Our family of four is 9 months old...9 months since we saw our answer to prayer face-to-face in the same room, on the same continent, in the same time zone.
Samuel's vocabulary and independence continue to grow and develop at a rapid pace. He's talking more and using new words such as popsicle, read, and play. I can say that he's more patient and calm than I would be if someone couldn't figure out what I was trying to convey. On the rare occasion that I can't determine his word after 2-10 attempts, he simply shakes his head and with a smirky grin just mumbles "noooooo".
We continue to work on color recognition. He's still adamant that almost everything we see these days is pink. What's really funny is when we are looking at a picture and he quizzes me (with a serious look on his face and a firm tone in his voice) "Color?" Thank you, Teacher Samuel, for refreshing my memory on the colors. We're also working on reading books and really listening to the story. At first, Samuel would question ("that?") every single picture on the page, which made it very difficult to complete a single sentence or thought. Now that he knows words, he likes to point out animals and pumpkins and mommas (women) in the stories. He loves reading! When in doubt what activity to tackle next, reading is always a good place to start. Blowing bubbles is a safe bet as well.
Patiently and diligently attempting bubble-blowing
He's the most happy when he's blowing bubbles.
He's working to get over some respiratory issues and it had him down for a few days earlier this month. It's another opportunity to cuddle though. Cuddling was far from his comfort when he first came home. And as I watched him peacefully lounge on the couch gazing at Blue's Clues and enjoying an occasional mommy-fed (oh, the things we do for the sick littles) snack of yogurt, my thoughts drifted to questions of sick days in China. A room full of friends and not enough arms to hold every child. No fluffy pillows for reclining in a quiet, dim room. No one to sit near by and cater to every groan or whimper. In moments like these, I'm especially glad our baby is home. And not just for the moments he feels bad, but these moments do make me more aware of the need he had for a family just 9 months ago. The need we all have for a family. Thank you, Jesus, that we get to be that family to him.
It's so tiring giving yourself a breathing treatment.
It Can't Be
Again, imagine the distressed mother's cry "my baby, my baby..." Then, in walks a snaggle-toothed little boy carefully carrying a tiny tooth no larger than a lady bug. He lost his first tooth just one week after turning 6. I guess when the dentist told us 6 months ago that it would be "awhile" before he lost a tooth, she meant months away, not years! Joey is 1 very proud snaggletooth!
He couldn't stop smiling!
The. Boy. Can. Read.
And this 6 year old is sounding his way through books faster than our dogs can sniff out fallen table scraps! It's like he's just been waiting to make all these big strides within a few days of turning 6. SLOW. DOWN.
Joey isn't shy when talking about school...and getting into trouble in class...and girls. Yikes! This guy tells all and I love it. I love hearing on rare occasion that he got into trouble because...um..."I can't remember". Yeah...it usually involves talking. Big Surprise! He reports with great excitement when he has seen one of our neighbors in the hall. Joey talks about his girlfriend, which only refers to the girl who is nice to him and plays the game of his choosing at recess. Sigh of relief on that girlfriend thing! I even love his confession that he doesn't miss me at school because he goes on to explain that he's busy learning. He's still so naive and innocent. Our little chats on the way home from school are definitely one of my favorite (and most entertaining) parts of my day.
A few more pictures...
* I'll admit that Joey's school attendance is really cutting into my picture-taking these days. I'm not sure that's a lone reason to homeschool though.
Talk like a Pirate Day at Krispy Kreme
Our littlest happy boy
Can't get enough of that smile!
These boys bring us great joy, excitement, learning opportunities, and magnify our need for patience and grace. We are forever grateful that God gifted them to us. No doubt, our lives would be just plain ole boring without them!
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