Care Package #6

Shhhh...we squeezed in an extra care package this month.  So Benjamin will be getting 2 care packages when he comes in for his birthday.  I couldn't pass up this opportunity to send more love to our little guy as a fellow family/friend from Springfield just received their travel call on Monday.  They fly out on Saturday and meet their son on Monday.  Oh my gosh it will also be their 'Gotcha Day'...only 1 meeting and they become a family of 3.

We're guessing Benjamin should be in next Friday (7th) or the following Monday (10th) for his monthly check up.  So I've justified for myself that Eastern Social Welfare Society will only have to hold onto his 2 packages for a few days so as not to burden anyone or take up too much space. I know, I know, we're only suppose to send 1 package a month, but it's his birthday month for gosh sakes and I would send a package a week if I could!!  

Found lots of great buys for this one and even added a cool water toy since his 10 month update said he still sometimes cries when in the bath.  Also found some great multimedia pieces to help with English language skills and recognition.  Oh how I'm sure the foster family will thank me for bringing Sesame Street into their lives...they should be thankful that I passed up Barney!!

• Lightweight jacket
• Pajamas
• Sesame Street letters, numbers, and sing along DVDs
• Fisher Price kids tunes CD
• Soft blocks
• Bath hoop and balls
• Crayons and 'Happy Birthday' coloring page
• Teething rings
• Mini piano tunes toy
• Berry yogurt bites

10 Month Update

A surprising 10 month update on Benjamin has come through!!  We just received an email from our Social Worker with a written update from Eastern Social Welfare Society as to his developmental skills and measurements.  Seems photos are in the mail via DHL so check back in the next few weeks for an updated post with pictures of our little guy. 

July 26, 2012

weight:  20.61 lbs

height: 28.74inches 

4 teeth on the top & 2 teeth on the bottom

• 200-240 cc formula every 4 hours
• Eats 1-2 T porridge or cooked rice once or twice a day
• Like apples, bananas, and strawberries
• Sometimes cries during baths
• Goes to sleep around 9 PM and sleeps throughout night
• Takes 2 naps per day at 2-3 hours each
• Crawls on all fours
• Walks along holding furniture or hand
• Able to stand for a while without holding anything
• Waves bye-bye
• Uses pincer grasp to pick up small items

Pictures arrived today (8/21) and looking as cute as ever!!

Goodnight Moon

So this month's book buy was Goodnight Moon.  I chose this book because we are sending a copy written in Korean (Hangul) over to Benjamin for his birthday in September.  This was a gift to him from his Grandma and Grandpa.  So now when he comes home, he'll recognize the book and we can read it to him in English.

11 Month Update

Happy 11 months to our little Benjamin.

Of course I've been feeling a little anxious about needing pictures of my little guy since we didn't get a 10 month update.  Well to my utter surprise half way through the morning I checked my email and there it was an email from our agency...could it be???  Yes it was an 11 month update for Benjamin with 3 pictures.  He was just in yesterday for his check-up so they turned these around in record time.   I have to say the hardest part of getting pictures is you always want more : ) At least when you don't get pictures you don't know what you're missing.

August 9, 2012

weight:  20.83 lbs

height: 29.13 inches 

4 teeth on the top & 2 teeth on the bottom

Enjoying a recordable book read by his daddy.

Wonder what's got him so happy???

What a nice outfit, compliments of
Grandma & Grandpa.

Pororo the Little Penguin

A nice little surprise arrived earlier this week....a gift for Benjamin from a fellow adoptive mom and her daughters.  How very thoughtful to send him a pair of training chopsticks and flops.  This is our first sighting of Pororo paraphernalia, but I'm sure it won't be the last!  Pororo the Little Penguin is a super popular character (with friends) in South Korea.  Seems all the kids love him, so we're sure Benjamin is enjoying him while at his foster home.  We have been advised that we will need to get some videos and toys while we are over there and off course plan to visit Pororo Park!

A special shout out to the gals that sent these gifts...

Congrats on the addition to your family!  

They just received a referral and now have 

a little brother waiting for them over in South Korea.

I can't wait for Benjamin and Michael to meet one another : ) 

Care Package #5 - Birthday Gifts

Another care package down, and tons of great stuff headed over to Benjamin for his first birthday on September 9th!  Had so much room let over once I put in all the items shown in the picture, I was able to add in a few essentials...Desitin, lotion, and wash.  Room left over, so glad I've got extra stuff laying around to fill us the spaces easily.  Every parent sending care packages motto should be "No room left behind!"

• Birthday card from us
• Magnetic photo of us
• Photo collage of jungle gym
• 2 Wheel Pals toys
• Click & Giggle Remote
• 3 shirts, 2 pants, and 3 pair socks
• 2 spoons & forks
• Sippy cup
• Toothbrush & toothpaste
• Birthday card from Grandma & Grandpa
• Book - Good Night Moon (Korean edition) from Grandma & Grandpa
• J & J lavender lotion and wash
• Desitin

September Care Package - 1 Year

Gifts all wrapped up and ready to go!

My favorite item we included was a birthday card-booklet that has a few questions listed in it to capture Benjamin's "firsts."  So in our letter to his Foster Mother, I had the card translated and asked her to write the answers on the card and keep it for us.  I really hope she is able to do this for us and we receive it back when we travel : )

First Year Memories: Your favorite food. Your favorite storybook. Your favorite toy. How we celebrated your birthday. Guests who helped celebrate. Inside the back pocket, there is room to store treasures like a lock of hair or blanket scrap, and a newspaper clipping about events of the day.

Grandma and Grandpa also sent a card they had customized with Korean writing and a beautiful cover showcasing the traditional Korean dress...Hanbok.  These garments are worn during celebrations and festivals, including the first birthday.  We are hopeful we may even receive some pictures of Benjamin in a Hanbok. 

Always A Work in Progress

So we didn't receive an update or pictures of Benjamin in July...sigh.  But where did July go?!?  Seems we've kept very busy during the past month without even realizing it.  A few of the highlights include....

 
Jungle Gym
The jungle gym Fred started back at the beginning of July is just about done.  What a great first birthday gift this will be...well at least for our neighbor boys to enjoy for the time being.  I just put together a little collage of pictures, sent it off to Walgreens, and will place it in our care package.  What a super surprise to see he'll have his own playground in his backyard!

 
 
 
 

Benjamin's Room
Though I painted a dresser and toy chest at the start of July, not much else has been accomplished on the room front.  Still on the look out for the perfect drawer handles.  Also need to get some frames for the Eric Carle prints, find us some bedding, and build a wall of book racks.  Sounds like some great fall projects and shopping are in store!! I would like the room close to complete by end of the year so we can send some pictures of it Benjamin for Christmas.


Letters to South Korea
I decided to create a book for Benjamin using all the letters we're writing as we send care packages.  Many of these letters are to the Foster Mother as well I've started including short letters to him.  Though he can't read, we hope his Foster Mother is reading them to him.  In the book, I'm including both the English version and Korean translation as well as a few pictures of the care package.  I look forward to someday when we can read this book with him and share these moments in time during our wait.  I also thought this book might be a nice gift for the Foster Mother when we travel to pick him up?  If you're wondering, I found this great online application (Blurb) that helps you create a book.  It's definitely a work in progress and something to look forward to adding to each month.


Countdown Chain
Speaking of passing the time, I've also been inspired to create a countdown chain.  We're not really sure when we'll travel next year yet, but hoping worst case scenario is a 1 year wait from our referral (May 9, 2012).  Therefore, my countdown gets us through the end of April.  Surely we'll take a travel call sooner, but really don't want to hear it's later!!  So my little countdown chain runs 40 Fridays starting August 3 and ending with the last link on April 26.  Get to tear off my first link tomorrow : )