One year with Andrew Lawrence Shuai Shuai...
September 14, 2015
November 2015
December 2015
January 2016
February 2016
March 2016
April 2016
May 2016
June 2016
July 2016
August 2016
This year has been a crazy roller coaster ride with all kinds of ups and downs, twists and turns! Big thrills and times where we all just thought we would "lose it!" I will say that we are all in a much better place now than we were one year ago. We were dealing with a terrified little boy, who was just trying to survive and we also were just trying to survive and figure out what to do and how to get through each day. I have to say that Andrew's Gotcha Day was one of the hardest days of my entire life. (I'm not discounting that it was also most likely Andrew's hardest day too) If you haven't read about it, you can read about it here. But we have survived and we have come so, so far.
As you can see from Andrew's pictures above, this boy is a NUT!!! We normally have to take 10 pictures of him in order to get just one where he's not moving around. And when we do get a smile, it's a cheesy squinty grin!!! Most of the time he has his mouth wide open because he's laughing or squealing!!! I can say he is mostly happy, and surely not moody, shy, or reserved!!!
As you can see from Andrew's pictures above, this boy is a NUT!!! We normally have to take 10 pictures of him in order to get just one where he's not moving around. And when we do get a smile, it's a cheesy squinty grin!!! Most of the time he has his mouth wide open because he's laughing or squealing!!! I can say he is mostly happy, and surely not moody, shy, or reserved!!!
Now, Andrew is calmer and happy. He is relaxing more and more. He loves his home, his bed, his family and definitely his TOYS!!! He started Pre-school in August and is doing great. His teachers say he is a very fast learner, and that he wants assurance constantly that mommy is going to come back. It's the last thing he says when he gets out of the car each morning, and then several times during the day to his teachers. If I really think about it, it breaks my heart that he would even have to ask that. Poor baby boy....we have NO idea what he has been through and how much baggage he still carries around with him. But he is healing, and we are so thankful. And his teachers are so sweet to him, and assure him that mommy ALWAYS comes back!!
Andrew has more energy than anyone I have ever seen in my life. He is so strong and he can run and play and swim and NEVER get tired. We will get him involved in sports or something as soon as he adjusts to school. He loves to play, play play!!! Thankfully he does sleep well at night, and he still takes a nap most days. Probably because when he's awake he is contstantly moving!!! He's very healthy! He had eye surgery this past July to correct his strabismus. He has no other health issues so we are very, very thankful!!
Here are some of Andrew's favorite things at 5 years of age:
Favorite color---yellow
Favorite food---Mac -n- Cheese
Favorite drink--- water or sweet tea
Favorite animal---duckling or baby chick
Favorite toys---- trucks, cars, fire truck, garbage truck, etc (And Ava's fuzzy yellow chick that he constantly wants, and Ava doesn't want him to have because he will ruin it, and rub away all the fuzz like he did with his.) BTW these are the little hopping chicks that come out at Easter. He loved his so much, and carried it with him everywhere he went that the feet and beak came off and there is no more fuzz on it. WELL, I was able to find these chicks after looking everywhere, and I have 5 coming from Guangzhou, China!!! Of all places. They were .99 and free shipping!!! Other places in the US sold them for $6.50 off season. Anyway, he will be so happy, and my life will get much easier when those chicks arrive!!!! It's the little things.........
Favorite tv shows/movies---Cars, The Good Dinosaur, Super Why, Happy Feet, Mickey Mouse Clubhouse
We look forward to what the next year will bring. It seems like it was much longer than one year ago that we got Andrew!!! Happy "Gotcha" Day, sweet Andrew. You will always have a family who loves you, fights for you, provides for you, and will NEVER, EVER, leave you.
Here are some of Andrew's favorite things at 5 years of age:
Favorite color---yellow
Favorite food---Mac -n- Cheese
Favorite drink--- water or sweet tea
Favorite animal---duckling or baby chick
Favorite toys---- trucks, cars, fire truck, garbage truck, etc (And Ava's fuzzy yellow chick that he constantly wants, and Ava doesn't want him to have because he will ruin it, and rub away all the fuzz like he did with his.) BTW these are the little hopping chicks that come out at Easter. He loved his so much, and carried it with him everywhere he went that the feet and beak came off and there is no more fuzz on it. WELL, I was able to find these chicks after looking everywhere, and I have 5 coming from Guangzhou, China!!! Of all places. They were .99 and free shipping!!! Other places in the US sold them for $6.50 off season. Anyway, he will be so happy, and my life will get much easier when those chicks arrive!!!! It's the little things.........
Favorite tv shows/movies---Cars, The Good Dinosaur, Super Why, Happy Feet, Mickey Mouse Clubhouse
We look forward to what the next year will bring. It seems like it was much longer than one year ago that we got Andrew!!! Happy "Gotcha" Day, sweet Andrew. You will always have a family who loves you, fights for you, provides for you, and will NEVER, EVER, leave you.
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