Our Family News: August 2010

Tuesday, August 31, 2010

A kiss is just a kiss...NOT!

So as I was giving J some snacks today while playing, he signed that he wanted "more, please" and waited for the food to come. I thought I'd try asking for a kiss before giving it to him (I know, I know, you're not supposed to bribe your kids, but I thought what the heck, it won't kill him to give me a kiss). I also figured he wouldn't do it anyway, since he never has before, either of his own volition or when asked to. Much to my surprise and complete awe, he came at me with puckered lips and pressed them to my own!!!!! I just sat there for a second, not believing what had just happened, then started grinning and gave him a huge hug. Of course, he got his snack for that. :) And when I asked for another one, it was a messy open-mouthed kiss with a kissing sound accompaniment. I was thrilled! Those are the only two I've received from him; usually he puts his forehead on ours and rubs it back and forth. When Chris came home and I told him, he asked J for a kiss as well and got the open-mouth slobbery, lovable, can't-believe-it-happened one as well! We know that this is not necessarily, in J's mind, a sign of affection and may just be something else that he has learned makes those big people in his life really silly and happy. But we don't mind. Mind you, we can't wait for the time that he is giving us kisses spontaneously. We know this might be a while and, in the meantime, are content with the prompted ones. Wa-hoo!!!!!!

loving the chocolate pudding!

tried going in the potty since he's like clockwork, but he didn't like it. but not 2 minutes afterwards, he was going while he sat ON the potty...close is good, right??

just so ya'll know that he isn't always in a good mood!! I usually try (unsuccessfully) not to laugh at this face...what a faker. It's usually pulled out when he doesn't get something he wants.

can you see the pathetic single tear running down his face??

little stud man!!

I didn't think he'd do well with dipping the french fry, but he proved me wrong.

Friday, August 27, 2010

3-month Family Day anniversary!!

So, yes, I've been a slacker for not posting anything for three weeks. But I also have an excuse...actually, three excuses: week one, a sick baby. The kind of cold where he woke up every hour or so coughing and we had to go in to his room to get him back to sleep; eventually, one of us would wind up sleeping the rest of the night on the floor in his room. Does NOT make for good sleep for anyone. Also, YOU try breathing through your mouth and keeping your binky in at the same time; a binky, I might add, that has to be in your mouth if you start waking up or else you cry and wake yourself up completely. Week two: camping trip to our land with J for the first time. It rained over half of the time we were there and every. single. night. Good news from that: we found out that once J is asleep, not even a HUGE clap of thunder will wake the kid up (the same noise that woke up my husband who is a very heavy sleeper!). And week three: well, I really don't have an excuse other than the fact I'm counting down the days to going back to work (sob!) and that J started with another cold a few days ago. And so begins the sleepless nights again; great timing!

J also got to meet his cousins on Chris' side of the family at the beginning of the month and we got a great picture of the three boys together. I just love this picture; he looks so comfortable with them!

Today is a good day to post since it has been three months since J was handed to us and we became a forever family!!!!! I look back at the pictures and remember those days/moments in Korea and it feels like it has been forever since we were there, but it also feels like the time has flown. I still remember our meetings with J so clearly, like it was yesterday. I've been looking through pictures of when we first brought him home and in some, I can now see how scared he was, even though he never showed it through tantrums or tears. So much different from the little boy occupying our house now; one that whines, cries, screams, and grunts when he wants something or doesn't get his way (for his own good, of course! ex: no, son, you can't eat the dog food). I think he is able to do this now because he trusts us enough to show us his true feelings. He is still not really saying any words to communicate with us, so I am hoping that this comes quickly, but I also want time to slow down so we can enjoy every last second with our amazing boy. At times, I still can't believe he's actually, finally, here and just how lucky we are to have him as our son.

Now I'll leave you with some pictures I've taken over the past three weeks. Enjoy!