Uh Oh!!

Yup-they are broken! Ughghghghg! It was bound to happen-right! Thank goodness the sweetest online friend and recent adoptive mom Amy has offered to make us a spare pair and they should be on their way. Going to get them fixed at Tim's ophthalmologists office-I just can't be driving and hour and a half to get these fixed every time!

Apointments Galore

Flu Shots are scheduled for next Monday late morning, Gabe goes to the dentist on Nov. 5th, and his eye pressure procedure under general anesthesia will be Jan. 8th. I am really hoping they are able to increase his prescription for his glasses as I really think they could be stronger. We will have just returned home from Christmas in Florida.
Yes, we are getting the H1N1 vaccine. I am just not going to take the chance as yesterday our district had 20% of its kids out sick! Another 5% and they would have closed!!

pediatrician appt.

Gabe's pediatrician appointment went really well. Gabe didn't cry and let the doc check him all out. Everything looked great and for the most part the doc felt that his immunizations were up to date (well they had to be to enter the US). He is about 27 lbs which puts him below the 3rd percentile for weight and I am not sure on the height, but he was around the 13th percentile for that. We have to go back in a couple of weeks to get his second flu shot and probably the N1H1 and one other one that they don't do in China, but we do here. It will be a fun day as I will take Jordan and Jay in for their flu shots as well-let the screaming begin!!

Are they working?

That is a good question. We really think so. He is getting better are running, walking, and sometimes not holding things so close. He seems to have a lot of confidence in hitting buttons on things, but there are times when he still holds things close or still stands right in front of the TV to watch it. However, when he is watching TV this close he usually is looking over the top of the glasses. He knows when I say, "Gabe look through your glasses." to push them up, but if I move him away from the TV he just stops watching? The question that will take some time to answer is-Is this a habit (holding things close-watching TV so close) or if his prescription needs to be stronger? Only time will tell. This week we have started doing a learning activity a day. The past 2 days were playdough (see the picture above), and today is puzzles. Tomorrow we are going to get some color and shape flash cards as he has begun to repeat what we say quite a bit. I don't want to push him, but as long as he enjoys it we might as well get going.

Gabe's new eyes!

Here they are! He is doing so well with them! I can't even believe it! We had to drive 1.5 hrs (one way) to pick them up. I have decided that taking Gabe alone is not the best idea, as he still has some car issues to work through (mainly, mom can't get you anything you want as she is driving!). The eye glass lady put them on him and he kept them on. On the way home he took them off once, so I pulled over and put them back on and once he pushed them down below his nose (because he knew I wanted him to keep them on!), so I stopped and put them back up for him. He is getting the hint and has kept them on really really well. He was a cutie pie before and now he is double cute!

Now the verdict is out on how much they are helping him. I really think they are helping, but time will tell. He cannot tell us that they are helping and there are times when he will still look over the top of them. He is still pulling things close, but I think that is a habit that he is going to have to get used to not doing. Last night we read Good Night Moon and he was pointing to things in the book! Yay! Now we have to get a cheap spare pair in case of a glasses accident!

Glasses

Not sure when Gabe's glasses are due in. I forgot to ask! But, I would think they would only take a little more than a week or so. We are so excited for him to get them, even though I am worried that keeping them on may be a battle. I hope that because they should mark such a huge improvement in his sight that he will love to have them on. We are hoping that he will be able to enjoy a movie or cartoons with Jie jie and ge ge without having his nose pressed up against the TV!
Someone asked me why they wouldn't have gotten him glasses in China. Well, the orphanages are really strapped financially and many of them care for hundreds of children. If you think about how difficult our country has just financing schools and education, let alone full time care including clothes, food, medical etc. I feel as though Gabe was blessed just to have the surgery he did at 8 months old!

Here is a pic of the type of glasses he is getting. They are fisher price brand (who knew they made kids glasses too?!).