Picture Of The Day

This is the opposite of a picture of health:

We have all been sick here for several days.  And by sick I mean really sick as in not getting out of bed, not eating, not wanting to even move.  We are better now, but still far from well.  I'll write more about it all when I can.

Christmas In Armenia

Armenians celebrate Christmas on January 6.

As much as possible, I try to incorporate my children's birth cultures into our daily lives, so on Friday I sent a little Christmas treat to school with Rex.  Each of his friends got a strip of apricot fruit leather with a little note to explain:

Merry Christmas to our wonderful friends in Yerevan and Merry Christmas to you, son, again.

Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free

There is a lot of information out there about the effects of diet on behavior and the ability to learn, especially for children with developmental disabilities.  Of course, it would be too easy if everyone was in agreement on the subject and families could decisively move forward based on solid research.  As it is, the scientific community and parents are divided on the issue and people are left to figure things out on their own.

I have been considering a gluten-free, dairy-free diet for Rex for quite some time.  I have thought about this idea with a lot of trepidation because Rex is a lover of all things carbs (read gluten) and many things dairy (yogurt, cheese, icecream, etc.).  In fact, these two food groups have been the staples of his daily meals since he refuses almost all meat along with almost all fresh fruit and vegetables.  How would I ever be able to keep him fed if I took away his favorites?

After some discussion, Craig and I decided to go all in and give the gluten-free, dairy-free diet a try for Rex for one week.  We knew that his nutritional intake already wasn't balanced, so we figured we could not make it worse.  I did some reading and then headed to Whole Foods to stock up on supplies for Rex for seven days, the first four of which he would be spending at home with us on break from school.

And so Rex ate:

12/29/12

Van’s Waffles with Earth Balance spread and maple syrup

Rudy’s gluten-free multi-grain bread with peanut butter and jelly

Roasted red potatoes and green beans, pureed with vegetable broth

12/30/12

Van’s Waffles with Earth Balance spread, banana slices, and maple syrup

Roasted almonds, lightly salted

Gluten-free Food For Life English muffin with vegan cream cheese (chive and garlic flavor)

Amande cherry-flavored almond yogurt

Baked sweet potato with Earth Balance spread and brown sugar

12/31/12

Rudy's bread, toasted, with Earth Balance spread and 4 oz homemade fresh fruit smoothie
Homemade dairy-free, gluten-free pancakes with applesauce and peanut butter
Amande peach-flavored almond yogurt
Banana and avocado, mashed
Kettle brand sea salt potato chips

01/01/13

Van's Blueberry Waffles with Earth Balance spread and maple syrup
Roasted almonds, lightly salted
Homemade gluten-free, dairy-free English muffin pizza
Amande coconut-flavored almond yogurt
Homemade gluten-free, dairy-free cornbread with Earth Balance spread

01/02/13

Rudy's bread, toasted, with Earth Balance Spread and cinnamon
Honey-nut Chex
Rudy's bread with vegan cream cheese, banana, applesauce, Amande cherry almond yogurt
Roasted almonds, lightly salted, GFDF chocolate chip cookies
Homemade pumpkin tomato soup with crushed tortilla chips

01/03/13

Van's Blueberry waffles with applesauce, maple syrup and Earth Balance spread
Rudy's bread with peanut butter and jelly and Kettle brand potato chips
Honey-nut Chex
Leftover pumpkin tomato soup with tortilla chips
Vanilla icecream made from almond milk

01/04/13

Rudy's bread, toasted, with Earth Balance spread and cinnamon
Honey-nut Chex
Rudy's bread with vegan cream cheese and applesauce
Roasted almonds and Kettle brand potato chips
Avocado and banana, mashed

We really did not expect to see improvements in Rex's behavior or focus during this week, but rather looked at it as an experiment to test if he would even be willing to eat such a restricted diet.  We were immensely surprised when within 24 hours, Rex seemed calmer and more easy-going (despite a double ear infection).  He responded better to directions, spent more time self-entertaining, and was more patient when learning.  For example, Rex got tall stacker pegs for Christmas and while I knew he could stack them from a fine motor perspective, he simply could not pay enough attention when we showed him how, so he was instantly frustrated when the pegs did not work for him.  Two days into the diet, I picked up two pegs, showed Rex how to connect them once, and he immediately proceeded to build a tower made of seven pegs.  He continued to play with it for about 30 minutes and every time the tower fell apart diligently put it back together, giggling throughout.

We were also surprised by the fact that Rex seemed to take to the new foods very easily.  He switched to the almond yogurt without even blinking (and oh boy was I ever worried about taking away his Stonyfield) and even ate foods he's never accepted before (green beans, Chex) as well as enjoyed foods again that he had turned down for months (sweet potatoes, soup).

Once Rex went back to school, we asked his therapists to pay special attention not only to his diet (they serve snacks at school), but also to his behavior.  Each day his report from school noted that he was in a great mood, laughing a lot, and very attentive for therapy.  He was more communicative in speech therapy than he had been in weeks and performed almost everything that was asked of him in OT without any help.

Of course, we realize that all of this could still be a complete coincidence, but we have decided to keep going with the diet for now.  It will be tough as it is expensive and the products are not easily available without making an hour round-trip to Whole Foods, not counting the time to actually shop.  We will also need to add a calcium and vitamin D supplement for Rex.  However, Rex's well-being is worth it and we are committed to doing what's best for him.

The Great Tree Experiment Of 2012

As some of you may remember, last year we did not put up a Christmas tree.   We were in agreement that a tree would be too dangerous for our children who had only been home briefly and would likely be the source of a lot of reprimands toward them rather than inspire wonder and joy.  It was a great decision by which we still stand in hindsight.

We hadn’t made up our minds yet about how to decorate for the 2012 holidays until the Christmas trees started showing up in stores (you know, right after Halloween – grrr).  That’s when we realized that both of our children were mesmerized by them, so we knew we had to do something.  The plan was to protect the fancy and more expensive Christmas tree we own and buy a cheap one instead.  We were on the hunt for it when our friends, Nate and Whitney, mentioned that they were going to throw out an old six foot Christmas tree.  I quickly asked if we could have it and they said, “Come and get it.”  Several days later, we picked it up in a big box that held not only the tree, but also a bunch or decorations.  Thanks, Nate and Whitney, for giving our kiddos their first Christmas tree.

Once we had the tree home, we knew we had to phase it in slowly.  First, we simply put it up in the living room.  Both kids took note, gave it a few timid touches, but otherwise ignored it.  Hmm, not what we were expecting.  A few days later, we decided it was time to turn on the lights and anticipated a big reaction from that moment as well.  Again, we were wrong.  The kids took a few seconds to acknowledge and admire and then went on their merry way.  Maybe this whole thing would be easier than we thought.  It didn't take long, however, until the tides started to turn.  Rex overcame his disgust with the sensory input from the needles and pulled the tree down on himself several times.  Unfortunately, he thought this was incredibly funny.  Emilia decided that the best place to play might be the corner right behind the tree, so there was a small collection of toys accumulating there.

Finally, Craig and I decorated our tree.  We did not use any of our fragile ornaments.  I specifically went through our Christmas boxes and pulled out only what cannot break: wooden, metal, and straw ornaments.  I also made a popcorn chain which led my nephews to want to eat popcorn from the tree every time they visited. 

At the top of the tree, I put all the symbolic ornaments.  The dove for peace everywhere, the mittens for winter, the hearts for love, the angels for our children, and the pomegranate to represent Armenia.  Next year, we will have an ornament from Bulgaria as well. I made the tree topper, a simple bird house that says Martini.

Over the December weeks, our tree was toppled by Rex at least a dozen times.  After the first few I stopped rearranging the ornaments once the tree was upright again.  At some point one of the falls made the lights in the upper third of the tree go out and we could not get them back on.  Really, for most of the month our tree looked like it was hit by a minor windstorm.  But you know what, we had a tree and it was pretty in reflecting what our family is all about right now.


Our 2012 tree was unlike anything our home has seen since we got married.  Usually we have silver, white, purple and blue glass ornaments.  We have icicles and snow.  We never have a tree topper either on our normally very sparkly and elegant, slender tree.   In 2012, we had reds and naturals on a wide tree and a very rustic, traditional, topsy-turvy feel.  As always, I was reminded that we are in a certain season of our lives right now and that things are just as they are meant to be.

IAC 237 & 238 Results

The following referrals were issued in IAC Session 237 which was held on November 20, 2012:

1) Greek dossier from September 2008 referred a female child aged 1 year and 9 months with features in health status

2) US dossier from August 2009 referred a female child aged 2 years and 8 months

3) German dossier from August 2009 referred a female child aged 2 years and 9 months

4) French dossier from September 2009 referred a female child aged 4 years

5) French dossier from October 2009 referred a female child aged 3 years and 8 months with features in health status

6) Spanish dossier from October 2009 referred a female child aged 2 years and 9 months

7) Spanish dossier from October 2009 referred a female child aged 4 years and 3 months with features in health status

8) German dossier from October 2009 referred a female child aged 2 years and 6 months

9) Spanish dossier from October 2009 referred a male child aged 2 years and 10 months with features in health status

10) German dossier from November 2009 referred a male child aged 1 year and 9 months with features in health status

11) US dossier from November 2009 referred twin sisters aged 2 years and 7 months

12) US dossier from February 2010 referred a male child aged 1 year and 7 months

13) French dossier from May 2010 referred two male children aged 5 years and 5 months & 6 years and 7 months with features in health status and family history

14) Danish dossier from March 2011 referred a male child aged 3 years with features in health status

15) US dossier from September 2012 referred a female child aged 2 years and 1 month with features in health status

16) US dossier from November 2012 referred three waiting children (#1845 & #1846 & #1847) with profiles on the MOJ site

17) US dossier from November 2012 referred three waiting children (#787 & #1812 & #1659) with profiles on the MOJ site

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The following referrals were issued in IAC Session 238 which was held on November 27, 2012:

1) Greek dossier from July 2008 referred a female child aged 2 years and 3 months with a family history

2) Italian dossier from November 2009 referred a male child aged 5 years and 10 months

3) Italian dossier from December 2009 referred a female child aged 6 years and 3 months with features in health status

4) Danish dossier from May 2010 referred a female child aged 3 years and 11 months with features in health status

5) French dossier from June 2010 referred a female child aged 3 years and 7 months with features in health status

6) Italian dossier from June 2011 referred a male child aged 8 years

7) Italian dossier from November 2012 referred a male child aged 9 years and 10 months with features in health status

8) US dossier from November 2012 referred a waiting child (#1841) with a profile on the MOJ site

9) US dossier from November 2012 referred a waiting child (#1879) with a profile on the MOJ site

10) US dossier from November 2012 referred a waiting child (#1372) with a profile on the MOJ site

11) French dossier from November 2012 referred a waiting child (#1638) with a profile on the MOJ site

End Of The Year In Pictures

The holidays are over.  Here are a few final photos from 2012.

Christmas morning - our Bulgarian angel

Christmas morning - our Armenian angel

Enjoying their Christmas present from Oma

Thank you, Oma

Holiday yawn - Is anyone else tired, too?

First ever snowman for the kids

Thanks to Cousins Bryan and Maria for the snowman kit

Pay It Forward 2013

I have been thinking for a while about how we could pay forward all the kindness that was extended to us throughout our adoption journey and since our children have come home.  It has certainly not been an easy four years, but family and friends, old and new, near and far, have helped us through.

Craig and I decided that one way to pay it forward is to participate in the fundraisers of others, whether they be for orphanages, waiting children, or for adopting families.  We have set aside $365 to distribute throughout the year for this purpose.  I know it's not much, just $1 a day, to express our gratitude and remind ourselves of our own blessings.

So, if you have a fundraiser going on that you would like us to consider, just send me an email or leave a comment on whatever the most recent entry to our blog is at the time and we'll take a look at your cause.  I will try to donate about $30 per month and if I have time, let you know how the money was spent.

Happy New Year to everyone!