Random stuff

Joseph has had a lot of drainage from his left ear. After seeing three doctors about it we have learned that he has a cholesteatoma, which is basically a benign cyst attached to his left ear drum. The cause is frequent untreated ear infections which he has most likely had his whole life. Children with Down Syndrome are more prone to ear infections because of their TINY eustachian tubes.Now the first thing I think of when I hear this is how many orphans are lying in their beds crying over untreated ear infections because they don't have a mother to get up in the night to comfort them when they're screaming and then schedule a doctor's appointment the next morning. My poor little guy how he must have suffered as an orphan!

Anyway, if untreated this cyst could eventually lead to hearing loss, nerve damage or meningitis, so he will be needing surgery to remove it soon. Most likely he will need ear tubes as well. Hopefully we can do this at the same time.
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The best thing about being the littlest one on the family is you get all the greatest hiding places! Do you spy a little Ukrainian girl in blue pajamas? Looks like Joseph did. And it looks like he is scheming how he is going to get there. (No worries, he didn't).

There are so many things I love about my husband. One is that he is so fun to play hide and seek with. It took him FOREVER to find Zoya up on the top shelf, even though she was giggling and giggling right above his head. :)

The letters to the tooth fairy continue. Now Hope has started addressing the letters to the Tooth Princess, and has started enclosing money instead of asking for it. How I love that girl! I suppose it's time for the Tooth Princess to write a letter explaining that she (he?) technically only visits when you lose a tooth, and that we should all start following the rules from now on.

Ava has a really bad habit of throwing her food, plates, bowls, utensils, usually to indicate she is finished eating. Sadly, Joseph has picked up this habit from her as well. We have tried everything we can think of to teach her, including buying a bowl with a suction cup at the bottom (which she just yanked right off). So I have started feeding her at the table so at least most of the oatmeal can be wiped up from the table rather than from the floor. I put her favorite baby doll up there with her since her teachers at school call her a little mama and a little teacher, I thought maybe she would enjoy the role of teaching her baby the proper way to set bowls and utensils on the high chair. It was too cute not to take a picture of! I should get a video next time now that I think of it. Ava would set her bowl on the baby's tray, then wag her little finger in front of her face and say, "NO, NO, NOOOOOOO!" haha. I guess now I know exactly what I look like when I am scolding nagging correcting my children.

If having a child with Down Syndrome in your family is a blessing, then having two is a Double Blessing. How we have loved watching these two get to know each other these last few weeks. I don't normally take the time to stop and take pictures and videos of these sweeties but I do wish you could see them! Joseph has really surprised me. I feared when we spent so many weeks with him in Ukraine, that he may be a little bit aggressive, but he has turned out to be the SWEETEST boy EVER and in fact is very forgiving of Ava who does have a tendency to hit and pinch at times. She pinches him and then he signs 'no' and leans over and gives her a kiss. Oh I love these kids. All 7 of them. What a blessed mama I am!