Food ~ Glorious Food!

One of the things I was unprepared for was the amount and length of time these guys spend at the table.  I mean I knew that their schedule was 

Wake up ~ eat ~ play ~ snack ~ play ~ lunch ~ play ~ snack ~ tv ~ dinner ~ bed

But that now equates to eat ALL DAY LONG!  It doesn't help that my oh so helpful husband introduced them to kiddie crack ie Frosted Flakes.

FeiFei refuses to eat with chopsticks anymore 

(so glad I bought a bunch of those in China) or eat noodles or rice.

Cav still eats a little blander diet but is now refusing noodles and frankly I suck at rice.  

FeiFei is used to fruits so I try to have a bunch of that around, and I try to offer oatmeal for breakfast instead of the kiddie crack but man if she sees the blue box it's all over!

I am now at the point that I make dinner for everyone else and if our two newbies don't like it they can always have the bowl of noodles (costco) which has been a lifesaver.  It was all Cav ate for the first week (adding some meat).  I don't think he ate many veggies and even lemonade is to "spicy" for him.  

They still mainly just drink water, and are constantly thirsty.

Anyhow, snack #253 was blackberries (thankfully I found on sale!)

Don't mind the Carl's Jr cup it was orthodontist day and not FeiFei's!  

We aren't quite that bad - yet!

Outside Fun!

One thing you have to love about Colorado are the surprise beautiful days - it was 65 degrees today!!  Last day of break and of course I had to kick all of the kids out.  They actually had a blast!

* FeiFei loved the snow
* She figured out quickly snowballs
* Cav actually went in the grass - we have to figure out better pants
* They loved the trampoline, dollhouse and swingset
* They especially loved the hot chocolate surprise when they came in!

I have to admit I was surprised that Cav actually went outside, and didn't freak out at everything.  Just when I think I have this kid figured out he surprises me.

People have asked about FeiFei - she is just - well, she is just family.  She feels like she has been with us forever, Baba adores her and laughs at her dwarf antics.  The only time she is sad is around bedtime and she quickly calms with food, family, fun!  Prayers please as a part of me is waiting for the other shoe to drop and I am wondering if that will be tomorrow when the kids start back to school.

Since I wanted this adventure to be transparent and not all rainbows and lollipops.  Life is rough with Cav.  He is either whining, crying or hitting.  He has no idea how to share and frankly the other kids are about done with him.  I really have not wanted to say it out loud but there you have it.  I think a big part of the issue was that his caretaker was a 20 something year old man who gave into Cav's every whine for the last 2 1/2 months.  I know we have only been home for a short time, and hopefully getting into a routine will help.

We will see how tomorrow goes as little man has kindergarten for 3 hours in the morning and I am a little worried about drop off and pickup and how to juggle everyone.  I think I have figured out all of the carseats and everyones cloths are laid out.  We are notorious for being late so lets hope we get there remotely on time!

Project 365 - 1

I have thought about it in the past, but I can just feel that this year will be full of so many changes and so many new thoughts, I decided to join the project 365 movement.  Simply, it is photographing something in our everyday life, staged, unstaged, but our life, to document the little things that once everything is all said and done become the big things we remember, we miss.

I am not sure if I'll be able to post them everyday, but at the very least once a week, I will share the photos and our life - naked, and pure.

For today I start with - well our everyday adventure, after being home not quite 2 weeks, having survived pneumonia and a terrible GI illness, oh and the holidays - our dishwasher gave up the ship.  DEAD!  My dear husband decided to try and revive the old thing (I must admit much to my chagrin) and this morning I found these on my counter.  It hought they were kind of cool.  They are like a music box, and truthfully the dishwasher brings so much harmony to a house doesn't it!

Cav and I had some much needed alone time and went dishwasher shopping.  We found a great deal in the scratch and dent section and best news of all it can be installed hopefully tomorrow!!

Bath time

I think I have mentioned that we live in Colorado. Well, the severe lack of humidity is playing a number on poor cavanaugh's skin. I am not sure if he is prone to eczema or it is the humidity and food changes. I guess time will tell. Today we went shopping and as the day progressed I noticed his black hair turning greyer & greyer from the little white flakes. Tonight I tried a 2 in 1 baby shampoo but suggestions wold be great. We lotioned up after his bath. The bottom part of his leg that drags is just bright red & chafed. BUT I love bath time and it is proving to help with bonding. He is actually happy and we seem to be able to reach the little boy inside we so want to love. Bubbles, warm water and a washrag!

Oh and bad time for the dishwasher to die so prayers we can get a new one in a reasonable amount of time!

Say it

I have to say I can't believe how easily both our little gems have begun to repeat words after us. For stitch we are working at getting him to at least pick up some words because the whining and crying are just one of the few things that makes this momma CRAZY! Give me a house of loud wild kids over one little whiney one. Ok sorry I digressed. So with the big kids home from school and me being sick they really have had the patience to sit and get the kids to say something in English and then even more importantly purposeful speech. So we have been having them say please or thank you, potty, more, eat you know the basics . . . The kicker - we alsontoldmthem to say it. Yep Stitch belts out clear as day with " say it" to funny!

Guangzhou Marriott

Ok first let me apologize for the pictures but really I just forgot until we were walking out the door.

We had a suite and a regular room across the hall. Now we love the Marriott and if I had had a choice on the number of rooms we could have done all of us in the suite but it did give some room to send children tired of being together in separate rooms (trying to look for a bright side!)

I'll start by saying we arrived at the hotel about 10 pm. I had called earlier in the morning knowing it was a late checking telling them we wanted to use out Marriott points to upgrade. Everyone seemed to speak perfect English and I got a confirmation this was ok. Now leet me tell you we started this journey with an American express card for points but then switched to a Marriott points card this summer once we realized our agency didn't take Amex. I had enough points to pay for he upgrade and probably some nights if they hadn't figured out our itinerary on fri night before we left weds morning. I guess I just didnt have that fight in me.

Anyhow got to the hotel at 10 pm and no they haven't upgraded told us we already paid they can't upgrade us, I was ticked, our new guide thinks I am partially a freak, so we go look at the adjoining rooms. Yeah no way in h@ll can you get two cribs in that room without taking out the desk - which is attached to the wall. So I don't let anyone enter and ask for the manager. I know I have over 100000 Marriott points and when the heck will I is them with 3 kids 5 and under. I ask her where she suggests I put two cribs and this is unacceptable and I called this morning. By now our guide thinks I am a freak and my husband thinks she is going to never talk to us. After some time we get our suite with a room across the hall.

People the difference is HUGE!! Well worth the upgrade and did I mention I am elcheapo on hotel rooms!

BEDS are awesome by china standards. I don't think I could have lasted on another concrete bed. They aren't the usual Marriott soft but the comforter and pillows are.

The suite has a door to the bathroom as the showers and everything are glass.

The 4th floor has a little playroom and then a huge outside area with swingset for the kids to play on it made for a perfect quick one parent adventure.

Breakfast is awesome! We all found items we lived and the pastry chef was awesome. Of course we all loved the French toast and the littles liked the noodles the man made when you first enter. Oh and the bacon yum!! They also have lots of highchairs - stitch says sorry for the plates Marriott.

Pool is also on the 4 th floor but neurotic daddy was so worried someone would get sick - heehee that'll teach him!

There is a street mall on the lobby floor which has a grocery ( didn't use) and Starbucks (fabulous!). If you continue down this little mall and out the doors there is a 7-11 where we got beverages everyday!

We also toured the block ( a big one) and if you continue down the street past the 7-11 you will get to Lola's bakery (you will see a sign across the street for creative hair). It is awesome and we fed the kids several times with the hotdog pastries and the ham and cheese croissants. But ask what's in it because one gorgeous one had fish - so glad I asked! We walked down the street after Lola's and went to the little market for the big bag of sweet rice cookies the kids like and the red milk with the baby on the front Cav came to us drinking.

All the way down the street before you head back towards the Marriott is a tea. House. It was wonderful and they were so kind. We kept emptying the cup and they kept filling (I think I already wrote this post Lol)

Everyone knows the Marriott only as the china hotel. Although it wasn't on the island if you crave soft beds it is worth that alone as I don't think I could have done another week.

ok I think the pictures are going to load
1. Awesome map we found in subway of things around you
2. Play area
3. Suite
4 & 5 regular room
6. Lobby
7. Suite
8. Playground
9 &10 suite
11 bakery sign and street

Sorry they ate so out of order, I'm on my iPad and have to use the blogger app which doesn't do pictures in order

Christmas day

I think I forgot to mention we were blessed with a white Christmas here - almost a foot of pure white snow at our house when we got home. It was all done, the roads were clear and someone had snowplowed our long driveway!

One of the deals with my old slightly Scroogie husbands was that if we were spending most of December in chine he wasn't decorating. Fine, so I went and bought two little trees I had been wanting and some decorations specific for them in the future and decorated a small area in the living room. This was the perfect solution since we figured a live tree would be dead once we got home anyhow. Of course I missed the after Christmas sale for an artificial tree so I guess next year we get another real tree much to my husbands delight - truly!

We felt well enough to wrap the few presents and Some clothes I had bought previously for the kids. I even went as low as wrapping new undies for them - something my husband made me promise never to do since this was all he ever got for Christmas (hmmm might explain the Scroogie disposition but I'm still working on it!). Besides we left a trail of old undies and clothes in china and promised new ones when they got home;0)

The kids loved opening the presents and stitch was awesome at cleaning up - another positive orphanage behavior we like - see they aren't all bad!

****Note- he is 3 1/2 years old and we bought him a remote control car for 3+ years. He had no idea what to do with it. Between illnesses I did get to the store and got him a vtech book for 6-36 months and a car set for 18+ months which was much better. ***

FeiFei got a doll with carriage and bed set which was perfect for her. So sweet to see her love on and nurture the little baby!

I was a little nervous as the family all planned to meet at our house since it is large enough and central. My mom and brother planned and prepared everything. Did I mention that I was sick and went to bed after presents until about 3.

The littles actually did great but I have come to find I already have mommy thought over cav's legs. Yes he very interesting but he is not a science experiment you just come and rip his socks off to look at ( my FIL). He is first and foremost a scared little boy.

It was interesting to see how the effects of daycare (I worked nights for years and not a big daycare proponent- I know a few are good but the majority are not sorry for the soapbox) and orphanage played out over the evening. Let me tell you the daycare won out after I found Cav being strangled by his cousin who he outweighed. It is sad to see the submissiveness he has at times.

We will give him back his confidence I just know slowly but surely. It's definately Like having a new piece of clay to shape just a little until our beautiful boy is one of us.

It is so interesting getting two - one from foster care for 3 years and one from and orphanage to see the differences. FeiFei acts like she has been with us for years, Cav can be down right frustrating to the most patient but he is also the most rewarding.

When we started this process almost a year ago all I prayed for is for our sweet FeiFei to be home for Christmas!