The Surgeries Are Over!!

We are so pleased that the dreaded surgeries are finally over! They all went very well. We had just a couple of glitches as one of the surgeons didn't get scheduled but he came over anyway. The Children's Hospital was so wonderful to Nathan and to us!

Nathan and I got to the hospital at around 7:30am and Ron joined us as soon as he got off work. Nathan was so glad to see him.



We spent a while in the pre-op playroom. Nathan really enjoyed that part.





He is really into little matchbox cars right now.




We tried to be upbeat for him but eventually he began to suspect something was amuck especially when we started dressing oddly.



After his surgery we held him as much as possible. The braces on his arms are called no-nos and they keep him from putting his hands in his mouth.



Nana came to the hospital to see Nathan and he was pleased to snuggle with her. Here we are trying to get some fluids into him.

The surgeon who repaired Nathan's palate said it looked very, very good so he likely will not need more corrective surgery on it, We are so happy to hear this.

We didn't get released until 2:00pm today and we are glad to finally be home. Nathan is happy to be home. I can't help but wonder how the horrible experience translates to a baby's mind because we can't explain it to him. He will be on a liquid diet for a week.

Thank you to everyone who remembered Nathan in your prayers!

Surgery Today

Nathan is having surgery later this morning. Please pray that everything will go perfectly and that he will heal quickly.

My Mommy Wears Army Boots!

I was away in Tulsa at a Leader's Conference this past week and I missed my guys so much! They came up to visit me on my last day and I was so glad to see them. Nathan was pretty happy too. He had on camouflage to match his Mommy's uniform.





We went to The Aquarium in Tulsa. Nathan was a little freaked out at first because it was dark and he didn't understand it. He finally noticed the fish on the other side of the glass and became very interested.


He tried to grab the fish as they swam by. He enjoyed this big tank of colorful fish.


Mommy tried to get Nathan to look at the stingrays but he was afraid it was a giant bathtub.


Daddy was more successful. We didn't take him to the place where you could pet the stingrays since we thought that would be too much for him.



This little gator snapped at Nathan and scared him.


These beavers were so cute! Nathan thought they were dogs.


Inside the shark tunnel.


Touching a starfish.



Some of the fish were curious about Nathan.


After one night away he was very happy to be home.

Happy Easter Everyone!!!

Easter Brunch!

We had a brunch at our house on Saturday the day before Easter with the ladies from the Police Records. Nathan was estatic to be the center of attention. (Push the little speaker button to hear the sound).

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A visit with the surgeon

The above picture is Nathan on the way home from church last Sunday. He has a very good time in the nursery there. It's fun to snuggle with him when he is sleepy.



This afternoon we went to see the surgeon who will repair Nathan's cleft palate. It looks like everything is good to go. His surgery is scheduled for May 1st pending the availability of the surgeon who will be putting the tubes in Nathan's ears during the same surgery. It looks like the procedures will take several hours. He will have an overnight stay at the hospital before we can take him home. It sounds as if the first two weeks will be the roughest but after that he should be pretty much back to his usual self. We might have some smaller surgeries in the future but this is the major one that needs to be done.

Nathan flirted with all of the nurses and medical assistants and begged for the doctor to pick him up. I can see now why Nathan's file from China read that all of the doctors and nurses loved him when he had his lip repaired. He loves being the center of attention and turns on the charm.

Families With Chinese Children

This is Clara with Nathan. If you remember Clara and her family met us at the airport when we brought Nathan home. She is growing so beautiful. Joy, Clara's Mom invited me to go to the FCC playgroup. We went and met some other families with Chinese children and I'm sure we will go back regularly. It was so much fun to see all the little faces and hear what part of China they were from. Nathan was a little shy around so many kids but I'm sure he will fit right in before too long. Below is Nathan in his stroller waiting for us to finish signing our tax forms. We are so glad he likes his stroller now. He just loves being out and about.

Blech!

I'm so proud of Ron! He actually got out the camera when I wasn't at home and took pictures of Nathan. I'm sort of glad I missed this one although Nathan seems to be enjoying his first experience with spagetti. He's such a good eater.

Weight Update!

We were at the vet's office today and put Nathan on the doggy scales. According to them he weighs 18.8 pounds! That's fully clothed of course. It means that he has gained two pounds since January!




I think crying baby photos are cute so here are some of Nathan. He was upset because I sat him in the papasan chair and tried to take his picture. He has gotten quite a few teeth in the past couple of months.



Nathan became fascinated with the patch of sunlight made by the oval window. We are used to seeing cats laying in it so I wonder if Nathan was remembering that when he decided to lay down in the spot. Liberty who is never far away became concerned and licked him until he got up.

Let The Sunshine In

Nathan in our sunroom which is almost finished.

Maybe I shouldn't cut Nathan's hair when I first get back from a military weekend. He looks ready for inspection! His hair was getting really long and it has a tendency to clump together then stick up horribly when he wakes up. His hair was kind of sparse when we first brought him home but the good nutrition is making it come in thicker.



Those cheeks are starting to get a little chubby and I love them! We haven't had him weighed at the doctor's office lately but we think he is up to around 18 pounds now. He burns off all of his calories and he eats huge amounts of food! He is getting too tall for his nine month clothes. I can put outfits like this that are 12 month on him because of the elastic waist. He is still skinny but not boney like he was before so the clothes are baggy but they work.


Ron finished the floor in the sunroom this weekend and today Nathan got to explore it for a while. He is walking and running everywhere now.

Liberty and Nathan

Liberty has adored Nathan since the day we brought him home. Sometimes I wonder if she thinks we brought home another puppy for her totake care of.

Below is a picture of the first morning after we arrived from China.



We were exhausted but Liberty was estatic to see this baby around. I was so worried about how Nathan would handle the dogs but he was fine. I am still so thankful that Nathan is not afraid of the dogs or cats.








For a while we had to lock her up because he was crying all the time and she would try to comfort him by licking his face which would make him cry more which would make her lick him more. He then started seeking her out so we let them be together.









Liberty was only seven months old when we brought Nathan home but she has been very patient with him. Whenever we tell him "no" in a firm voice she runs to get in between us. If we toss him in the air and swing him around she barks at us until he is safely back on the ground.



Now she follows him around and when she is sleeping he seeks her out to wake her up. They always seem to be together.



She comes in handy too around mealtime. She is always fishing the food out of Nathan's chair and he doesn't care a bit. He pats her head and pulls her ears while she is doing so.




I look forward to seeing how their relationship develops when Nathan is old enough to run around outside.I think these two are going to have the best time.