Update on Calvin...

We are still having to go to doctor appointment for Calvin's heart. His cardiologist is in Ann Arbor, which is a drive for us. He has been on heart medications for a month and they did another echo to see if there was any improvement on his heart function. The good news is yes the medications are helping, they did increase the dose of one of the meds so it would do more. The bad news is that at the last echo they saw a dark spot in his left ventricle (not sure what it was, tissue from the surgeries he has had in the past or a blood clot). This second echo showed another dark spot so they believe they are blood clots, meaning he is now on blood thinner medication. To say I am sad, is an understatement. I am so nervous about him falling now because he could bleed longer and it is more dangerous. And yes he does still fall because of his low muscle tone! Hubby says we need to buy him a helmet!
He has had 2 nose bleeds the last month (think it is because of the dryness in our house) so we have a humidifier in his room. Trusting God will get us through this too. I just don't understand why they didn't have him on medication when we picked him up, other than aspirin. We are being told if they had to do another surgery on him now he could die in surgery, this scares me to death.
Another appointment this week is the dentist. Calvin has many cavities on his teeth, and a missing front tooth from falling at the orphanage.  He has to take some antibiotics tomorrow before his appointment. Supposedly they will just be doing x rays.
Attachment: still working on this. Calvin doesn't mold to us when we carry him, yet. If  you are an adoptive parent you know what this means. It is like carrying a sack of potatoes. He knows the difference between family and strangers now. We haven't left him with anyone yet, probably will wait until he is home a year. It has almost been 6 months but I can tell if we were to leave him in a nursery he would be fine, not care if we leave. So this is a concern for me. We will have an appointment with an attachment therapist in February. Today he asked a friend of mine for a kiss. He still doesn't know what family is. If you are an adoptive family, others will not understand what you are talking about. Most of the time I feel like they think I am off my rocker, or over protective. But I keep reminding myself, it is for a short time and it will be worth it, less complications down the road if we just do it now.
OT: We have had to discontinue, because our insurance won't cover his therapy. He is able to ride a tricycle now by himself but still needs to work on his stomach muscles.We are still brushing him and doing joint compressions. I feel like I have some good ideas on what to do with him at home. I am also signing him up for swimming classes with daddy and tumbling/gymnastics classes in January.
Food: Calvin still isn't too fond of certain foods and has favorites. He isn't crying now though, he just says no crying and eats it. He is too cute. He loves soup, bread and butter, mac and cheese, green beans, apple sauce, cheezits, bananas and apples.  He loves ice-cream but not a big fan of candy.  Calvin doesn't regurgitate anymore either. I believe this was because he was nervous when we first picked him up.
Tantrums: I have noticed Calvin only has tantrums when he is tired or overstimulated.  He is very compliant (obedient) and knows when he does something wrong, when he does he starts crying as he doesn't want a consequence.
Play: Calvin still loves Elmo and watches 15 min a day of Elmo. He is now also a fan of Mickey Mouse (we have a puzzle and stuffed animal). He recently received a Thomas Train which he loves too. He enjoys listening to music and singing along in the car. Favorites are Wheels on the Bus, Baa Baa Baa. We dance together, tickle and he likes to play with the kitchen toy we have in the playroom. He still isn't big on playing with cars. He also has his favorite books to read before bed time and rocking with me.
Sleep: Calvin still takes a 2 hr nap each day from 12:30-2:30pm. He goes to bed between 7:30/8pm and wakes up at 7:30. He never fights going down and he never makes a peep in the morning. We have a monitor otherwise we would never know when he wakes up.  We have been very blessed, he hasn't had nightmares and sleeps through the night.
Language: Calvin still isn't speaking in sentences. He says 2-3 words together at the most. He talks in 3rd person...Calvin music Baa Baa (asking for Baa Baa music). He is learning new words every day. He knows his colors and can count to 10. He sings the ABC song and some other songs like Twinkle Twinkle, Jesus loves Me. When we picked him up in Bulgaria he wasn't speaking sentences either, only a few words. I am curious where he is in development, other than going through a school system does anyone know where I can take him to find this out? Our adoption clinic never did this for us.
Overall: Calvin is adjusting well, eats well, is gaining weight 37 pds, plays well and is very happy and compliant. We are so blessed and thankful for him. We still need to work on his muscle tone, attachment and language. Can't believe he has only been with us 5 months, feels like he has always been with us. Looking forward to the day he has been with us longer than he was in the orphanage (that will make him 6 years old). Thanks for following our journey, hope this helps other adoptive families in the process and is an encouragement to you. Stay the course!

5 months out of the orphanage....

Thanksgiving 

Calvin Thanksgiving Day

We need to educate others about the HIV virus

What you need to know:

• `HIV is considered a chronic but manageable disease with proper treatment.
  `Children who receive treatment are expected to live a normal lifespan.
• `HIV has never been transmitted in normal family living conditions.
• `You NEVER have to fear contracting HIV through casual contact with an HIV+ person.
• `HIV is spread in three main ways: sexual contact, IV drug use through the sharing of dirty needles,
   mother to infant (pregnancy, birth or breast feeding.)
• `All around the world orphans are overlooked for adoption because of their HIV+ status.
• `Medications called ARVs can mean the difference between life and death.
• `The combination of three or more ARVs is called HAART. (Highly Active Anti-Retroviral Therapy)
• `With medications HIV can be effectively managed to the point that the virus is undetectable in laboratory tests.
• `There is a term for the miraculous transformation HIV+ people undergo when they begin receiving the medications they need.
   The Lazarus Effect is a term commonly used to describe people who were once on the brink of death who have been restored again to health through medication.

http://www.projecthopeful.org/

Thanksgiving and other stuff...

I remember last Thanksgiving we knew we would be adopting Calvin, we had seen his picture and were just waiting on paperwork to official make him our referral. We had been given the okay verbally but were waiting on paperwork stuff. This Thanksgiving I was thankful for Calvin's mom choosing life for him. We are so blessed by this little man. He brings so much joy to our family. The girls and I are always laughing at the things he says or how he says it. He is so precious and he loves to make us laugh. We spent Thanksgiving at my in laws, like we do each year, this was the second time Calvin was at their home. He did fine sleeping in the crib in our room and his behavior was actually fine too. When we first arrived he was a bit hyper, running around and being silly for attention. We are still working on attachment and i do notice it more with family members than strangers, but he will ask my mother in law and sister in law to help him with things and want their attention. It is difficult knowing the boundaries of letting him get to know them, playing with them, but also not preferring them over us. I feel like an ogre sometimes saying, I have to do that for him etc. We allow kisses and hugs with family members but I am still trying to be the one who does things for him (put on his shoes, coat and give him the toy, give him his food etc).  Another holiday is approaching and Calvin is clueless about Christmas. He didn't understand what we were doing cutting down a tree, he was more interested in the tractor pulling us on the wagon. He likes the lights on the trees and will point out Christmas trees and lights when we drive around. Can't wait to see what he thinks of presents Christmas morning.
Update: We have been going to OT now for about a month (once a week). I am thinking now that we know what he needs to work on we will discontinue at the end of December. His least favorite thing is the ball pit, he can't move init and wants out. His favorite thing is playing in the sandbox, which we can do at home.
Food wise, he is more picky and opinionated about what he wants to eat. I do let him choose what he wants for breakfast and lunch (so he feels he has some control in his life). He typically asks for a bagel, or waffle for breakfast which is fine by me as long as he has fruit with it. Lunch he usually wants soup, bread or mac and cheese. Dinner is meat, vegetables and carb. He is really feeling heavy to me these days.
Behavior: has improved drastically.
Coordination: Still some falling down when the ground is uneven (carpet to woodfloor), or running. Need to continue working on this. We actually also bought him some wrist weights to help with his weak side.
Attachment: We continue to rock him before bed, singing or reading. He has held the girls hands with out being asked in church, hugged us a couple of times on his own initiative. Most of the time when we hug or kiss him he asks to 'get out'. In January Chris will be taking a swimming class with Calvin (skin on skin and trust).
This little boy loves to sing and have music on. He loves Elmo on tv and he does imaginary play a bit. He is doing puzzles, not a fan of coloring, but is able to sit for longer now making it possible for us to go to church as a family. So blessed by my kids and thankful for our little boy.