Birthday-January 22, 2005
Where he is from: Guangdong Province in southern China.
Activities: He can jump. He can build 7-8 blocks. His favorite activity is kicking balls and playing games. (Oh, yes, the Kneifel's love games too!) His favorite toys are listed as balls and blocks.
Other: He can say 3-5 word sentences. He can take off his clothes, feed himself, and communicate with children his own age. He eats 4 times a day, mostly rice with supplements like egg yolks, rice gruel, cod liver oil, mashed fruit and congee.
Here is a "Before" shot of Kai's room right now. This used to be our guest room/my sewing room. We are in the process of switching some rooms around upstairs to make way for our little guy. Those diapers aren't really for Kai. I have extras for my friend's kiddos that come over. Yes, they're for you Izzy and Drew!
Elizabeth painting her room the "perfect" shade of purple! She actually is a really good painter and a big help! I think she might be into design or decorating or something. She was actually upset about leaving Sherwin Williams the other day because she wasn't through looking at the different paint samples and tools for "faux" finishing!
And then you have the "Before" of the new playroom. This used to be Elizabeth's room. So we have a bunch of stuff from the old playroom in here, while we try to organize closets and paint walls.We are working really hard to get everything around here ready for Kai. I stressed myself out a bit trying to figure out the perfect way to decorate his room. Nothing seemed right and it was really starting to get to me. Why was it such a big deal if his walls were blue or green or tan? Who cares really if I made him a quilt or bought one at the store? I found myself thinking, "Well, he's been in an orphanage all this time...he deserves a bright and happy room." And then, "But, if he has been in an orphanage this whole time, will a bright room be overstimulating and too much?" I swear those are of my thoughts, back and forth and back and forth. Ping-pong, ping-pong.
I feel so much responsibility parenting this little guy. I take it very seriously. I feel that we have been entrusted with such a gift and I just really want to do it right. I have read every book I can get my hands on about adoption, transracial adoption, toddler adoption, bonding, attachment, etc. I've read some of them twice, just to be sure I got it all. I think I am just at that the point where I just need to stop reading and start, "doing" something.
Decorating his room is the first of my parental "doing" for Kai. Somehow, I want him to know just by walking into his room that we love him and have waited and prayed and worked so hard to be his parents. Honestly, I know he may not care much about his room at all. But right now, I can't hug him, can't read to him, sing to him or tickle his little belly. I can't cook for him or build a "big tower" with him. So, I agonize over how to paint his walls, what fabric to buy for his quilt and how many pillows should be on his bed.
I pray every night that somehow he knows that he has a family waiting for him. I pray that he is not too scared when he meets us. I pray that he is ok, that he is not sick, or cold, or sad. And if he is, that there is a kind Nanny that loves him and tends to him. I pray that the rest of this process goes quickly and that we will be with him soon. I pray that we will be good parents for him.
I feel so much responsibility parenting this little guy. I take it very seriously. I feel that we have been entrusted with such a gift and I just really want to do it right. I have read every book I can get my hands on about adoption, transracial adoption, toddler adoption, bonding, attachment, etc. I've read some of them twice, just to be sure I got it all. I think I am just at that the point where I just need to stop reading and start, "doing" something.
Decorating his room is the first of my parental "doing" for Kai. Somehow, I want him to know just by walking into his room that we love him and have waited and prayed and worked so hard to be his parents. Honestly, I know he may not care much about his room at all. But right now, I can't hug him, can't read to him, sing to him or tickle his little belly. I can't cook for him or build a "big tower" with him. So, I agonize over how to paint his walls, what fabric to buy for his quilt and how many pillows should be on his bed.
I pray every night that somehow he knows that he has a family waiting for him. I pray that he is not too scared when he meets us. I pray that he is ok, that he is not sick, or cold, or sad. And if he is, that there is a kind Nanny that loves him and tends to him. I pray that the rest of this process goes quickly and that we will be with him soon. I pray that we will be good parents for him.
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