The Adkins Family



Making Smores in our backyard




In Glenwood at a tour of the caverns



Cousins

Sissy and bro-bro

We are all doing great and enjoying our new life.  Kaiser was finally starting to feel more healthy until this last week, and then he came down with another cold.  He seems to be better this time and his ears seem okay.  We have a doctor appt. with him on Tuesday for his 9 month well baby visit.  He finally started crawling on Thursday, but seems to not want to do it a lot yet.  Today he crawled a little bit more on one knee with the other foot on the ground and the knee up.  It is so cute!

We got a great swingset from our neighbors and Lilia is having a ball playing for a couple hours each day on it.  Kaiser is pretty indifferent about swinging at this point, but ate a lot of sand while playing in the sandbox.  Lilia and Kaiser are becoming a great pair.  She loves to make him laugh and help him.  She will wipe his nose, or pick it, too!  She helps get diapers and wipes, and will try to help dress him.  She picks him up, and tries to help him walk.  Lilia is starting to get tiny freckles on her nose and told me his the color of her freckles, so she has started calling him "my little freckle freck."  It is adorable to see them together and to see her trying so hard to make him laugh.  He is super loud and just likes to scream when he is really happy, and she will put his pacifier in to keep him quiet, or will yell to me "Mom, he wants you to pick him up!"

We went to Glenwood with my sister and their cousins for spring break and it was such a good time.  We went to the hotsprings pool, and rode a gondola to the top of the mountain.  Lil and Kai loved the warm water.  Our next vacation will be a big family vacation with my side of the family in June to Disneyworld.  We are looking forward to it!

I have to go back to work next Friday.  I am hoping he does okay without me, because he is so attached to me and a little clingy.  It is such a blessing that I work night shift so I will be working when they are asleep and will be able to be with them during the day.  I am a little sad to be going back, but it will be good to get back into our routine, since I gotta go back some time!

I think we are finally starting to feel a little more normal.  Kaiser is happy as can be, smiling all the time.  He is sleeping pretty well, like 12 hours a night.  He wakes up 1-3 times a night crying, but I can calm him in 5 seconds with a pacifier and talking to him.  We went to our well baby check up yesterday.  He is on the mend, but still has 2 nasty ear infections.  We are on a stronger antibiotic for 10 days.  His lungs are still cruddy, but on the mend.  We are going to do breathing treatments throughout the rest of the winter just to keep him from getting super sick.  He got 2 immunizations and was pretty crabby last night.  Today we have to go to the lab to get some blood drawn and stool samples just to make sure he is all clear.
Developementally the doctor was impressed.  He thought he was doing well, given where he came from.  He is sitting up on his own now and only falling over occasionally.  He can sit and play by himself for a while.  He is still pretty clingy to me, especially if he is tired, sick, or just plain mad.  It is okay with me that he wants me to hold him.
The 4 of us are going for our first overnight tonight at a hotel.  We are just going to stay downtown and go swimming in the pool, then out to dinner.  It is only a half hour away, but it is a well needed rest from daily life.  Having 2 kids is a bit difficult, but I have a helpful 5 year old!

Everything is normal!  Praise the Lord!  Kai had his ultrasound of his abdomen today and the doctor called to tell me everything is normal.  Ahhhhhhh what a great feeling!  He is over the hump and on the road to recovery.  We are still doing breathing treatments twice a day, and although his lungs are still congested and he is coughing, he is getting better.  His nose and eyes are clear, and his ears seem okay!  He finally started eating food yesterday.  No baby fruit at all!  He is a veggie guy :)  He is happy as can be and smiles constantly.  Just talking to the little man puts a smile on his sweet little face.  I am so happy to be a mommy of the two greatest kids God ever created.  Soooooo glad all the worry about illnesses is over and now we can move on with the fun.  I have 6 weeks of leave from work left and I intend to spend it loving on those two babies of mine.  I am having so much fun.

We had an appt. today for his heart and I am so happy to report that everything is 100% normal.  Normal heart, no holes, normal function, no defects.  God is so good!  I am praising him today, and also praising him for a good report on Monday at the abdominal ultrasound.  Whew!!

The first couple weeks have definately been harder than I expected.  We came home with a really sick little guy.  That first weekend was tough, almost taking him to the ER a couple times.  We stuck it out until Monday and then took him right into the doctor.  Double ear infections, sinus infection and bronchiolitis.  He got started on a strong antibiotic right away, along with breathing treatments 3-4 times a day.  He then was started on inhaled steroids, which his doctor said he will probably need for about a month.  He had a chest xray, which showed a pretty enlarged heart, and he has a murmur.  So tomorrow we are going to see a pediatric cardiologist to get an echocardiogram of his heart to see what is going on.   Worst case scenario is that he has a congenital heart defect.  But God has a plan and he made our family the way it is from the beginning of time.  If it is something, thank God he is mine and he is here to get treatment.  He wouldn't have been healthy had he stayed in Ethiopia.  He has been so sick for so long, and I just wonder if his heart is enlarged from having to push blood through is constantly infected lungs.  Who knows, but we will find out tomorrow.  He also has a low set belly button, which sometimes can be associated with kidney problems, so we are going to get an abdominal ultrasound on Monday.  More fun at the farm.
Regardless of him being sick, he is the smiliest, happiest, talkative baby ever.  He has such a little personality already, and is really just as happy as can be.  He FINALLY slept through the night on Monday night.  YAY!  I was about ready to freak out one day because he was up screaming all night, and then would sleep about a half hour during the day.  I got really sick, then Lilia got sick.  I almost keeled over!  But God gave me grace to keep going, and we are all getting healthier by the day.
Lilia is doing pretty well with him.  She got a little sad for a few days feeling left out, like no one cared about her anymore.  But she is better now, and is really liking to make him laugh and smile.  She is also liking to show him off to her friends.
My dear, sweet grandma passed away Friday after a battle with cancer.  She wanted to make it to see her new great grandson, which she did and I am so proud of her.  I love her and miss her so much!  Thank you grandma for all your love.  I will miss you!!

Breathing treatments

Lilia came home sick from school today

After being sick for a lot of days!



His first bath at home




Kaiser and Papa




One if his happy moments




You can always count on grandma to make life fun

 We made it safe and sound.  He was an angel on the plane and slept a lot of the time.  He only fussed a few times, but calmed down very easily.  We had a great homecoming at the airport with my whole family there to greet us.  It was great!  My niece got a cousin for her birthday that day.  I won't forget that day!
Since we have been home, things have been a little crazy!  Kaiser has been pretty sick, and was up crying a lot during the first night.  He has a nasty cough, runny/stuffy nose, eyes glued shut and he is pulling on both his ears.  We are going to try to take him in first thing Monday.  During the next day he still slept a lot but seemed a little happier during his awake times.  Grandma and Papa came over to visit him.
Lilia is liking having a baby brother, but plugs her ears when he cries.  She cried the first time he cried.  It is sweet to see her try to make him laugh.  I think the newness has worn off a little and she just wants a lot of attention from us.  It is hard because I am exhausted, trying to take care of him and her.  Lee has been great getting up with him, but sometimes, he just wants me.
Another day today and hopefully he will feel better!

It is my final day, my final e-mail. Trying to get this written before the power goes out!


The buddy is better today. He woke up at 4 am with his nose completely blocked and his eyes glued shut but went back to sleep when I got him all fixed up. We got up and ate, now he is back for a nap. All he has done is sleep, it feels like. Probably because he doesn't feel too good.

We have had a great time, have met some really wonderful people here. I would not change this experience for anything!

We will be on our way to the airport in 9 hours, and on our way HOME! Can't wait to get there. I am not looking forward to the plane ride.

My stupid bottle leaks out tons. It is a piece of junk. One of those ones with the plastic inserts. One of the ladies I met is going to the store and is going to pick me up some bottles so I can get through the plane ride. He only likes the infant ones that come out really slow. He chokes otherwise. It will be an interesting 24 hours of travel.

I love you all, thank you all for your prayers and support. The wait is finally over, and now the journey really begins. To the best family ever, I LOVE YOU!! God has blessed me with all of you! See you on the other side!

It has been quite an interesting day today. Kaiser woke up pretty sick today. His nose was completely clogged, and he has been coughing up a lot of junk today and he sounds terrible. He has been pretty irritable and lethargic, and he has spent a good part of the day sleeping. Poor fella.


He has diarrhea today, which I didn't think would happen because I didn't switch formula. I fed him some cereal last night thinking it was rice, and found out today when I read the fine print that it is wheat cereal, so maybe that is the problem. I was suctioning out his nose which he screamed about, and then he threw up all over himself and me. Off to the bathtub we went, which he seemed to really like again. I layed him on a blanket on the floor with some toys, and before I knew it, he was asleep again.

The smog here is the worst I have ever been in. Deisel fuel, and the smell of burning coal all the time. I think maybe that made his illness worse, especially since yesterday was the worst it has been since we have been here, and he was outside a lot when I took him out of the TH yesterday. My throat is hurting a lot also, and my sinuses are a little clogged. Not that Denver is the cleanest air, but I will be looking forward to air a little cleaner than this!

This afternoon he seems to be a bit more smiley and chipper. He wants to try to stand up a lot, and decided he hates the bumbo chair. He has cried every time I have put him in it today. I think maybe he just wants to either sleep, or be held. Not a problem!

Well, it is my last night here tonight. I am gonna miss the sound of the dogs and that lovely rooster (NOT!!!) I really am going to miss the people. I have really gotten to know my coordinators over here, who are wonderful. All the Ethiopian people have been nothing but nice, helpful and friendly. Every time you smile, the people always smile back. It is a great group of people. I am going to miss seeing the kids at the transition home and playing with them. I am so glad that most of them have families, and are waiting to go home.

I am so happy this journey is almost over, but part of me feels a little sad, too. It is hard to explain, though. It has been a long ride, and I am so ready to start our lives as a family of 4!!

I will post one more time tomorrow before I leave. My plane leaves at noon Denver time so say a prayer for me and Kaiser. Love to you all.