Crazy Fun with a Pop Up Tent

Brady had a blast-even with Allie screaming 'It's a girl tent, It's a girl tent'. Funny thing is that AnnaClaire loves to wear Brady's camo crocs and Brady loves to wear AnnaClaire's hot pink crocs. I don't think it being a 'girl tent' made one bit of difference to him. He and AnnaClaire giggled and giggled. They are SO brother and sister; playing together happily one minute and fighting the next. The guilt of what bringing another 2 year old into our family might be doing to AnnaClaire is fading. She seems to really love Brady and enjoy his company. He really seems to love her too and loves to give her hugs. It's so sweet (even if she doesn't think so).

Connie, funny that you should mention Brady filling out. When we got home from China, all the 12-18 and 18-24 shorts that I had bought for him fell right off so I went to Target and bought several pairs of their 12 month cargo shorts. Those were still very loose but I thought he'd look like John Stockton if we went to a 6 month size. Today, I was putting a pair of those shorts on him and they were very snug around his waist. I was so surprised. I knew he was getting bigger, but I had no idea that his belly had gotten so big. I am sure that when he is on a liquid diet after his surgery that he'll get back skin and bones and we'll have to fatten him up again.

Oh, and I wanted to share some of the words that Brady is saying:

Light
More
Mama
Dada
Hi
Thank you
Don't want it
Yeah (usually for himself after he has done something he thinks is impressive, complete with clapping)

I think there are more that I am forgetting at the moment, but I am just so proud of him. His surgeon said that with a cleft that wide he would never be able to speak without surgery. Brady's also using several more signs and I don't think there is anything that we say to him anymore that he doesn't understand. It's just amazing to watch as he learns all this so quickly.

My gang

On Monday, we drove to Morristown and met MeeAll and Popaw and their friend Mel for lunch at Cracker Barrel. MeeAll and Popaw let the kids pick out candy when we left. The little ones all had whistle pops. Thank goodness they devoured them before we got in the car for the ride home!

Mama and her ducklings





Popaw and his girl

Trouble disguised as cute X 2

What do you think?

I saw on Tonya's blog that she was Miss Piggy (so not true) and I took the test to see who I am. What do you think?

You Are Animal

A complete lunatic, you're operating on 100% animal instincts. You thrive on uncontrolled energy, and you're downright scary. But you sure can beat a good drum. "Kill! Kill!"

The Muppet Personality Test

Happy Birthday Brandon!

WE LOVE YOU!


little Cam and Bran...awww

A year ago today...

Things were crazy at the Loos household. We were 2 days away from the closing for the house we we moving out of and the house we were building was not yet ready. Ten days earlier God had spoken to me about a child on a WC list. We inquired about this child but were told that he had a family ready to commit. I kept in contact with the WC coordinator asking almost daily if he still had a family. I was sure she would think I was crazy and a huge pain in the butt, but she chose to look at it as passion. A new rule was announced that if your child was in Guangdong the stay in China would be lengthened by a week. I emailed again and asked about this child. I was told that he 'may' be coming available and just in case 'here is his file and an application'. We knew there was going to be a placement committee meeting, but weren't sure what that meant. The evening of the 17th, I received this email...

We would like to officially invite you to become the forever family for DANIEL! We have met as a committee and feel that you have the resources and passion to raise him well. We feel confident that the CCAA will find you suitable to receive a family size waiver and we would like you to send in an LOI on his behalf.


We tried calling you but didn't have a working home phone number and left a voice mail on your cell.


Please let us know that you accept because we have already changed his status on the fotki site so don't make us change it back!!

With hearty congratulations,



Stefani


And so it began, our paperchase to bring home Brady Daniel. Had Jeff and I sat down and rationally discussed adopting again so soon, we both would have agreed that it was not the right time...but God said it was the perfect time. Had Jeff and I 'chosen' a child off a waiting child list, we would have picked a girl...but God said this was the perfect child. Sometimes it's hard to hear God, but He spoke very clearly on this one. Our transition with Brady was very difficult and there were times that I just couldn't understand what God's plan was. Each day I find myself more in love with this little guy and praising God that He once again blessed us with such a precious child. I am so blessed!

We love you Brady Daniel!

My Goofballs (aren't they cute?)

Brady's Surgery (and other rambling)

Brady's surgery is scheduled for August 29th. I am a bit disappointed because I know of kids that came home after him that have already had their surgery, but we'll take what we can get. We have to be at the hospital at 5:00 am for surgery at 8:00 am. The ENT will put tubes in his ears first, which should take about 15 minutes and then the palate repair will start and they estimate it will take about 2 hours. When we went to the ENT appointment on Tuesday, they did some tests where we all had to be very still and very quiet. Brady is neither. Cameron and I sat there in amazement as Brady was a perfect little angel while they did the tests. He was SO GOOD. He let them look in his ears, nose and mouth, stick things in his ears and pretty much poke and prod him and he was as quiet and still as could be.

The big boys are back at their friends' in Knoxville until Monday, so it's just the little ones right now. We went to Golden Corral for dinner last night. Brady didn't do as well as he did at the Chinese Buffet but it wasn't as bad as eating out with him in China. I don't think we are ready for a sit down and order restaurant just yet. We got lots of comments on what a beautiful family that we have and not one 'hands full' comment;)

Brady finally did the sign for 'more' this morning. I have been trying to get him to do it since day one. He was too stubborn and refused to sign it. He even started saying 'more' even though the cleft doctor said that with a palate as wide as Brady's he wouldn't be able to talk. (He also said 'hot' as clear as a bell last night) This morning he had a Gerber Graduate Cereal Bar and then started signing 'more'. I was so proud.

There is a little boy in the neighborhood that has taken up with Allie. We were doing yardwork last weekend so they played together and now he comes over and rings the doorbell all the time wanting her to play. She's just too young to be running all over the neighborhood without an adult so I don't let her go. Yesterday she was upset with me and asked why she couldn't go play. I told her that she was too little to be outside without an adult and she said, 'My boyfriend will take care of me. He won't let anything happen to me.' I said, 'who is your boyfriend?' and she said, 'you know that little boy in the blue shirt?' (referring to the olympic gold winning doorbell ringer) 'he's my boyfriend.' Ugh, I think we are going to have to move. Maybe to a remote island somewhere. With no boys. Except brothers.

Baby Girl in China Needs Surgery NOW!

There is a sweet little one from Allie's orphanage (Yangxi SWI in Guangdong) who is in dire need of heart surgery. She's absolutely adorable and is marked *URGENT* for surgery on the Love Without Boundaries site. Click here if you want to see a picture and consider making a donation. Every little bit helps.

Sand and Water Fun

We finally put together the sand and water table I bought in the spring and it was a huge hit (even with the big kids). The little ones all played together for probably a solid hour before AnnaClaire decided to blow some bubbles. I don't think we have ever had a toy that has kept them entertained for that amount of time. By the end of the afternoon, it was a huge mess. Jeff asked if I was sure it wasn't a sand OR water table. LOL

FYI, AnnaClaire and Allie both picked out their own clothes today:)

 

First Picture as a Family of EIGHT!

 

Fun in the Backyard

Take My Picture!

First Outing With All The Little Ones

Last Saturday, we went to the outlets in Pigeon Forge and then up to the mountains. The kids were all actually pretty good. Yeah! We even ate at a Chinese buffet and it went well. Brady didn't have any meltdowns though he did yell at us whenever one of us was up at the buffet getting food. While at the outlets, we got the question...I knew it would happen someday, but wasn't expecting it the first time that we were all out together...'Are they triplets?' Okay, twins I understand. I myself would probably assume that Brady and AnnaClaire were twins since they are so close in age, but TRIPLETS? Uh...no. I also counted about 50 'You've got your hands full' comments. LOL They don't know the half of it:)



He's supposed to be posing for a group shot:)



Brady's first Krystal...HE LOVED it!