Promised Pics of Little - Life with Cate

Birthday Spaghetti Face

 Biggest present she ever did see

Cate loves beans

Blueberries too

Cate's very own kid drawer

 Favorite pic from first few minutes we were home

 Sleeping soundly

 Nap time

 Wondering what a window screen is at Colleen's

Toilet paper party

Ooops !

Swimming Days

Baby in a wine box... hmmm

Little tear on the playground

Daddy fixed it ! All better now

She is a foodie

Ice cream with big brother. Check out her hair and his knees.

Sleeping 

Filling her brother pants

Hike with big brother Wyatt

Big brother 

Skater Baby

Loves the melon

Happy on a road trip to Tetons

Bath time in the kitchen sink

Do these stripes make my but look big?

Brothers took her for a walk in this get up.... just saying

Too much playing makes for sleeping out back in Wyatt's lap

Playing a game with her Daddy

On a walk with Wenda

Meeting Angel 

She loves my backpack, she looks like a teenage mutant turtle running around.

On the deck, chilling with my brothers

Update on Cate

Just to let everyone know that we had our final appointment for Cate. My fellow adoptive mama, Val called in a favor and we were squeeeeeezeeeeedddd in for an appointment with one of Salt Lake City's best pediatric cardiologist. Val said she had to offer up a free veterinary check up to the cardiologists new kitty in exchange for the appointment. Val is a great friend, veterinarian and mother of two beautiful girls who are also from China. Thank You Val.

After seeing every kind of doctor a two year old could see we officially have a clean bill of health for sweet Cate. Our children's hospital is top notch and David and I have feel like every member of Cate's  medical team truly cares about her. Cate still receives occupational therapies 2 x's per month and is progressing well. Carrie is her therapist and Cate just loves when she comes to the house. David loves his days with Cate, daddies really know how to play with children. Thank you David for not bothering to do her breakfast dishes or put her sweater away. Every time I come home from work after a Daddy day I am blessed to know that she was loved and played with so why care about the dried up oatmeal. You are a wonderful father.

Today is three months with Cate and our lives feel more blessed than we could  have ever imagined. As I type this John David brought me "little" and she sits in my lap leaning into me as if we have been together forever.  She is  child of God, an orphan no more.  We have made a solemn vow to raise her in the light and love of God.  

Shell is here

My sweet cousin Michelle came to Utah this weekend to meet Cate. Shell and I grew up more like sisters than cousins and have had a wonderful two days. I am so blessed to have Michelle in my life and to welcome Cate into our wonderful, disjointed family. We did nothing extraordinary these last two days, yet the weekend feels like it was so full of moments to seize and cherish.  Is it true to seize the moment or is each moment in our life already seized as long as we are living, growing, loving and sharing ?

I am off to bed, feeling grateful for David, my loving husband (who puts up with me through thick and thin), stuff he just doesn't t get, and the morning hugs he always remembers.You are my rock, my launching pad and my dream maker , thankful for my boys and the people that afford me the opportunity to live life to the fullest. My heart is full of hope for a little girl who is sleeping upstairs with someone she will grow  up to know as her Aunt Michelle, because our mom's believed in life together as a family.  I am also so amazed what 80 days of love can do,  Cate was grooving to Michael Jackson all alone tonight in the kitchen.... Michelle ????? I  am also thinking of all the children left behind because they are forgotten and can slip through the cracks, just like kiddos here. They are human beings, living in the shadows, people, helpless little people. At 3 or 4 years old how do have the ability to advocate for yourself?  You don't, so you hope (I guess) that someone does because you are a little person living in a institution losing 25% of your cognitive ability and motor skills every 4 months that you are stuck. I watch as Cate skyrockets, she is learning to navigate a world at lightening speed. Oh what love can do , may God's grace find the children left behind homes and forever families. Lots of pics to post tomorrow. Plus, Michelle has video of little Cate dancing.

I am truly surprised that she knows at such a young age who is safe and warm and who will naturally be a part of "her" tribe.  she will gravitate toward these people,  there is no fooling this girl, she knows who belongs in the tribe. Sweet simple Cate, loving, kind, generous,  way beyond her years, she is a firecracker and knows how to give and receive love - spectacular sight for anyone who has not witnessed a Cate day or dinner party.


We  (Michelle and I)  shared with Cate a few words of wisdom and popular phrases our mothers used  from our childhood that are still definitely quite useful and unbelievably still applicable after 40 some years.  Hey,  a splinter is a splinter and it's gotta come out. We are happy share our tidbits if you just ask.... too funny. Our mothers were characters, a set, a pair, a twosome most of the time. So our childhood was an adventure, that now provides lots of tugs at the ol' heart and fond memories. I won't lie there is also the comic relief side of childhood that makes us belly laugh. Some of the memories are shared and some are mixed up and a few will never be fully understood. When you put in all on the table I cant help but see my mom in me and how I parent. Michelle thank you for growing up and old with me, you are in my heart.

Good night our sweet Cate and to all your buddies still left behind. Good night Rubie, we are thinking of you. Love to everyone and a heartfelt thanks to Michelle for a weekend that was as much about our childhood and the ties that bind, as it was about little Miss Cate getting to know her family. Thank you, Nan, you are missed.

Cate's birthday and highlights from the last month

Cate turned 2 last on the 20th of August. We don't know  time she was born or even the location, we are not sure it's even her birthday. We woke up and I commented that it did not feel like a birth day, next year I am sure it will feel like more a a birthday. She has been with us just 75 days, 75 wonderful days but none  the less, 75 days total. Plus  she is not old enough to know what a birthday means. We did not have plans for a party because she would be overwhelmed. So what do you do when you don't know what to do ? You make spaghetti and see how the day unfolds. Colleen and Tom happened to be home so they came to dinner, Pam and Willy we able to come too,  and it felt absolutely perfect. No hoopla, just a spaghetti dinner with some of our closest friends in honor of our little girl turning 2. She was super impressed with the spaghetti and loved the very simple gifts, wooden blocks, balls and  2 cars. It was a great evening and in the end it felt like her birthday even though we were missing an important member of the family, our oldest,John David upstairs in bed.

He has been under the weather off and on for over 2 weeks. He is such a trooper, he doesn't often get sick and I knew he wasn't feeling well, but when he came to me and said "Mom, I think I need to go to the hospital" Since I had an early appt, scheduled that I could not miss  Wyatt (with the help of a neighbor changing a diaper) kept Cate till I returned. As soon as I returned we went to the pediatrician office, who said go to the hospital for labs, thinking he would get it back by the end of day. I had to go up to the hospital to drop of samples of Cate's xxxx since she was diagnosed with a parasitic infection the week before. The samples were an almost daily journey, as was the TB test that needed  to be read on a friday, but the tech told me to come back by Sat to have her arm read for a rash indicating a positive result, she had no rash. when I arrived at the hospital early Sat only to find  out the main lab is closed and only the inpatient lab is open, so they were helpful and dug up her records, only to find out the window to document results had passed, 11 hours too late, funny thing we had her there during the right timeframe, but she stayed outside to play with David while I did the daily drop of the xxxx sample for the parasite in her tummy. Come Monday she would be poked again. By this time John David is worse, he is not drinking or able to eat. After coming home from the hospital for his labs and Cate's drop off and I put him to bed only to realize the ceiling in the kitchen is leaking from the bathroom above. Still no results for John David's blood draw so no treatment plan in place other than keep him in bed and hydrated. Weekend goes by, he sleeps and sleeps. Monday afternoon we get the results he has concurrent cases mononucleosis and  viral tonsillitis. Our wonderful pediatrician also says he is severely dehydrated and blood counts are low, he needs to get to the ER. I am at work when I get the phone call so within 2 hours I have him, Cate and a fully loaded diaper bag in tow headed to Primary Children's. Immediately he is given IV fluids and steroids, worse case the doctor has ever seen, his throat is so raw it looks black in color and his tonsils are touching. 6 1/2 hours there and he's feeling better. He has been sick for over 3 weeks now, 2 trips to the pediatrician, 2 trips to the ER, sleeping marathons and lots of ice cream. Im happy to report he is doing much better and his new high school has been very accommodating during his first  week at school. He has a modified plan in place for the next six weeks and he will be able to self regulate his school days and assignments.
I will add pictures and more updates later today.

See Cate Go

Again, it strikes me in such an odd way how it feels as though she has always been here and then again it is as though it is still brand new. Adoption gives such a different perspective to look through it really is one of the more difficult things you will do in your life. As a family we are forever changed and our lives will be enriched because of it.

Cate had done very well after her procedure and seems to be hearing us better , it's hard to know due to her age and of course the language difference. We will visit the ENT mid August and she will go through another battery of test. We have an appointment set up with an organization locally called DDI Vantage who will come into our home and do an extensive assessment on Cate's developmental delays and formulate a plan specific to her needs. One more new doctor, possibly two and we should have a big picture of her overall health, she will see the International Infectious Disease part of her team and they may or may not get her EEG done at that appointment. If not then she will see her pediatric cardiologist for that due to her diagnosis as an infant of having a PDA. We are hoping the PDA has self resolved.

Today we are going to take a short road trip to the Tetons and stay with some wonderful friends of ours for the weekend. We have been sticking close to home as Cate settles in and establishes her routine and learns about her environment. A quick break does the body and soul good, so I am hopeful we have a great first get away as a family. We are also looking forward to a visit from the Corley's before the start of school and, my cousin (feels like a sister)  Michelle and her daughter Ellen are planning on a weekend the beginning of September. John and Mitzie will come to Utah for a visit later that same month.

Here are some of the latest pics of Cate and a video of her dancing in the kitchen.

On  a walk with Wyatt

Too cute

Figuring out how to eat a pickle 

Watermelon has turned out be a favorite

More of those beautiful beans, she loves 'em

A bunch of blueberries in the morning sunshine

Cate's own "kid drawer" she goes through it several times a day

Monday's are BIG BIG Days

As you travel through the world of adoption you meet people you click with, people you stay in contact with from your Gotcha Day (The day you get your child at the civil affairs office in China. With very few exceptions everyone is the Chinese adoption world everyone get their child on Monday. Well today joyful, because a person we click with Jill G got her Isabelle, and the pictures made me tear up just a little. Jill is on the same track just a few weeks behind, she also has been brave enough to take her two of her bio children to China, they are older kids but still kids. Her husband is leaving in just a few days because of work and she will be there on her own with 3 kids, one she just meet this morning. Isabelle is Cate's age and they were buddies at the orphanage. It is our hope to keep the girls in touch. Through faith adoptive families families take a leap than is unimaginable by most people. Adopting a child you have never held is to truly put all your trust in God. I recall going through our process and worrying about so many things. I felt the need to talk to a fellow adoptive family from church. During our conversation we discussed many things but the one piece that stayed with me as I walked away was "Trust in God, he will hold you up when it's too much, he will guide you when you are lost, turn it over to God as you take this journey. I came home and prayed for love and guidance as I answered the call to leave no orphan behind and my prayers were answered. I felt relief after turning it over to God, knowing he would provide exactly what I needed.

Also today was a great day because I finally heard from Lucy,  she has been busy bonding with her sweet Tori also from Cate's orphanage. Lucy is doing great, we were getting a little worried because of the typhoon and all the stressful things that can happen with a new child, but everyone is safe and sound. The photos of Tori with Lucy are just beautiful, you can tell Tori feels safe.

Thats it for now, I will post later about the adventures of Cate as she recoups from her surgery. Although it was a simple procedure it's tough on a little one. More later......

Big Day for Cate

We found out Tuesday that Cate does not hear us very well, she has quite a bit of fluid trapped in her ear. This problem is not uncommon in cleft lip / cleft palate children. It is a result of being unable to clear the naturally occurring fluid in our ears, sinus, etc. Cate has a lack of the muscle movement needed to accomplish this due to her palate being open since birth.  We are getting ready for a 630 show at Primary Children's Hospital and 800 o'clock surgery. The surgery should be very quick. She will be groggy today and hopefully home some time this afternoon.

Nice Surprise! Last night John David and I decided to take Cate to a Vinto, a local pizza, pasta joint that's walkable from our house. This was actually her first time to go out to dinner. Shortly after we were seated in walks David, he decided not to play hockey after all and joined us for dinner. Very nice surprise for everyone, it was really touching to see John David and David sharing an evening together while I showed Cate how to eat spaghetti and meatballs.

Hoping all of our adoption community friends,  who are getting to know their children this week in China are settling in and enjoying the process of their new little ones.