New Family Website is Here!

Our family has now created a new website  -  www.ourchosenone.com.  We are very excited to get this new website up and running and have our blog connected directly to our website.  We have neglected our blog because most everything we post we post on FB.  But there a few topics of importance to us that we want to blog about on a regular basis.  Of course our main topic is children with special needs and how we change the mindset of people in our area today who frown on adopting children with special needs and not so much as children with special needs but International adoption.  I can not begin to tell you the number of times I got asked - "why didn't you adopt in the United States" there are so many children waiting on a home here.  Well, believe it or not the list at the National DSS to adopt a child with Ds is long - to the tune of a little less than 200.  We would probably be way too old by the time our number was up.  Besides the fact, www.reecesrainbow.org was able to open our eyes to all the children available internationally. 

Another hot topic for us is parental alienation.  FB is restricted to family and friends and we want parents who are separated and divorced to understand the damage they do to their children by alienating one parent against another.  If you are reading any of this and you are offended then don't read it - especially when it comes to parental alienation because we plan to tell it exactly as it is - as we have walked in those shoes and have seen the damage that apparently a biological parent doesn't want to see. If you are the party we are discussing - and you think "I am going to sue them for deffamation of character" - just remember that deffamation of character are things that you say that are untrue and damage the reputation of another. Everything that we post in our blog will be absolute facts and proven.

We also want to tell more about Ivanna's days and her teachers who have taught her so much while also being sensible and discreet with posts.  There are so many people who are important to a child's success - not only when they have special needs but also when you have a "typical" child (whatever that is).  Society today is our future and we, as parents, have to be advocates for our children.  We ARE their voice. 

Looking forward to this site being interactive and informative and being able to share with some of you interested in reading - the great success stories, the stories that will make your heart hurt, as they do ours as well as stories that are genuine and true. 

Love and blessings to you all and we look forward to sharing with you all soon!

Ivanna Surgery

Today Ivanna had tubes put in her ears and her adenoids removed.  Boy was she a TROOPER.  Mommy didn't cry until she went to recovery and they were just waking her up.  The nurses were really good to her but goodness she was GROUCHY!!  They all loved her and thought she was very sweet.  She drank a full cup of apple juice.  Before she got awake they had put her in my arms so that when she did become coherent she would find mommy and daddy there to comfort her.

Here are some pictures of on the way to the hospital, once we got her gown on her and then once we got her home and settled for some rest.

The doctor says she did great - it was over in about 20 minutes actually.  He said she had a lot of fluid built up behind her left ear and the tubes will fall out on their on in about 12-18 months.  Then we will need to re-evaluate to see if they will need to be put back in.

She will return to school on Monday!!  YAY!!!  Just kidding we have enjoyed having her with us for the extended Christmas break.

The pictures are not in order but you can tell what is happening by the captions!  WHEW!!!  Mommy and Daddy are glad this is over!

Happy New Year to all of you!

One our way to the hospital!



Can someone PLEASE get this braclet off of me like NOW?



So I am ok with this goofy looking tiger gown but this bracelet has GOT TO GO!!  What happened to fashion?

Alright enough is enough......tell them to come on and let's do this thing!

Alright I'm over it - take me back RIGHT NOW or I am OUTTA HERE!



Finally I am back home in my bed!



Turn my TV on NOW (forget the PLEASE)!  Yes dear! {sigh}

Ok I'm set....Dutchess make them all get out of MY room!



I'm still smiling!

Oh wait!!!  I knew they forgot to give me something MY LAPTOP!!!  Now you can GO!



Ivanna's First Encounter with Santa

Regretfully I don't post as much to this blog as I used to - can't imagine why!!  :D  Been just a tad busy with holidays and Ivanna and all.  I do keep Facebook updated though so it's the best place to find pictures and videos. 

Below is Ivanna's very first encounter with Santa Claus and might I say she reacted just as we had expected UNIMPRESSED the little stinker. 

Here are also her first school picture and the picture she had made with Santa on the day the video was done.

I'll post some more pictures soon I know I keep saying that but I will. 

Love to all and a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

DIAPER FREE!!!

Well, today is DAY THREE of being DIAPER FREE!!  I am now putting her in pull ups at night and she did GREAT in school today too.  So very proud of our little princess.  She is absolutely the smartest little girl I know - but you know we are all partial to our own :D.

Here are a few of the signs that she knows well.....
Please
Thank You
Sorry
Water
Aunt Lou
Ryan
Steven
Ball
Cat Dog
Sit
Yellow
Blue
Red
Boy
Girl
Drink
Eat
More
In
Orange
Pumpkin
Car
Banana
Bear
Play
No
Yes
Apple

I'm sure there are more that we left off.  The majority of these she says when she does the sign which is GREAT!!

Love to all,
The Stratton's

First Day At The Beach 10/22/10

Here are the compiled pictures from her first day at the beach. Ivanna had photos made today for next year's GCDSS calendar. Regardless of whether her picture makes the calendar or not we have another day of memories and another day full of firsts!! Love these pictures I think they all turned out wonderful. One of her Aunts curled her hair for her and then she visited her Aunt Beth's house to get washed down after we left the beach - the princess had sand in every crevice. Thank you Lord for another great day!

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Two Bottom Teeth!!!

Well today at school Ivanna lost one of her bottom teeth.  When she got home I noticed that the other one was loose also.  Well, as soon as Ivanna noticed it was loose she went to work on it.  WHAT a surprise I could have never done that.  She didn't shed not one tear but bless her heart her little mouth was bloody and she had smeared blood all over her face and was happy as I don't know what.  GROSS!!!  I got her Aunt Kristi on Skype and Andy came in with a warm wash cloth and finished pulling it - she was so happy!!!

She is excited about the tooth fairy coming tonight. 

She also went outside and drove her new ride some today - she still gets to excited to push the gas pedal and steer all at the same time but it's so funny!!

She just loves her new car.  She's had a great last few days - had another birthday party yesterday at school.  I'll upload those videos as soon as I get them off of my other device.  She will have another birthday party on Sunday the 24th -- this one is a family party at her Aunt Lou's house!!!

Also kept her hair from her first hair cut.  Here's a picture of it:

She seems to really love school and is learning very quickly.  She surprises us every day with more signs she has learned and she tries very hard to repeat every word you say - she can now look on a paper and point out her shapes and point out ball, cat, car, duck, bell.  AMAZING!!  The happy look on her face is priceless.

They are also teaching her computer which totally amazes me at how young they start learning now - They probably start teaching them computer when they are 2-3 years old.  She loves it!!

Well, we love you guys and take care.

The Stratton Family!!!

School ROCKS!!!!

Today I don't think I have been this blown away with our little princess up to this point.  But she is EXACTLY like a sponge in that she absorbs EVERYTHING and does it very quickly!!

Before we left Kiev - we had bought her a wooden box that you put the specific shapes in to the holes and she could not do that at all or see that a circle was a circle.

WELL.....today is DAY THREE of school and the teachers and assistants ROCK I tell you!!!!  Check out this video it speaks for itself.  She came home with homework tonight and we kind of glanced at it and we are very ashamed to admit that we underestimated her.  We questioned why in the world they send stuff like this home with her but boy did she show us!!

WATCH IT I promise you will be impressed too!!!  It's the little things that make you go WOW!!!