EARLIER TODAY
About 10 days ago we noticed a hard small lump on the outside of Tyler's upper arm. I mentioned it to the ped and she said it looked like a lump from a vaccine. Tyler's record from Ethiopia said he had vaccines on May 6th. Well just now, I noticed the poor kid has a fever and that lump is bright red and large! I am waiting on a call back from the peds office...trying not to worry!! I will keep you posted!!!

UPDATE
We have an appointment in the morning! She said if his fever gets worse or won't stay down to take him to the ER. He is doing okay with Tylenol so hopefully we can just wait until morning!

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Home two weeks...

So now that we're home two weeks we are settling in to a routine. Of course now Jack is out of school so that changes things a bit -- but hey what's life at our house without change ;)

Tyler is doing amazingly well. He is adjusting and happy. He has appropriate reactions to things -- cries when hungry or uncomfortable, looks to be held and gets our attention with smiles and coos. He loves Jack and Morgan and is really becoming attached to mommy and daddy too. He loves to play and is practicing blowing raspberries and trying so hard to make consonant sounds! He has certainly found his voice this week!

He is rolling both ways, and loves tummy time. Tummy time is a favorite for the entire family! He gets his head up high and can keep that position for a while before getting tired. He can sit propped with both hands and is gaining a lot of strength in his trunk! When he first came home he was quite floppy and although he had excellent head control, he prefered to rest against us almost always...now he squirms and kicks his legs, and reaches out to us or for toys. He has come a long way already!

He is eating very well and just last night we had a small realization. His BM's were still yucky, his belly still distended, and he was spitting up a lot too. We were waiting on his stool cultures last week and thankfully they came back A-OK! So no bacterial infections, parasites, etc., but then why were his BM's sooo yucky (mucousy, watery, etc.)? I remembered reading a long time ago that Ethiopian (and other African) children tend to be lactose intolerant. Jason made the suggestion that perhaps we try soy formula...so he ran to Wal-Mart and picked up Parents Choice Soy -- and we gave him his first all soy bottle this morning. By the 3rd bottle today his BM's were NORMAL, NO spitting up, and NO huge belly! So, I think we found our culprit! He was not tolerating his formula and tolerates Soy extremely well so far. We may never know if it was a true lactose intolerance or what exactly it was but for now we'll stick to Soy and after his first birthday we'll slowly introduce dairy (yogurt, cheese, etc.) and go from there.

We were looking at pictures from when I first walked through the door with Tyler and realized he looked so scared and confused for the first few days! He would retract his shoulders and scowl quite a bit -- and that has completely disappeared now that he's been with me for 3 weeks and home with the family for 2 weeks. Now Tyler is just so happy and content (even with weeks of tummy issues!!) and he is showing his trust in us and we are falling for him pretty hard too ;)

Sometimes we have parties in the middle of the day...

Shopping in Addis...

Sweet Kisses!

So it's been a little challenging with all 3 kids now that Jack is out
if school! But then there are the SWEETEST moments and my heart melts!

Blog Roll!

Do you have a blog? I would love to link to it here! Please reply with your blog address!

Last week of first grade!!!

Shhhh....

I love sleeping baby pics!!!

Bugs

Morgan and I have been drawing bugs this morning! Her lady bug is
going down a slide! Weeeeee!!!!

Big Boy!

Last week -- the day we got home -- I had to take Tyler to the doctor's office because of the diaper situation he had been having in Ethiopia (BMs that were nothing but water). It was determined that some cultures were needed and we were instructed to keep him hydrated and to call if he got worse. He got much better (still not 100% and still waiting on the cultures). A few days in to the week he started taking more and more of his formula...and fast forward to today and he's currently taking 7 bottles that are 7 ounces each. That's 49 ounces of formula in 24 hours!!

He had a well child visit today and we found out he gained ONE POUND in just ONE WEEK! I asked the pediatrician if she felt that was too much formula and she said "No way! He's catching up!!" so that's the final word! He can start solids once a day but she wants him to keep taking as much formula as possible. We are also starting his immunizations over again -- so today he had two injections (one in each leg) and we go back in 6 weeks for another weight check and more immunizations. In 3 months more bloodwork. She also looked at the tiny pimples he has on his face and scalp and wants us to leave them be for now. If they spread or get worse we are to call her.

So that's if for our littlest Wilhelm! I am SO READY for the weekend! We are taking it easy and just going to enjoy being a family of 5 ;) We most likely won't have any visitors -- we're still catching our breath over here!

Have a great weekend!

Tyler and Morgan

Home from Ethiopia almost 1 week. Cooing and smiling at bug sister Morgan! Also, no idea why it's sort of upside down!

Our Family Photos...Ethiopia Album

Photo Sharing by MyPhotoAlbum :: Our Family Photos... :Ethiopia Album

Here are all of my photos of Ethiopia! There are some of the orphanage that i cannot post online for privacy reasons but will be happy to show them to you when you visit!

Good Morning!

We are doing well! Tyler Is eating like a champ, finishing 6 oz in just a few minutes...sleeping well, playing with Jack and Morgan and we look forward to seeing his little personality come through more and more each day!

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Morgan's First Day of Preschool

Introducing...

Tyler Tamene Wilhelm :)

I am working on uploading pictures to our online photo album! I have
entered my journals on our blog!

www.specialmomma.com

We are doing well -- adjusting and jet lagged but so happy to finally
be home! Jack and Morgan love their baby brother. He is really happy
and smiley around them as well!

We are not having visitors quite yet -- so pictures and emails will
have to do for now!

Thanks for following our journey and for all of your support!

Love,

The Wilhelm Family :)

5/27 day 9 Good Bye Ethiopia!

5/27 day 9 Good Bye Ethiopia!

Today is our last day in Ethiopia! I cant believe it! I will miss the fantastic people i have met here. I cannot say enough good things about Jemimah and its staff. You know I commented on how much i liked the music in the lobby. I asked Jerusalem (the receptionist) who was singing and she took the tape out and showed me. I told her i was going to look for it when i went out to shop. Later that night she asked me if i was able to find it. I told her no, but it was okay, i would try to find it on the internet when i got home. She smiled and said it will always remind you of Ethiopia (i love the way Ethiopians say Ethiopia -- eetopia almost like utopia,but with an e sound like in eel.). This morning at breakfast we presented our gifts and tips (300 birr each) to Tigist and Asenagu. They have been so helpful by preparing our food, giving us the coffee ceremony and Asenagu always, always dropped anything she was doing to lend a hand, clean our rooms, cook for us, hold a baby or two. Then i wanted to give Jerusalem a purple scarf she had commented on earlier in the week. She thanked me and said she had something for me too! She ran to her desk and got out a CD. It was THE cd i had said i wanted to find. What a wonderful morning of exchanging thank you and small tokens of appreciation!

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5/26 Day 8 Farewell

5/26 Day 8 Farewell

Today we did a lot. We had a wonderful breakfast here at the guest house. We had pancakes, toast, oatmeal, and "juice" - which is more like Tang than real fruit juice which is why we all drink it! I love our meals here!

We then were picked up by Abel and taken to a few small markets to shop. I can't tell you how long, hot, and stressful this trip was! Poor baby Tyler wasn't feeling well and he had another diaper blow out on the bus! up and around his belly and neck all over the bjorn baby carrier....i had hot tears come to my eyes and just thought to myself "you have NO CHOICE, you HAVE to do it." and I did! I truly pray this doesn't happen on the plane. It most likely will, but i hope it is at least contained more than that.

While shopping I purchased 3 textiles, 1 traditional outfit for T, a traditional dress for Morgan, and a wooded Giraffe bowl for Jack. I bought 10 hand made keychains, two pieces of wall art, 10 lbs of hand roasted Ethiopian coffee, and 5 necklaces from Morning Coffee. Poor Abel he really had his work cut out for him bargaining for 7 families at several different stores! I don't think i ever want to shop like that again. It took forever! I think we all started to realize that our time in Ethiopia is almost finished and were afraid we would forget and wanted to try to take a part of it home with us via stuff we bought!

We then had lunch at a really nice restaurant. I ate a rice and vegetable dish. I will say i love Ethiopian food very much! I know we've eaten a lot of american style food as well, but the seasonings and ways are Ethiopian!

I wish all of you could have one day here. One day to see this incredible place. It breaks my heart and awe inspires me all at the same time. It's truly surreal. I so wish Jason could have experienced this too. I know that it was best for him to be at home. I have no idea how i would have coped knowing there is such little communication between here and home. One of us had to be at home!

We then had a farewell party at Mussie Orphanage. It was really , really emotional. The older children came in and sang some happy songs as we all held our babies in our laps. The nannies came and took the babies from us and said they had a surprise for us. when they came back they were dressed in a traditional ethiopian outfit, Tamene looked so handsome! Then they presented us with a gigantic cake and asked that we help our children cut the cake. Very nervously Tamene and I went first. It was so hard to say goodbye to Tyler Tamene's special nanny. She said goodbye to him last, it was very sweet. I am so thankful and grateful to have had this entire adoption experience. It has changed me very much.

Finally we came home and were able to have a great dinner with the Podolskis and the Nesbitts. We reflected on the day and how difficult and emotional it was to be at the orphanage today. Then we got silly and started laughing about how i didn't know how to cut the cake!! It felt good to laugh. Earlier in the week we had another really funny laugh over spaghetti at the embassy. Sometimes laughter is the best medicine! Dear Kari and Jeremy, THANK YOU for everything this week! I will never forget our time in Ethiopia together. Thank you for helping me stay strong when I didn't think i could do it! Also, thanks for the snacks and peanut butter lunches! Ill trade lipton soup for a PB Pita any day! Thanks for bringing my sink laundry inside when it looked like rain, and thanks for sending a picture to Jason for me! Thanks for sharing your darling son Abenet. He is my favorite 8 month old Ethiopian :) thanks for always serving my pizza upside down and for getting my toast from the toaster at breakfast. Thanks for helping me shop and always offering an extra hand. Thanks for opening my after dinner orange soda Mirinda!! I am so grateful to be here with you guys! I will miss you and your darling, darling, Evan!!! Go Bez!!! Mussie handshake from Tamene to Abenet!!

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5/25 Day 7 Long day

5/25 Day 7 Long day

It's funny when I start to say things like "hey, did you do your sink laundry yet?" and a bunch of people say nah, still have to get to that today or yes, did it this morning!

We were picked up by Abel and the big bus this morning and we got to see some of Addis that we had not seen before. This city is one big jumble but it works!! Cars everywhere, road construction, animals, peddlers, beggars, big business, small tin dwellings, it seems to have a pulse though...and only those who live here seem to truly be able to keep with the beat.

The embassy appointment went smoothly. They asked us to swear an oath to tell the truth and ask you a series of questions about the adoption. It's all over in a matter of minutes and you are handed a pile of important papers and told the rest of the documents can be picked up thurs.

Today was an incredibly long and stressful day. I love, love, love Ethiopia but I am worried about T's diarrhea. He was having an excellent day health and spirits wise and then this evening right before dinner a huge diaper blow out that went up to his neck. To. His. Neck. Oh, and of course we lost power as this happens, and we were also called to dinner at this very moment as well! Now he is sleeping and i worry about hydration and his health! I don't feel so alone though once i get to talking to the other families. They mostly all have the same issue. Poor babies! Please let them all be okay and do well on the plane ride home!

I can hardly keep my eyes open. I should sleep while Tyler Tamene does!

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5/25 Day 7 Embassy Day!

5/25 Day 7 Embassy Day!

Today is our interview at the Embassy in Addis Ababa. They say it's sort of a non-event and very much like visiting the DMV or Social Security Office in the states. Oh and that goes for the wait times and lines too! I have a backpack packed with lots of diapers, wipes, clothing, bottles, cereal, tissues (rumor has it there is no TP at the embassy!) and some granola bars and bottled water for me. We were advised to leave our electronics at the guest house or on the bus due to the restrictions at the embassy. I am leaving mine here at the guest house.

I am letting Tyler sleep until the last minute so hopefully he will be a happy baby on the bus ride through town!

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5/24 Day 6 My Jason

5/24 Day 6 My Jason

I was so happy to talk to my jason tonight! He called at 4:30 on the dot! The Podolskis babysat T while i chatted on the phone downstairs. AHHHH I miss home so much! I actually am sad to think of leaving Ethiopia too!! There is so much to take in and I spent the first few days jet lagged and disoriented!

Poor neighbor! they were the ones who just arrived last night...they have no hot water so she is using my shower! I have been taking my showers in the early, early morning like at 5:30 am so that i definitely have hot water. I hope they get it fixed!

Abel said the elections were held with no problems on Sunday. He said they aren't expecting a huge change in the outcome so the announcement of the results tomorrow shouldn't cause any upset.

Tonight's dinner was yummy again! It was left over noodles and cheese as well as breaded, super thin chicken strips. Just something so simple and so good! We always get a chuckle at dinner. Whenever we walk in there are always two glass bottles of soda waiting for each of us. Soda is a treat here for us because mostly we just have access to bottled water, so the first time we saw two sodas we were like "YAY, two sodas!!!" and only the next day did i wonder maybe we were supposed to choose the one we wanted like coke or orange and NOT both?!? But since this happened we always take the extra soda to our rooms. So now the staff probably thinks this is what we do in America! lol

Another interesting tid bit is that English is the language used in Addis Ababa in every day business life. We noticed most of the billboards and signs had the Amharic words and just as big, printed right underneath is English. So its pretty neat to see and i hope i have some good pictures that represent this.

Abel was telling us that Addis is growing and there is a hi demand for housing where in some places right outside of the city cost maybe 300 birr to rent and in Addis the same house or apartment would cost 2500 birr!

There is also a large influx of Chinese workers coming to work in Addis Ababa mostly on telecommunications, electrical, and infrastructure. The city is growing and these things are in high demand.

Also there is such a stark difference between the poor and the wealthy and where they live in Addis Ababa. most large cities usually have sections or parts where more wealthy or more poor people live. In Addis it's very common for these neighborhood lines to not exist! It's the strangest, most unique thing about Addis ,i think!

I still cant believe i am sitting in a guest house, in Ethiopia, on another CONTINENT with our baby boy. I mean, WOW!

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