Where is Baby's Belly Button?

May's book buy was yet again another board book...man I just love board books!  Picked this one up because of the great interactive pages and of course teaches the different body parts as the reader is in search of the baby's belly button.  I also realized I hadn't shared the awesome book racks that Fred built a couple months ago.  They fit perfectly behind the bedroom door and hold the many books we've accumulated through my monthly book buy, Fred's childhood, my childhood, and gifts from friends and family.  They are just perfect and my absolute favorite part of his bedroom!!  

Care Package #16

One more month of waiting one more care package on its way to South Korea. We've come full circle and are back to sending shorts and summer cloths over for Benjamin.  He should get this package in June and will have gotten a package from us each month now for the last year...and June will make 13 months.  If you're counting correctly, there have actually been 16 total care packages.  So a few times last year when families were traveling (and in mass quantities) we were able to send a couple of care packages over during a month : )

• Hooded sweatshirt
• Shirts
• Shorts
• Plate, bowl, silverware, and cup with straw
• Sushi box plush toys
• Picture 
• Bracelet with Hangul letters "Cho, Seung Joon"
• Comb
• Soap, shampoo, conditioner, shower gel

Small (belated) Mother's Day gift for Foster Mother

Mommy, Daddy, and Ollie picture montage 

Mother's Day 2013

Had a great and fun filled weekend planned for Mother's Day.  First met up with a few of my adoption mommy gal pals for some lunch and then shopping.  Always a good time to hear stories from moms that have been there done that and have their little ones home as well share stories of hope, frustration, and longing with others still waiting to bring our little ones home.

Then had a nice dinner with my parents and sister followed the next day by planting some Mother's Day gifts. With a little research, was able to find out the national flower of South Korea is the hibiscus syriacus a.k.a. Rose of Sharon or as it's called in Korea, Mugunghwa.  The name comes from Mugung which means immortality.   

Rose of Sharon at Benjamin's Grandma's house.

Rose of Sharon at Benjamin's house.

It was nice to incorporate a little Korea into our day and give us something to watch grow and bloom as we wait for our little guy come home. I looked at his picture a lot today and it felt good to know that he's waiting for us to come get him.  That he has pictures of us to familiarize himself with our faces.  That he's happy and loved in his foster family.  That his Foster Mother is providing the care and nurturing he needs to grow and thrive.  Thank you to her for being a Mother to Benjamin as she will forever be part of our family celebration on Mothers Day as will his Birth Mother.    

Finally to close out the weekend, I enjoyed some pad Thai with another mommy gal pal here in Champaign. We were both riding solo this evening as our men were working and her little guy was spending time with the grandparents.  To my mom and all my mommy friends, thank you for your friendship, guidance, and support on this journey to motherhood : )  

20 Month Update and Referralaversary

Well it's officially been one year since we received our referral of a sweet little 8 month old boy named Cho, Seung Joon....soon to be known as Benjamin Cho Westhoff. There he was in an email from our Social Worker in his bright yellow t-shirt with a profile shot. Oh those cheeks and little nose were adorable. Then more pictures in the actual referral document, one of him as a baby and another of him sitting in the little red chair with the wildest hair ever. Oh my gosh we were in love even before we read a word. He has grown up literally right before our eyes as we've been fortunate enough to receive small updates and pictures every month but one so far. Not only is today the mark of one year, but we were also fortunate enough to receive new pictures....sweet surprise. Seriously can he get any cuter and his personality, boy does that just shine through : ) 

May 9, 2013
Height: 32.76 inches
Weight: 24.69 lbs

Hitting the one year mark following referral, I was sure he'd have his Exit Permit submitted by this time and we'd be well on our way of waiting on a travel call.  However, Korea seems to have a different plan for us (and all waiting families) that's not on the swift side of getting Benjamin home with us. It seems that we've tackled the third in a series of milestones we must hit in order to bring him home (first birthday, new year, and referralaversary). I'm really hoping we only have one more big milestone to hurdle and that's his second birthday. Sadly we hadn't even thought about not having him here with us on his second birthday until recently with all the delays in implementing the new law. But the reality is that we don't think we'll be traveling before then and will be sending yet another birthday care package later this summer. 

I am cautiously optimistic he'll be with us by the end of the year...if Korea would kindly get it's act together and their process in gear already!!!!  On to more waiting, writing letters to his Foster Mother, taping up care packages, and celebrating the first families finally appearing in court at the end of this month. Here's to celebrating our next referralaversary with Benjamin home!!  

Have You Seen My Duckling

I was delinquent last month in posting the monthly book buy but had picked up a little something off Amazon. In a recent care package, we sent over the Korean version of "Have You Seen My Duckling." So now we're happy to add the English version to Benjamin's book racks here at home.