Guatemalan Angel

Lil' Gal Plays In Her Sprinkler

We bought Alicia a little sprinkler so she could keep cool.  We tried it out this past week. There's no doubt she will be a future "Miss America."

 

Daddy Up & Around After Surgery

   Daddy came through surgery on Monday without any problems and is doing great for having eight incisions on his belly.  Lil' Gal, though, can't understand why he can't bend down and pick her up. That's being left to Mommy and Derek.

Daddy was bored Thursday night so we made a short trip over to Aunt Debbie's to spend a couple of hours.  It was there Mommy gingerly placed Alicia on Daddy's lap for a little loving.

Mommy got Lil' Gal down when she wanted to get real playful. She was all smiles.

Alicia had a good time with family but Daddy was pooped out.

Mommy goes back to work next week so Grandma, Aunt Debbie and Derek will help with the lifting.

July 4th & Last Weekend's Birthday Party Of A New Friend

  July 4th evening was celebrated with family. We dressed Lil' Gal in the spirit of Independence Day.

We also ate before going to the driveway to watch Nixa's spectacular fireworks display. There's lots of fun in trying to get your outfit covered in pudding.

 Alicia wasn't scared by the fireworks but her attention span was good for about 20 minutes.  It was time to play again then.

  Alicia attended her first birthday party of a Guate-Tot who turned 2 last weekend. Kaitlyn lives in Nixa, too, and also has a three-year-old cousin who lives in south Springfield.  We recently became acquainted with Kaitlyn and her mother and we plan to have the kids play together in the future.

Here is a picture of the third little girl, Addy:

Alicia got to make herself a crown.

 It seemed Alicia and the other children had a really good time and a lot of fun. Lil' Gal enjoyed it.

  It may be a week or longer before there's another post. Daddy is off to the hospital tomorrow for weight loss (lap band) and gall bladder surgery. He's been drinking his steak for the last two weeks and will be eating a lot less with the new lap band in future.  

Lil' Gal Goes On A Road Trip To Oklahoma

   Alicia got her first look at the state of Oklahoma over the weekend.  With Derek at church camp, we loaded up the car and headed out. Our first stop was Tulsa where we spent Friday night and an evening dinner with Ruby (from Guatemala) and Pacey (from Ethiopia and their mothers at the Brook Cafe. 

It's difficult to get three little gals to look at the camera and smile at the same time.

Our next stop was Duncan to visit Aunt Liz, a dear friend Karen's since childhood.  Alicia and Aunt Liz hit it off and were soon baking cookies together.

 

The best part of baking cookies is eating them.

 

Alicia had her eye on Aunt Liz' fruit bowl only to find out the contents were fake.  Oh well, they were fun to take out and play with.

Aunt Liz had a beautiful new home and it was fun spending the night there.  We also enjoyed the great meal at the 360 Bistro in Duncan.

It was a wonderful weekend for all.  The next time we will see Ruby she will have a new, older sister.  Kerri leaves next week to pick up Medina in Ethiopia.

Cast Off; Lil' Gal Not Back to Normal Yet

Alicia got her cast off Tuesday afternoon.  She is walking on her tip-toes because her leg is still really sore and stiff.  The doctor said to expect this, come back in two weeks and another check up in three months.

She has been getting lots of warm baths each day in Karen's whirlpool bath.  She also takes Motrin as needed

Here's a picture of her left leg, minus the cast.  You will notice the pressure marks from the cast.

And one last photo of Alicia enjoying her first bath in a tub in weeks.

Derek is at church camp this week.  We are going to Oklahoma to visit with Kerri and Ruby in Tulsa and  then on to visit Aunt Liz in Duncan.  It should be a fun weekend.

Update on Lil' Gal

 

Who has the camera now?  Oh, it's brother Derek!

We take Alicia back to the doctor a week from today to see about the possibility of removing her "purple" cast. 

       It has been hard to keep Lil' Gal off her feet.  She has been up walking around at times like nothing is wrong.  She looks at the cast as an inconvenience rather than a temporary disability.

        Here's what the cast looks like while she eats a banana from the home country at grandma's:

 

Alicia is talking more.  She says her name when asked and also says the following words, "hot, stop, doe (for no), gone, and outside" in addition to others she has already learned. 

She is a busy Lil' Gal and a joy to have as part of our family. 

Lil' Gal Gets A Cast

We almost forgot to post pictures of Alicia's cast.  The "hot pink" cast went on Thursday but the Doctor wants to put a new one on Tuesday because of some bruising apparently caused when the break was originally wrapped at the Pediatrician's office.  Here's a picture right after the cast went on:

The next two pictures are at home with a little cast art provided by brother Derek and friends:

The next cast will be purple we have decided.  Alicia is adapting well to having a cast and continues to "scoot" around the house on her bottom.  Keeping her from standing and trying to walk has been a battle,  We only have a few more weeks and she will be healed.

Little Gal Suffers Toddler Fracture

  Little Gal took a tumble while chasing the dog through the house last Tuesday night.  Upon awakening Wednesday morning she couldn't stand on her left leg.

   The pediatrician took X-rays and the diagnosis was a very thin fracture of the lower shin, just above the ankle, called a Toddler's Fracture.  It appears she lost her footing on the hardwood floor and it broke.  She is in a temporary cast until this Friday when a permanent one goes on for four weeks.

   Karen and I were both horrified.  We have to keep Alicia from standing and trying to walk.  Let me tell you that is no small chore when you have a little person who has been walking since they were 11 months old. 

She has been in some pain--mostly from swelling.  She is taking Motrin every six hours. 

She is adapting by scooting across the floor on her bottom.  When she does this I call her "Scooter."

One of us has to be with her at all times so we have been reading a lot of books and playing with a lot of toys on the floor.  We push her around the house in a stroller to minimize having to constantly pick her up. 

We'll keep you posted and provide a picture of the new cast when she gets it.

We found Our Chilly Ethiopian who is also suffering from Toddler's Fracture.  We aren't alone and the Doctor even said it happens all the time.  That is not very comforting---let me tell you!   

So This is a Concert Band?

Here I am at Derek's Spring Concert.  I'm sitting on the lap of Derek's girlfriend, Cassie, for this picture.

Oh No!  Mommy just caught me crinkling the program she wanted to save:

Oh well.  The music is great!

Dressed Up To Meet The Case Worker

  You have to provide post-placement reports after adopting from Guatemala.  We had our first (the six month report) done Thursday evening with Miss Shannon and received the Green Light from her.  She could easily tell Alicia was well-loved and had bonded tremendously with us since November.

    We dressed her in a Mayan dress we purchased in Guatemala.

Mommy, I think that is Daddy trying to take our picture!

And I will give him my "Ohhhhh" look: