Andrew has been home for 11 days now. These days have been full of ups and downs, hard times, good times, smiles, kisses, hugs, tears and so many "firsts" for Andrew. I think Andrew is doing so well! He loves us and really tries to follow directions. He's always on the move and he's very strong. He's like a bull in a China shop. We are having to spend a lot of time teaching him what is acceptable behavior and what is not allowed. He just doesn't know! Children are not born with manners, and in his case gentleness!!
Craig took the week off work the first week to be with us and to bond with Andrew. We were busier than we have ever been in our lives. We had to tag team every minute throughout the day. It took both of us all day just to feed them, and keep the house in tact. I didn't even have to cook and it was crazy. One of Laura's friends organized a spreadsheet where friends signed up to bring us meals each night. That was just the best thing ever!! The meals were all delicious and it let Craig and I concentrate on the little ones.
Yesterday was my first day alone with the little ones, Craig went back to work. Laura went back to college Sat afternoon and Christine was in school. We made it. It's hard, but I know it will get better! There are things today that I have tweaked from yesterday that didn't work. So far today is going good. It is "rest" time for all of us, and I think that's one thing that is going to have to be consistent. Andrew is actually asleep, Ava is sittting on the sofa quietly reading and I am just getting a chance to re-group for a minute.
I'll be honest, Craig and I have looked at each other a few times since we've been home and said "What in the world have we done!!" But we know that God orchestrated this, and that it will all work out. We are thankful for the progress that Andrew has made this week. God moved mountains to help us get little Andrew here, and I know God has a wonderful plan for this child.
We got Andrew these slippers before we went to China--and he LOVES them. He loves any kind of car or truck!!
Andrew loves trucks so much that he has to sleep with his BIG TRUCKS. The trucks change every night, but there are always two trucks (or cars) -one on each side of him. He doesn't like a pillow, and I quit worrying about him "bonking" his head on them, because he won't sleep without them!! Andrew likes being rocked at night time and before naps. Sometimes he's just so wiggly that I end up laying him down in bed and telling him goodnight. He never cries but he flops around for awhile, then just falls asleep. He doesn't do his extreme "self soothing" rocking that he used to do!! He's very loving!
We had to go to the mall on Monday because my computer crashed in China and I HAD to get it fixed!! Andrew did pretty good, it's just hard because now he doesn't always love his stroller so he runs ahead of us. Thankfully the mall wasn't crowded and we were able to wrangle him up when we needed to. The hard part is getting him to hold our hands in the parking lot, or the food court, etc. It's just going to take some time before I feel comfortable taking him and Ava anywhere by myself. He needs to be able to listen to me and know when to "stop" or "come here" and so on. He and Ava played in the little play area in the mall and they liked that.
Andrew was very intrigued with the CD player. He was looking to see where the music came from, and then he pushed every button he could. His mind is always thinking!!!
He loves to pull Ava in the wagon. Which works really great because she loves to be pulled. I thought it was so funny that Andrew liked to be barefoot! He was playing in the sandbox, then just took off running without his shoes on. Ava still doesn't like to be barefoot!! Andrew is SO strong. He pulled her all the way up the hill on our street and wouldn't let me help him at all!
Andrew had his first visit to the Pediatrician's office this past Friday and he did great. We also had to go to CHOA and get his blood drawn. I really didn't know what to expect. We learned in China how afraid he was of shots so I thought he might fight and kick and scream. He just sat on my lap and cried like his heart was breaking. He just kept saying Mama, mama, mama---over and over. Whew, it was all the nurse and I could do not to burst out crying too. But as soon as it was done, I loved him, dried his tears and gave him OREOS!!! He had one in each hand almost all the way home!! Praise the Lord for OREOS!!! He immediately stopped crying and started eating. He wanted more, so I gave him as many as he wanted. I think he ate 10. Poor little guy deserved them!! He was a real trooper.
Andrew ate his first food besides rice, noodles, eggs, oatmeal and potatoes on Saturday evening for supper!!! It was rigatoni! On Sunday he ate corn and peas, and tonight he ate mac-n- cheese!!! And boy can he eat!! He eats two eggs and a bowl of oatmeal every morning for breakfast!! He needs his food, because he has a lot of energy!!
He and Ava had a great time eating popcorn together and rocking in the big chair. They can be so sweet! (but like brothers and sisters, they can fuss too!)
We are so happy the adoption process is over and now we can just focus on being a family. Andrew still thinks every women is his mama, every girl is his sister, man his baba (daddy) etc. So we have a lot of bonding to do. We will keep his world small for awhile. It's too hard to take him anywhere right now--unfortunetely that will just take time. We might try a football game soon, so we can see Christine march. But even then I don't know that he will sit still in the bleachers-and there's so many people around we can't risk him running away from us, or not listening to us. We may stay 10 minutes, we just have to be very flexible with all this right now. We are having to split up a lot right now, and let me stay home with Andrew while Craig goes to school functions for Christine. Andrew is upset when I leave, so until he understands that I will always come back to him, I'm trying not to leave him. His "mama" of 4 years just disappeared out of thin air one day, and I NEED him to know that I'm not going to do that. Attachment is different for each child. There are no black and white rules, we are just figuring out things as we go. Praying constantly for God's guidance, and trying to do what's best for Andrew, Ava and us.
We praise the Lord for the miracles that we have already witnessed and the miracles yet to come!
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