Our trip to the State Fair

On Monday we made our annual trip to the State Fair and fun was had by all. G and Grammy did the rides, Baby K and I just hung out, and Ddaddy and R just followed us around.

The trip to the State Fair is that one day when all nutritional limitations are off-we ate fried candy bars, fried donuts, cotton candy, roasted candied nuts, corn dogs, ginger beer (soda). Lest you think that we didn't have anything nutritional to eat, we did follow all that up with BBQ and chicken for dinner.

The fair moved to it's new location this year which actually put it a little closer to us-a little less of a driving distance but the new space is much bigger than the old one so there was more space to walk. If you are thinking about going, wear your walking shoes and take a stroller for the kids (and maybe for the big people if you have one :-)


Baby K and I hanging out


G and Grammy


Ddaddy and R


G and Grammy take the bumper cars by storm


G and Ddaddy try out the tractors

Second opinion from the dentist

Yesterday R and I took G to see another dentist for a second opinion. It seems the first dentist was pretty much on target-she is going to need two pulpectomies (root canals), 2 crowns, and has 6 cavities. We're still befuddled over how we could have not known any of this until last month. It really makes you think twice about our family dentist-how could they not have seen even the slightest bit of this?

This dentist also recommended anesthesia and R and I both agree since it involves the root canals and the crowns. It's also supposed to be a 2 hour procedure so even though nitrous oxide (sp?) is an option, the dentist doesn't feel like she would be "under enough" to remain completely still for that long.

All three of us liked this dentist's chairside manner-nice guy, took time to explain and answer all questions, at times spoke directly to G, and his kids go to G's school. His son had Mrs. Copeland for kindergarten last year so knowing that was a big hit for G.

The anesthesiologist comes from Fairfax and only comes once a month so we went ahead and scheduled for the next visit-October 27th. We have our fingers crossed that the two bad teeth will hold out until them. I'll keep everyone posted, but please keep G in your prayers.

Baby K's Welcome Home Party

Yesterday we had Baby K's welcome home party. Actually it was a celebration of her Marshallese culture. We had Marshallese food, music and I set out the handicrafts that we had bought while were in the Marshall Islands.

Enjoy the slide show.

G's penguin has been turned around

I knew it had to happen eventually and I'm actually surprised that it didn't happen sooner. In G's kindergarten class each student has a penguin with their name on it. (They actually wore them as name tags for the first week of school.)

From what I can gather from G, they are now hung on a board, and each time someone gets in trouble the penguin is turned around to face backward.

On the way to school today, G casually mentions that "her penguin got turned around like Jake's cousin but she didn't cry." I had to prompt her for the details but it seems she was talking when she was standing in line and so she and at least one other child had their penguin turned around and they lost 1 minute of their recess time.

I'm not sure how I feel about this. First, I'm surprised that she waited a couple of days to mention it and second, she was pretty relaxed when she relayed the story. I had expected that she would be in tears the first time she got spoken to in school. I'm not sure if I should be alarmed that she wasn't upset or happy that she's so comfortable with her class and teacher.

Time will tell......

Just moving along....

Time is just moving along. G is starting her fourth week of school and Baby K, well, she just continues to grow. Last week she did her first roll from tummy to back and so I excitedly called R and G to come see her latest trick but there was to be no repeat. We've also moved on from cereal to veggies-she loves sweet potatoes! I've got my fingers crossed that she likes the green vegetables as well.

Last week we took G to the dentist because there was a pesky looking spot on one of her molars. This was not our regular dentist but a pediatric dentist. We've been going to our family dentist since G was approx. 2 1/2 and getting her comfortable with the chair and the cleaning procedures but this was the first time that she actually had xrays. I can not tell you how surprised I was to learn that she needs two crowns and has eight cavities-this is all in a little mouth that brushes twice a day and has never drank fruit juice or soda. Because there is so much work to be done, it requires that G be put under anesthesia. R and I are looking to get a second opinion this week. Anyone out there with a recommendation?

This coming week is Baby K's welcome home party. We're looking forward to sharing a time of Marshallese food and music with our family and friends. I was hoping the girls and I could wear our guams and flip flops but I'll have to keep my fingers crossed that the weather holds out!

Thanks Aunt M for sending the pics below-


Guess what Baby K is going to be for Halloween?


Cousin RJ and Baby K


Uncle R and Baby K

It's all good-

Sometimes it is easy to forget that life is just good-too much news talking about the economy and the war, and it's easy to get depressed.

After a rain storm the other day, I happened to catch this picture of two rainbows. First time in my entire life that I can recall seeing two rainbows at one time. The one on the left was a little hard to make out but the colors were so vivid on the second one.

It's moments like these that make me remember that it's all good-we just have to make the time to slow down and enjoy it.



Speaking of all good-I took Baby K to get her 4 month immunizations and to have the first exam by our pediatrician, and surprise, surprise, she's grown. You may remember that I took her to the International Adoption Clinic at UVA a couple of weeks ago and she weighed 14lbs 8 oz. Amazingly, only two weeks later, she now weighs 15 lbs 12 oz. At this rate, she is going to be out of the next size clothing before we get a chance to wear any of it.

Now that she is almost 5 months old (where has that little tiny 10 week old baby gone?) the doctor said she is ready to start cereal and in a couple of weeks she can start first foods. Here's a couple of pics from our first rice cereal feeding adventure-


Big Sis and Little Sis


The cereal was a success!

G has been such a big help with her sister but the other day she mentioned that "we don't get to spend any time alone together". And she is right-I've been so wrapped up in getting settled in, getting school going, and just holding it all together that I've overlooked the time together that G and I used to spend alone. So after school today we had a little mini "girl's day out". Baby K was at Grammy's and so after I got off work I picked G up from school (which is still going very well) and we went to the movies. It cost $19 for two tickets to go to an afternoon show because it was in 3D. For that price, I could have waited until it came out on DVD and bought it.

But back to my original train of thought on this-it had been a long time since G and I had done something with just the two of us-it was nice. It made me realize that my big girl and I need to have a "girl's day out" on a regular basis.