1st Anniversary of Gotcha Day!

One year ago today Robbie was placed in our arms forever!

HAPPY FOREVER FAMILY DAY!!!!

It's been an amazing year!

Love you little man!

A year ago today...

A year ago today Derek and I landed in Beijing China!
So strange that a year has gone by in a blink of an eye.
        Thankfully we had an uneventful flight. I know I was extremely tired by the time we got to the hotel and finally got to our room. We were just going to sleep for a bit and then go get some groceries from a local market but we crashed and ended up waking up at 3 am. So much for food and caffeine!
  I remember finally laying down in bed and stretching out. It felt so good. Then panic set in! I realized I was half way around the world from by baby girl! My chest hurt. What  if something happened to her! I could not just jump in the car or hop a plane and be there for her. I knew with all my heart that she was in the best hands in the world with my parents, but it still hurt. Something we had wanted so much for was finally in our reach, our journey to our baby boy, but my heart ached being so far from our daughter. I know I fell asleep with tears in my eyes.

Back to this year...

  Makenna had a bad cold last week and stayed home from school a couple of days. This week was Robbie's turn. I ended up taking him to the walk in at our Doctors office on Thursday night. He sounded like he was drowning in all the mucus in his little head.  We had a rough couple of nights where he had coughed so much he threw up so I was not going through another night of that. He tested negative for the flu. That was good. His ears were red and he was defiantly in pain and very sick. So the Dr. gave us a general antibiotic to knock out whatever it was. I am thankful to say today that I think we are on the mend! I was not feeling so good myself this past week so it was a long week in the Dombeck household.

Happy Chinese New Year

February 10th was when the Chinese New Year fell this year. Last year it was January 23 and that is what delayed our trip to China a bit as we had gotten our TA (travel approval) but couldn't book our CA (consulate appointment) until all the offices opened back up after taking a week off. We were sure we would be able to go with the February 17th (day we had to be in Beijing) travel group but we were unable to book any of our trip just yet.

So back to the real reason for this post!

Happy Chinese New Year! 

This year is the year of the snake.
I am the year of the Tiger, Makenna is the year of the dog and both Derek and Robbie are the year of the Rabbit.

I bought these outfit's in China last year. They wore them one other time for photo's and Makenna likes to wear hears around the house sometimes, but they still fit.

Happy Valentines Day too!!
Makenna had a party at school today. I went in and helped out. They made a friendship fruit salad since they would be getting enough sweets elsewhere. And I got a wonderful card in the mail from my loving husband! I am starting not to like him being gone all week.

Last year we sort of skipped over Valentines day as February 15 we hopped on a plane and headed half way around the world!! It's been an amazing year little man!

The dead of winter in Wisconsin

Winter in Wisconsin...what can I say...I am NOT a fan!!  Lots of snow and cold and I hope this month goes fast.  It will as we celebrate both mine and Robbie's Birthday's as well as the one year anniversary of Gotcha Day for Robbie!!

Makenna didn't have school on Jan. 18th so my Mom and I took the kids to the Great Wolf Lodge in Wisconsin Dells for an overnight stay and 2 days enjoying their water park. It's always 80 inside!!
Makenna is now big enough to ride some the bigger slides with me, that she really enjoyed. Robbie was not so sure about the whole thing. They had the kids wear life vests and he was not a fan of that at all. He went down 1 slide and then was happier to be in the little kids area, where he didn't have to wear the life vest. All in all it was a good trip and the kids really enjoyed it. We also met another adoptive family who had twins from Guatemala and a son from Korea that was just a bit older than Robbie.

Ready to enjoy the water park!

Makenna & Violet

In the lobby after the bedtime story

Snack time in the water park

Yes I am eating a cookie

Bring on the noodles!

Derek had a Birthday last month and his Mom flew home from Texas and we had our family Christmas with her. She picked the coldest week of the year to come back to WI. She did make it back to Texas after a slight weather delay in and having to spend more than 24 hours in Minneapolis. We have had a lot more cold and snow this year than we had last year.

I love Mickey & Minnie

Robbie is doing so good! He is growing and talking more everyday. He is so funny and he knows it!
He is a very good eater and loves to have soup! I think it's so strange that a child that is not even 2 askes to have soup for lunch and eats it all up! He is in love with Mickey and Minnie, as his sister was at this age. So we are planning a Mickey themed Birthday Party for him when he turns 2 later this month.Makenna had a Mickey & Minnie party when she turned 2!

As we approach the one year mark of us traveling to China to bring him home my mind travels back to last February when we were scrambling to get things in order for us to travel. All the waiting and waiting and paperwork that we had to do were finally going to generate the addition to our family that we had waited so long for!

Funny Robbie Story:
  During the supper bowl, which we watched but because the Packers weren't in it we were just watching because it's what you do, there was a commercial for Hardee's that I am sure you all saw. With the lovely model in her bikini eating a fish sandwich.  So as I am sure Derek was watching the model, Robbie was on the couch watching the food! All of a sudden he says really loud "Cheeseburger!" Derek says laughing "Your watching that and all you can think about is the cheeseburger!" Robbie looks at him and says "French Fries too!"  We were all laughing and I thought for sure Derek was going to fall off the couch! What a difference a few years in age makes!!

Makenna started swim lessons the end of January and lost her 2nd tooth. This time the tooth fairy brought her 6 quarters "because she is six" She was so happy!

Today the sun is shining and Derek is taking me out tonight for my Birthday!  Maybe I'll survive this winter yet.

Winter Time in Wisconsin

Our family visiting Santa's Country Home

We made it though the holiday's albeit not unscathed...
     We took the kids to visit Santa at his Country Home. We have a place that takes you on a tractor pulled wagon ride up to Santa's house. The kids get to visit with Santa, Mrs. Clause and the elves. They get a goodie bag from Santa and get to have hot chocolate and cookies . We also got to look off the deck at Rudolph eating down below. It was magical. Robbie wasn't so sure about getting too close to Santa without Mom but he didn't cry at all.
      We had a wonderful Christmas. The kids even made it to Christmas Eve service at 9pm. I think they were all wound up from having my parents, my brother and my uncle over for dinner and of course presents! Christmas  morning Makenna was up early and went through everything before Robbie woke up. He was not sure what to think but was very happy with his Micky Mouse Farm that he got. We went over to my parents for lunch and spent time with my cousins' and aunt and uncle. It was a great day.
     The next weekend brought more family parties and lots of time going from house to house but the kids did good and enjoyed it all. Makenna loved having time off from school. The kids enjoyed playing outside and with all their new toys.

Watch out snow here we come!

     New Years was nothing special. The kids did stay up late and Makenna made it to watch the ball drop in NYC then she was ready to climb into bed. I made steak and shrimp and we had a nice supper and quiet time at home.

Back to some additional December happenings in the Dombeck household:
  Makenna lost her first tooth on December 9th! She was so happy to finally have it out and she got a $2 bill from the tooth fairy! 

Makenna lost her first tooth Dec 9 2012

 Lefse Day!!! On December 19th my Aunt Judy, my Mom and I took a day and made Lefse for our family. This is tradition that dates way back. Makenna was so heartbroken that she was going to miss it that I let her come home from school early so she wouldn't completely miss out. After 7 batches it gets to be a long day but really is worth it as there is nothing better than fresh Lefse for the Holidays!!!
The kids both passed out on the way home.

Rolling out Lefse

Lefse on the fryer - This is my job

Bringing in the big guns

"All done" making Lefse is hard work!

     Back to the unscathed part...The kids and I went to visit a friend of mine and her kids the Thursday between Christmas and New Years to the kids could play and also exchange gifts. We were there a few hours before I fell down the steps and hurt my right leg. My foot rolled under and my leg went out to the side and there I was, in a lot of pain. Thankfully my friend is a nurse and got me all set up on the couch with ice and such as we waited for my parents to come and rescue us. There was no way I could drive. So then my Dad stayed at my house with the kids and my Mom took me to the walk in clinic. Thankfully nothing was broken but I did hyper-extend my knee and was really sore for a while. Of course Derek was out of town so my Mom had to stay with us and help out for a few days. I am back to about 90% now so I will live.

     I hope that everyone had a great holiday season!
     I know it was a joyous one in our home!

Time to cheer on our Green Bay Packers!!!

December Already!

Well it's officially December so time to get ready for Christmas!

 We took the kids to visit with Santa at the Appleton Mall and then to Build a Bear. As this has been a tradition for Makenna for many years. Makenna made a Peppermint Pup and Robbie made Rudolph as Makenna has Clarice from a couple years ago. Although Robbie calls him his "Big Buck" instead!

Kids on Santa's Lap

Makenna making her Build a Bear Peppermint Pup

Not sure he was as into it as his sister

Time for a bath!

 We went on a hunt for our Christmas Tree. In 50 degree weather and a slight rain! Very unusual for December but was nice to have the kids out and not worrying if they were going to freeze. We decorated with all the shatterproof ornaments as "Wreck it Robbie" is in the house and I didn't want to chance my good glass ornaments. We did this for a couple years when Makenna was little too.

Getting our Tree

Finished Product!

Makenna had her program at School and did a wonderful Job.

Makenna's School Program

I attended an assembly at school yesterday for Makenna. She was chosen Citizen of the Month for her class for the month of November! There theme for the month was Problem solving! We are so proud of her!

 I also volunteered at school yesterday and cut fleece for blankets that the kids are going to tie and then send out east to a school that was hit hard during hurricane Sandy.

These are a few photo's I took the other night before Makenna's program to try and get a few good photo's for our Christmas card.

Thanksgiving and Deer Hunting....It's Tradition!

We have survived the very long week of the Wisconsin Gun Deer hunting season with Thanksgiving thrown in right in the middle. We have so much to be thankful for this year!!

My Mom returned from taking her cousin to Florida just in time for me and the kids to move in for the weekend. This is tradition so that I can get up and hunt and she stays with the kids during the day. Derek was able to shoot a nice buck and also a couple of does. I never fired a shot. I could have but let a few smaller bucks go waiting for the big one to show up. The weather was too warm early in the week, 50's which makes the deer less active and then took a plunge later in the week. I took a few days off in the middle as I still had to work and Makenna had 2 days of school. All in all it was a successful hunt as Dad was cutting up venison last night during that horrible Packer game.

Robbie loves to see all the Big Bucks and loves to be at the farm to see all the cows and ride on the "vroom vroom"

I'm ready to go uncle Chad!

Dad skinning deer

Derek's Buck

 

 

 

 

Thanksgiving Fun with Uncle Travis

It was 60+ degree's on Thanksgiving Day. It's tradition for the guys to go hunting and then everyone comes to my parents house for dinner and we proceed to eat until we can't move. Then we go back out and hunt in the evening. We also made a stop at Grandma Diane's house in the evening to partake in Thanksgiving festivities with that side of the family as well.Grandma Diane headed back to Texas for the winter but is coming home to celebrate Christmas with us all in January.



This is Robbie yesterday at nap time. He was done with Thanksgiving and all the festivities that come with it. For some reason he has latched onto this doll and loves to cuddle with it, this is how he fell asleep on the couch and I couldn't resist.

I Love my doll

And this last photo is from last evening...
Robbie is sleeping on the couch and we have officially entered the Christmas Season
at the Dombeck House!