Hearing test

As part of Lukas' evaluation for the International Adoption Clinic the doctor requested we get a hearing test done just to rule that out as affecting his language development. So I finally got around to having him checked out yesterday. It was quite interesting to me to see how they test young children. Much to Lukas' pleasure he got to toss blocks into a bucket every time he heard the beep or stack pegs on the peg board to build a tower. In addition to the hearing portion she also checked the function of his inner ear. We got his evaluation just in time because he has his next follow-up appt. with the IA clinic on July 6th.

It turns out that the audiologist use to work for Lukas' IA doctor. The end result is that something, most likely fluid, is preventing Lukas' inner ear from functioning and it does appear to be interferring with his hearing. She only checked him on 2 out of the 4 pitches she normally does because he was starting to get cranky, bored, uninterested and she already knew something was going on with his inner ear so it wasn't worth doing the other two. He tested just within normal for the highest pitch she did and just below for the next to lowest. So, it isn't that he can't hear, just doesn't hear as well as he should the lower the pitch and softer the volume.

The next step is to have his ears checked by a doctor and figure out if it is fluid or a physical blockage preventing the inner ear from working properly. Once that is figured out and resolved he will be re-tested to see if his hearing improves. The audiologist didn't seem alarmed so we will not make to big a deal out of it for now. His teachers and I think his language has improved quite a bit in the last 6 months and we will find out on the 6th if that is true. His hearing doesn't appear to be having a huge impact on his learning vocabulary but it may be playing a part in his pronunciation.

So next stop...

Happy Adoption Day!

It was a year ago today that the judge approved our adoption of Lukas. It is hard to believe that a year has gone by already. It was a very emotional day for both of us. Wayne was fairly confident it would be approved but I wasn't. I broke down in tears when I heard her decision was yes.

then...2009


Now...2010


We celebrated by having shashlik for dinner from Habib's Kabobs and bagel cafe, a local eatery. It wasn't the same as Kazakh shashlik but it was pretty tasty.

Father's Day Celebration

This time last year we celebrated Father's Day in Kazakhstan. We were both fortunate enough that even though he wasn't legally ours yet we got to be with him on Mother's and Father's Day. This year it was a family celebration at Aunt Cheryl and Uncle Butch's house.

Father's Day 2009


Father's Day 2010


Lukas made papa a card and signed his name himself. He got a new grill cover from Mama and a pen/pencil holder with a photo of Lukas sitting in papa's chair reading his book with his glasses on pretending to be papa.

Had to include this one of grandfather and grandson. Dualing Technology...this is what the modern age of technology has brought us to, one on the blackberry and one on the laptop.

Port Discovery

Lukas had the day off from school so we decided to make it a family outing day. We headed in to Baltimore City and took him to Port Discovery. It is a wonderful children's museum. It just so happened one of the exhibits was Bob the Builder. Right up Lukas' alley.



The boy can't resist a piece of machinery...




I think we spent at least a half hour in the diner...






They had a section called Water Wonders which had a plumber's park. Lukas' is practicing to be Uncle Butch's apprentice.


The center of the museum houses a 3 story jungle gym and they have a smaller one in the area for younger children.





Having fun searching for mummies...

A crabby t-shirt sighting

A year ago today we left for our court trip for our adoption. On this trip we brought a bag full of t-shirts for Lukas and his group mates. Lukas wore one for his passport photo seen here...


I always look for them in pictures of blogposts from other families who have been in Taraz at Umit since then. I was beginning to suspect they had left the building until recently. I was catching up on the blog of one of the families currently in the appeal process of their adoption of a sibling pair. The oldest is now in the room Lukas was in when we were there. Low and behold, on Almat's 3rd Birthday post from January, I see the following photo....Thanks for allowing me to post this photo M.

Picking berries and cherries at Larriland Farms

We had no real plans or obligations on Saturday so we decided to take Lukas to Larriland farms to pick fresh strawberries and cherries. He had a blast. I had a hard time keeping him from eating them while he was picking them.

IN THE STRAWBERRY PATCH








HELPING OUT AT THE CHECKOUT STAND


PRECIOUS CARGO





ENJOYING THE FRUITS OF HIS LABORS




ONTO THE CHERRY TREE FIELD
Helping hand from Papa








PRE LUNCH SNACK


No, I didn't let him eat the whole box.



I think he had just as much fun capping the strawberries and pitting the cherries as he did picking them. Quite a few were eaten during the process. I did manage to save some cherries for baking and berries for dessert and snacking during the week.

First boat trip

End of the year school pictures

Birthday Pool Party Antics

What better way to spend a hot Saturday afternoon than to be at the pool with your friends. Yes, we had yet another birthday party to attend, this time it was at the gym where Lukas takes swimming lessons, so it was close to home.

They started out in the kids indoor play area.

Lukas climbing the Rock Wall with some help.


Our future Basketball star...


Then it was time to head to the pool for some fun...





Enough of the fountain, let's hit the slides...





When Lukas first started at Pre-school he would wait for Sophia E when he got to school. Here she is.


Then a new Sophia arrived at school this winter and he took a liking to her. Here is Sophia K.


Amazingly, Sophia K is from Russia, the area just above North Eastern Kazakhstan. Her mother is of Asian ethnicity and her father Russian. She could easily pass for a Kaz kid. She also is just learning English as they haven't been in the US long.


A couple of weeks ago a new girl started in Lukas' class. I was informed one afternoon that Lukas had a "girlfriend". He takes her by the hand and leads her around. They say she is shy and he has taken her under his wing. The director has mentioned it to us and so have some of the other children. We had yet to meet his new interest until today. Alice was at the party. He didn't really stick with her much while playing in the pool, but after everyone changed and was ready to head back inside I turned around and saw the happy couple.


And here is Lukas with all three of his girls at lunch...