Tom and Jerry

I was thinking today about how much Kerwin loves Tom and Jerry. He just sits and laughs and laughs. It started one day when we rented a Tom and Jerry video for him. We thought he would enjoy it because it's all action and no dialogue. He watched it over and over again. Then we realized that it was on TV on a regular basis so we started DVRing it (I loooove DVR). I will have to post some video of Kerwin actually watching the show. It's so cute.

We had a great Christmas. We visited with both sides of the family and we are now enjoying a few days at home before we all go back to school. It is so nice that Mike and I have the same breaks (for the most part) as Kerwin. It makes things so much simpler.

I am still feeling great. I am sleeping great and taking full advantage of my time to rest before baby gets here. Baby has been starting to get much more active and I can feel [her] quite often now. The first time I felt [her] kick was at Kerwin's school Christmas party. They had the music going really loud for the kids and I was sitting still watching the kids play a game and I finally felt something. I had been waiting for a couple of weeks thinking it should be any day. So I was ready for it. I go back to the doctor in two weeks. They will do another ultrasound and hopefully we'll be able to see the heart this time and get some confirmation on the gender.

Hope you had a great Christmas. We are looking forward to a blessed 2009.

Kerwin in the paper

Early on in our adoption process, a friend of ours from church, Andy Olsen, approached us to ask if he could write a story about Kerwin and our family. He was not sure exactly what would come of the article at the time. Andy followed us to Haiti last summer and has spent many hours with us documenting Kerwin's first year and a half with our family. Now Andy and his wife Erika are working for Northwest Haiti Christian Mision in various capacities. Tomorrow the article wil come out in the Lexington Herald-Leader. It will be a three-part series on the front page running Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday. So check it out if you can get the paper. If not, you can see the article at Kentucky.com.

It's a girl???

I went for an ultrasound yesterday and as best they could tell everything (brain, internal organs, weight, heart rate) looks fine. Now onto the imiportant stuff. Unfortunately, our new little one was being unccoperative already. She (we are calling her a she) didn't really give us a good view of the parts but the tech seemed to think that it was a girl. I'm going to have to take her word for it because my untrained eye was having a hard time telling that it was even a baby. The heart was also difficult to see so they want to do a follow-up ultrasound next visit. So hopefully we'll have a better view next time. For now, we are registering for pink and will start to consider girl names. Yeah!

Top 10 Ways to Raise A Psychologically Healthy Deaf Child

Our sign language instructor gave us this list at our last class. I thought it was good information for us and perhaps for those who support us along our journey.

Top 10 Ways to Raise A Psychologically Healthy Deaf Child
10. Educate yourself on issues related to hearing loss. Find someone who will give you unbiased information about all options.
9. Find a communication method that your child will clearly understand. Use that communication method whenever your child is present.
8. Seek support from family, friends, and professionals to deal with your feelings about your child’s hearing loss.
7. Assume your deaf child can do anything a hearing child can do. Help your child learn to be his/her own advocate.
6. Teach your child about your family, values, and culture. Involve your child in all family activities.
5. Look for and praise your child’s strengths, efforts, and positive actions each day.
4. Teach your child about personal safety, body parts, appropriate touching and ways to ask for help.
3. Introduce your family to deaf adults and children who will be positive role models for you and your child. Include your child in social activities.
2. Participate in your child’s education. Ask your child’s teacher for ways to enhance learning at home.
1. Balance firm and consistent rules and consequences with unconditional love, respect, and acceptance.

By Lisa A. Marshall, Ph.D.

Thanksgiving in LA

I have arrived in LA to visit my sister for the holiday. Mike and Kerwin will be celebrating at home with his family. Mike's dad came down to stay for a few days with Mike and help pick Kerwin up from school and take care of him. We have been talking via the web cam each night. It does not work nearly as well as a video phone which we are going to have to break down and buy pretty soon so that Kerwin can use the phone. To see what I've been up to check out my sister's blog at

www.tylerandrachelhisel.blogspot.com

So far we saw a huge Christmas tree lighting at the Grove complete with real "movie" snow and a flying Santa that narrowly escaped about three major mishaps on the way down. Completely worth going to just for that. Besides that we were looking at a little TV screen (couldn't get closer to the stage) and the sound was awful so that you could only hear the singers and not when anyone was talking. It was hosted by Jon Lovitz so we just guessed what he was saying all night. Natalie Cole sang one song but the rest of the music was unremarkable. Well actually one of the groups was remarkable because they were so horrible. Yesterday I visited Rachel at work. Tyler was also working on the set of the show Bones. Tonight we will go to a Lakers game (Tyler my brother-in-law is a HUGE fan). And then tomorrow we will have our Thanksgiving dinner. I am hoping that one of my roommates from college who lives out here will be able to join us. She and her husband have a little baby boy who I have not met.

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

What a difference a year makes

Kerwin is continuing to make progress with his physical therapy. I was just thinking the other day as he was standing with his ankles and knees (close to) straight that putting a before and after picture beside eachother would be truly amazing.

January 2007 at the mission
Look at those poor little feet.

Late Summer 2007 at the Visa Lodge
See how he would try to pinch those knees together for balance.

Tonight in Kerwin's bedroom

It wasn't until after his first Botox injection (May 2008), that Kerwin was able to stand up without holding onto anything for the first time in his life.

Now he is able to start and stop walking without falling, walk backwards, walk side to side, go up one step without holding on, and jump the tiniest little bit.



Thank God for this country and the opportunities we have.

One Year Anniversary!

So here is our one year anniversary post as promised. Tomorrow Kerwin will have his second Botox injection procedure for his legs. Thankfully, this time he does not have to be casted following the procedure. We are hopeful that the results will be as good as the result of the previous injection which really helped his walking.

But in celebration of all the wonderful events of the last year, I will provide a year (or so) in review through pictures.

Kerwin at 2 years old
Our first family picture - October 2006
Barbara Walker - Miracle Worker
Summer in Haiti 2007
Grandpa Red Car visits
Aunt Rachel visits
Grandma Green Car visits
Kerwin gets his visa!!!!
Kerwin's first day at home.
We all watch as UK beats #1 ranked LSU
Second family picture
First Halloween
First Christmas
Seventh birthday
Spring break in California
Kerwin at summer hippotherapy
Vacation at the Outer Banks
Kerwin and Rolgard at the ball field

Well there's a quick trip through the last year or so. Of course there is tons that I left out. We are just so thankful that God has allowed us to be Kerwin's parents and we are so thankful for all the blessings we've received in the last year and a half. We have had INCREDIBLE support from family and friends. We have experienced bonding with Kerwin like we could have never hoped for. Kerwin has made great strides physically, emotionally, developmentally, and academically. And we have grown in faith and in numberous other ways over the past several months. Thanks to everyone who is reading this blog and who has cared about our family through this season of our lives.