted our pastor to express his concern about the message of wasting food when so many people in the world are starving. My husband had "diarrhea of the mouth," as I do most of the time, so I can bet that his wording wasn't as eloquent as I know he can be, but he was passionate. Anyway, he received a reply that seemed nonchalant, which added fuel to the fire. Now, our pastor is a very caring man that would give someone the shirt off his back in the blink of an eye, but that is not the point of this story. The point is that I can see how this experience has changed us. I even cringe now when I see a news report about how someone broke the world record for baking the largest cake or what not. What happens to this cake? Does it get thrown away? Even food-eating contests bother me... I have seen first-hand what malnourished children look like. Maritu's first pictures showed a child that was emaciated. I would bet she was days away from dying had she not been abandoned and taken in, but she's a fighter. Those pictures serve as a reminder of the plight of many children and the hope that we can shed awareness to this problem. In light of what we have experienced, I hope our family can become better advocates to help people become conscious of these kinds of things...

Thursday, August 13, 2009

6 Months Home

Maritu and Mamush have been home for 6 months! I have another post-adoption visit scheduled. It still feels like yesterday that we were blessed with a great trip (if you disregard our agency's mahem) to Ethiopia and two amazing children. They have grown so much! Well, Mamush hasn't physically but that's not what I mean. We are working hard on their language skills. I'm so glad I have used "Baby Sign Language" with my other children, so I had already planned to use it with M&M. They pick up signs so fast! I wish I knew more. Yes, they talk more, but still not as much as they should, but that is where ECI comes in. We now have a speech therapist once a week, for now, to help out. She has suggested that the kids should attend a Mother's Day Out program to interact more with kids there own age. I wonder if this is too soon. I guess I have to read up more on bonding to ensure that their needs are met first before I worry about speech.

Anyway, just a little medical update: Maritu and Mamush are allergic to milk! No, not just like you get as you get older, but the kind of allergy that manifests itself in other ways. When we took the kids off milk, Maritu's junk in her lungs cleared, and Mamus's eczema and diarrhea too. Mamush cannot even eat anything prepared with milk, or we face Montezuma's Revenge! So, I have learned to read labels well. Now, our problem is Sheridan. Sheridan loves to feed the babies, so we always know when she's gone behind our back and given them a bite of her food or left her sippie cup lying around. Well, I guess that really is not our only problem because I forgot to mention how mobile the kids are. God must have been preparing me for the babies with Sheridan because they are much like her! They will find the least little toy to push or stack in such a way that they can reach in places that they don't belong. Any food left on cabinets is free game! One would think I starve my kids, but if you doubt me, then you are welcome to spend 5 minutes carrying Maritu! She's solid!

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

Yikes!

What could one hate more than snakes? A snake in my house! Yes, this is the 3rd snake that my husband and my Pops had to rescue me from. It was coiled up on a bath mat near our shower, and I probably came within inches of stepping on it when I turned the shower on. I saw it when I went back to the shower to see what I had heard fall to the ground. I guess it's time to get a cat or something...

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

Can't Keep my mouth shut!

I'm not sure if that is good or bad, but it is me. So, I must have split personality disorder because I have decided to make my blog public again. So what gives? I dunno. I guess I feel the need to share with others my experiences, good and bad. Many others keep their experiences within their families, but I feel that others need to hear the good, bad and ugly in order to make informed decisions, or maybe just to know that there are others out there with similar stories. So, once again you will be able to read my non-politically correct musings.

(And Dad, if you decide to see what's going on in my world, know that I'm praying that God will touch your heart.)