November Came and Went

Well November arrived. Colton competed in his first Taekwondo Tournament in NYC taking 3rd Place in board breaking and first place in Patterns. He was all serious and then all smiles when presented with his trophies. Claudia was there to cheer him (and everyone and anyone else) on. After the tournament we stayed uptown and went to visit Suora a/k/a/ Aunt Limpie a/k/a/ Sister Francis Arduini at her home. The visit was fun. Colton loves her so and more importantly and the kids loved her elevator and are ever-fascinated with the chapel.

For Thanksgiving we headed to Vermont. There was snow so Colton got to tube and Claudia walked around in her new snow suit. Dinner was fabulous. Nancy did a fantastic job. We were joined by Ms. Patty and Uncle Bill. Claudia slept through most of the meal which is so unlike her. Joel and Brian read alot so not unlike them. The day after Thanksgiving Colton headed to Mt. Snow and got his first pair of skis. He is so ready to use them. We are going to Colorado in January so he does not have to wait too long. At the house Claudia also fell in love with Jenkins, her cousins' dog. They were inseperatable. We returned from Vermont a little early to attend cousin Genna's fifth birthday party at Build A Bear. Colton made a dinosaur and helped Claudia make a fluffy pink bear which he obviously named Fluffy. It seems as if everything went by in a flash and now on to December and the holidays. I have a slide show of November Photos below and have also posted a Christmas song that just melts my heart. Enjoy both!

Here comes the fall, literally...

Well Claudia walks..On September 29th three months after being placed in our arms she is walking and falling. Her progress has been tremendous.

October was filled with all the usual activities hayrides, dressing up, parties and trick-or-treat. Claudia loved the hayrides and pumpkins especially eating everything in site!

For the Columbus Day weekend we headed again off to Vermont. The kids can never get enough of the country. They collected apples from the tree and fed Ms. Patty and Uncle Bill's cows. Claudia just loved the cows and could not stop smiling around them. Colton, Dad and I took a haunted hayride at the Adams Family farm and I was scared right out of my seat.

Halloween was especially fun. Colton participated in a pumpkin liturgy at school which was followed by trunk-or-treat during which time Mama and BaBa donned flinston costumes and handed out goodies to the school children. Colton was Ironman (a hero of course) and Claudia was a Panda Bear. I wanted to buy a monkey costume because she is so active, curious and mischievous like a monkey but Colton thought It would be mean as all the costumes had quite large ears so he picked out a fluffy Panda. After Colton's school events we went to a parade in the neighborhood, I was a devil and Brian a prisoner that Iron Man had caught after the parade and some local trick or treating I stayed in with the baby Colton and his Dad headed off with the big boys (i.e. Soren and Myles) to partake in a night of sweet treats.

I have gotten many questions about Claudia's health. Well let me just say it is almost perfect. The recent visit at the doctor showed a growth of two more inches and her weight stabilized. She is not eating as much and learning that she does not have to eat all in sight more will be available..She is in the 65th percentile for height and the 26th for weight. She is developmentally right where she should be. She was given the tainted formula for the 11 months she lived in China but since she was so malnourished it seems as if she was not given enough to get sick and all we need to do is monitor her to make sure nothing comes up. At this point if she says one word by the end of January we will be forced to leave Dr. Aronson's care and head off to the regular pediatrician. Claudia babbles non-stop and seems to be speaking something just not English. Her brother remains in love and they grow closer each day. Claudia always laughs and smiles at home. When we go somewhere new she always is a little hesitant and gets big eyes almost with worry but as each day passes the big eyes and worry seem less and less and others seem to get the smiles that we so enjoy seeing at home. Claudia is a real fighter just ask her dad she fights him on everything. She has a strong will but I am glad because it is this will that has brought her to us. For if she were weak she would not have survived.

Anyway love to all..October slide show posted below..Peace out...

A Christening

............. Claudia Nancy Cha-lian Lehrer was Baptized at St. John Vianney's Church in Colonia, NJ on September 20, 2008. The ceremony was very small and private. Deacon Joe was warm and friendly "a right jolly old elf". Claudia was decked out in white, actually wearing the same Christening gown that I wore as well as my sister and brother. While it was a long gown on us it was more like a dress on her, but it did fit. She didn't cry when the water was poured and seemed even to be laughing at times. She held (or played with) rosary beads throughout the service. Claudia's godparents are my sister Debbie Callan and Brian's long time friend Phil Shih. Most of Claudia's cousins wore traditional silk Mandarin dresses that we purchased in Guangzhou. Of course these were girls. In addition to her cousins and grandparents, Phil's wife Susan and his parents were in attendance along with Uncle Walter, Lulu, Ben, Chris and Jessica. I could not have taken such great photos without Susan's help.

FYI in China white is a color often worn for mourning and associated with death and red is a color for celebration. So in effort to keep a little Chinese heritage in the event, after Church, Claudia made a quick change into traditional Chinese Red Silks and we all headed to a Chinese Banquet at Sesame in Montclair. The food was terrific as was the Vieuv Cliquot and Tsing Tao which flowed. Alex and Sue the owners of Sesame were very friendly and helpful. They are from Hong Kong and have really made a great gourmet Chinese Restaurant. Colton and I made goodie bags filled with Chinese items for all the cousins in attendance and each family received a cloisonne Christmas ornament that we purchased in China, The Banquet ended with a traditional Chinese cake from Chinatown NYC and was reminiscent of the many celebrations we celebrated while in China. Some cousins Charlie, Lori, Erin, Brian and Meaghen joined us for the meal. Claudia was blessed with gifts and all in all the day was memorable.

There were a few people that were missed at the event Claudia's great grandmother Martha and her cousins who are currently living in Singapore.

Additionally I wished her little Ling sisters could have been there to at the least enjoy the cake. It was the first one we have had without our China cocoon. As usual I have posted a slideshow below. Ciao for now....