We have fat rolls!

It has been a long time since we last posted.  Cullen is doing much better than expected.  He is sleeping through the night, talking & getting along with Kaden.  The holidays were wonderful and it was nice to get some structure in my life by going back to work. 

While Cullen is still at 0% height/weight he has been eating almost everything we put in front of him and more, even trying to get to the dog food.  : - )  I have never paid such close attention to fat rolls in my life.  We had it so easy with Kaden that we took this for granted.  His stomach looks disproportionate but he is filling out and has two rolls on his legs.  He is getting three teeth coming in too. 

Yesterday we heard if we wanted to do another adoption our agency would require we fill out another dossier which is cumbersome and expensive.  They also stopped taking applications for girls, which we have been considering.  I sure hope everything works with time.  The US Embassy is asking for paperwork that is impossible to produce and people are getting stuck over there even when they were told to travel.  Please pray that they don't shut down Ethiopian adoptions!!!   

Things Are Looking Even Better

Now the Cullen is on his meds everything seems to be improving.  We went to the doctor again today just for a checkup and he didn't weigh more than last week.  Kinda bummed about that.  If he keeps eating like he does surely he will gain some pounds soon.  We go back in another month so I would love to see him reach the 1% mark for either weight or height.  To put this in perspective, Kaden is 98% and only 25 days older. 

Kaden is SLOWLY adjusting to having a brother around at all times.  He still doesn't get the sharing of the toys and wants to push him a lot for no reason but Cullen is starting to fight back and possibly even initiate the pushing too.  Do I really want three boys or should a girl be in the Meiser future?

Tonight we are going to Festival of Lights!  I used to do this every year when I was a kid so I hope it is special for them. 

Here are a few pics.  We are loving our new family.

A few recent pics

 

Cullen at the Grace Guest House

  

Kaden is up to something...

 Wrestling with the boys

Home at last!

Kelly and Cullen made it home today!  Cullen looks about half the size of Kaden, and definitely feels about the same.  Kaden and Cullen enjoyed a few big bear hugs at the airport.  At one point, the hugging got so intense that they fell over and rolled half-way under a pop machine. 

Cullen came in and immediately loved Derby and Bruno - this was a big relief for all of us.  At one point, Derby crept up on him and started sniffing the back of his neck, and Cullen broke out in a huge laugh.  It was hilarious.

I've been told I'm on crying and diaper duty all week as Kelly gets back in the swing of things.  I guess that I will get to bed early.  Kell and Cullen are holding each other, sleeping on the couch.  Kaden is wrestling with Bruno - and he keeps losing! 

We will be posting a lot of pics and videos in the coming days. 

We Passed

The newest Meiser is Cullen Tsegaye Meiser.  We passed Embassy today!  The questions that were asked was what CCI prepared us for and it was pretty easy. 

We are having a campfire right now so I can't type more. 

Tomorrow night we fly home!  So excited to see everyone. 

Big Day Tomorrow

Tomorrow is the big Embassy day.  We get picked up here and all the CCI families go as a group at 12:30 in the afternoon.  Fingers crossed.

Today was a lot of fun.  Cullen watches every move I make and cries when I am out of sight.  He started running all over the place and his "On the Move" shirt was very appropriate.  I took a walk with Ellie and the security guard (Doug- he is a fighter in the Ethiopian Circus so I was well protected) to find CDs and DVDs.  We went to the Somali village and saw quite a few interesting things.  My throat was burning when I got back from all the fumes and the legal drugs burning- ugh.  I found a lot of great CDs and DVDs that he will want to dance to that also shows off Ethiopia. 

Everyone at the guest house went out for pizza tonight.  We met up with the families staying at the other guest house.  He refused to eat pizza- he isn't a true American quite yet.  He is taking his bottles and loves getting fed in the middle of the night.  Last night we were up for an hour and a half with bottles, diaper, food and then more diaper changes!  I can't wait for his pediatrician to look at him!! 

I am a little anxious about tomorrow.  Hope to post some good news when I return from Embassy. 

He's Mine Again

I got Cullen from the orphanage today.  He remembered me and wanted me to feed him his food.  He is really clingy- he is on my lap as I type this right now and if I put him in another chair or even down to walk to starts screaming.  I managed to change his diaper without getting bit!

I gave out the lollipops to the kids but the director's wife asked me to hold off giving all the donations because she will gradually pass them out.  They were in school when I went there so I didn't want to distract them for that.  They were learning body parts and days of the week.  It is funny to hear them pronounce different body parts.  Cullen was walking around being the class clown the whole time.  They all started chanting his name and he had the biggest smile and kept clapping. 

Gina- I gave Mamo the card and he loved it.  He kept smiling and looking at the pictures. 

Becky- I saw both your little ones at Resurrection.  Ebenezer is HUGE- great personality and is crawling.  He is much bigger than Diborah and Cullen.  Both were getting fed while I was there and are definitely taken care of.  I gave her your pictures too. 

It's good to be back in Ethiopia.  I love the people here. 

Thursday is my Embassy date and I think I am going to stay at the guest house until then.  They are making me my favorite Ethiopian dish for dinner!