Shopping Cart Cars

I took Justin and Kathryn to Wegman's today for some grocery shopping. Justin was so excited to find a cart with a car attached to it. Almost as excited as I was to find one of the close "baby and child" parking spots open today! It makes me so mad to see able-bodied people with no young kids monopolize those spots! So, if you don't have a car seat or a booster, with kids in them, please wear your sneaks and walk the extra 20 feet! I do when I don't have little ones to carry!

Anyway, Justin usually drives the car, and I put Kathryn in the baby seat of the cart. Today she really, really wanted to drive the car with Justin. And there were even working seat belts in the one that Justin chose, so I let her give it a whirl! And except for some grabbing of items off the shelves, she did really well.

They steered their wheels, talked, laughed, and had an all around great time. I looked at the two of them, sitting there in a car together and smiled at how well they get along sometimes. In the next second I panicked, this was also a glimpse into the future. I saw the two of them in about 15 years, cruising in a real car together! Yikes! I just hope they are still getting along as well as they did today!

Soccer, Soccer

Great, amazing, incredible soccer game today for Brian! He had a goal, and an assist, and played a beautiful game. They boys really worked hard and deserved their 4-1 victory! It's been a tough season with having moved up two flights since last year. But despite our losing record, the team never gives up! And sometimes it pays off! Great job boys!

Turning The Corner

Things are getting so much better with Kathryn. Finally. She still gets really upset when we leave her, but now only fusses for a few minutes after we leave. Her horrid fifteen time a day all out temper tantrum screaming fests have finally subsided. For the most part.

She still is very strong willed, stubborn, and doesn't care much about what you tell her to do or say. She doesn't get upset when she gets in trouble, just stares you down. Which is not good because she does the same unwanted behaviors over, and over, and over. I have no idea how many times she has been in time-out for climbing on the table, eating Wii remotes, and grabbing things from others, yet she continues to think she has every right to do whatever she wants!

Ont he other hand, she is the most loving of my kids. She always has hugs, and kisses, and slobber to share. More slobber to share lately since she is teething. Kathryn is talking up a storm now - her favorite word by far is lunch. She uses it for anything to do with food. coming in at a close second is juice. The girl wants a full cup at all times, and wants nothing to do with water. So, tantrums ensue and she throws her cup and refuses to drink. I just pick up the cup, and say, "Oh, well, I guess you aren't thirsty." This does not go over too well with her, to say the least!

A Date!!!

We have a date! For Finalization! Kathryn will be ours legally on November 19th! She will become an American citizen and also lose her Korean citizenship.

But, that is not the end of the paper work for me! She will need a COC (certificate of citizenship), a US birth certificate, a Social Security number, a passport, etc., etc., etc.!

And because we are finalizing before the end of the year, we can claim her on our taxes, and get our adoption tax credit too!

I'm Back!

Wow! I cannot believe it has been almost a year since I have blogged! I have a ton of updatin to do, and will try to fill in the blanks, especially with Kathryn! Things are going well, just got busy and then my laptop had a virus that blocked everything to do with google, so I couldn't log into my blog or search anything on google! So, I'm back and cannot wait to get typing!

In the meantime, if you are interested in our journey to Korea, you can see photos and updates on our shutterfly website.

I-797C

Well, it isn't our I-600 approval, but we did get form I-797C in the mail today. It is a Notice of Action and says "The above application has been received by our office and is in process." It then asks us to check the personal information included on the form, if all is correct (which it is), then we don't have to do anything!


I hope this is a good sign. It took a little over a month for us to get our Notice of Action with our I-600a! This time it was mailed on 10/15, received in Texas on 10/19, dated 10/21 and postmarked 10/22! To me that is quick!


So, our paper work should now be on its way to Newark, NJ. Hopefully we will get a speedy approval! And I also think that this Notice also means that all of our forms were completed correctly and we don't need to change anything or submit anything else. Fingers crossed!

Another Goal - for B-West!

We got the chance to meet Brian Westbrook today at the Nova Care Center in Philly today! It was really exciting! He is so nice! B-West posed for a few photos with the boys - Justin wouldn't cooperate - and signed Brian's jersey and a picture for us! When Brian met Brian Westbrook, he shook his hand. Then Brian Westbrook asked what his name was, Brian replied, "Brian." Brian Westbrook smiled and told him that it was the best name there is!

As we were leaving Brian Westbrook told Brian to score a goal for him in his soccer game today!


And that is just what Brian did! He had a nice break-away and a pretty goal. He got past the defender and dribbled the ball to the outside and then shot on the opposite corner. Brian was so excited and could not wait to tell Brian Westbrook!

getting past the defender

making his break-away

G-O-A-L!!!!

Super Soccer Star!

Sean had his last soccer game today. And what a game it was! The score ended in tie 4-4. But the exciting part was that Sean scored all 4 goals for his team!!! His face after the game was priceless. I was forced to fight back tears, it really warmed my heart to see you happy and proud he was!

He is so much more competitive than I thought he would be. He always seems to feel like he is in Brian's shadow when it comes to sports. It was so nice to see him shine this year. And even though he is aggressive and wants to score, he is still a nice player. He doesn't take the ball from his teammates and I can hear him encouraging them on the field when they have the ball. It was a great season! Sean cannot wait for next year!

Sean

Goal #1
Goal #2
Goal #3
Goal #4

128

Licks that is. I don't know how he did without biting, but he counted 128 licks to get to the center of a Tootsie Roll Pop! He was so proud of himself and spent all morning just licking and counting! His Kindergarten teacher would be so happy with is counting skills!

NLCS Game 5 !!!

Last night we got to see the Phillies win game 5 to clinch the National League title for the second year in a row! It was a really exciting game - with tons of hits and even seven home runs! I cannot believe the Phillies are headed back to the World Series!!!

Citizens Bank Park

Hamels
Wow!

Howard
Phillies win!!!

Kathryn is 7 months....

Happy 7 Months Kathryn!

I cannot believe it! I really hope we get another update soon! It has been almost a month since we have heard anything about Kathryn. We got an initial Child Report with our referral information, and since Kathryn is at her second foster home right now, we should get a second Child Report. But like updated photos, nothing is guaranteed. I also have no idea if she has received her care package yet. Some people get a photo of their child with the care package, others do not. There are so many unknowns and so much waiting!

Little Luigi!

Sean was trying on his Halloween costume today and Justin fell in love with his hat! He didn't want to take it off and kept saying "my Luigi!" I got out his costume and he wanted nothing to do with it. I thought at age two that I could really still pick out his costume. I really wanted him to be Super Grover! He loves Grover, so I thought it would be perfect.

Nope. Wants no parts of Super Grover. He wants to be Luigi! I finally talked him into being Mario, because I think two Luigis is pretty silly. He is excited about being Mario! But still likes to wear the Luigi hat too!

Paper Work Delivered!

Whew! Just let out a huge sigh of relief! Good news! The I-600 paper work was delivered to the Lewisville Texas Facility this morning at 9:10 am! My faith is restored in the postal service. I was so afraid that the attempted delivery on a Saturday would make a huge mess! I really didn't need to add this to my worries, at least it was only for a few days!

Now, I just have to hope this new process is speedy and we get our approval within the next month! Oh, and we need EP (emigration permission) from Korea soon too! I hope to hear about that within the next month too. But for now, more waiting.

Why Now?

They say to never expect a smooth ride with adoption paperwork. I don't know why I thought that I would be the exception to the rule. First it took our legals about two weeks longer than expected to get here.

Then USCUS changed the whole system for submitting the legals and I-600 form. Before Oct. 6th, everything got mailed directly to Newark, NJ. Now everyone has to first mail their paper work to a lock box facility in Texas. (I have no idea what a lock box facility is.)They look over the paper work, log it in, and then send it to Newark. I am so confused and not sure why this extra step is necessary! And why do I have to be among the first to try the new process?

I guess things could go really smoothly, but I have nothing to go by. I am like a guinea pig and my mind races with what to expect. And NJ had really fast processing times - most I-600 approvals came within 3-4 weeks! Some states were taking months! If my approval takes longer than a month I may just lose it!

So, I mailed the paper work to Texas on Wednesday. I sent it certified with return receipt so that I could track it and confirm that it got there. The man at the post office said it should arrive in 2-3 days. So, Friday night I checked on the tracking information - nothing listed except that it was accepted at our local post office!

I checked again today. And it said notice left after attempted delivery on Oct. 17th. Um, you would think that the postal system would know that USCIS isn't open on Saturdays. The notice tells them that they must pick it up at the post office within 14 days or it will be returned to me! What!?!?!?!!? I really hope they attempt to deliver it again. Apparently, I cannot get them try to deliver it again. Only the recipient can initiate redelivery! I am trying really hard to keep calm. But if it doesn't get delivered tomorrow......I just don't know what I will do!

Hungry Mommy

I was getting Justin dressed this morning and he was giggling as I tickled his bare belly. I laid him down to change his diaper and kissed his belly. He giggled some more. I then pretended to eat his belly and he laughed even harder! I moved onto his toes and started to nibble them. This made him twist around in laughter! He caught his breath, looked right at me and said, "Please don't eat me Mommy!"

I had to laugh first and then reassured him that I would not eat him. Only tickles, no bites! It was so cute!

A Day of Firsts!

#1 - Justin pooped on the potty today! We have sort of casually been introducing the idea of going on the potty. And it is pretty much still a fun game more than it is real potty training. Sometimes he is excited and other times he wants nothing to do with the potty. Today, I was changing him right before his nap and he asked to go potty.

He does this every once in a while, so I really didn't think too much of it. Then after a minute or two his eyes got really wide and he screamed, "Poop!" He stood up and I could not believe it! There was poop in the little frog potty! He was excited and kept yelling poop and pointing at it!

#2 - Justin peed on the potty tonight! He was again getting changed - for bed this time. As soon as his diaper was off he asked to go potty. I am starting to see a pattern emerging - stalling bed time by saying he wants to go potty. So, we got the potty and he sat. Then he got up, and then sat some more. After about 10 minutes I saw him looking down between his legs. He had that look and I just knew he had gone.

He jumped up and we looked in the potty! He was excited and kept yelling, "Yeah! Look at the water!" It was so cute and he was so proud! I took him to help me dump it in the big potty and he got to flush. He then walked back into the living room and peed on the floor. About 3 inches from the potty. Baby steps, baby steps...

#3 - Sean has a cold and a stuffy nose. This means that his nose runs a lot, and that he is extra whiny. The only thing that makes up for the extra crankiness is that he is also extra cuddly! Sean is our least cuddly kid. It is so hard to get hugs and kisses from him, but that also makes the ones you do get extra special! He wanted some tylenol before bed. I found some chewable tablets and he chased them with a sip of juice.

He then asked for something to help his runny nose. I could not find any liquid or chewable medicine. Only Brian's allergy medicine. They are really small pills that have to be swallowed. I told him this was not the chewable kind, but that he had to put it in his mouth, take a drink, and swallow. It only took him four tries and he did it! What a great kid!

Pregnancy and Infant Loss Day

Today is Pregnancy and Infant Loss Day. A day to remember losses. A day to quietly reflect. A day to be comforted by a united sisterhood. A day to remember that I am not alone in my pain. A day of empathy and understanding. A day to send caring thoughts out to those who have walked a similar path. A day of opening old wounds, so they can be further healed.

It has been almost three years since my last loss. We found out we had lost Justin's twin on December 7, 2006.(To read more about this click here.) This loss came after over two years of fertility treatments and 6 early miscarriages. Justin was born May 3, 2007. The time between December 7th and May 3rd was really hard for me. I was so afraid that I would lose him too.

Even after three years have passed, I still have days that hit me really hard. They don't happen as often now, but still my heart aches for the babies I never got to meet. The losses closed a door for me, but at the same time opened the window to adoption.

I am still affected daily by the pain of loss. Today, most of the anguish I feel has a positive effect on my life. I am grateful for each and every day. Grateful for the good and bad. Because to feel the bad, I have to have once felt the good. I was definitley changed by infertility and loss. Changed for the better.

LEGALS!!!

Finally! I feel so much better! We got our "legals" from Korea today! I already had all the I-600 and other necessary forms copied and signed, so I only had to copy the legals and get to the post office! Only 2 hours after opening my mail, they were off to USCIS in Texas!

After October 6th, I-600 and I-600A forms have to be sent to a Texas USCIS office. Before this date we would have mailed the forms to Trenton, NJ - just like we did with our I-600A. Since it is only October 14th, I assume that I am in the first batch to go to the new route! I really hope this new format doesn't add time to our wait. I am very leery of a brand new process.

I do see the need to streamline the I-600 and I-600A processes. All the states varied so much in their processing times - NJ was pretty quick and had I-600 approvals out in about 3-4 weeks, some states were taking months and months. I just hope things don't average out the difference - if my approval takes longer than a month I will go nuts! Especially since we missed the cut off by about a week!

This is our final step in the visa process. It is the last bit of paper work that I have any control of - well, until after we have Kathryn home! Everything else needs to be done on the Korean side!

*For more information on the process or any of the paper work mentioned above, please click on the "What's Next" link below Kathryn's photos on the side bar*

Springdale Farm Trip!

Sean had his class trip to pick pumpkins today! He was really disappointed by the size of the pumpkins, I think he pictured himself getting a pumpkin so big that he could barely carry it! He did search for the biggest pumpkin for a long time! Sean was one of the last kids to decide on the perfect one!

We took a hay ride around the farm and learned a lot about fruits and veggies. I don't know how much the kids listened to all of it, but I learned a lot! I never knew there were so many varieties of corn or egg plant! I had never seen broccoli growing or knew that it will grow long after the first frost! All the kids had a great time - and apple cider donuts were enjoyed by all after the hay ride!

pumpkin flower

starting to grow
getting bigger
Sean still searching for a bigger one on the hayride!

Fire Prevention Week

The boys brought home plastic fire hats from school for fire prevention week. Justin loves the hats and wears them all the time. Tonight he was a comedian, and kept pulling the hat down over his eyes! He finally flashed me a cute smile when he was tired of goofing around!