Countdown to Korea: 5 Days Left

Okay. So how can there only be 4 days left?! What in the world did I do with my 5th day? OH... that's right... I played on Facebook, did some laundry and found out that the new bag I got for my toiletries is too small...

I came up with yet another list of things I need to go get, so I'm thinking tomorrow Claire and I will head back to the Mall... and Walmart. 

I did finally decide what clothes I want to take for Charlie. I packed a few too many, but I just know that if I don't, then I'll wish I did. The first time I ever tried to pack 'lightly' was when Claire was born. I figured we'd be gone for a couple of days (like most other people I know when they adopted domestically) so I only packed the bare necessities. And of course we ended up staying for a good week. Good think I knew where a mall was as we literally had to go buy more clothes. But I digress...

I keep looking at my suitcases and I go back and forth as to whether they're too big, or not big enough. The only way I'll know for sure is if I actually start putting stuff in there. Right now I have little 'piles' everywhere. I don't know what I'm waiting for... maybe it's because I'm afraid I'm going to forget something, so I have everything out so I can see it. I've discovered that I'm really bad about if something is out of sight, it is soooo out of mind.

Well... hopefully I'll have something more to report tomorrow... time is passing quickly!

Countdown to Korea: 6 Days Left

someone found a new friend today

 he was sitting next to the car

I think he was a bit scared

but he made this girl super happy

one more thing...

Lindsay

Kimberly and Ed

MandK

You guys guessed the date of my Travel Call!!!

so email me your mailing addresses at

rachel@littlelesiw.com

I have a little somethin' somethin' for you all 

Countdown to Korea: 7 Days Left

So weird to think that next week at this time I'll be on a plane... flying to Korea. What in the world. So crazy to think about. But in some ways it still doesn't feel real. It's like there was all this anticipation to keep getting to the next step and now that there isn't any more... I almost don't know what to do with myself. As I'm sitting here, my 'To Do' list is still full... but the procrastinator in me thinks I have a ton of time left. I did go get a bag to put all my toiletries in, so now I can start sorting through some of the bags that are sitting in the living room. 

A nice surprise came in my email today. I got Charlie's September Well Baby Check (WBC). I really didn't think I was going to get one, I just assumed his Visa Physical would be the last 'physical' type thing they would do. Anyway, here are some some of the highlights:

WEIGHT: 18 lbs

This is huge because he didn't gain any weight from July - August.

I'm thinking it was because he was sick and they hospitalized him. 

So from Aug - Sept he gained 1.5lbs. I wonder what he'll weigh when 

I get him as it'll be a full month after this WBC. 

NUTRITION: 'Moderate for his size'

This is actually awesome as it has always been stated as 'poor'.

DEVELOPMENTAL AGE: 12 months

Okay, so this is super awesome because when we first received Charlie's

file he was 2-3 months delayed. He's been catching up slowly, so it's 

amazing to think he's caught up to his peers. 

* I will say that I'm a bit skeptical about this. I mean, call me a pessimist, but 

it seems like he's improved a lot since his last WBC. But in reality it doesn't

really matter to me since I think he's perfect already ;)

There were some other things noted too. He's still on Nutramigen (boo!) but he's eating rice (yeah!) and he's now sitting really well by himself and even 'walking' while holding onto furniture - and standing on his own! He's not walking yet - but I am soooo okay with that not happening for a bit. 

And with that, I'll leave you with a photo of Claire

at dinner tonight.

She actually didn't want to wear the hat and was afraid that

people would be looking at her and they would laugh.

...sigh...

I guess I have my work cut out for me when she's in Jr. High.

Countdown to Korea: 8 Days Left

Today felt like Fall. 

It was nice. So we went to the Pumpkin Patch with some friends.

Claire got to demonstrate her muscle strength as

she pulled her wagon of pumpkins around.

Some pumpkins made a perfect chair.

There were even some animals to visit:

a goat, a sheep, some smelly pigs and some horses.

But not to fear... we weren't that far from civilization.

Countdown to Korea: 9 Days Left

Yesterday was sooooo productive. 

today... not so much.

First off, we woke up super late. That always throws things off, and I also wasn't feeling very well. 

But by a few hours later, I was back to my old self. 

I did manage to get some photos taken though. 

Here's my sweet girl in her Halloween Dress:

Here she is doing her best 

'red carpet pose'

(does anyone else notice how the 'in thing' is to cross your legs?)

I told her to jump.

There goes my award for 'Creative Modeling Poses'

Her mouth might be smiling

but her eyes are yelling, "I'M DONE DOING THIS"

The bedrooms in our house are super small. So basically

this is the only shot I could get. It's her big girl bed. 

I got these cute wall decals at PBK and I think they're super cute

(that's not technically garbage underneath... just so you know)

Here's Charlie's Room. 

The bed consists of a queen mattress set on the floor. 

I was looking for a 'world map' to hang on the wall

and I ended up finding this guy. 

It's a bit more 'kid-ish' than I originally planned on, but I actually

really like it. It's a great way to bring in some color and 

over all it's just fun to look at.

Here's the crib and his 'name'. 

My plan is to spray paint the letters orange so that 

they pop more. I'm really into orange right now.

 Anyway... I guess that's it. The ninth day passed rather quickly. 

Here's to the last EIGHT!

Countdown to Korea: 10 Days Left

Ten days. That sounds like forever, and a fragment of a second all at the same time. I've referenced my 'To Do' list that I need to get done, so like a good mother, I decided it was time to finally start it. Today consisted of re-organizing the garage (so more stuff could be added to it), a non-stop run of laundry, and the switching of two bedrooms. 

I made a super poor decision to move Claire from her current bedroom, to the 'spare'. The spare is an annoying room as it's always too hot in the summer and too cold in the winter. (but then we found out there was zero insulation in the ceiling so we got that fixed and now the temperature is more 'normal') It's also really bright in there. On the main wall, there's this random small-ish window located at an awkward height. I have to get some kind of custom blind made for it, and it pains me to think I have to waste money on it. Another issue with that window is that it's totally visible from the street. So I was having a hard time figuring out what color wouldn't look completely stupid. (I'm sure this is making no sense to you to all... so I'll cut to the chase...) So I came up with this ghetto fabulous make-shift window treatment. I took a foam square' I had (it's like 22"x24") and I put a navy bath towel around it and shoved it in the window. It totally blocks the light, and from the street it doesn't look weird at all! NICE! (and it was free!) But I digress...

So the plan was to have Claire move to her 'big girl room' with the 'big girl bed' and Charlie would have the crib in the old nursery. We also have a queen mattress set on the floor in case Charlie doesn't take to the crib right away. Well, Claire likes sleeping on the mattresses. In fact... she won't sleep in the big girl room... and Charlie will be here soon... 

Unfortunately, the Lesiw family is not gifted in the area of 'handyman skills', so I called my Dad. My parents came down and helped us move the furniture between the too rooms and my Dad hung a bunch of stuff for me as well. AWESOME. Know what else was awesome? We went to IKEA for dinner. I love me some Meatballs/Mashed Potatoes/Lingonberries  - can I get an amen?!

And the cherry on top of all this, is that Claire is sleeping in her new 'big girl room' in her 'big girl bed'!!! Well... she actually opted to sleep on the trundle... but I'll take it! All we have left to do is switch out the curtains and then I think we'll be done! So while I don't have any pictures now, I probably will by tomorrow. 

I think I accomplished more today than I have in some time. Hope this trend continues for the next 9 days!

It's OFFICIAL!!!! Charlie is COMING HOME!!!

So my stomach was in knots this morning as I was waiting for the phone to ring. Of course last night I was trying to stalk everyone's timelines on the forums, to see how far after the Visa was Issued that they got their Travel Call. Most were the next day, but a few weren't... so I couldn't be sure that today would be the day. 

But at around 9:30am, I got the long awaited call! It came from our wonderfully fantastic social worker. I really like this girl. She's just real, puts you immediately at ease, and you feel like you could talk to her for hours! Anyway, she was the one that delivered the news, and we all let out a little cheer afterwards. 

Immediately after I got off the phone with her, I started texting, calling people, and looking up flights. I had actually started looking up hotel rooms last night... and it wasn't looking good. No joke, there's NOTHING available. (at least nothing as in what I wanted to book) But somehow I managed to secure a two bedroom suite at the Somerset Palace... which is exactly what I wanted. I'm actually still a bit nervous because I can't believe I actually got this room. Every where you look, it says that the Somerset is sold out... and now is SO not the time you want to have your reservation screwed up. (apparently China is mad at Japan right now so instead of the Chinese vacationing in Japan, they're all going to Korea...)

I know I said before that I would have liked to be in Korea on Saturday... but man, now that it's here, there is NO WAY that would have gone over well. Seriously, I would have been a total nut-job and it would have felt so rushed and hurried and I think it would have gotten me off to a bad start. I feel really good about the time frame and what I have to get done. I have 'deadlines', and they're not so far off that I'll put everything off (like I've been doing) and they're not so soon that I'll have a nervous breakdown. 

perfect.

So now I get to start all my little 'To Do' tasks... which are actually kind of big. So I best be getting started. 

Oh - and one more thing. I really do plan on blogging a ton while I'm gone. One thing that has SUPER helped me through this process is reading other people's blogs when they travel. Since this will be my first time back to Korea since I was adopted, I have no idea what to expect. So getting those small 'glimpses' of Korea... it was awesome... and like a truly selfish reader, I always wanted MORE than what was posted. So I made a commitment with myself to try and share as much as I can. Even if it's not the 'happy stuff'. I want to be honest with how I'm feeling, and what I'm experiencing. So expect to see a ton of posts! (even more than one a day - LOL)

Alright, time to start getting ready!