underestimating Wesley

This morning Wesley and I took Katie to the vet to have her teeth cleaned and a fatty tumor removed from above her hip. I was a little worried about how Wes would behave at the vet - I knew he would love the dogs, but I thought he might be tough to handle with Katie. When we arrived at the vet, the office was not open, so we just stood in the waiting room until the nurse came out to get Katie. When she came out, I let Wes kiss Katie and tell her good-bye. I took his hand and tried to steer him toward the door, but he stood there watching Katie walk down the hall toward the back of the building. I held onto his hand a little tighter because I was worried he would run after her. He didn't do that, but he started pointing down the hall and saying "Katie, Katie, KAY-TEE!" I told him that we would be back to get her after he woke up from his nap. I picked him up and carried him to the car. My heart was breaking because Wes just kept saying her name again and again. I didn't think that Wes would "get" leaving Katie, but apparently he did!

-------

I called the vet during Wesley's nap today, and they said I could pick her up after 3:00p. The one day that I want Wesley to wake up early from his nap - he decides to sleep an extra hour! That gave me extra time to work from home, but I was SO ready to pick up Katie. As soon as Wes woke up, I told him that we were going to get him ready and go to pick up Katie. He was instantly awake and ready to go. The whole ride to the vet, he just kept saying her name and also calling her "Key" (our nickname for Katie). I've never heard him use the nickname until today.

-------

Katie is doing well - she's lying next to me asleep, snoring loudly. The trouble is going to be keeping her from playing rough with Duke until her stitches come out...

-------

The point of my story is - don't underestimate the intelligence of an almost two year-old and his love for a dog!

Katie with her Elizabethan collar (aka "lampshade")

Katie's stitches (can you believe they shaved so much of her hair?!)

social security office, new phrases, and pictures

We have been doing well - staying busy as always. I finally went to the Social Security office and applied for Wesley's social security number. I made an appointment because I thought that would be faster than just showing up at the office. I went to the office in person so I wouldn't have to mail away all my original documents. Turns out that the appointment was not any faster because I was still at the office for over an hour and a half! The woman at the office hardly looked at any other documents beside the Certificate of Citizenship and Wesley's Ukrainian passport. We received his number in less than 10 days. Most people have to apply for the number as soon as they return to the US for medical insurance, but our insurance did not require his social to cover him, so I just hadn't gotten around to it yet. I did want to get it though before we did our taxes - I am looking forward to seeing how low our tax bill is this year :) I'll update as soon as we do our taxes.

-------

Wesley is picking up new words and phrases every day. His favorite this week is "no, no, no." He has gotten the phrase from me, and he uses it whenever he hears me say it (which is quite often) or when he starts to do something he shouldn't. It does make it easy for me to know when he is doing something he shouldn't and he is out of my sight.

-------

Damon and I haven't made any decisions regarding our second adoption except that we would like to get a girl this time. I am not sure why, but the country for our second adoption is proving to be a much tougher decision than the choice of Ukraine for our adoption of Wesley. I think the reason has something to do with the fact that we have a better idea how "things work" in the adoption process. We aren't as naive as we were the first time. I am asking a lot more questions, where I took people at their word the first time. We know about dishonesty, bribery, and the amazing amount of uncertainty involved. I don't want to let my questioning though get in the way of doing what God has for us.

-------

Wesley has his post-op visit with urology on Monday. Then on Wednesday we have an appointment with the surgeon who will repair Wesley's esophagus. Damon and I are hoping that the doctor schedules the surgery at that appointment, but I am trying not to get my hopes up. I am SO READY to get rid of the spit fistula on Wesley's neck!! He is constantly wet and it is just a lot to manage. I can handle the idea that it will take a while for Wesley to eat enough food to sustain him without feeding through the g-tube, but to not have him soaking wet all the time...it makes me smile thinking about it :)

-------

Tomorrow is the inauguration of President Obama. Please pray for him and the decisions he will make that will affect our lives and the lives of our children.

-------

Have a great week!! I've posted lots of pictures for your enjoyment! The many faces of Wesley...

practicing eating baby food

we've been working on eating a lot more (can you see the excitement in his face? I also like the dogs watching in the background)


Wes has figured out how to drink out of a straw, and he doesn't want to stop!

Here's a comparison picture from two days ago (on the left) and the first full day home (on the right). You can see that Wes has grown at least three inches (look at the diamonds on the glass)!!

talking to Grandma on the phone

apparently unhappy about something... probably the girly hat his mom was making him wear

playing in a plastic tub

riding up to northern Ohio for a late Christmas celebration

This is the face Wes gives me when he wants me to stop taking his picture.

opening a gift

talking to a stuffed moose

Wes giving his Aunt Donna a kiss (I love this picture!!)

Wes is still doing well

Wesley is absolutely back to his normal self! He is climbing all over everything and apparently he isn't hurting at all! He still has stitches and those don't come out for about two more weeks, so I'm still working on keeping him down (or at least contained). Not exactly very easy...

-------

Wesley was 27 pounds the morning of his surgery and over 32" tall. That means that he has gained over 10 pounds and almost 3" in four months. I can only imagine how big he'll be after a year home!

-------

I scheduled the follow-up appointment with the surgeon that will repair Wesley's esophagus for January 28th. I am hoping that we will get the surgery scheduled. But then again it makes me scared to think that the surgery would be scheduled (if that makes any sense). The esophagus surgery is so much more serious than the man surgery. I know that Wes will be in God's hands though and He already knows the outcome.

I love the look of intense concentration. Wes has been mad because he hasn't been allowed to sit in the bath since surgery. Wesley and Duke watching the birds outside.

Katie just resting on my legs.

post-surgery update (all went well)

First I would like to say that I am sorry I wasn't able to post yesterday! When we got home and he was resting, I was going to post, but our internet didn't work. Then we found out that our home phone didn't work. It was just repaired, so here I am. Apparently a neighbor had their phone line worked on, and when the worker shut the box, it cut our phone line.

-------

The surgery yesterday started at about 7:40a, and we were called back to talk to the doctor at about 10:15a. He said that all went well and we would be able to see Wes pretty soon after. We were taken to see him right after the doctor consultation, and boy was he mad!! The nurse was trying to hold him and he kept arching his back and straightening his arms and legs. When he does that, he is nearly impossible to hold. She handed him to me and I spent the next three hours trying to keep him on my lap. He wanted down, he wanted the tubes disconnected, he wanted the hospital clothes off. The reason we were in recovery so long is because Wesley's oxygen level wouldn't stay up on its own, so he was on oxygen. As soon as we gave him some Pedialyte, he was at his before-surgery level, so we could go home. He was probably dehydrated.

--------

Wes slept most of the day yesterday and he slept all night last night. We had to feed him and give him pain medicine, but he hardly even stirred for that. He did get mad and scream when we had to put Vaseline on the incisions. I underestimated how tough that would be!! I am not one who likes touching stitches and wounds, and then to have to touch your son's as he SCREAMS in pain!! Yikes!! I can't tell him that it hurts me as much as it hurts him because I am sure it doesn't, but it does hurt me a little.

-------

We have a better idea what to expect after the next surgery (the BIG one), but the esophagus surgery is so much more difficult. Once Wes is recovered from this surgery, the second surgery will be scheduled. This will be at least three months, probably longer with scheduling difficulties.

-------

Thank you so much for your prayers and support!!! Here's a picture of Wes on the car ride home. He would not let me take the water bottle away, even when he fell asleep!!