Girls Night

Last night, I had a fabulous date with these three ladies.  We're loud, sassy and know how to use a fondue skewer!  After a delish dining experience at Urban Fondue, we hit up Trader Joe's next door and then Candace & Tee snagged us a few donuts at Voodoo.  I can't wait until our next adventure together!  Let's just say... we could do some real damage!

Me, Tee, Candace & Erin @ Urban Fondue

Storytime

After a late night with Gma & Gpa Milne yesterday, Lulu slept in this morning until 10:30am!  We missed dance class but were able to make Storytime @ the library with our neighbors Katie & Lucy.  

I think she gets her moves from Seinfeld's Elaine

Sparkles!

Lucy & Londyn (both go by Lulu)

Intently listening to Miss Theresa read the story of the day.

Following Storytime, we made our traditional trip to Sesame Donuts, a shop attached to the library.  We got the usual... maple bar for mom and donut holes for Lulu.  It was fun to share and visit with Miss Katie & Miss Lucy!

Londyn Lately

Have I mentioned how much of a joy my little Lulu is?

I want to soak up these last 6 weeks with my first born, which is why we have been splurging on girl time.  

I know that my time and attention will be stretched once Zoe is born and having been so attached to Londyn will make for a difficult adjustment for both of us.  Quite frankly, I think I need her more than she needs me and there will be times when I will not be able to tote her around everywhere.  That is where prayer, the help and support of family... and lots of Diet Coke will come into play.

This week we have had a few lunch dates with friends, got our nails done, ran errands, had random dance parties in the kitchen, played games and snuggled up together while watching her new Hello Kitty movie (more times than I would like to admit).  Although I love seeing her light up when we go out and do extra fun activities, the most cherished time spent is our conversations exchanged in between all of the big stuff.  For example, when we're driving in the car- we have to dance and sing.  Londyn always narrates the route we're taking, pointing out every "tower" aka building, bridge, counts cars and houses... has memorized directions to our usual destinations and tells me where we're going and when to turn.  She is always making me laugh with her silly faces in the rear view mirror.

Some of my other favorite moments are when she tells me she loves me SO MUCH... all on her own or when she uses manners without even being prompted, saying "Thanks, mom" or "No thanks."  The only downside of teaching manners is "Please"... why you ask?  Because she uses
"PWEEEEASE MOM!" for EVERYTHING and sometimes it's something that she just can't have, do or isn't even possible at the moment.  How do you teach that "please" is how you get what you want... but doesn't always apply?  I'm sure there's a bazillion parenting books out there dedicated to this topic... 

to be continued.

Here are a few moment shared with my little Londyn Joy.

Storytime @ the Library

Daddy & Lulu

Ballet

Tap

All Girl

After dance class today, I crossed my fingers and took Lulu with me to get my nails done.  Of course we hit up the Dollar Tree next door to bribe her with a treat to not wreak havoc on the nail shop.  My in with the Asians got me the TV remote to turn on cartoons for the kiddo.  With treat in hand and her "show"... Londyn was in her happy place.  Everyone kept asking her if she wanted her nails painted, but she repeatedly shook her head and said "No thanks".  The minute my top coat was finished being applied, she just HAD to have her nails done too.  Lulu picked a sparkly blue polish and put her hands up on the arm rest like a pro.  She intently watched the brave woman filing, buffing and painting her nails.  She was a natural up until it was time for them to dry.  To wait is foreign for any 2 year old, so this was a pretty traumatic request.  She bawled for a good 3 minutes... and then she quickly got over it once she started admiring her new nails.  The kind woman who offered her a lollipop may have sealed the deal too.

No eye contact... but here is the finished product!

And said lollipop.

Handy Andy

This is our super cute dining set that works great for our small dining space.  The stools tuck in under the bar-height table, making it compact and functional.  

 We learned very quickly that a full size high chair took up WAY too much space in our kitchen and was always in the way.  The purchase of this table attachable high chair has been a lifesaver!  But the time has come and Lulu is inching up on the weight capacity, which is evident as the table weeble wobbles when the little hulk throws a fit at the dinner table.  

 The solution, you ask?  Well we don't have green coming out of our ears, so going out and buying a new set was out of the question.  So, why not work with whatcha got?!  My brother who recently just tied the knot got a new dining set and had no use for these fab black IKEA chairs.  I snagged a few as we already had one to make a complete set of four.  Then, Andrew simple chopped off the legs to transform our once bar-height table to a standard height dining table.  He then touched up the black paint and added glides to each table leg.  Of course, he did all of this in just a few minutes!  To top off an even sweeter project, I was able to sell the original four barstools as we had no other use for them.  Now I have a little extra cash for baby Zoe or other home projects before she arrives!

The best part?  Lulu can sit at the kitchen table with us.  She's getting to be such a big girl!

My next project is to revamp this mirror and a centerpiece.  It's looking way too blah for my liking.

{munching on her first of two bowls of cereal that she eats every morning for breakfast}

Happy Spring cleaning & cheers to many trips to Home of Pot!

Random Act of Kindness

One of the biggest tasks on my to-do list before Zoe's arrival is getting Londyn settled in her new big girl room.  Since her room is already set up as a nursery, we are keeping it as is for Zoe and then upgrading the  toy room into Lulu's room.  She has been sleeping in the toy room for the past couple of weeks and has had no problem with the transition.  She started out sleeping on the floor like she was in her old room and we have slowly worked her into sleeping on her toddler bed mattress.  I'm crossing my fingers that when we put her bed together, she will have no problem!

After many hours of web surfing for the perfect Hello kitty room decor, I had convinced myself that we wouldn't need to paint the currently tannish/yellow walls.  Unfortunately, the decor arrived and it is all just way too cute to go in a tan room.  Besides, we're talking about Londyn here... my girl is all about color!  So I picked out a super cute purpley/pink color @ Home of Pot (as Andrew calls it).  

My Mom and Dad were adamant that I was not to be in a room full of paint fumes, so they rallied the troops and came over this morning to begin the transformation.  My mom and sis arrived with yummy donuts and two of my nieces to help with Lulu.  Then, to my surprise- my brother Eric and his wife Sarah came too!  It's President's Day and these peeps have school and work off, but they were at my house working up a sweat!

In two hours, the walls were completely pink!  Now we just have the ceiling to paint white, which my dad and mom will be doing tomorrow.  

And to top it all off, my mom and sis surprised me by planting pretty red and purple primroses in my front yard!  They said it needed some color and they were absolutely right!  These awesome women were willing and even excited to dig holes and plant pretty flowers in the RAIN!  Now that's love.

Our front yard has always looked plain jane, and now it's on it's way from drab to fab!  

Thank you THANK YOU thank you!!!

COMING SOON: Pictures of Lulu's new Hello Kitty room!

Adult Korean Adoptees of Portland

It has been WAY too long since I've gone to an AKAP (Adult Korean Adoptees of Portland) dinner/event.  Tonight, Andrew and Lulu had a daddy/daughter date, while I enjoyed a much-needed dinner with my fellow Korean adoptees.  I don't know how I went for so long without spending time with these fabulous people.  Adoptees NEED other adoptees.  Even though I have never met some of these individuals... I don't need to.  We already have so much in common without words even being exchanged.

Sarah & Jen

 Brooke, Sarah, Jen & Kaylee

 Nolin, Brooke, Sarah, Jen & Kaylee

 Brenda & I - I met Brenda at my very first AKAP dinner.  

She is such a hoot!  

Love ya Brenda !

Lulu Lately

EVERY DAY after Londyn wakes up in the morning or from a nap, she pulls out all of the clothes in her dresses, stands on the laundry basket to pull her diapers out of the closet and scatters every headband, flower clip and bow all over the floor.  

To avoid this daily event, I decided to move her into the play room early.  The play room was going to be her new room when it got closer to the baby's arrival, but since she only sleeps in a sleeping bag on the floor (her choice), it was a quick move!

Here is her explanation when asked WHAT she did and WHY she did it!

Trouble, I tell you.  Trouble.

But... she's still my sweet sweet girl who after asking to watch a show says, "you snuggle me, mama?"  Conveniently, my belly makes a perfect pillow.

Fun in the February Sun

We've had some amazing days of sunshine here in Oregon, and although some days are chillier than others- we are still soaking up the rays.  Londyn and I spent a good hour outside on Friday, riding her bike and hanging out with our neighbor Katie and her daughter Lucy.  Londyn is working on pedaling but still prefers to use her feet to push her bike along.  She gets frustrated with the pedaling and uses her hands to push her knees down, so the pedals will turn.  It's pretty cute watching her work so hard.

Cheese, please!

What up?

Biker Chick

Fun in the sun!

Londyn & Lucy

Long day...

What a day...

Good news first.  Today I had an ultrasound and Zoe is following in Londyn's BIG footsteps.  She weighs 3lbs. 7oz. and her head is measuring 3.5 weeks ahead of schedule.  I am so relieved that her growth is right on track and hasn't been affected by her heart condition.

Now for the other news...
The fetal echo and ultrasound showed that Zoe has developed AVSD, Atrioventricular Septal Defect.  AVSD occurs in about 5% of patients with congenital heart disease.

There are three categories of AVSD, complete, partial and transitional.  Zoe has a complete Atrioventricular Septal Defect, also known as a "common AV valve". Rather than having two separate mitral and tricuspid valves, Zoe has only one valve over a large whole between all four chambers.  As a result, the heart has to work even harder than it already is with the HLHS to get blood to the lungs and rest of the body.  What does this mean for Zoe's specific case?  I honestly don't know much but the Pediatric Cardiologist said that the common AV valve will only be a problem when it begins to leak.  If it does leak before she is finished with the 3-part surgeries, Zoe would no longer be a candidate to continue that plan of treatment and would then only have the option of a heart transplant.  We always knew that after the 3 surgeries, a heart transplant would most likely be in her adult future but now my biggest fear is that she will need a transplant as an infant or in her younger years.  A heart transplant is her only backup option for success and if she can avoid a transplant until adulthood, she has a better chance of a longer lasting heart.

Normal vs. Zoe's heart: 

Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome with Atrial Septal Defect

Thankfully, she is still perfectly safe and protected in utero.  I really don't know how to respond to this new discovery.  I have known since the beginning that things could change and further develop... but I guess I was naive about the reality of her condition actually getting worse.  There is nothing we can do at this time... just more waiting, more nerve-wracking appointments and more unknowns.  

What a day...