Join us in the adventures of our family, with our Belarussian Prince, Guatemalan Princessa and Ukrainian Princesses!


Friday, July 31, 2009

Singing in the Rain!!!





Danny stayed out even when the rain picked up :)

They both had SO much fun!!

Oh my gosh she is getting SO big! :(


Can't believe school will be starting in two weeks!!!!!

Friday, July 24, 2009

Seconds!!

Peek a boo!


A recommendation from the headmaster from Danny's school was to remove his training wheels so he can feel his balance better:


Woo Hoo!!


We had a GREAT sit down with the head master at school to go over his progress with his tutoring and his neuro classes. They have seen such an improvement in his scores in just the month that he has been doing it :) We talked quite a bit about his behaviors and how he has regressed in this past month. Turns out it is easily explained by his testing. He has gone from a 2 digit to a 3 digit already. Which is why we are going through the terrible 2's and 3's lately :)
It also helps us understand why he has such a hard time with his memory and logic. He just does not understand abstract words, like good, bad, safe, not safe, hurt, sad etc. He does not understand that he can not play rough with her or the dogs.
She gave us some great pointers in how to deal with him to help him through this period. This whole process is to help Danny through the processes that he should have gone through but never did because of his developmental delays and orphanage delays. With his testing it is amazing he has learned the phonics that he has. We hope to have him up to a 4 digit by start of school. Now we know why he and Victoria get along so well. :) :)
The really great thing is the head master will be his teacher for 1st grade!!
Thank heavens we have the opportunity to go through this program with Danny!
Can't believe school starts in 3 1/2 weeks!! Both kids are so ready :)

I also had an appointment today with another orthopedic Dr. I wanted to get a second opinion and boy am I glad!!! He agrees that I will need a total hip replacement, BUT he does not want to do it at my YOUNG age :). I am scheduled for a hip scope in 2 1/2 weeks. He will arthroscopically remove the bone spurs and reshape my hip joint. He is pretty sure that I will find quite a bit of relief from my pain and increase my range of motion and gain 4-5 years before I have to do the BIG surgery!!
The best part is that it is done at the surgicenter and I go home same day on crutches! Boy I am praying this is the answer!!
If I can gain a couple of years the kids will be older and it will be easier to do then. I hope to lose about 5 more pounds before the surgery. I have not been following my program for the summer, but just maintaining my weight. This will get me back on track :)

Monday, July 20, 2009

Wednesday, July 15, 2009

Monday, July 13, 2009

Summertime fun!

It finally stopped raining so the kids could swim again!!


LOVE this pic!

Thursday, July 9, 2009

Tuesday, July 7, 2009

First trip to the ER

Considering Danny is 7, pretty amazing that this was his first trip to the ER!!
He stepped on a fish hook at camp today. His doctor is out of the country on a mission trip so they told us to go to the ER.

Danny was absolutely amazing! He did not cry at the hospital at all. We did not need to hold him down even when they shot numbing medicine in his foot! The hook was pretty big and the Dr had to use the big cutters. Luckily Danny was on his stomach and could not see what was going on. :)
I was very impressed with the ER, we were in and out in about an hour! and that included an xray.

Danny became a pirate today!!

He is wearing an eye patch for lazy eye 6 hours per day. Even though he is right side dominant he is left eye dominant. Hopefully by patching his strong left eye it will force his weak right eye to strengthen. There is another little girl in camp that is doing the same thing and she is doing so much better. Danny has been having neurological tutoring for the last couple of weeks and his tutor has noticed a huge change in his abilities already! Hopefully patching his eye will help lots too!!

He has been milking his boo boo since he got home, I am sure they will all hear about it at camp tomorrow :)

Sunday, July 5, 2009

Happy 4th!!

We spent the day on Friday the 3rd at the big pool on base.
It was packed, but so much fun :)

They even had a grill so we had lunch there too.

The piece de resistance!


Playing in the little kids wading pool.


Proof of a great time!!


for the 4th we went to the annual block party on our street. Hard to believe we have been here over a year now! Lots of people, lots of food and so much fun!

Danny and his new friend Joseph played with this tube for hours!


Swim with me daddy


Victoria pulling the tube, she swam and swam!!

Everyone kept commenting on what a fish she is.

Danny sliding down the kiddy slide

all the kids were doing this, even the bigger ones :)

The pool was loaded with people:


The little ones loved the slip n slide :)


Action shot:


I just LOVE this photo!! Pure happines :)

Hope everyone had a great 4th!

We had a very laid back sunday, swam in the backyard and chillin'

Hope everyone had a great time!!

Friday, July 3, 2009

Ms V!

Victoria has become an escape artist :) We have to put a gate up on her bedroom door or she comes right out of her room. You might not know this, but there is a very fine line where a gate can be on the doorway :)
Too high and the little bugger slides under, too low and she climbs right over. We took her bigger stuffed animals out of her bedroom and her step stool as she would drag them over to the gate and use them to climb over. We have even heard her yell out "help" and when we got up there she was stuck on top of the gate! :)

What in the world?!?!?!
We found this very early one morning:


This is a first!

Well at least she did not come into our bed and wake us up! When we asked her why she slept on the couch, she said Maggie was lonely :)

Then this happened at nap time:
What is that at the top of the stairs????


You did say nap time :)


what do you mean I have to wear a bathing suit? oh ya? - catch me!!!!!


Alright if I have to wear a bathing suit I will! But I will not be happy about it :)


Good news is that she is loving daycare!! no crying at all :) :)