It is about time for an update!

I am a horrible blogger! I admit it and I am sorry. I think back to over a year ago and my daily blogging on trying to bring Joshua home and become ashamed that I have not kept up with it as diligently as before. Then I remind myself it has been a YEAR since Joshua has been home. My lack of blogging is because instead of typing out my feelings and desires to be his mommy, I am living it every single day!! I also remember the tears that would flow in my posts prior to our travel and how emotionally exhausting it was to try and convey how much I wanted to bring him home. I often played this update post out in my head and tried to come up with the words I wanted to say and knew again how emotional it would be. Emotional in an entirely different way.

First I want to update you a bit on Joshua. After being diagnosed with hypothyroidism he was put on synthroid and his levels have been perfect! He is almost 24 lbs and 33 inches long now. He is still a skinny little thing but he eats like a horse. He eats everything and has been doing very well with utensils! Not bad for a boy that once was spoon fed liquids. He had a sleep study done and it was determined that he would stop breathing a couple times an hour. It was decided that they would remove his tonsils and adenoids and put in ear tubes at the same time since he had not passed his hearing test. Earlier this month he had the surgery and breezed through it as well as recovery. He passed his hearing test and is making more effort in vocalizing now. We hope that when early on begins later this month that he will begin working one on one with a speech therapist.

The emotional part now- From the bottom of my heart, I want to thank each and every one of you who supported us on our journey. The intense love that I feel for my son just can't be put in words. Each morning when I go into his room and see his face, my day is complete.. right then and there. No matter what the day holds or brings- his face starting my day makes it all ok. It truly is as if he was born for our family. When I try to convey what he has brought to our family, I just well up and my heart feels like it is going to burst. In two months- Joshua will have been a Warner longer than he was an orphan. In my heart, he has always been mine but it took God opening my eyes and heart to adoption.

I am not sure where this blog is going to go. Truthfully I want to move past our adoption and onto our family life. Specifically life with two little boys who happen to be chromosomally enhanced. Joshua is not an orphan! Joshua is loved beyond words and I don't want to keep updated as if he is anything but another son of mine. Not sure if my explanation makes sense. It's not that I don't want to keep everyone updated and able to follow along on his progress but I want them to follow along as a little boy in a family and not a little boy once from an orphanage who is now home. That chapter is over... the rest is still being written and I want to focus on that. So if you are still interested in following along.. either you will see a new blog posted here where you can follow both of my kids with designer genes as well as our family or you might just see a revamped blog here :)

And now some pictures of the little boy who stole and keeps a hold of my heart::

Have I told you how grateful I am to all of you for him???

Our birthday boy!

It has been a little over 8 months since Joshua arrived to his forever home in the States. It has been a little over 9 months since a judge granted us our petition to be his momma and daddy. And it was just a little over a year ago that I was sitting here at my computer posting how sad it was that he would be spending his first birthday without us and in an orphanage. On Friday, Joshua turned 2 years old and this year I was so excited to throw him his 1st and 2nd birthday (and yes the person who made the cake was a bit confused on that wording).

Joshua really wasn't too sure of all the fuss and people. I can't really blame him because since he has been home we really have only had everyone over about 3 times at one time. It puts Jacob into sensory overload so Joshua was not too sure what to do or think. B So he started in the beginning in Daddy's arms. And Daddy got a semi smile when he tried to tickle him. And he let Grandma hold him too.

One thing that Joshua loves to do and it always puts a smile on his face is ROCK in his rocking chair and he did not disappoint this night!

Here is a couple of pictures of his older brother Jake- one being a ham and the other one wearing his glasses!! Mind you he hates his glasses and this was right before he chucked them.

He really did not know what to make of all the singing and the candles on the cake. Momma helped him put his fingers in the frosting to get a taste.

He wasn't quite sure of the opening of presents but eventually after he saw his brother tear them he did attempt to as well.

I just have to add this onesie because although I did not buy it- it is so correct! And mind you my mother-in-law bought it for him so even she knows :)

It took him a bit to actually dig into the cake. Actually I do not think he truly got into it. He has the pincer grasp down and tends to try not to be a messy eater.

But Momma thought she would help him out a little bit!

Yummy

All that activity makes for a pretty tired boy!

I am still so amazed and truly humbled that I am this little boys momma! When we first got him all he could do was sit independently. Today he is crawling all over the place, pulling to stand, and cruising the furniture. Although he is not yet walking, we can put him behind his little shopping cart and he pushes it all over the place. And we have discovered if the gate is not latched properly he can climb one step. And yes we switched out the gate to make sure that did not happen again. When we were still in country, he could not drink from any cup. They literally spoon fed him water. Today he drinks from straw sippy cups. He could not and would not attempt to feed himself. He will attempt to now on his own. He does pat-a-cake and will put his hands together and babble when we pray. We are working on some signs and he has developed somewhat of an attitude which to me just reinforces that he is my child!

Health wise things have been relatively good. Weight gain has been an issue for us. This is not due to him not eating but rather how active he is now. We brought him home around 17 lbs and he is just over 20 lbs now. While his weight gain has not been huge he has gained immense strength in his legs. He has grown about 3 inches and instead of size 9 months or 12 months.. he usually will wear 18 month outfits unless it is 2 piece then his pants have to be smaller. He still has such a tiny frame to him and such a tiny behind (he is still in size 3 diapers). 

He is such a little blessing to our family. I am so looking forward to all the birthdays and days to come with him!! 

Do not feed the trolls!

Do you know what the title means? In blog land or FB land it means simply when someone comments or says destructive, hurtful, uneducated opinions it is best not to engage with them. I normally abide by that rule and usually advise others to do so. But every once in awhile I get a bee in my bonnet and can't resist the urge. This is one of those posts.

I actually have been contemplating what to say or write ever since my last couple of posts. I guess I should explain more in detail about these trolls. There are people out there in cyberland that their only purpose is to take a particular cause or subject and spout the exact opposite stance. For example, a troll will attack say an adoption blog saying how they are against it and then will find an anti-adoption blog and say they are for it. They simply act out to create controversy. There is no rational thought process and apparently get their kicks especially if it hurts someones feelings.

In the adoption world there is a poster from Canada who calls him/herself a variety of aliases or just prefers to post as anonymous. He/She has so much time on their hands they flutter from blog to blog of families looking to adopt or who have already adopted. Apparently they have decided that perhaps even though Joshua is awfully cute (agreed) that he appears to be hard work (disagree). Therefore they have decided to comment that they believe it will be only a year before we send him away. They even think that posting other families situations that it makes it more believable.

Here is the scoop- disruptions as they call it in the adoption world is something that I had never heard before.  Adoption disruption occurs when a family adopts and upon returning home realize that perhaps that child is not a fit for a family. I seriously do not understand the concept as we got Joshua quite young and that has never been an issue. In fact, in our situation it has been quite the opposite. Bottom line is it happens, it is a sad situation for all and in the end it is about the needs of the child that is brought home. Adoption is not for the faint of heart and sometimes I think some people go into it with unrealistic expectations. I am not here to judge that is only something God can do.

Our lovely troll though feels as though they have the ability to judge. What amazes me is that the person who wants their thoughts to be taken seriously can't articulate a clear thought to save their lives. Here is some food for you dear troll- You claim to be thinking of the children and truly hate international adoption- so how about you stop your bitching and moaning and do something constructive? Get off your high horse and hop on your broom to these countries and educate them on the value of ALL children. Blog hopping and commenting does not constitute a job so get one and donate to the orphanages that simply do not have the funds to adequately provide even the basics as a diaper for these children. Instead of bashing adoptive families who are struggling offer support and resources for them. And if you decide that you want to continue then at least have the balls to offer up your real name!

This is the last time that I will feed you troll. See your words do not hurt me. I read your comments and it saddens me that you can't even type legibly or have a logical argument. I was told that is is impossible to have a battle of wits with an unarmed opponent. You my dear troll are unarmed and now I must go and kiss my little boy who I love beyond words and be happy that I have him in my life while you will remain obviously alone.

A much needed update

Wow 4 months since my last update. Since then Joshua had his surgery and did awesome and is fully recovered. Jake had his adenoids removed and tubes reinserted last week. He struggled with croup and some breathing issues brought on by intubation but is doing good now. Life is really good and Joshua just fits in so well with our family. Truly it is how I imagined it almost a year ago when I said to my husband that he was our son.

Yes it has almost been a full year till this blog was started and when we officially committed to bringing our little boy home.  I get choked up remembering all the kind thoughts, words and deeds of family, friends and strangers who made this whole thing possible. I am not sure how many people still visit my blog since I have become such a lax blogger but there are no words that I could utter that would truly convey what you have done for my family.  My heart sings with joy every time Joshua looks at me with his beautiful blue eyes, every smile that he gives us, every kiss he plants on us and just the feeling of him sleeping in my arms brings total happiness.

Today would have been my sisters 45th birthday. Today as I looked at Joshua, I felt so bad that she never met him. How she would have just fallen for him instantly. He is just that little boy who loves to cuddle and Angie was an aunt that would gladly cuddle with her nephews. I miss her so very much but know that she is looking down and smiling on all of us.

I don't want to bog down this post with too many more words because most of you who still follow would rather see in pictures how our guy is doing so pictures you will get!