Adoption Language

Sitting in the doc's office the other day, I received questions/comments from others waiting. This is common. Many say "oh how cute! how old is he?" - i really don't like the age questions as Micah is 7 1/2 months old but is quite small. I'll admit I tell strangers is 5-6 months and they still gasp! Sometimes I qualify the statement and say "he was adopted from Ethiopia - we just brought him home". I think now I might just let the strangers believe that I don't feed him enough :) It's easier. Consider this conversation even that I had:

Stranger: How old is he? He's soo cute!?

Me: About 6 months.

Stranger: Wow! He's small.

Me: thinking (golly I hadn't noticed) - "yeah, we adopted him from Ethiopia"

Stranger: "OH, so he's not really yours"

Me: Yes he's ours, we adopted him. He's my son.

I don't think this stranger meant anything rude by her comments - I really don't think she knew what she was saying. She was not educated on adoption language. In other words, she is ignorant of the sensitivity in words needed around adoptive parents, but MOST importantly, their children. I hope Micah never hears a stranger say these words when he is older and can understand what others are saying. How horrible for a child to hear someone say to his mother "oh so he's not really yours"

Micah, you are MY son, you are MINE! You are my "own", "real" and "natural" child. I am your "real" and "natural" parent. I chose you and I would choose you again and again. You will always be my son and will always be a Richardson in our forever family!

So for all you bloggies who read this blog, below is adoption language 101. I encourage you, if you are friends/family of ours, and will be a part of Micah's life, to do a google search of "positive adoption language" if you are unfamiliar with adoption language or catch yourself saying "I might adopt after I have my own children"

Natural Child: Any child who is not artificial.

Real Parent: Any parent who is not imaginary.

Your Own Child: Any child who is not someone else's child.

Adopted Child: A natural child, with a real parent, who is all my own.Rita Laws, PhD

Doc update and other things

I started a post a few days ago but got interrupted by a little man, oh about 13 pounds, 25 inches tall. Yes, he went to the doctor on Wednesday of last week and weighed 13.1 pounds! He's growing for sure - he's definitely eating enough too! On Friday he got his annoying PICC line out. Micah wasn't happy with the procedure to take it out (he proceeded to scream off and on all night long - making sure I knew how he felt about what had happened) but later at bathtime, things were more fun - all arms allowed this time :)

In other news, we started the cloth diapers yesterday and had a hoot with them! He looks so cute! Now I think all the way to wide 3-6 month Old Navy pants/jeans might not just fall right off him :)


And now, more pictures of random cuteness

It takes a village!

Micah is doing very well these days! He has 4 more days of antibiotics left and we are counting them down! Bath time will be much more fun without a saran-wrapped arm held up in the air by Daddy. For now he splashes with three limbs :)

As for giving antibiotics every night, it takes three people for a successful administration and happy baby. I give the medicine which consists of four syringes of fluids (1 salines, antiobiotics, another saline, and heparin). Daddy (Roscoe) holds his cute little arms down ever so gently (the boy hates to be restrained). Grandma Linda provides the most important part - and that is keeping Micah entertained and happy for the roughly 5 minutes it takes to complete the task. So far, only one meltdown and that was last night - the poor guy was just too tired to be held down and since he likes to sleep on his side, he kept wanting to roll over. Daddy wouldn't let him and boy did that make him angry! But overall, he does very well with the whole thing! We're grateful he's still a biddy. I can't imagine trying to do this with a toddler. Whew!

More pics - Maybe I'll write something soon :)

Micah and Daddy doing taxes!


swinging..weeee


sleepy time

Pictures!

We don't know what to do with rice yet :)


Now we're all smiles!

We're home!

Hi all - Thanks for praying! Micah came home last night and has been fever free for a few days. There is no bacteria growing in his blood/spinal fluid now but we are giving him 21 days of IV antiobiotics through a port that was placed in the hospital to finish the job of "bacteria killing" :) Otherwise, Micah has no other issues, including no parasites, viruses, metabolic disorders, infectious diseases from Africa etc. He is just underweight and needs to catch up as far as motor and developmental skills.

Micah's final diagnosis was Salmonella Shigellosis (Shigella) in GI tract, blood and spinal fluid.

When we left Africa, Micah weighed 12.3 pounds. He was 11.3 when we arrived at the hospital 24 hours later. In the hospital he gained weight to 12.0 pounds. He's 26 inches long and continues to eat very well.

we're excited to begin our lives here at home! Pictures to follow shortly!

Wednesday update

Nothing big that is new today. Tomorrow morning Micah will have a PICC line placed (an IV to last all month) - so I can administer antibiotics to him for the next 21 days. Please pray for him tonight as he has to go 8 hours without food and absolutely hates that. Mommmy doesn't like it either. Otherwise, we hope to go home soon!

Thanks for your prayers - he is doing so much better! We are amazed at God's love for us and provision through this entire ordeal!