Today 6/24/08

Today Sarah had tubes put in her ears and her adenoids taken out. Our day started at 6:30 when we woke her to have Sprite because she couldn't eat after midnight or drink after 7a.m. We arrived at Texas Children's at 9:00 and were immediately taken into a room to pay for the surgery. The lady at the desk had t tell me her life story about how getting a refund is harder than being billed for something and her fight with creditors. Sarah and Russ found a car to play in and look at fish. Then a lady came and talked to Sarah about the mask and the finger wrap and the "straw" that she would see in her arm after she woke up. Sarah got to pick out a flavor to be in the mask that she would breathe. She chose bubblegum. They then came and told us they were running ahead of schedule and Sarah was up next. We went back and she was weighed, measured and Dr. Albright came in and talked about what to expect. We then went to the bathroom and she put on her yellow scrubs. Another nurse came and began to talk to her. We then went in another room and Sarah's ears and nose were looked at and her pulse was taken. We went out to the waiting room again and the nurse came back and played etch-a-sketch with her. The anesthesiologist came out to explain how she would come out of anesthesia. Then Dr. Albright came out and said lets go. Sarah and the nurse took her lovey and the etch-a-sketch and they went off. She never looked back.

Russ and I went into the coffee room and waited. I talked to my sister for awhile and then I tried to stay busy. About 35 minutes later, a lady came in and took us back to Sarah. She was groggy and starting to wake up. They placed he in my arms and she and I snuggled for awhile. After about 10 minutes she got to have a purple Popsicle and then asked for another. SO in about 10 minutes, she had 2 Popsicles. The nurse Tammy came and took her IV out. That was painful and when Sarah began to cry that she wanted to go home. Tammy let us go at about 11:00 and Sarah and I watched Shrek 3 on the way home. She was groggy most of the day but seemed to perk back up after eating one more Popsicle, some yogurt, ham, cheese and crackers, mac and cheese and another Popsicle. She watched movies most of the day and then played games on the computer the rest of the day. All in all she was a trooper and all is well. We can't go swimming at the beach without plugs but can swim in pools and bathtubs without. Russ and I are very happy tonight and hope to sleep tonight.

First day of a School

Here is Sarah on her first day of school at Little Ranch Preschool. The date was 8/16/2006. Her teachers were Mrs. Sue and Mrs. Sherry. She loved carrying her ladybug backpack.

New pics

I have finally figured out how to download pictures and so here is one of my favorites from her first few years. We were at an IFS picnic and we were releasing ladybugs.

3rd birthday

I can't remember everything that went on in your second year of life. We stayed home for the summer and had fun. We went to friends houses to play (Matthew Volkin, Jamie O'Qiunn) and had fun staying home just playing here. We would go to lunch with daddy and dinner with Manna. You started school at Little Ranch Preschool in August. Your teachers were Mrs. Sue and Mrs. Sherry. You stayed with Gigi everyday while I went to work and Gigi would take you to school on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
You were a ballerina for Halloween and we went to Cinco Ranch for their Fall festival. were many games to play and you loved bowling for candy the most. You also loved having your face painted. You had a moon and stars painted on your cheek.
We went to the thanksgiving parade with the Pettey's on thanksgiving day. It started out cold but warmed up later. We had so much fun. When the parade began you sat on Daddy's lap and made him place his hands over your ears but you watched everything that went on. Later Manna came over and we had thanksgiving dinner. It was a nice day.
December brought Chanukkah and Christmas. Daddy went and got some very bright plastic ornaments and you decorated the bottom part of the tree. You did a great job. There were clumps of colors in different areas and the tree looked beautiful. You got lots of neat toys. One of the gifts from Channukkah was a big rocking horse. You thought that was fabulous. Daddy placed plastic tubes around the metal pieces and you would ride it all the time. We went to San Antonio between Christmas and New Years. We had Christmas with Oma and Uncle Ken and his family and Uncle Harold and Aunt Karen. They gave you some fun toys for the bath and bed. Oma gave you a talking dog that scared you but when we took to battery out, you were alright with it.
News Year Eve the Fourniers came over for dinner and then left early. It was a great end to the year.
January and February flew by and March was Spring break. You and I had 10 days at home together. Your dad would come home and we would play. We also went and met him for lunch sometimes.
Your third birthday was at Houston Swim Club. You invited 5 of your friends and their parents and we had a great deal of fun. Zadie, Dee Dee, Manna, Aunt Marcy and Uncle Jim came also. Harrison Mansfield, Riley Epstein, Isabella Villalobos, Cassie Buegualer were there. Momma made a Dora the Explorer cookie cake and everyone loved it.
It's hard to believe you are three now!!!!!

Sarah now

Here is Sarah in spring of 2008 in her school garden in the bluebonnets. Her dad and I think she is pretty cute.

Gotcha Day part 2

The hotel in Guanghou was very nice, but all the families were spread out on different floors so it was hard to see each other on a regular basis. During the day, we walked around the island and shopped. I couldn't believe how cheap everything was. One day we went to the zoo. You slept through most of it. You woke up to see the elephants. It was a very hot day but we had fun! Most of our meals were at a restaurant called Lucy's which had Americanized foods/ You started eating carrots, bananas and cereal. You even ate mashed potatoes but spit the chunks out. After a week of shopping, eating, playing and sleeping and one visit to the hotel doctor because your stomach still was very hard and you hadn't pooped, we went to the American Consulate. There we swore to love you and keep you safe your whole life (and get your passport to travel), it was time to go home. YEAH!!!!!!
We packed up and flew home the next day. It was an 11 1/2 hour flight from Guanghou to L.A. You slept, ate and played with daddy and I. We passed you back and fourth the whole plane ride. Then on final descent into L.A., you let loose(exploded) all over your clothes, and blanket. I have never seen so much green poo in my life. Your dad put his shirt over his mouth and nose and kept giving me baby wipes to clean the mess. He wanted to throw away the clothes and blanket but I wouldn't throw the blanket out. We wrapped it in a plastic bag and put it in the suitcase to be dealt with later. We had to go through Customs and Immigration and you became an American Citizen!!!
We spent the night in a hotel in LA that night and you and I slept. Dada stayed up to make sure we wouldn't miss our flight to Houston the next day. The hotel was right across the street from the Mattel offices and we thanked them for your Barbie doll. They couldn't hear us but we knew we did it.
In the morning, we flew to Houston. That was a very full plane and you were very active and noisy (in a good way) most the of the way home. You finally fell asleep about 1/2 hour before we landed. We were so glad to finally be home. Your Aunt Marcy, Manna and A.M's friend Deb Hoffman were at the airport waiting for us. Aunt Marcy immediately took you from me and hugged and kissed you. She was so glad you were home too. We got our luggage and went to the car. Nobody was sure of how you were to be strapped in and you started crying (screaming is more likely). It was a huge challenge to buckle especially while you were screaming and wiggling but we got you home safely!
We wanted the dogs to find you so we put you in your crib and hoped that they would find you and bring us to you. They were so excited to see Dada and I that they couldn't be bothered with finding you. I then sat you on the floor and Roscoe licked your cheek which you didn't seem to like. Later Maxx came and licked you from chest to forehead and you cried. Hopefully you will become good friends in the future.
Your Aunt Karen, Uncle Sid flew in later that day to meet you along with your Zaidie. While all these people and more came to see you, your dada and I never left your side. Most of the time people came to see you, you were asleep but that was OK and they waited around to see you. They even came back later because they knew you weren't going anywhere.
The first month you were home, flew by very quickly. Then it was your 1st birthday. We planned it as a come and meet you and have some birthday cake. We had a moon bounce in the front yard and lots of people came by to say hello and play! Your Oma came it before the party to meet you. She stayed for a day and left before the party began.
To your dada and I you were still a dream come true and it didn't feel real to have you in our lives. I kept expecting yo wake up from a wonderful dream and you be gone. But it isn't a dream and we are a family forever!!!
I LOVE YOU!
mommy

Gotcha Day

I tried to add pictures but it didn't work! I will try again later.

Sarah,
Your first birthday came up on us so quickly. Your dad and I went to get you on May 21st 2005 and you were almost 11 months old. You were placed in our arms on May 23rd and we call this Gotcha Day! It is the day we became a family forever. When the ladies handed you to me, you wouldn't touch anything. You kept your arms up and out but you looked at everything around you. You didn't cry either. You kept watching your mom and dad and trying to figure out what was going on. We couldn't believe how beautiful you were. You had a little yellow dress and socks pulled up to your knees. I fell in love with you that very moment.
I was very nervous to meet you. "What if all you did was cry and what if you didn't want to be with us?" These were questions I was asking myself. I held you while your dad took pictures. He was a little teary eyed and almost speechless.
You fell asleep in my arms on the way back to the hotel. I knew then I wasn't ever going to let you go. All the plans I had made for us (reading together, playing together...) came at me and more. Back at the hotel, we had to have a family picture taken and you had to be awake. You were very hard to get awake and Peter had to put cold water on you to wake you. You were very mad and our first family photo is very ugly. You had a sour look on your face. Boy what fun the was. You didn't cry at all that first day and so your dad and I only fed you once more the first day. As I found out the next morning, that wasn't enough and you were not going to cry at all. Your diaper was dry and you drank the bottle in about 1/2 a minute. I really thought you were going to cry for food but that wasn't going to happen.
You were so little and under developed that you had a hard time sitting up by yourself. Your daddy and I worked everyday with you to strengthen your legs and arms and head muscles. Our 3rd or 4th day together you were beginning to hold your head up while on your tummy and you were laughing a great deal. The crib in our room must have reminded you of the orphanage so you wouldn't get in. You slept with your daddy in his bed every night. (I think that was your daddy's favorite time with you). He got you all to himself. Most of our days in Nanning were spent playing, eating and sleeping. You had never had a spoon in your mouth so that was one more challenge we had to overcome. Your loved your bottles but weren't too interested in anything else. I started giving you congee (rice soup). You would spit out the rice and drink the liquid. In the mornings after breakfast, the other girls would come over to our room and have playtime. It was fun to see the other girls with their mommies. Only one was having trouble bonding and that was Kristen.
While in Nanning, we went to the park one day and walked to an Internet cafe one day and the bowling alley another. We only ate outside the hotel once and that was for Dim Sum. (It is very different in China)
Your first plane ride wasn't so good. Your stomach was very hard and you hadn't really pooped so I don't think you were to happy. You cried most of the plane ride and it made me very sad and nervous. Once we landed in Guanghou, you fell asleep and life was better. We had to go to Guanghou to get your visa so you could go home. After a trip to the local hospital for all the girls to get checked out, we checked into the White Swan and made our home for one more week. I think we talked to Aunt Marcy at least once a day. She couldn't wait to get her mitts on you!!