Almost a Year!

Hi friends and family! Can you believe it's been almost a year since we traveled to Shanghai to bring back our sweet Liam? It's as though he's always been here! Liam continues to flourish with language development in ASL. We have started the process of getting cochlear implants for him in March. We have chosen to NOT DROP the ASL though. I am excited that he will have access to all language he's presented with both visually and through hearing.

Our family enjoyed a wonderful holiday season! I hope the same is true for you all!

Love,

Erin

We're Still Here!

Hi Friends and Family!

I thought I'd post an update since it's been so long. I've been posting pics and mini updates on Facebook, but it's time for a longer update.

Liam is doing very well! He has completely adjusted to his school and teachers. So much so, he's even being mischievous and getting into a little trouble. Depending on behavior at school, he comes home with a green, yellow, or red mark each day. This week, he finally figured out that green is the place to be! Yellow=no bike or park and a sad Mama face. Green=stickers, outside time, and a happy Mama. On Friday at dismissal time, he ran up to his teacher with the green marker and signed "green"!

At home he is doing even better. He loves to play outside and ride his bike. He hates putting away his laundry. He loves to help set the table, take a bath/shower, and give hugs goodbye on the way to school. He loves to be a backseat driver! He can tell me every turn to take on the way from school to picking up his brothers and sister. If I go a different route, he lets me know about it in no uncertain terms! He is responding well to time outs at home, too. He used to strip naked, spit, hit and kick. Now he just cries a little with an occasional hit to the wall. He also responds to the warning of time out and changes behavior.

He still LOVES routine, but he isn't as dependent on it as he was when he first arrived. Now I can sign to him the errands that we are going to do before picking up brothers and sister, and he doesn't worry about why we're not going that direction. I can also leave him with a sitter after school when I have meetings without any tears.

Liam loves church! He even participates in Bible classes. The family there has been wonderful! Everyone looks out for him and the kids and teens love him! Many people are learning a few signs so they can communicate with him. I may even try to start a Sign Language class on Wednesday nights.

He is really picking up the sign language quickly. I see his signing development happening at three levels: 1. Signs he understands, but doesn't use spontaneously, 2. Signs he can understand and imitate, and 3. Signs he uses spontaneously. He is finally starting to answer questions without just repeating the question, esp. "where". He answered a "which" question the other day. Once he gets that concept down, a whole new world of choices will be opened up to him. I never realized how hard it must be for him to not be able to communicate "which" food or "which" activity he wants to do. I am happy to say we're getting there! He can identify 4 or 5 letters independently. He signs his alphabet every night before bed (using his poster on the wall). He is just beginning to identify the colors (especially green and yellow!) He hasn't really started counting yet. He can sign the days of the week Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday on his own. He can write his name and Mom without much help. He has really good fine motor control. He can also identify several animals.

We are set up to do video chat on our gmail account at home. Liam loves to video chat, so look us up at erinlstokes@gmail.com.

Love to all!

Erin Stokes

We're just hanging out at Disneyland

Last day in China

We are all packed and ready for our early train to Hong Kong. We will miss China, but we are eager to get back to our life back home. What an adjustment it will be to have 4 kids...with one being deaf! I don't think we will post from HK. We will send a message from airports along the way home on Friday. We calculated that we will be in the air for 19 hours! There will be a short break on Newark before the last leg to Houston. Keep us in your prayers, please. Specifically for Liam's patience on the flight! Thank you all for following our trip and sending all the comments!

Noodle boy





My two cowboys






After dinner cuddles.

Sweet sweet boy

We are just adoring sweet little Liam! He now wants to give hugs and kisses (mostly to me) ALL of the time. He really seems to get that we are for real and that we are not going away. The picture I sent to Laura to post on facebook is pretty cool. The sun was coming in the bedroom window in such a way that I was able to catch his reflection looking at pictures of the family on the iPad. A funny thing about Liam is that he loves to high five or sign to men who are wearing uniforms like the bell boys or drivers. The regular bell boys are getting used to him and giving him big smiles and high fives.
Today we went to the US consulate to finalize all of our paper work. Then we went to a park to watch the senior citizens do their morning exercises and recreation. The kiddos got to play as well. Jay, Liam, and I went back to the island to shop for friends and family. Tonight we are staying in. Jay and little man are out getting us a pizza as I type this. Tonight we will also start packing a little bit. Tomorrow we get Liam's visa and then have a nice Cantonese meal with the other families and our guide. Thursday we take an early train to Hong Kong. We decided to spend the afternoon at Disneyland in HK. Of course Friday we fly home! We cannot wait!

Liam kissing mommy.


Reflection of Liam looking at pictures of his brothers and sister on the iPad.

We had a great day! We got to take a dinner cruise down the pearl river. Liam loved being on the boat and seeing all the lights of the city. He's getting along great with the other two girls and the two older kids that came along. He'll love his brothers and sister, I am sure! We have an early day at the US consulate tomorrow, so good night to all. Love, Erin

Liam with new friends on the famous red couch at the White Swan.


Mom and Liam at White Swan Hotel.


Peanut Butter Boy

Day ? in gz

I don't even know what day we are on. We are having a very nice time here in gz, but we are sooo ready to be home! Liam is being social with the little girls in our group. We've even given them name signs. He seems to understand turn-taking and sharing. Today he got a haircut which he was not happy about at all! We went sightseeing at the location of the 2010 Asia games. It was like an Olympic village. After that we went to a park. We came across an area that had about ten groups of four senior adults playing hackysack! Our group, including Liam joined in. It was great fun! A little bit further we came across an open area where people were swing dancing! We joined in with that as well! We have a fun group of families. Tomorrow is part two of the medical check ups, shopping, and a river cruise. A few people have asked about the Japan situation. We are not in any danger at all. They say shockwaves were felt all the way in shanghai on friday, but we were already in the air when it hit. We are watching the news reports on our version of CNN, and our prayers are with the Japanese people. We miss you all!

King of the playroom castle.


Bedtime hanging out with baba and watching his movie on the iPad.