Owner: My Two Boys URL:http://adopttwoboys.blogspot.com Join Date: Sun, 17 Jun 2007 19:05:41 -0500 Rating:0 Site Description: I am a SAHM wanting to be a WAHM. I am a mom of one blond angel from Arhkangelsk, Russia who lights up my life. Journey with our family as we travel to Guatemala to adopt our second child, chelate our first, and try to stay sane. Site statistics:Click here
Guatemala Now Requires Two DNA Tests 2007-08-13 20:54:00 In an effort to comply with the Hague Convention, Guatemala
will now require two DNA tests.NOTICE from the Department of StateDepartment of StateAugust 2, 2007U.S. Embassy Uses DNA Testing to Protect Children Adopted inGuatemalaEffective August 6, 2007, the U.S. Embassy in Guatemala will require asecond DNA test, to verify that the adopted child for whom an immigrantvisa is being requested is the same child matched at the beginning of theadoption process with the birth parent. The Embassy is taking this step inresponse to concerns about the unregulated adoption process in that country.The Embassy already requires one DNA match between a relinquishingparent and prospective adoptive child as part of the immigrant visa processfor Guatemalan children adopted by American citizens. This new procedurewill apply to adoption cases finalized by Guatemalan authorities andsubmitted to the Embassy on or after August 6th.The United States supports the highest standards of practice in internationala
Public Health Forum, a Review 2007-08-11 16:53:00 In my search for the best possible natural remedies for Little Pickel I have come across some Quacks. Everyone now-a-days wants to spout that their product is the best all natural, herbal, organic product out there. But what really is a good product? I found this PublicHealthForum
the other day and thought I should bring it to your attention. It is a little odd with reviews of Breast Actives, Provillus, and even Procerin and Propecia but ultimately it does offer the consumer reviews of herbal products, albeit obscure ones. At this time there are few products on the site so I hope to see more.
Working.... 2007-08-20 11:19:00 Working on links....if they don't work please hang in there. Pickel
Signing Time Giveaway Week Two 2007-08-20 06:55:00 CONGRATS TO ADOPTIVEMAMA ON WINNING WEEK ONE! PLEASE EMAIL ME.I had a HUGE success here at My Two Boys with my first week of the Signing Time Giveaway.But did you know the story behind the Coleman Family (besides the fact that hubby is so darned cute). It's an inspiring one and one that any fan of Signing Time should know. To win this week just email pickelfam@yahoo.com with Signing Time in the header and answer the following question: What is the name of Leah's sister and Rachel's sister? Head to Signing Time, About Us to find out. Winners will be chosen by numerical order on they way they came in to my account. CONTEST WILL END FRIDAY AT MIDNIGHT. What will you win this week?Practice Time 123s Level 1 DVDAnd, don't forget to place your pre-order for the next season!Rachel, Alex, and Leah...if you are even in Chicago give us a jingle!Tags: Signing Time, Coleman Family, giveaway, august
Lead in Child Care too? 2007-08-17 17:02:00 With all of the news surrounding Lead FILLED toys, one starts to wonder if there are actually toys out there that are safe. But its not just the toys that we need to worry about.A few days ago I also wrote about the Child Care Facilities (on The Chicago Mom Blog) in the US and how we are now facing almost 60% of our childcare facilities that are contaminated with lead...but not the toys...we're talking about the buildings, the water, and even the surrounding facilities.According to Barack Obama's office, 12 percent of child care facilities contain toxic lead. Pardon the valley girl expletive, but DUH! If they have Thomas the Train or Fisher Price Toys they are certainly bound to have some. Seriously, it seems that older buildings are the primary source of contamination (think paint chips and dust) and lead in drinking water accounts for almost 60 percent of the exposure. So what is Obama going to do? On July 17, he and Representative Louise M. Slaughter of New York introduced legisla
No Shoes, No Socks, No Glasses, No Service 2007-08-09 22:07:00 I got a call Friday from Little Pickel's Special Education Director verifying his Bus needs for the school year, as school starts just next week. She questioned whether or not he still needed a harness for a seatbelt.I did not question her...yes, he does. It helps him stay put. Her next inquiry?Does he still have the no shoes, no socks, no glasses rule?Yep.Yes, Little Pickel is not allowed to wear his shoes, socks, or glasses on the bus because he likes to throw them at the bus driver.Go ahead...laugh. I dare you.Next time he just might take off his pants and he just loves to go commando.No, seriously...go ahead and laugh. Its one of the funniest damn things he does. Swirling his socks around singing "The Wheels on the Bus Go Round and Round" while the kid next to him jabbers in his own language. Read more:Socks
, Glasses
, Service
I'm Just Like You 2008-03-10 13:15:00 Just because I have a child who is different doesn't mean I'm not like you...I still like the same television shows, the same clothing, the same designer purses. I still love to go out for coffee or couple dates. I still want to be invited to those silly book club meetings (where no one has actually read the book) or the Pampered Chef parties.Just because I have that child doesn't mean we can't be friends or that you have to stop calling. It doesn't mean that you can't try to understand or come to an event that we are involved in.I know that you are busy living; going to Little League and Gymnastics (yes we saw you at open gym...it was nice of you to say hello as you walked by), going out for ice cream with your other preschool mommy friends, and going to play dates.And I'm sorry that AJ d
Ultimate Blog Party, A Party Indeed 2008-03-07 16:17:00 Are you ready to Party
? (Well, I'm sure AJ is!) 5 Minutes for Mom is hosting their annual Ultimate
Blog Party and I am so excited to be participating. They just recently added me to their blog roll (and its AWESOME that they have a category JUST for adoptive moms like me and these 50 others).I don't actually have My Two Boys yet because one is still with his fabulous Foster Mama in Guatemala but I do have one little man from Arkhangelsk, Russia who will be 5 in May, can you believe that?I do write about adoption everyday at A Child Chosen and about raising special needs children at Discussing Autism because AJ was diagnosed with Institutional Autism, Sensory Processing Disorder, Auditory and Visual Processing Disorder, Post Traumatic Stress, and he has a variety of medical issues that are Read more:Ultimate Blog
, Ultimate Blog Party
The Best of the Best Adoption Blog 2008-03-04 12:51:00 Check out this mile long list over at A Child Chosen...its the Best of the Best, otherwise known as the 50 Best Adoption
Blogs.While you are there get all the new updates on The Bebe, accredited agencies, and Guatemala.Tags: a child chosen, best adoption blogs, accredited agencies, Guatemala, Hague
Toy Safety is Limited 2008-03-03 14:02:00 A new report on Toy Safety
indicates that the CPSC is actually limited in what they can do regarding the overall regulations they place upon toy manufacturers and testing facilities. The Consumer Product Safety Commission is limited by outdated regulations, specifically four reasons (below) why consumers are not or may not be adequately protected from hazardous toys. 1) Voluntary Standards. Consumer product safety laws force the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) to rely largely on voluntary consumer product standards developed by industry groups, yet the CPSC has a limited capacity to ensure compliance with these voluntary standards and guidelines. Recent recalls suggest that voluntary assurances of product safety do not work in practice. 2) Limited Budget and Staff. The CPSC is c
Trusera Invites You! 2008-03-03 13:29:00 Tell Your Story AND help Raise Money for AutismI have been asked to help a fabulous new start-up health community, Trusera, open its doors to you. They are inviting you, the autism community, to join them as they begin their journey. They want you to join and tell your autism story, your Sensory Integration Story, your story about food challenges, about infertility, about adoption. Why? Because the community is all about helping people who have "been there and done that" and YOUR story about the autism spectrum or adoption, or depression could change someone's life. Dealing with a health issue can mean feeling very alone. Remember what it felt like to discover a world of people going through the same thing? I know that until I found a group of moms through my meetups group I felt alone, de
I Have a Voice 2008-03-02 21:58:00 As an extended family we have been met with a variety of challenges. I am extremely proud to say that every single one of my relatives has met those challenges with grace, especially my cousin and her spouse who were blessed with a son who has Down Syndrome.Their most recent adventure, a second child, is due in less than three weeks (just shortly after their nephew joined the family on February 13th) and they are thrilled to be having another boy.Equally exciting is this fabulous video from Gigi's Playhouse. They are beginning a national Down Syndrome Awareness campaign entitled "I Have a Voice
" and my cousin's first son is in the video. It will be displayed in corporations and museums across the nation and will be launched in May at the Loyola University Museum of Art where it will be on
Key Lime Cove is Magic and Fun 2008-02-29 14:54:00 What better place for Dave Anderson, or Famous Dave, to build a family resort than his hometown of Chicago? Key Lime Cove, located in Gurnee, Il, just across the street from Six Flags Great America, is a magical sensory experience for any child and an escape for every adult. From Key Lime has it all; fabulous rooms (a standard Queen rate is $169), enticing restaurants, wet and wacky wild slides, video games entertainment for all ages, and even a cashless system for your stay.When AJ and I were asked to visit Key Lime Cove and splash in the waves for a day we certainly couldn't resist. We arrived at four just in time for the media check in and were greeted with cheer. In fact, that is all we were greeted with the entire stay (yes, even at 6 a.m.); Key Lime dealt us no lemons. However, I did Read more:Magic
I Wanna Go... 2008-02-28 11:37:00 For the Five GaZILLIANth time...IT's NOT OPEN YET.Wait, Little Dude, Wait.4 p.m.Yeah, and he can't swim until tomorrow? I'm in for some fun. And MORE badgering.
Escape 2008-02-28 08:16:00 Escape.From this.To this.He can't wait.I'm a little nervous because we don't swim until tomorrow (at 5 a.m.). Read more:Escape
His Favorite Spot 2008-02-27 22:32:00 His early morning spot, right in front of the vent. Read more:Favorite
Revealing the Name 2008-02-24 19:45:00 Stay Tuned for Tuesday...Family Court and the DNA test is on Tuesday. This also means that if all goes well we will be revealing the name of The Bebe soon!Tags: Guatemala Adoption, adoption, Family Court, DNA
Thoughts on Adoption 2008-02-22 09:11:00 Today at A Child Chosen I have a post up that took me a long time to write. Today's adoption arena can be volatile because there are so many opposing views, because of politics and international reform, and because because birth parents are finally speaking out about how they were treated (and it is shedding light on how the system needs to be changed).Please take a look and tell me what you think. I was very hesitant to post it because I don't want my views to be misinterpreted but I do want adoptive parents to be heard as well. I think that if everyone can work together we can reform the system. It WILL take time, it WILL take effort from all parties, and it WON'T be easy but it CAN work.I sent this yesterday to AJ's school psychologist to help explain why is is so complex. I thought you Read more:Adoption
The Misunderstood Child 2008-02-20 08:03:00 A poem about children with hidden disabilities by Kathy Winters I am the child that looks healthy and fine.I was born with ten fingers and toes.But something is different, somewhere in my mind,And what it is, nobody knows. I am the child that struggles in school,Though they say that I'm perfectly smart.They tell me I'm lazy -- can learn if I try --But I don't seem to know where to start. I am the child that won't wear the clothesWhich hurt me or bother my feet.I dread sudden noises, can't handle most smells,And tastes -- there are few foods I'll eat. I am the child that can't catch the ballAnd runs with an awkward gait.I am the one chosen last on the teamAnd I cringe as I stand there and wait. I am the child with whom no one will play --The one that gets bullied and teased.I try to f
Look Who is Growing! 2008-02-18 18:15:00 The Bebe is growin'! And so is Mama?While the Bebe grows 3 pounds and 3 inches his Mama is growin' a little too while waiting for him to come home. I can't exactly call that pregnancy weight though can I?Is it adoption weight, waiting weight, baby weight?I'm not too worried, though. I lost over ten pounds when AJ came home. I don't think I EVER sat down (or slept).An update on the Bebe...DNA and Family Court are being scheduled and we are, thankfully, registered with CNA. It looks like things are moving but it still looks like he won't be joining our family until at least fall.On a side note: I'm at Props and Pans reviewing Lemonsquare's new CD for kids..and its a giveaway! And, don't forget to visit Shaping Youth today (and all this week) to see Amy's spin on Special Needs and Bullies. Read more:Growing
Buddies 2008-02-17 21:26:00 Despite how AJ acts at his special needs pre-school he is making friends and even better? His friends are looking after him. At a birthday party this weekend his friends helped him navigate through the local "Jumpy Gym" Obstacle course when he couldn't keep up, they helped him climb the huge slide, and they even told us he had lost his glasses (although we had taken precautions and had held onto them).I could not have been more proud of, nor more surprised by these four and five year olds. But, if goes to show you that even if AJ does tend to be rough and misunderstood by "normal" kids, THESE kids "get" him.To read more about bullies and special needs (and for a fabulous week of information on bullies and the media) stay tuned to Shaping Youth. My post, Put up Your Dukes, will be there Read more:Buddies
Put up Your Dukes, A Review on Special Needs and Bullies 2008-02-14 21:43:00 A recent Stockholm, Sweden study of 577 children found that students with AD/HD were four times more likely to be bullies and ten times more likely to be bullied themselves.But what is interesting about this study is that its not new. In fact, bullying has been linked to both AD/HD (yes it is real) and Autism before. A study conducted in 2003 by the National Center for Health Statistics sampled 53,219 (a much larger number of children than the 577 sampled in Sweden) and found that "children with autism may bully more often because they are more often male (who are more likely to bully); they are more likely to be bullied (and victims are more likely to bully); and many children with autism require treatment for aggression (which potentially includes bullying)."In all of my experience as bo Read more:Dukes
, Special
, Needs
Houdini, an Octopus, and I Love You 2008-02-14 12:29:00 Its been a week of ups and downs here in our household.We wrangled up all eight tentacles (thanks to Notes from the Trenches). Our Octopus is of course, Gluten Free/Casein Free, and includes the vegetables that a commenter was so amiss about. He ate about half the seaweed (yes, he is an odd fish). AJ learned to say impromptu "I Love You's" (thanks to the preschool and speech teacher...thanks ladies).And the school district is bringin' in the Head of the Transportation Department (and consulting specialists in Indiana) to help Houdini stay in his seat on the bus. On Tuesday he decided to get out of his safety seat FIVE times on the way to school. Each time the bus driver pulled over to put Houdini back into his seat.At this point we have tried the harness, a regular car seat, and now the sa
The Big Leagues 2008-02-14 11:19:00 AJ has never been one to pick up a ball for the fun of it...he usually picks up one in anger or disgust and then throws it. But man, does he have an arm. A strong left one and an even stronger right one.According to eBeanStalk's Physical Therapist, Deanie Barth, "A child does not simply wake up one day with the ability to accurately catch and throw and kick a ball, it is a learning process just like any other required skill."Fun Gripper BallsUnfortunately for AJ, he is two years behind his peers because of his time spent in a Russian Orphanage. So, we, as his parents, have to help him play catch up, in more ways than one.AJ not only has delays in gross motor skills but also in visual processing, motor planning, and sensory processing so seeing a ball come towards him is difficult and catch Read more:Leagues
Waiting 2008-02-13 15:35:00 waiting for the marble to drop... Read more:Waiting
Clean em' up, Vaccines, That is 2008-02-13 13:06:00 I'm over here today being green about vaccines. Clean
'em up, I say!Tags: vaccines, debate, mercury, autism, thimerosal, green
Kindergarten Registration Already? 2008-02-11 14:24:00 I registered AJ for Kindergarten
this morning...Whew.And five million questions ran through my head."Is he really ready?""What program will he go into?""Is he really ready?""Will he go half day or all day?""Is he really ready?""What school will he actually be at?""Is he really ready?""Will they meet his sensory needs?""Is he really ready?""Will they understand who he really is?""Is he really ready?""Can they handle his dietary issues?"But, I think the biggest question is...Am I really ready?AJ, before we got his Bear Hug Vest (2006)Tags: Kindergarten, AJ, Registration
, ready, special education, sensory integration, special diet, Bear Hug Vest
Five Fabulous Finds: Week 3 2008-02-10 15:43:00 These are actually getting to be pretty fun...1. Overheard in Chicago: Horribly NOT PC but so VERY funny.2. A fun lesson from teacher to student about the perils of speaking without knowing what you are talking about...we have ALL done it but sometimes it takes someone else to teach us how to act, right?3. Free Boardmaker links for printing Boardmaker pictures. You can also use the Mayer Johnson site for 30 day free trials.4. Inexpensive Valentines Day Ideas5. One of my favorite bloggers, Randa Clay has an important post on the relevance of forums and a link to a new one, Performancing Hive.Tags: five fabulous finds, valentines, chicago, teacher, boardmaker, randa clay, performancing hive, mayer johnson
Dysfunction or ADHD? 2008-02-07 19:58:00 Remember your childhood bully?Now, try to remember said bully's family.Was it dysfunctional?We often associate kids who bully as coming from some sort of dysfunctional family, but a recent study indicates that there may be a correlation between bullying behavior and ADD/ADHD. Knowing what I know about ADHD and its corresponding disabilities I think that most ADHD bullies are probably misdiagnosed. ADHD kids are often kids who are1. Kids with sensory processing disorder who don't like to be touched (so fight when people accidentally touch them) or who like the deep pressure (so they look for people to wrestle with or hit)2. Kids who have visual processing disorder and have poor spacial relations (thus bumping into things because of visual discrimination or poor gross motor skills)3. Kid
His First Snowman and Our House on TV? 2008-02-06 22:04:00 I've been inspired to participate in Throwback Thursday (is it Thursday already?...this snow has me all jumbled) because our previous home in Michigan was actually on T.V. last night via our ex-neighbors.So, its not actually the house that is famous but our Wife Swapping ex-neighbors. It was fun to see that tree we planted sprout (just a little), tour the old neighborhood when Tuesday ran away from home, and get a sneak peak into our neighbors lives for 60 minutes.Here is AJ two years ago (in February) outside our previous house.It was his first snowman and boy was he proud. Read more:First
, House
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