Decision made

After much Internet research, many phone calls to doctor's offices and many conversations with parents, we have decided that Quinn's surgery will be done by Dr. Peter Waters at Boston Children's Hospital. When I initially e-mailed asking if he did the kind of surgery Quinn needs, he personally e-mailed me back the same day. That impressed me. I've also talked with many families whose children were treated by him and heard many positive stories.

Quinn has an MRI and initial visit with Dr. Waters in early November, with surgery in early December.

So Boston, here we come!

Bubbles, bubbles, bubbles

We brought home some bubbles from Quinn's Gymboree class. My goodness, they are the best. After a couple minutes, Quinn and his god brother Jack were in a bubble cave.

Easy, cheap and fun entertainment!

I knew this day was coming but...

Last week I had to go to New York for a board meeting of an organization I'm deeply involved with. The best part was I got to visit a family we traveled to China with and witness the amazing transformation of their beautiful daughter, who is so changed in 10 months it's just incredible. The worst part is we had to use the nanny service for the first time. Two half days, two different nannies. My goal was to have him in family care only for six months and we made to to 10, so I should be happy, but still.

Quinn, little soldier that he is, did well with both women. I was slightly panicked from afar and kept hoping everything was going okay.

Does this get easier? Will we ever think date night is a good idea??

Chinese food!

I'm learning to cook Chinese food, with a goal of having at least one Chinese meal a week. This was my first success: rice noodles with tofu and vegetables (and lots of rice vinegar). Quinn, a true Beijing noodle boy, dug right in!

Graduation day nears

Since arriving home, Quinn has been in various types of therapy for his various developmental delays. Now home 10 months, he is starting to catch up to his chronological age.

First to go was occupational therapy, when the state-provided therapist said she didn't feel like she was needed anymore. Now we're looking at the end of speech therapy and physical therapy. The speech therapist said Quinn is approaching normal for a late talker, and she may start cutting back from weekly to twice-monthly sessions. The physical therapist said Quinn's shoulder is as good as it's going to get without surgery (we're still waiting to hear what the insurance company is willing to pay for) and she's happy with his physical development except that he stands with his feet too far apart, making his ankles roll inward. So she's going away for a month, during which we're supposed to put him in a tight little skirt made of an ace bandage for a while each day to force his legs together. He loves putting on MaMa's shoes and sunglasses, let's see how he feels about skirts!

It's hot!

This summer has been one of the worst ever. It's been over 100 almost every day in August, with none of our usual summer rains to cool us down. Even so, Quinn LOVES to be outside. He spends a good deal of his inside time standing at the back door in hopes someone will take him outside. Then when he's outside his entire head and face are soaked in sweat within seconds. Poor kid.

Quinn seriously can't get enough of this sandbox. Unfortunately, the same goes for Buttons the dog. Sometimes they have a stare-down to determine who gets to play in it first!

This is one of my favorite recent pictures of Quinn. It's so horribly hot outside, and look how contented he looks!

The three-legged race

This picture is hard to see, but I was so proud of Quinn this day. If you look way in the back on the right side of the frame you'll see Quinn and me holding hands. We're running the three-legged race at my company picnic. This child actually let me tie his leg to mine and ran the entire race with me, including picking himself up when he fell and getting right back to it. We did not win, but I could not have been prouder of this spunky, sweet, fabulous little guy.