We are here ...

In the pre-op area getting ready to go!

Luolin, Kurt and I are in Bangor for the night. We will head to the hospital around 6:30 ... stay tuned.

We arrived at the hospital around 6:45, got checked in and met our first nurse, Linda. We spent time in the pre-op area watching TV, meeting with doctors and getting ready. Luo recognized her doctor when he walked in! She handled everything very well.

Her anesthesiologist came and spoke to her and asked if either mom or dad were going in while she went to sleep. I decided to go. She was very good about everything ... within minutes, she was wired up and ready to sleep. It didn't take long after that for her eyes to close. As I walked out, I saw her surgeon, who gave me a nod and a smile.

Here we sit waiting ...

Luo Turns THREE!

The day after with her new iPod and headphones ... listening to Raffi ...

At home after dinner ... pic taken with her new camera from her sister

Ole !

Her new ride ...

Cycling with Daddy

Today we celebrated Luolin's third birthday ...

We had lunch with Scott and Sissy after shopping for a new birthday outfit. We couldn't decide on what type of cake we wanted, so we made both ... a 4 layer extravaganza ... we had a family dinner at Margarita's complete with a burrito, a sombrero and singing! We then came home to cake and presents ... it was a very good day!

Beginning to Freak Out ...

Less than a week from now we will be in Bangor with Luo. Her surgery will be complete ... stage one anyway.

On the 18th we met with her surgeon ... he gave us the following information.

The surgery will take between 2 and 3 hours. He explained what they will do and how they will do it. Her little foot will be removed, then tissues will be moved to create her weight bearing stump. They will straighten the lone leg bone, putting in a pin for it to heal. She will be stitched up and ready to go. She will have a type of soft cast on her lower leg and will have to be pretty low key. (Ya right) About a month after the initial surgery we will return to the operating room to have the pin removed. Here is where they will measure for her "magic leg" which she will have about 2 weeks after that. Then she will have to get used to it - which he feels won't be a problem. Everything is hinging on how she handles the pain and how quickly she heals.
We did have new xrays done with her standing. There is a definite difference between the length of her big leg from hip to knee and her little leg. The doctor wasn't sure how that would all play out in the future, so we will have to wait and see. Hopefully as she grows, that leg will catch up somehow ...

We will be heading to Bangor on the 28th, spending the night and getting to the hospital early on the 29th. She is his first case in the morning ...

Keep Luo in your thoughts ... stay tuned!

A Little Taste of Home

I think we have found Luolin's comfort foods !!

Tonight, for the first time, we ate local Chinese food. It was a total hit with Luo!! I think she ate more than her big brother did ...

With each passing day we see our daughter growing and changing ... her English is coming along very well, the potty is a good place to leave things ... she loves her daycare provider and all of her friends there and most of all she knows that she is loved by all of us and is really becoming an affectionate little girl. Not so sure that there was many hugs and kisses where she came from ...

The Budding Artist

Here is Luolin painting a ceramic bowl that a friend made for her. I think we may have another artist in the family!

Spring Break in Toronto, Canada

Pub Girl

Do you mind ???

Hello Toronto!

Dad and his little girl

At the waterfall

Dylan and Luo cruzin' the city ...

We are on the move again ... this time to Canada to see daddy and our future city, Toronto. Myself, Dylan, Luolin and Dylan's friend Justin piled into the car Friday morning and headed for the border. After more than one stop to eat or clean up vomit, we crossed the border into Quebec. the winding, up and down roads made for a rough trip for Luo who gets terribly carsick. We made it to Uncle Jeff's around 9 PM after a long day on the road ...

Saturday was spent checking out the Toronto sights and just relaxing after our trip Friday. The weather was sunny and warm, the streets full of people and the Sea-Bands seemed to keep all that Luo ate in her stomach! We had lunch at the Pub, traveled up Yonge Street and then to the mall for haircuts and wandering. We stopped in Tiffany's for Luo's first look at one of mom's and sissy's favorite stores ...

Sunday was another nice day to get out and about. We once again piled into the car and headed off to Niagra Falls, the Canadian side of course ... The spray was spraying and the falls were wild as we walked along the sidewalk checking it all out. We drove to Niagra-On-The-Lake and headed back to Toronto. It was a really fun day and just another adventure under Luo's belt. It is so very hard to believe that she has only been with us for a month!

We have the date ...

June 29th is the day for Luolin's surgery.

After meeting with two surgeons and having her case presented to some of the best orthopedics in the state of Maine, it was determined that surgery was the only way to correct her leg. We have been told that a "Syme amputation" will be used to remove her little "fin", her two toes and partial foot, they will correct the curve in the lower leg bone using pins and and measure her for her prosthetic lower leg and foot during her initial operation. She will spend two to three days in the hospital for observation then head home for the healing process to begin. Her doctors feel the hardest thing for us will be keeping her fairly quiet for the first few weeks so that she gets a good jump on the healing process. When all is said and done, she will have a weight bearing stump which won't be too much different that what she has now and her "new" leg and foot that will give her the mobility that she craves. We anticipate her to be upright and walking by summer's end.