How time flies

Jeez, I can't believe it has been over 2 years since I wrote anything in this blog.
As our family and friends know our trip to China was fantastic. Kaï is a wonderful little boy. We are so blessed in having him in our lives. He has been a joy in our lives. OK big highlights since 2 years ago. We now live in Ottawa. Kaï just finished pre-K in the local catholic school. He is doing wonderful. He is learning to talk everyday there is a new word. his language skills have been evaluated as: understanding=3 1/2yr old and speech=2 1/2. that is amazing when you think he has had a functioning hearing aid for about 2 years now. he goes to speech therapy once a week and has a special aid teacher 4 X /week while in school. now that summer is here he was accepted in a summer school for kids who are anglophones going to a french school or they have never been to a daycare. the teachers have said from the first day that Kaï is a great help. HE knows the routines very well and the younger kids follow him. He is a very serviceable young boy. 2 nights ago he was in bed with me. Daniel went to the casino with his parents and would be in late, so I get to have a quite moment with my child. I was looking at him playing in bed, making his teddy bear talk and I was i awe of having he with us. Fate has brought him in our lives and how happy is he to have a family. How would his live be in China had we not listened to that little voice that said: come and get me ! ?
I call him my shadow, he always needs to have someone close to him, namely me, if I am on the computer he is sitting wither on my lap or behind me. I cherish those moment, even though I feel like I need space sometimes, well that is what you get for being a mother of 4 kids. The other kids are wonderful with him. I call Mia and him my kittens cause they are the same height and they like to romp around and play fight.
I know that no one is going to read this. frankly I forgot about this blog for 2 years.
but hey I feel like I want to finish the chapter about Kaï adoption. A friend from Moncton who decided that adopting from the waiting child program was not such a bad thing after knowing us and Kaï has been referred the file of a 1 1/2 yr old boy who ahs the same condition as Kaï. she contacted me as they only had 1 day to make a decision. I told her how much Kaï is a joy and that if I could do it again, I would. Hearing loss is nothing to ignore, it has it's challenges but nothing is going to stop our child from growing up healthy and having the oppertunity to reach his potential.
So as I close this entry, my heart and thoughts are with Lisa and her family as their adventure is about to start. Our adventure is ongoing and what a ride it is!

less than 4 days to go!

And I finally figured out how to post a photo...all I needed to do was concentrate for a few moments and note the "add a picture" icon...sigh..for such a smart lady, sometimes I amaze myself. (I am shaking my head now,,Ben ben ben ( french for well, well well )) So we are almost packed...gulp there is so much to do, but it will have to remain for the last minute. There is no use for me to pack all the clothes and have the kids play in their luggage. I want to make sure Sébastein and Mia have everything they need when they stay over at Denise's. It is a big relief to know how well they will be there, My mom and my MIL have already stated that they will get the kids and spend time with them. that is really nice. I know Sébastien will be fine, he is such a trooper and he understands. Mia on the other hand, has no concept of what 2 weeks is and I worry that she will be lonesome. She is such a little sweetheart. Denise doen't know what a great little shadow she is about to have. Then again with her own 3 kids at home, she knows all about shadows. OK enough rambling, time to get something done.
Next week at this time I will have Kaï, I hope he will confortable enough with me to let me cuddle him by now.

And here is Kai ( Oct 2006)

Happy Mother's day!

I woke up to the wonderful sounds of the kids in my room and breakfast in bed. what a great way to start the day!
I have been packing a few things. Mostly trying to get organised. I start off with the best of intentions then it kinda goes south and I stuff everything in the bags. I am trying to do better. so up to now I have written everything that is in 1 suitcase so that I know where evereything is. I have calculated that by having 2 suitcases each of a max of 50lbs...hey that is 300 lbs of stuff I can bring! then reality is that it is 300 lbs we have to lug around the airport...and by "we" I do mean Daniel. well that is my vision of things to be. I am so excited, there is only 1 weekend left until we leave! My birthday is in 4 days, and I have to remind myself it is coming, usually I am looking forward to it, but this year it pales in comparison to getting Kaï.
We have not had any more info on him. nothing since last october, it is hard not to imagine all sorts of stuff about him. even thought he had a ball in his hands doesn't mean he is athletic.., ya know that kind of stuff. I look forward to learning who he is. Mia has picked up a lot of sign language words, it is cute to see. She is not too sure that she will like this new addition to the family. mostly it is that she will not be the baby anymore, I think that is the big issue, so I keep repeating to her that she is ot A baby, she is MY baby always and forever, and even when she will have a baby of her own, she will still be my baby, she finds that idea kinda funny.
Sébastien was at the playgound today and he was taking care of this little 3 yr old boy, he turns to me and said: Je me pratique pour être le grand-frère à Kaï. ( translation: I am practicing to be Kaï's big brother ) how cute is that!!

Last piece of the puzzle

We received a call from the province that our "Notice of Coming to CHina AKA Travel approval, aka TA" has arrived! youpee. that means that we could leave tomorrow if we wanted to. But we have to wait until the 26th as our tickets are bought, the hotel is booked and Daniel is all organized at work to leave in 4 weeks. I kinda wished I had gambled with the travel dates, we had the choice of the 5th of may or the 26th. I erred on the side of caution, sigh, there is a reason for everything, but I want my baby now. the days are flying by. I must say we are keeping busy with 3 kids at home. I am packing a few things. I will be a walking pharmacy by the time we get there. I am so afraid one of us will be sick and I won't have the right medication to help. So I would rather have more than enough instead of being up at 3 am with a sick child hoping I had a certain med.

Sebastien is so excited about gbetting a brother, he said today that he will teach Kai to jump really high on the beds...and as soon as he learns it, he will have to learn that you don't jump on the furniture ;-)
Genevieve wants to buy a fan in China with a dragon on it, she wants to give it to Simon, an 7 yr old boy in her class who is her " amoureux" boyfriend. oh my.
Mia is excited but she is not sure she likes the whole concept of not being the baby anymore.

We have LOA !!!

Yahoo, we received a message on the 4th of april fom Geneivève Forest-Allard ( adoption social worker) that our LOA had arrived, I was at wrok and we received the message after closing hours...and then we had to wait 4 whole days before we could get it signed!! It was the Easter Holidays..so on Tuesday April 10th our LOA was signed and returned to her so she could forward it to Bill Innes and then to CHINA!! Zippideedoodha ! Daniel signed his part in a church that was hosting a music festival...Geneviève was scheduled to play the piano in a competiton ( she received 3rd and 2nd place in her categorie..way to go!) I signed my part in the car on the way to the competition.. I was so excited to see this little piece of paper.
I had to go to work for 11am and at 11pm when I was done, Daniel had left me a message to call Yulin. So we set our travel dates already! We will be leaving may 26th, only 6 weeks away!!!! there is so much to do before we go...what do I pack?? I am so thrilled in about 43 days I will have my baby in my arms...Hold on Kaï, your maman is coming!

BONNE FETE KAI!

Ben oui, mon chum a 3 ans aujourd'hui... Que je suis heureuse qu'il granst bien, mais je suis tres triste de manquer cette occasion avec lui, j'étai sûre que nous allions être en Chine pas asteur, au moins avoir notre date de voyage...mais non, rien du tout, je trouve ceci très frustrant. Je sais que Kaï est bien a l'orphélinat ( OK je ne sais pas si il est bien ou non, mais faute de preuve du contraire je choisi de faire confience qu'il est bien et heureux) je me demande s'il regarde les photo que je lui avait envoyé a Noël, si il joue avec le touttou...sigh je m'ennuis de lui. On va faire une petite fête pour Kaï aujourd'hui, je vais prendre plein de photos avec ma nouvelle camera ( yeah airmiles) de cette façon, quand Kaï sera plus grand il verra que même si il n'est pas encore avec nous, il est quand même une grande partie de nos vies.
Je t'aime mon garçon.