Filed under: JAVI's Highlights
Well, here is a little contribution from me—from Javi, that is. Mom got some pictures of me being super-cute..as usual, so I thought you’d enjoy them. The overalls pics, well, I wasn’t the picture of happiness, but mom thought the pic still cute enough to merit a post.
We are doing pretty well here. Dad has about one more week before his semester gets underway, so we are enjoying him being around….and Ezri and I have found that he is a great indoor alternative to the playground! You can climb on him…jump on him…and off of him…..he swings you around….and I don’t know…..maybe I could even slide down him–now that’s one I’ll have to try!
What else?..Oh, yes, I have about 5 new teeth cutting through right now, so we’ll all be glad when those babies are in for good. It is a bit painful teething, and it sometimes makes me awaken during the night….needless to say, mom and I will both be grateful when I have all of my teeth.
Well, friends and fam, we love you guys….and, on this very first day of the lunar new year (Chinese New Year), we wish you a fabulous year of the Ox!
–Javi
Filed under: JAVI's Highlights
So, it’s 2009….my second year of live is well in-swing and with this year comes many new roles for me as a little guy in the Case family. As you will see from my above portfolio of snazzy photos, I have been busy…I wear many hats around here. Some of the “Javi’s” you may not notice, (but perhaps I can have mom work on catching on camera), include: handsome Javi, incredibly strong Javi, javi the brother, hungry Javi….and hilarious Javi.
You will note, however, the artist photos; that’s right…today I tried my hand at coloring for the first time. Well, to be completely honest, I gave it a go a few weeks back, but the crayons kept finding their way into my mouth and left the coloring page rather bare! I must admit that the little turqiois stick did look scruptious! What else….oh, yes–me with a microphone. That would be my sister’s Christmas gift, but she is becoming a ’sharer’, so it’s cool. I like to get on the mic. and do a little ditty now and again…mostly something like this: “Ahhhhh…..uhhhhhh…..ma ma ma ma….ahhhhhhh!!!” And let me draw your attention to some “Sweatin’ to The Oldies” photos. This, I can explain: I had on this sweat suit….we were just playing around…me and dad. Ezri had a head band on…everyone was just having so much fun, so I thought–what the hay…why not wear a purple headband for a moment or two?!!!
Hope you enjoy the photos…I know mom enjoys taking them and sharing the funny moments of the Case household with you all out there!!!
love, Javi
Filed under: JAVI's Highlights
Hola a todos (Hello all!!)
Javi here, ….just wanted to relate a few of my thoughts on this city called Hong Kong. So, you know I am now 13 months old, right?…and getting bigger every single day!…I’ve made a few observations during my one month of residence in HK; here are some thoughts from my small frame:
The beach: The sand is tasty…gritty, but not too bad. The water is definitely salty, and watch out for those waves coming in….it’s not the best choice to crawl head-long into them!
The bulb: This has little to do with Hong Kong, and much to do with the fact that I seem to have chronic allergies or cold and my mom loves using that rubber bulb thing to suck bunchoes o’ boogers from my nostrils. I HATE this!!!! Let me repeat: I HATE THIS!!! I scream and swat and waive my head from side to side….oh, did I mention flailing? Anyway, if you are an infant or a small child who’s not yet figured out nose-blowing, you are in danger of the bulb. If you see it coming, run…crawl….flail…play dead…whatever you have to do to avoid the measure of its wrath!!!
The MTR (train): So many lights (ads scrolling in Chinese)…so many people…quite stimulating activity, actually. I’ve not found train rides too bad, and I’ve rather enjoyed a couple. My sister Ezri is not always so keen on them, it seems. Of course, I’ve been strapped onto mom or dad in the Baby Bjorn….while Ez is usually stuck in the stroller. Hmmm….
BaBa and MaMa: These are my endearing names for my folks. MaMa is the usual for mom of course. BaBa might seem a bit unusual, but this is my name for good old dad. Don’t know why I chose it, really, but it seems to have stuck–for now, at least. BaBa is happy with his new name!!!
The heat: Let’s just say that HK is very warm…okay, it is stinkin’ hot!!!! I sometimes wake up sweating a bit–even with the aircon. doing its best. And, anytime mom does anything that gets me bent out of shape (such as ‘the bulb’, nose drops, administering meds.,etc) or if I crawl around a lot…anyway, there are a number of situations in which I find myself too hot. (no pun intended!)
Javi’s birthday is really on August 20th, but since he’s only been with us since September 8th we felt like it would be a good time to throw him a belated 1st birthday party. Enjoy the pics!
Filed under: JAVI's Highlights | Tags: Adopting Abroad, Adoptive Family, expatriate adoption, Hong Kong
These pics were taken from the time that Melanie left with Javi at Eagle’s Nest to the time that he arrived home. Check further down the page for new slideshows of Javi’s Orphanage and Javi at Eagle’s Nest.
Filed under: JAVI's Highlights | Tags: Bus Hang Hau to Airport, Hong Kong, Taxi Cost HKUST to Airport
Melanie and Javi arrive around 10:30pm tonight. I’m taking the bus out there to meet them (about an hour and a half ride on E22A from Hang Hau), then we’re taking a taxi back. The taxi costs about $40USD compared to $4USD on the bus, but the bus stops running at 10pm and the taxi is much more convenient and quicker, which is nice to have after a 17 hour plane flight with a 20lb child in your lap. Words can’t explain how excited we are! Melanie was able to stay a night in Chicago so that some of Javi’s grandparents could meet him. Enjoy the pics!
Filed under: JAVI's Highlights | Tags: bonding, eagle's nest, guatemala adoption
A long-awaited trip to Guatemala!! It was so fabulous to go and visit Javi’s orphanage. I flew into Guatemala City around noon on a Saturday, and was able to go out to Eagle’s Nest (Javi’s orphanage…located in Solola) that evening. Arriving around 5:30pm or so, after 2-3 hour trip in a bumpy shuttle bus, I found myself suddenly more awake as we neared the children’s home. I began thinking, “Oh my goodness…I am really finally about to meet our son…for the first time ever!” It seemed so surreal….Javi was referred to us at the age of 2 weeks….and ever since, he had been (virtually) part of our family…but obviously not physically here with us. He was in our conversation, our prayers, our dreams…but not in our arms—————but in those bumpy moments before meeting him, all this reality passed through my heart and mind, and the weightiness of this event began to set in. I had just traveled for two complete days….from Hong Kong….to Korea…to Chicago…spent the night getting some final documents notarized and a few hours in a Chicago hotel….gotten on a plane to Houston….to Guatemala….and now I was finally going to come face to face with the little man we’d loved in our hearts for one complete year….yet never touched with our own hands!!!! Amazing!
I got emotional at this point (which any of you who know me could have guessed, right!) We were there before we knew it, and I helped get some things out of the car to take into the children’s home (as I’d ridden there with the people who manage the home). The front door opened up into the office, which in turn opened right into the large area where the kiddos play, eat, watch videos, etc. When I walked in and put my things down, Ana said, “Pase adelante…a ver al nene.” (Come/go in…to see your baby.)…And there he was…his main care giver, Flory, was holding him and had brought him up to see me. She handed him to me….I mean, of course I was just overwhelmed with joy…those of you who have children know that those first precious moments…hours…days and maybe even weeks you often cannot look upon your child without overflowing with joy (which for me involves concurrent tears!)…it is just an amazing thing to be given the opportunity and privilege to parent. God is good. He is really good.
After holding him a few minutes, I went over to a carpeted area where the kids were all sitting or playing (some in bouncy seats, others in ‘bumbo chairs’, still others in walkers or just on the carpet) and watching a video. I let Javi down to play with the other kids, and, after a few minutes of play, he bopped his head quite hard (on accident, of course) on the floor–ouch!! He was screaming! I picked him up to comfort him, and went over to a rocking chair to rock him. Within a few minutes, he fell fast asleep on my chest. How amazing!!!! (In hignsight, this head-bop was a disguised blessing that allowed us to bond right off….if that doesn’t sound too wierd!)
That is an explanation–in brief–of our first meeting.
Filed under: JAVI's Highlights | Tags: eagle's nest solola, guatemala adoption, Nido de Aguila
Well there’s a few things I’ve been unable to get Melanie to do since she’s been back home and they are sleep and update the blog. I’ll try to get her to post more details as soon as things settle down here. In the meantime I’m going to post the pics she took on her journey to pick up our son.
Filed under: JAVI's Highlights | Tags: eagle's nest solola, guatemala adoption
Hi!
Filed under: JAVI's Highlights | Tags: eagle's nest, guatemala adoption, special delivery international
Cristian Javier Case
DOB: 08/20/2007
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Weight: 17 lbs 5 oz
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Height: 25.5
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Head size: 17.5
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Foot: 3.5”
Cristian is doing well. He is healthy. He is sitting up on his own. He is crawling. He doesn’t like the walker but he does like the swing.
Here is a note from my cousins’ daughter who is at EN this month volunteering…
Cristian is precious! He loves to be around people but is content to play by himself. He gets excited when he sees someone familiar and wants to be picked up. He flaps his arms up and down and makes this cute little whimpering sound. When you start to pick him up, his face is filled with an adorable smile. He loves it when you kiss him on the palm of his hand over and over again. He gets very excited when you wrap your fingers in his hands and he pulls himself up.
