Arrival of Leah

Recent Pictures

2010-01-01T18:36:00.001-08:00

Leah on 12-29-09 wearing one of her hanboks.

Leah with her little sister Jenna.

Leah wearing an outfit from China - New Years Day 2010.

Follow Me Back.... To My Beginnings...

2009-03-10T18:07:00.000-07:00

Leah- September 2011 - Holt Picnic - LeGrand, Iowa.

Leah - September 2009 - Holt Picnic - LeGrand, Iowa.

Leah - September 2008 - Holt Picnic - LeGrand, Iowa.

Leah - September 2007 - Holt Picnic - LeGrand, Iowa.

Leah - September 2006 - Holt Picnic - LeGrand, Iowa.

Leah - September 2005 - Holt Picnic - LeGrand, Iowa.

Leah - September 2004 - Holt Picnic - LeGrand, Iowa.

Leah - September 2003 - Holt Picnic - LeGrand, Iowa.

Leah - September 2002.

Leah - July 2001.

Leah's Referral Picture - September 2000.

WELCOME TO MY BEGINNINGS!

March 23, 2001 - First Journal Entry

2009-02-21T10:30:00.000-08:00

This is entry #1 into Leah’s Journal

Leah hasn’t arrived yet, but we get monthly reports on how she is doing. She is healthy, but has had some abnormal liver tests that we are somewhat concerned about. Cheryl did some research on diagnoses of liver problems and found that it is something that is hard to pin down at this early of stage. Leah also has severely crossed eyes, and will need surgery to correct her vision.

Leah was born on August 8, 2000 to a young South Korean unmarried couple. Her birth father is now in the ROK Army, and her birth mother is currently unemployed, and lives with her family. They are financially unable to support a child, so they unselfishly did what was best for the child – to put her up for adoption. Her Korean name is Kim Jang Mee.

Today is March 23, 2001, but Cheryl and I started the adoption process about a year ago. We found that we would probably be unable to conceive, despite the fact that Cheryl went through painful surgery for endometriosis. We jumped through all of the typical fertility hoops, but when our fertility Dr. Davis told Cheryl that she would probably have to have more surgery to continue, we decided that that was enough. It was Cheryl’s idea to do adoption, and I was against it at first – but I eventually came around.

I won’t go through all of the steps we have been through in the adoption process, or all of what it has cost – that is all recorded elsewhere. Let me just say that we were put under the microscope, and intensely scrutinized. My parents were generous enough to give us an interest free loan for a majority of the adoption costs, despite the fact that my father was laid off from his machinist’s job almost simultaneously. Our whole family has been very supportive. My sisters hosted a Baby Shower for Leah on Saturday March 10, 2001. Many friends and family showed up and Leah received lots gifts and necessities. They would have preferred that she was present at this celebration, but that is out of our hands. We are now waiting for South Korea to get their Visa approval paperwork done, and for them to make travel arrangements for Leah to come home to us. We have done all we can do from this end.

3-10-2001 - Shower for Leah - cake.

Cheryl opening gifts.

Heather, Kristen, and Cheryl (Cheryl with her sisters).

Friends and Family.

Eileen (My Grandma - Leah's Great Grandma) and Lori. Eileen was very supportive of our adoptions as was our whole family. We miss you Grandma!

The Shower's hosts and helpers - My parents Dick & Donna, Sisters Cathy, Lori, & Julie (taking the photo), with Cheryl.

April 21, 2001

2009-02-21T10:29:00.000-08:00

April 21, 2001

Here it is – one month later, and still no Leah. We received a medical report that says she is now about 16 – 17 lbs. – and doing OK. Our social worker, Lisa Muntz, called us and said that Leah received eye surgery for her crossed-eyes (Estropia). She said she was doing OK, but she needs time to recover. After that, apparently all that is left is for the Korean Adoption people to book her a flight to the United States. We are as ready as we will ever be. Leah is now 8 months, and 12 days old.

Leah and her 1st Foster Mother.

Leah and her 2nd Foster Mother.

May 31, 2001 - Announcement!

2009-02-21T10:26:00.000-08:00

May 31, 2001

Today is the day!

After a year and a few months, we are finally going to pick up our new daughter Leah at Des Moines airport.

They only notified us a couple of days ago – somebody else must have been held up, and Leah was the replacement.

We will be renting a car – then we will stop to pick up Lori in Ankeny, where she lives. Leah’s flight arrives at 11:39 PM (United Flight 1130). We will meet our greeter Trish Hellstern 1 hour before. Lori has come down with some kind of cold, so she won’t be handling Leah much. She will be the video camera operator.

It is a rainy, kind of gloomy day outside – but it is a great day just the same! Leah is almost 10 months old, and she is doing well after her eye operation. We were told that if we don’t receive a call by 11 AM that says otherwise – then she will be on her way. That time has come and passed.

Welcome Home Leah!

May 31, 2001 - Leah's Arrival Day!

2009-02-21T10:23:00.000-08:00

May 31 – June 1, 2001

We drove our rented green Mitsubishi car to Ankeny to pick up Lori, and we arrived at the Des Moines Airport at about 10:30 P.M. We met up with Trish Hellstern and her daughter, and Trish explained a little bit about what to expect while we were waiting at the arrival gate. Then just before Midnight, we saw Leah for the first time as she was coming through the gate. She was sleeping in her escort’s arms. So the first time Cheryl held Leah (picture above) Leah was lust waking up.

Leah and Cheryl meet at last!

Cheryl with Leah and Lori.

Leah with her escort.

Lori, Cheryl, Leah, and Brett.

Leah’s escort said that Leah was crying for a lot of the flight – until she went to sleep. We gave the escort & Trish cards with $20 each, and Trish went off with the escort and her brother (who was also an escort – he dropped his child of in San Francisco, California) to get them situated with a hotel room to stay. When she came back – we visited with them for a little while longer – receiving further instruction. Then we left to go take Lori back home. Leah didn’t want to ride in the car seat, so she screamed and screamed. Cheryl rode in the back seat with Leah and tried to soothe her the best she could. Leah soon went to sleep, and we made it home OK. Leah seemed to have a bit of a cold, and her breath sounds were raspy. We took her to the doctor the next Monday, and she gave us some medicine.

June 8, 2001

2009-02-21T10:19:00.000-08:00

June 8, 2001

Well we have had Leah for a little over a week. It was a rough couple of first days while she was adjusting to her new surroundings. It was very difficult to get her to sleep anything more than sporadically. She will not sleep in a crib – I tried for 2 hours one night, and she just screamed and screamed. She prefers to sleep on a play mat on the living room floor. She likes to be patted on the back softly before she sleeps. After about a week, we finally got her to sleep in a playpen in the living room – with Cheryl sleeping on the couch. For the first week Cheryl and I were doing shifts. Cheryl would sleep from about 8PM to 4AM in our bed – and I would watch Leah. Then I would wake Cheryl up, and she would watch Leah while I went to bed. This will not work when I go back to work in a couple of days – that is why we needed her to sleep in the playpen. Leah has taken over the living room, and I don’t see that changing anytime soon.

Cheryl took Leah to her doctor last Tuesday – for her congestion problem. She received a prescription for antibiotics. She also got a referral for an eye doctor.

Leah is a very cute, playful, and pleasant baby. She is becoming more of a joy with each passing day. She likes to be around people and likes to watch activity. She smiles and laughs often – except around strangers – she has to get used to you first. She initially didn’t like riding in a car seat (she had probably never been in one before, and screamed a lot the first time from the airport), but now she likes to ride in our truck – as long as we are moving. She usually falls asleep. She crawls around everywhere she can get to, and she is very determined. She low crawls – like soldiers in the Army. She doesn’t speak any words yet, but she will jabber. She can climb up to a standing position, but she is still a little wobbly in the balance department. She has taking some tumbles, and bumped her head a few times – but she rarely cries afterward. She is pretty tough. She has been drinking about 6 ounces of Alsoy formula, with rice cereal mixed in with water – about 3 to 4 times a day. She usually gets fed 1 jar of Gerber’s Baby Food a day. First it was peas, then potatoes, then green beans. She has also had banana. She likes them all – but she seems most enthusiastic about the peas. She also likes crackers. I would say she likes to eat – like her parents.

Leah with Grandma Lois.

Leah with her cousin Samantha.

Leah has met a lot of her new family. Cheryl’s family came to visit on her first day here. We took her to see my parents on this day as well. A few days later, Julie and Samantha came to visit. She met my sister Lori at the airport, and she met my other sister Cathy (with Kobe) yesterday. She has also met our neighbors – The Havercamp’s – who have 2 Korean children. The oldest is Kayla, who is 5 years old. Quinn is a little over 1 year old. Kayla has made Leah a couple of cute cards – telling Leah how cute she is, and how she loves babies. Yesterday we went to a party at Don Foley’s – where Leah met a lot of her relatives. Everybody thinks she is adorable – and I would have to agree. I also took her for her first ride in her stroller on this day, which she seemed to enjoy.

June 17, 2001 - My First Father's Day!

2009-02-21T10:13:00.000-08:00

6-17-01
Father’s Day

Today was my first Father’s Day. It was also the first day that Leah went to our Church – Living Hope Wesleyan. We were going to take her last week, but she was too fussy. We dressed Leah up in a white dress – she is not to crazy about dresses – like her mother. She was a good girl throughout mass, and received several presents. She got a baby blanket from the congregation, a couple of nice onesie outfits, some books, and other items. Many from the congregation introduced themselves to Leah. Yesterday our Minister, Bruce Howell, and his wife Janine visited our home to meet Leah, and they gave her a Noah’s Ark picture frame.

After mass we went to Leah’s Grandparent’s on the Foley side. We bought Kentucky Fried Chicken for lunch – but Leah got her usual formula and crackers. We all pitched in and bought dad a new car stereo, which I installed in his car yesterday. Mom, Dad, Cheryl, Julie, Lori, Austin, Willie, Samantha, Leah, and I were all there. Cathy and family were in California, and Bruce is at home in Tennessee. We stayed until about 7 PM – then we went to Leah’s Grandparent’s on the MacFarlane side. We wished Ian a Happy Father’s Day, gave him a card, and visited for a couple of hours. Leah’s Aunt Heather stopped in while we were there to wish Ian a Happy Father’s Day, and give him a card, with a big Hershey Bar. She said that her and Bill were bailing hay all day. Leah behaved very well all day, and she laughed and giggled with both Grandpas’.

Leah is doing very well – she is adjusting just fine. She still sleeps on the floor next to her mom each night, and only sleeps for an hour or 2 at a time. She is happy a majority of the time, and is becoming more and more mobile. She doesn’t sit up very well yet, but she comes very close to standing. She is still wobbly, but I think she might walk by the time she turns one. We are not having a lot of luck putting the eye patch on her good eye for 2 hours each day (doctor’s suggestion) – so she can exercise the crossed eye more. We are lucky to get her to wear it for more than ½ hour, before she gets too irate – she constantly tries to remove it, and sometimes wrestles with all her might. Some days we just don’t have the heart to make her wear it – and some days we forget. She has an appointment with an Ophthalmologist on July 3 – to deal with her eye problem. She is 20lbs. and 27” tall. She has 4 teeth on the top row and 4 on the bottom row – they are big, and they are weapons. She has yet to speak her first words of English – she might be speaking Korean, but we are not certain. The first time I see her each morning – she gives me a big smile. What a way to start the day!

First letter from Lorraine

2009-02-21T09:40:00.000-08:00

Hi Leah,

Knowing your dad and his highly refined organizational skills, I thought this would be a good time to send you a letter, so your Daddy can add it to your journal if he wants.

Well, after such a long time, you finally arrived in the USA. Thank God! We were all getting terribly lonesome for you. When you first got here, you and your parents needed some time to adjust so I waited almost 2 weeks before meeting you. I was afraid that you wouldn't like me, or that you would be afraid of me. I prepared myself just in case, and I was determined that you and I would become friends as soon as possible.

Your Daddy was at work for his evening shift at Rockwell Collins, so I stopped over to your house with Subway Sandwiches for your Mommy and myself. You were sleeping on the living room floor on your back. When I first arrived, you almost woke up, and you did something that amazed me... you rocked your head back and forth (like shaking your head for the word "no") You even have a little spot on the back of your head where you've worn off the hair. Guess What! I used to do that all the time, too! I don't think there are many people that do that. When I was little, my hair was almost as black as yours, and it was long and thin textured. I'd wake up with the worst rat's nests (try to say that out loud!) in the back of my head. Back then there wasn't any hair conditioner, and it was very painful when my mom combed and or ripped out the knots. Eventually I learned other ways to use motion to relax or sleep. I still rock side to side or back and forth when sitting on an ordinary chair, and I lie on my side and shake myself to sleep every night. I wonder if you'll always find it peaceful to rock. You'll have to ask your dad if he ever timed my rocking with a metronome. Once I start a rhythm, it doesn't vary much.

Soon after I arrived at your house, you woke up, and your Mommy was so gentle and quiet spoken with you. She treats you with all the kindness and love from her heart. I'm so glad she has you to love and I can tell you love her and need her. Your mommy is actually very kind to everyone, including animals, (even dumb animals!)

At first, you just looked at me, but you got a little more interested when we started sharing the bread from our subs with you. You have several teeth, but I'm not sure you've got the hang of chewing yet. You kind of gummed the bread til you got bored and then swallowed a big wad. I thought it was a bit too much for you, and thankfully you voluntarily choked it right back up. It was so cute. You didn't mind a bit and continued gumming the bread, so your mommy took half the chunk out of your mouth.

In the kitchen you were sitting on mom's lap the whole time. I think your favorite part of dinner was getting your hands on the straw. Your mom says it's one of your favorite toys. You use it as an extension of your arm whenever you can't reach something. I think you're quite the little genius to figure out how to get what you want with so much determination.

The other thing I thought was hilarious is that you always use your 'middle man' finger, aka 'the finger' on both hands to play or point. I tried to get a photo of you 'flipping me off' but I haven't gotten my film developed yet to see how the shots turned out.

I received your birth announcement and USA arrival date in the mail today. Your parents included the pictures of you and me playing together. They are photo's I'll always cherish. You and I are so happy together. We had a blast. You've got a really good sense of humor and agreat smile! You're at that age where you want to explore your world. I can tell that you're a very smart little girl, and I'm so proud of you!

If you want to know how great your parents are, ask them to show you the letter of recommendation I wrote so they could adopt you. I love both of your parents very much. They are both intelligent, hard workers, modest,forgiving, attractive, physically fit, and mechanically inclined. And NO, they are not paying me to write those things! Your parents have both encouraged me when I'm down and forgiven me for the times I've messed up. Your parents have taught me that there really is such a thing as unconditional love. I am very emotional and the intensity of my actions and reactions often frightens or embarrasses me, but your parents remain my steadfast friends even though they know me. They have that rare ability to see inside a person's heart and soul.

Most of all, I thank God for bringing you into our lives. You are like the sunshine. I've heard a saying that "Babies are God's way of saying He wants the world to go on" and I have to agree. Sometimes I get very sad and disillusioned with myself and with the world. Now I can look at the photo of you and I together and remember that you are our ray of hope.

A lot of people prayed for you before you were even created. God is so incredible that He knew the right time for you to be born and united with your Mommy and Daddy. I feel like I've known you for almost 2 years even though you're only 10 months old.

You are precious and I love you, Leah. Thank you for brightening my life. And thank you Brett and Cheryl for giving me the honor to share my name with Leah.

Love Always,
Lorraine

Leah with Lorraine.

June 30, 2001

2009-02-21T09:34:00.000-08:00

June 30, 2001

Leah has been doing pretty well. The only words she has said are da da, hi, and ahja, (whatever that means). She does not say them on request – she just says them out of the blue. A couple of days ago – Thursday, June 28 – our Social Worker Lisa Muntz visited us, and saw Leah for the first time. Leah was in a good mood, having just finished her morning nap. It was the first of 3 follow-up visits by the Holt Adoption Agency. Lisa went over a questionnaire that we had to fill out before she came. We gave her 12 pictures of Leah – so she could forward them to Leah’s former foster parents. Lisa also copied some information from Leah’s passport. The visit went fine, and Lisa thought that Leah was adjusting really well. We have 2 more visits with Lisa, one of which will be at her house in LeGrand, Iowa – which is a small town near Marshalltown. We have been there once before during the adoption process. After these visits are completed, the adoptions process from Holt’s end will be complete. Then we can go ahead with legally adopting her as our child as recognized by the U.S. Government.

Leah with Mommy.

For the last couple of nights, Cheryl has finally gotten Leah to sleep in her crib in her room. Cheryl has to sleep nearby. She had to remove some of the padding in the crib, so that Leah could see that Cheryl was there. Once Leah gets more use to sleeping in there – maybe Cheryl will be able to work her way toward sleeping in our bed – for the first time since Leah has been here. Cheryl has been sleeping on various floors for a month. Leah is drinking Parent’s Choice soy formula, from Wal-Mart. She is eating Gerber’s beef & dumplings, and chicken noodle. She also enjoys sweet potatoes (yuck!) She still likes to eat. She likes to go outside and visit our dogs, but she doesn’t like it when they lick her in the face.

Letter from Lorraine.

2009-02-21T09:23:00.000-08:00

Hi Leah,

Hey Sweetie, You've been on my mind every day this week, so I've finally made time to write you a note to add to your baby journal.

Last Saturday night, you and I had our first official baby-sitting experience while your mom and dad went to a movie and did some shopping.But we didn't sit much! You were the happiest when I carried you around and we looked at things. You are so content when you feel secure. You were quite fascinated with the bathroom mirrors because there are mirrors on the opposite sides of the room, which reflect the reflection! That was lots of fun! You kept looking back and forth to try to figure out what was going on.Of course, I think you're a little genius because you've got that instinct to analyze and think about how things work.

We liked the porch swing, and we loved being outside. You sure have a beautiful yard and your mom has planted many gorgeous flowers and shrubs. Your dad does a great job whacking all the weeds. (I think that's why your mom has to put borders around all her flowerbeds). Your apple tree has several apples that will be yummy in the fall. I bet you'll love applesauce.

You are so beautiful and precious! I think my favorite time with you was when you fell asleep in my arms in the rocker-recliner. You looked so peaceful and I felt so blessed to be holding you. There's nothing in the world to compare to the bliss of holding a peaceful baby. (As long as there's no poopy or pukey smell :-)

You're very keen about movement or the lack of movement. The moment I stopped walking, rocking, swinging or dancing, you were very outspoken about it! You are very much like me in that way. Your parent's told me that sometimes you shake your head from side to side when you're falling asleep. I did that exact same thing for many years as a child. The only reason I quit shaking my head was because of the terrible snarls in my hair. Back then, (the early 60's) we didn't have conditioner to untangle hair, so it was very painful to try to comb through the knots.

Now I usually lay on my side and rock back and forth, or I have my feet moving. I shake myself to sleep every night, and probably always will. I wonder if you will too.

It's obvious that you like music! You have some really cool toys that make neat sounds and songs. Your mom and dad love music too, so God did a great job of matching you up with your parents.

I think the funniest thing of the evening was when we were on the floor. You were unhappy because I wasn't holding you so you were crying a little bit. I started playing with all your toys and you were curious so you kind of quit crying. Out of all the cool toys you've got, you also have some ordinary items like straws and plastic yogurt lids. I arranged the straws and lids so they looked like flowers on a stem. When you saw what I was doing, you crawled over to me right away to confiscate the straws and lids! Those simple little objects sure make you happy and you were a tiny bit possessive, which I think is also quite clever.

You are such a sweet little girl and so easy to entertain. I think you and I are similar in that way too. I love to collect junk and do something cool with it like build it into a tower or make something useful out of it.

You were so happy when your mom and dad got home. You love them and trust them with your whole heart, and they feel the same about you.

I love you very much Leah, and am looking forward to spending more time together.

Love Always,
Rain (that's what little kids call me until they can say my name)

July 2001 - letter from daddy.

2009-02-21T09:18:00.000-08:00

July 22, 2001

To Leah – from daddy

Hello precious Leah!

I am your father, Brett. I have written all of the previous journal entries (except for the 2 from your special friend, Lorraine – or Rain). I have written them mainly because I thought you might like to read them later – when you learn to read. When we are all babies – we don’t remember much of what we went through, so I am trying to let you know what happened. Your mother, Cheryl has not contributed to this journal yet. She has been pretty busy taking care of you. You and your mother have formed a special bond, and both your mother and I love you very much. I have also sent copies of these journal entries to other friends and relatives who are very interested in how things are going with you. Sometimes I send them cute pictures of you making goofy and smiley faces that I take with a digital camera.

At the time of this entry – I am 39 years old, and your mother is 37. We have been married for over 4 years, and it has been the best 4 years of my life. We both work at the same job, which is as electronics technicians. We work on equipment, which helps airplane pilots to fly airplanes. Your mother is very smart, and has a degree in both Biology, and Communication Electronics. I have a degree in Communication Electronics, and I also completed a 4-year enlistment in the U.S. Army, where I worked as a radio and satellite technician. One of the places I stayed while I was in the Army was Seoul, S. Korea – which is very close to where you came from. I lived there for over a year, and I learned a lot about the Korean people, and their culture.

Cheryl and I both grew up in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. I went to school for all 12 + years there, and Cheryl went to school there from 7th grade onward. Before that – her family lived in Missouri. They also lived in Ohio, and Pennsylvania – where she was born on March 2, 1964. Her parents and your grandparents are Ian and Lois MacFarlane. She has 2 younger sisters, your aunts Heather, and Kristen. I was born in Prairie Du Chein, Wisconsin, on June 2, 1962. Cheryl and I are both the oldest children in our families. I lived in Wauzeka, Wisconsin, for the first year of my life. My parents and your other grandparents are Dick and Donna Foley. My parents and I then moved to Rockford, Illinois – where my brother and your uncle Bruce was born. We only lived there for a year, then we moved to Cedar Rapids, where all 3 of my sisters, and your aunts Julie, Cathy, and Lori were born – and that is where we grew up.

Your mother and I started trying to adopt a child around January of 2000. We didn’t know it was going to be you yet at this time. We didn’t even know if the child would be a boy or a girl. The Holt Adoption Agency is the people who helped bring you to us, after we passed all of their guidelines. About a year later, January 2001, they sent us a picture of a pretty baby named Kim Jang Mee. They asked us if we would accept you as our new daughter. They told us that you were born 1 ½ months premature, and that you were slightly jaundiced (a liver condition common with premature babies). They also told us that you had estropia, or crossed-eyes. We decided to accept you as our daughter. While you were in South Korea, you stayed with a couple of different foster mothers. It was decided by Korean officials that they would have a doctor operate on your severely crossed eyes (without asking for our consent). This operation was only partially successful, and it caused us to have to wait a couple of months longer before you could come home to us.

You were born on August 8, 2000 – which makes you a new millennium baby! It will always be easy to calculate how old you are. Your birth mother was 18 years old, and unmarried. This was an extremely difficult situation for this young lady, because she was not yet in a position to support herself, and a child as well. Your birth father was also 18 years old, and he joined the ROK (Republic Of Korea) Army. For reasons unknown to us – they chose not to get married. So your birth mother made the very unselfish choice to put you up for adoption. I am sure it was a very difficult decision for her to make, but it was the wise decision. She most certainly loved you to make such a sacrifice – she put your needs before her own needs – and that is what a good mother does.

As a previous journal entry mentioned – you arrived to us on May 31, 2001. This will always be a special day for us – it is your arrival day. We plan to celebrate this day every year – like your birthday! You have brought us great joy each day since!

Someday we hope to take you on a journey back to your homeland of South Korea. Or maybe someday you will want to go by yourself - it is up to you. We hope that you will become proud of your heritage, and that you will always realize how special you are. We will keep reminding you – just in case.

Leah after a bath in our kitchen sink.

Practicing walking with Mommy.

Leah in the early days of patching.

My Girl and I.

Leah's 1st Birthday Party!

2009-02-21T09:15:00.000-08:00

Leah trying on her Hanbok she received from Korea.

Hello Journal!

My name is Leah!

Through my daddy – I am here to talk about my 1st Birthday Party. It was on Saturday August 4th, from 1 – 5 PM. Many of my relatives came, both sets of Grandparents, Aunts Heather, Julie, Cathy, Kristen, and Lori. Uncle Bill, and Cousins Britney, Ryan, Savanna, Kobe, and Samantha. My daddy cooked us some hamburgers, brats, chicken, and hot dogs on the grill outside, and we had lots of different salads. Later we had my birthday cake, which was a big white butter cream frosting cake, and a chocolate cake that my mommy made, and ice cream. Then I got to open my presents, which I delegated to my mommy. Some of the stuff I got was a neat wagon, a tree swing, which my daddy hooked up, and I got to swing in later. I also got a musical keyboard that makes many sounds. I also got an angel shirt, several books, lots of shoes, a couple of dolls, and other play toys. I also got more money for my college fund. I also got an over-all outfit, and a doll from my auntie Nancy. It was a good day, and mommy and daddy said I behaved very well.

Last week my mommy went back to work, so I only see her for ½ of the day now, instead of most all of the time like I was used to – but things change often in my life. Mommy and daddy say this is the way it is going to be – mommy will watch me ½ of the time, and daddy will watch me the other half. Daddy took me to see the eye surgeon, Dr Shah on Monday. He said that I was using my left eye better, and that he was ready to do the surgery. He still would feel better if we could get the information from Korea that we requested from the doctor who performed my previous surgery – the reason being that he has a strategy when he goes to do his surgeries, and he doesn’t want to run into any surprises if he can help it - so we are going to give that more time. He says I only have to wear the eye patch for 2 hours a day – down from 3 hours. Daddy has been doing OK watching me this week. He does complain about how tired he is a lot – he says he is too old to get only 4 – 5 hours sleep a night. He had food poisoning last weekend, and he was throwing up a lot – he said he was doing something called dry heaving, but he managed to watch me this last week, and made it to work every day. Mommy is still the one who comforts me when I wake up in the middle of the night.

At first I was scared when I came to live at this place, but now that I have been here a while, I feel much more content and secure. My mommy and daddy do all that they can to take good care of me. I will be 1 year old this Wednesday, and I am a big girl!

August 23, 2001

2009-02-21T09:13:00.000-08:00

August 23, 2001

It is early Thursday morning. Leah has been doing pretty well. She still doesn’t walk yet – she becomes lazy, and wants to sit when we try to encourage her to walk solo. Last weekend we visited Grandpa and Grandma Foley for his 61st, and her 60th Birthdays. Everyone was there except for Bruce and family, and Mike. Leah got to interact with everybody, and seemed to eventually get past her shyness. She got to play with her cousins Samantha and Kobe. On Monday I had to take Leah to see Dr. Metzger, where she received 4 vaccination shots, 2 on each leg. She screamed and screamed until we were on the way to her next appointment to see the eye doctor, Dr. Shah. She was asleep by this time, and I had to wake her when Dr. Shah came in to examine her. She wasn’t too cooperative, so he didn’t charge us for the visit. We scheduled her eye surgery for September 13, 2001, at St Lukes in Cedar Rapids. She has to see each of these doctors one more time before the surgery, and Dr. Shah needs to see her soon after the surgery. Hopefully it won’t be too painful. It is out patient surgery – she does not have to stay overnight at the hospital.

The front of Leah's Announcements we sent out to friends and family.

Inside of the Announcements.

Leah has been letting old pops get a little bit more sleep. She will wake up around 7 – 8 AM, but not complain too much. Pops just sleeps right through this, and she goes back to sleep until about 9 AM or so. Yesterday morning she actually slept past 10 AM – so I got almost 8 hours sleep! She is becoming more independent and requires less attention – but we still have to check on her pretty regular, or she will be destroying something. She is after all – Leah the destructor! Mom says that Leah wakes up about 2 – 3 times a night, and usually wants a bottle. She drinks about 2 whole bottles a night. She is still drinking Alsoy formula, with rice cereal mixed in. We feed her a variety of Gerber’s food, and sometimes she eats what we are eating. She loves macaroni & cheese, and tuna helper cheesy pasta. Cheryl said she fed her pieces of chicken nuggets the other day. She likes most fruits and vegetables. I wish she liked to sleep, as much as she likes to eat – pops sure likes to sleep. Leah still likes to go outside and swing in her tree swing, and she makes dad swing her for as long as she sees fit. She still has to wear an eye patch for 2 hours a day over her left eye, right up until the time of her surgery. Some days she is very good about wearing this patch, and other days she has to remove it several times in these 2 hours. Just about everywhere we go – everybody tells her how cute she is – she’s going to get a big head if she is still a cutie when she understands what these people are saying to her. She is our precious girl!

Leah with Samantha.

Leah's 2nd Eye Surgery - By Doctor Shah at St. Lukes Hospital in Cedar Rapids,Iowa.

10/11/2001.

Leah with Daddy on Surgery Day.

Leah after her 2nd Eye Surgery.

Leah about 1 month later - all healed and happy!

Our Family (2001).