The Traveling Circus and Easter

Kindergarten Registration

This little guy is now registered for kindergarten.  Inserts a mommy's voice wailing "my baby, my baby, my baby".  I was told there is a Boo Hoo room upstairs.  You think I could just camp out there?  After hearing the excited gasp from Joey when we walked into the front office to register, I'm guessing this guy will run into his class and never look back.  He's going to love it!

Traveling Circus

A traveling Circus?  Maybe a can of sardines?  That's how I felt as we backed out of the driveway last week.  It was a first trip to Arkansas for both Samuel and Gracie (the large dog peaking through the seats) and our car was F-U-L-L.  Not sure who I was most worried about.  Until this trip, Samuel had not been in his carseat for more than an hour.  Ever.  In his whole life.  The dog...well, I wondered if Gracie would get car sick.  Both did great!  In fact, we all did great!  And we lived to tell about it. I'd say the trip to Arkansas and the visit were a success!

Um, are you sure it's going to take 6 hours?

Celebrating Easter

Our first Easter as a family of 4

"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his 

great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope 

through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead..."

1 Peter 1:3

Some Extras

4 Generations

Just a funny shot of this guy's many expressions

Ready for baseball?

Both kiddos are little hams!  Is it really a choice?  While Joey wants to make silly faces in most every picture, Samuel wants to steal the spot light with his beckoning "Mama, cheese!" Our boys are entertainers!  I have a feeling this family will go through many, many, many cameras.

Three Months Down, A Lifetime to Go

Happy 3 Months to our Family of 4!

A stranger looking in on our lives might assume that Samuel was born into our family.  Not because his olive skin favors his mommy's.  Not even because he runs with such ease into his daddy's arms at the end of the day.  This guy acts like he's always been with us.  He is one of us.  I'm baffled and completely amazed!

In evaluating Samuel's comfort and attachment to us, there are a few ways we can tell a difference since we first met on January 13...

Brothers will be brothers.  There are many kisses these days.  The giggles and tickles far out number the tears.  Pestering is becoming more common though.  No doubt, Super Brother is no longer thought of as a guest, but part of the family.  Not that there's more irritation between the boys; there seems to be a greater level of comfort.  Great comfort!  Samuel has learned to let his guard down and just be a little brother.  He's a natural.  Don't let Samuel's size fool you though!  Initially, Samuel wasn't possessive.  Really, he still isn't much.  Sure, he tends to be drawn to the very toy Joey possesses.  He's 2.  In the beginning, he never had a problem handing a car to his brother when requested.  But now...oh, things are different.  Samuel is not shy to fight back.  He does not usually initiate sharing.  He doesn't seem to instigate quarrels either.  But, Samuel is confident to stand his ground.  He's not afraid to protect his Lego tower.  And he's not afraid to hold tight to a valued Star Wars figure.  He's also quick to tell on Joey, which is pretty hilarious.  And even on those days filled with "heated discussions" between the boys, I can still peak around a corner to find them reading a book together or building the train tracks.  I quietly spy a moment when Joey offers his brother a snack from his bowl.  

Brothers reading a book together

A fun day at the zoo

Samuel became comfortable with affection early on.  I remember that during our time in China, I was shocked at Samuel's willingness to give a kiss here or there.  He was selective at that time and still is.  It's funny that within the past 2-3 weeks, Samuel will now firmly grab my cheeks and give me a big smooch.  Sometimes the hands are sticky.  Sometimes the face is covered with chocolate (yep, he is his mother's boy).  He has pretty much perfected the bear hug too - that tight squeeze that says "you're mine".  He's sincere and sweet.  We all gladly welcome the love.

 

Who wouldn't want a big hug from this cutie?

You know, we read articles and watched webinars on attachment and bonding.  It was required for the adoption.  And for that we are thankful.  It forced upon us an insight into the importance and challenges of a strong bond.  The possible scenarios and outcomes were overwhelming.  I'll admit, the worst case scenarios are the ones that burrowed into my mind.  We've tried our best to follow the professional's recommendations to ensure the best connection with our little one.  We stuck by Samuel's side almost constantly for the first 4-6 weeks after we met.  I've carried him in the carrier countless hours (and still do sometimes).  We gradually exposed him to friends in calm situations and looked at pictures together of family members.  We've talked about grandparents and talked to grandparents on the phone/computer.  SuSu and Big Joe visited us at home the weekend we returned to Texas.  Samuel was interested and interactive with them, but still somewhat guarded.  Of course, he saw my mom with us in China, although her physical interaction was still limited at that time to allow the 4 of us to bond.  And he had not yet met my dad, Paw Paw.  Big Joe and SuSu made a trip to visit last weekend.   Samuel had been with us for 11 weeks at that point.  Being that it was only his second exposure to them in person, I was pleasantly surprised that Samuel was willing to stay with them (and Joey) with parents nowhere in sight.  And with my parents in town for Paw Paw to meet Samuel for the first time (apart from their babbling phone "conversations"), I was unsure what to expect.  And why would I expect anything different?  Our little guy took it all in stride.  It's like he has known his grandparents his entire 2 years of life.  He didn't hesitate to take Paw Paw's hand in the grocery store and confidently walk around to look at the live fish.  We were at the Asian Market...not PetSmart.  We are thrilled to see the ease he feels with his family.  Still, comfort with friends is coming around slowly and we're ok with that.  They're nice folks!  It's ok for him to question who he should trust.  It's a good sign to know that he's cautious and selective.  He's gradually learning to trust our family and recognize our own level of comfort and trust with friends.

Joey continues to grasp and appreciate his role as Big Brother.  This guy is serious about his new responsibility.  He still refuses to take on the task of changing a diaper though.  At least he has his priorities!  As with many older siblings, Joey is quick to reprimand Samuel while explaining to me that he's just helping Samuel learn (yeah, yeah).  Joey is very concerned with safety.  For that, I am thankful!  He will quickly (probably moving quicker than I can) stop Samuel from running towards the street.  He makes sure that Samuel is with us when walking in a crowd.  When out in public, the death grip he has on his brother's hand/arm tells others that he is protecting and guiding his little brother.  It's not a tight grip that Samuel refuses, but a respected hold that he (usually) recognizes will keep him safe.  It helps this momma breathe a little easier too!  Joey is quick to irritate by spraying Samuel in the face with water...there's obviously still that level of "brotherly love"!  Gotta keep the game going!

This guy is proud to be a big brother.

Talk about an awesome God!  Only He could bond a family in this way!  Only He could give this little boy the peace and comfort in redemption.  Both Joey and Samuel's have amazing stories of how God brought them into our family.  And we are blessed to witness His great work in their lives.

The screaming and tears of Gotcha Day

1 Month a Webb

2 Months a Webb

3 Months a Webb

Samuel continues to be a lively, giggly, determined little boy.  He brings such joy and laughter!  Would his birth parents find a peace to know that he's happy and fully engaged in his forever family?  I wish we could somehow give their hearts the peace of knowing that he's not only loved and happy, but thriving.  Praying that maybe one day...

1000 Words

If a picture is worth 1000 words...

Soccer Star
Joey is our new soccer star!  This is his first season playing soccer and so far it's a success.  He makes sure to find time to dance and entertain while on the field.   Of course!  Follow the soccer ball?  Nahhh, sometimes he just gets too tired or so he claims.  It's hilarious!  When he is able to get control of the ball, he's quite proud.  When Joey gets a turn to be the goalie, you'd think he won the lottery.  And when he revs up for a grand kick, the form...it's unique!  

This is one happy soccer star!

 This goalie is all in the game!

Some serious concentration

Just look at that "form"

Two of Joey's biggest fans

These guys couldn't be more proud of Joey!

Celebrating Down Syndrome Day
During our adoption trip in China, we were grateful to be grouped with an amazing family who was there to adopt their second little one with Down Syndrome.  Joey has an even greater appreciation of how special God made each of us.  Friends with Down Syndrome are brilliant, creative, joyful, and a great gift to celebrate.  Our guys celebrated with silly socks!

These silly socks are for you, J and V!

Happy to be celebrating two special friends

Signals vs. Sign Language
As I mentioned in an earlier post..."how do you unteach something?"  By mistake, I taught Samuel that pointing to your mouth is the sign for "up".  While trying to encourage him to speak out loud when he wants me to pick him up, I accidentally taught him this handy dandy signal (not to be confused with legitimate sign language).  

"Mama, up-a"

Sometimes he's too cute for his own good!

What's new with Samuel?
Sit down for this.  He's letting me rock him at night.  Yep!  This is a big deal at our house.  While in China, Samuel would often fall asleep while I sat on the couch to feed him a bottle at bedtime.  Once we arrived home, I just slept in his room on the floor.  So, that's where he fell asleep and slept all night next to me.  Samuel wanted nothing to do with the rocking chair.  The idea was foreign to him.  And it seemed foreign to me that it was foreign to him.  Why wouldn't he want to be cuddled and rocked to sleep?  Well, while he was feeling yucky a week ago, I tried rocking him again.  To my surprise, he was ok with.  It wasn't just a short-lived concept while he was sick either.  And that was the beginning. Now that he's feeling better, he still lets me cuddle and rock him.  No more fighting stiff arms and legs.  No more giving in to his request to be placed in his bed.  What's really fun is looking down at him with just a glimmer of light shining in from the hall.  When I smile at him, one corner of his mouth slowly turns up.  My goal has been to rock him until just before he falls asleep.  When, I place him in his bed at night now, he barely has the energy to whisper "night night" before giving in to his heavy eyelids.  

We have a copycat too.  Unfortunately, not everything he copies would fall into the NECESSARY or even the APPROPRIATE category.  
Brushing teeth - necessary
Blowing on your arm to make a tooting sound - not necessary
Holding hands in the parking lot - necessary
Making gurgling sounds at the dinner table - not necessary
I guess that's what brothers are for though.  Some things are quite helpful.  As I'm putting on Samuel's PJs at night, he gently reminds me "teeth".  And while it may take me a few moments to figure out what he's saying, I finally get it.  He endures the brushing pretty well, complete with a slobbery spit at the end.  It's cute!  Anything Joey does, Samuel will gladly attempt.  That works in our favor often.  At 2 years old, our littlest guy wants to be 5.  He wants to be like Joey.  And truly, I want him to be like Joey...because Joey really does have a tender heart and a special love for all his friends.  

We continue to catch little glimpses of Samuel's personality as the days go on.  He's quite the silly, opinionated, and cuddly little guy.  He's a little stubborn and bold too.  He understands the word "no", but he will flat out tell me "no" and lift his little arm to swing at me.  Yikes!  I must be on my toes!  He's testing those limits.  Since figuring out that Daddy and I respond to "Mama", he repeats it almost constantly.  I tend to respond with a "Yes, Samuel.  What do you need?" while Daddy simply says "I'm Dada, not Mama!"  We must get the facts straight for this little guy.  Sometimes, Samuel repeats "Mama" over and over and then just flashes a smile.  That has been good for me.  Sometimes I get caught up in being a referee.  I get distracted with trying to keep a certain someone from jumping off his headboard (yep, it happens here).  I get focused on breaking up fights.  Samuel's innocent beckoning and joyful smile is a great reminder for me to just take in the sights and sounds of motherhood.  God has used these unexpected, funny moments to remind me of the gifts surrounding me.  Even among the tooting sounds, the kick and punches, and the incessant need to say "Legos do not go in your nose", it's a privilege and honor to parent these little munchkins!  We are grateful for these blessings!

Oops! Maybe Not...

I thought I was officially recognized as "Mama".  

I was wrong.  

I spoke too soon. 

Apparently there is room for two mamas in our house. 

It's a special title limited to only 2 individuals though. Unfortunately, one of those mamas is actually the dada. Could it be that Samuel's word "mama" simply means "you've repeated this word in my face almost hourly since we met. And the number of times I will repeat back to you each day will outnumber the stars in the sky". Maybe it's the word for "parent". Yeah, that's it. At least that's what I tell myself! It's what I tell Dada too! Ha! Gotta love these parenting moments (realizations).

____________

WE INTERRUPT YOUR REGULARLY SCHEDULED 

BLOG POST TO BRING YOU THIS BREAKING NEWS:

Meet our newest family member Gracie Mei. Why stop at just one new family member in 2014? If one is good, 2 must be better. This little lady (85 lbs of loveliness) joined our family Sunday night. She had been fostered by a wonderful family while her previous family was sought. No one stepped forward to claim her.  Unfortunate for them - fortunate for us.  She is amazing with the boys. Molly doesn't even seem to mind her new friendship. Watch out, world.  Gracie is here to stay!

Did I mention that she's the gentle giant?

__________

Dancing machines 
Who would guess that we - 2 uncoordinated people - would be chosen to parent 2 dancing machines? Ok, maybe dancing doesn't automatically equate to coordination. In fact, it does not mean that at our house at all.  Ever.  Joey is all over the place when he dances. He probably burns a million calories in one dance "show". From flips to kicks to random arm swings. That's what you get at a Joey show. He even invites the audience to participate, which makes me even more thankful that he does not have access to a smart phone and YouTube! Samuel is...um, his moves are more like A Night at the Roxbury...

Sorry, haven't been able to capture 

shots of the head bob...yet.

These 2 run circles around each other.

Truly the greatest show on earth

There's a head bob and an occasional lip syncing, which are both hilarious by the way. Samuel's head nods so much at times, I'm afraid his head might come loose. He doesn't care whether he hears "Funky Jesus" or an oldie from Bon Jovi. They all necessitate a good head bob, even in public! And the look on his face - complete seriousness. Not a grin in sight. He's very serious in his head bob, fully concentrating.  It only adds to the humor! He can copy pretty much any move Joey makes, but the head bob... it is all Samuel! 

Hopscotch anyone?

 Soaking up the sunshine

By the way, today marks 2 months since Gotcha Day.  Just 2 short months ago we walked into the civil affairs office and walked out with our hearts and arms more full.  We've been together ever since.  This little guy just fits so well into our crazy family.  Since that day in the civil affairs office, God has given us many many opportunities to practice patience and more fully grasp our great need for Him.  Also, we are grateful for the joy, laughter, excitement, and unconditional love the Lord has poured out on us over these 2 months!  These 2 boys are more wonderful than we could've imagined!

The Promotion

We’re just 6 days shy of March 13, which will be 2 months from Gotcha Day.  After 8 weeks together, I can honestly say that I think we’re about 90% of “normal”. Not that we individually are “normal” (whatever normal is), but we seem to be comfortable with this family-of-4 thing. 

Budding Artists

Abstract art

This guy loves to build.  

Here's his newest creation: an amusement park

We’ve been working with Samuel to practice sounds and words. As funny as it seems, Samuel responds to Joey’s initiation better than anyone else’s. They ride in the back seat practicing the letter sounds. Such sweet entertainment! Much like carrying Samuel in the carrier in China, I’ve given the “Mama” (pointing to myself) a lot of attention. A. LOT. Friends in China would ask if Samuel could walk because they saw him in the carrier so often. Apparently, I’ve encouraged the word “Mama” to the point that I’ve caught him lying in bed on multiple occasions quietly pointing to himself, whispering “Mama”.    

Son, you are not the Mama! There is only room for one Mama in this house!

DRUM ROLL, PLEASE...
As of May 6th, I’ve been promoted!!! Let the record show that I’ve been moved up from “nanny” to “Mama”! My obsessive verbal encouragement has worked!  Until now, I’ve responded to crying, grunting, “honking”, and the possible Chinese word for “nanny”. Yesterday he called me Mama without encouragement, coaxing, or bribery. He needed a box of blocks opened, so he quietly walked out of his room and called to me. Yippee! He has said Mama approximately 1,803,539 times since then. I’ve counted! 

Some new words for Samuel include: 
     No-No (the more stern version of “no”)
     Wow 
     Yay 
     Oval (obviously a very important word for a 2 year old) 
     Up-a (the Samuel version of “up”) 
* Because we’ve been teaching simple sign language, he has that on the mind. When he wants to be held, I remind him to say “up”. I’ve tried to encourage him to speak out loud by pointing to my mouth. Since then, he thinks the sign for up is…pointing to your mouth. Oops!  How do you UN-teach something?

Even with limited speech, Samuel is perfecting his tattletale skills! He is quick to tell us when Joey’s actions need correction. With a stern look on his face, Samuel points to Joey with one hand - a very purposeful, unmistakable point.  He then pats us on the arm/leg with the other if needed to get our attention. I know it won’t be funny for long, but for now we laugh at the cuteness. When it comes to affection, this kid has nailed it! To our surprise, he’s very affectionate towards us from the beginning. He doesn’t hand it out freely to others though.  Every night before bed, he gives all 3 of us a kiss. If he remembers as I lay him down that we've forgotten the kiss, he slowly stands back up to offer a slobbery smooch. He’s great with hugs, complete with both arms outstretched and a firm squeeze. Those are given all throughout the day.  I can especially count on one when he’s been corrected for something and needs affirmation that he’s still my littlest love. Keep ‘em comin’, baby boy!!! 

Allow us to introduce Krispy Kreme doughnuts!

He had no problem devouring this yumminess!

Joey and I snuck away one night for a blue raspberry ICEE!

This blue-eyed cutie still has my heart!

Side note: Samuel throws food. A big shout out to Big Brother Joey for introducing this behavior. Hey, they can’t be perfect all the time!

One Thing Remains

It’s starting – the sibling rivalry. Ok, it started a few weeks ago, but it’s becoming more evident and frequent. It’s what we asked for though. Not necessarily the rivalry, but the sibling part…yes. We got what we asked for and it’s great (perspective, right?) And so there are many more opportunities for teaching (and learning) patience, grace, sharing, and forgiveness. It’s good. For all of us. As an only-child, this is all new to me. The same question to Russ continues…”is this normal?” And he gives the same resounding “yes”! Not only are the boys learning about having a sibling, I’m learning how to parent siblings. Gee, maybe this is why I’m so tired at the end of the day. Talk about weakness and the need for God's grace! 

"My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." 

Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, 

so that Christ's power may rest on me. 

2 Corinthians 12:9

“Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed,
for his 

compassions never fail. They are new every morning;


great is your faithfulness.” 
Lamentations 3:22-23 

Our family trip to the zoo

The fact that Samuel was somewhat interested in the 

birds is hilarious given that he tried to stomp on a few 

when we first walked in the exhibit.

Joey is still very interested in seeing how many 

birds he can feed and hold on his finger.

Samuel is still rather quiet around the house. Of course, that is compared to Joey who talks ALL. THE. TIME. Joey yells. Samuel yells. Monkey see, Monkey do. And then, Joey gets upset when Samuel yells or makes any loud sound in the car. Our pot does call out our little kettle! 

In the quiet moments, this little guy can 

most likely be found in the "diner room"

Quite the cyclist 

He was on a mission here to find the end of 

the trail he saw on a "treasure map" at the park.

Samuel can be pretty laid back and easily calmed for the most part. Since he shared every single toy with his friends in China, I don’t think he quite grasps that all the things he sees in his room are essentially his toys. For this transition time, it’s probably a good thing. He’s not possessive. He has not yet mumbled the word “mine”. It will come. And when he gets upset, he might swing at me (which feels like a firm pat on the arm) or stomp his cute little feet. Within a few moments, all has blown over. Life is good again. He bounces back quickly. He does not like to be reminded that we don’t hit and that we touch gently, but he knows it. He has heard us say that a million times and he gets it. 

The boys are still trying to figure out their roles in the family. After being an only child for 5+ years, Joey is now forced to share everything with a little guy who curiously explores every inch of the house. While the adjustment to a newborn would bring its own set of challenges, this is different from a newborn who is rather stationary. This new brother walks into the house and touches everything. 

First haircut in Texas

Handsome fella with a spikey rock star do

Joey has asked if Samuel can move to a different house. Ouch! So, one minute he wants his brother to move, but the next they are giggling and glad to have each other. 

Samuel can’t open doors yet, but he can empty a book shelf in 3 seconds. He can grunt (or “honk”) until you want to pull your ears off. He can tear up a mind-boggling Lego creation without much effort. Joey loves this little guy though. He is still very intentionally and helpful when it comes to helping Samuel into the booster seat or putting on his bib. Joey is quick to share when Samuel first signs “please”. Joey is focused on preventing Samuel from putting any small toy parts in his mouth. He has recently taken on the responsibility of singing Samuel a lullaby each night and some naptimes too. He sings it to the tune of “Lullaby and Goodnight”, but the words change continuously. The song always concludes with a phrase about “whether I’m sad or I’m mad” and he goes on to close it out with “I will always loves you.” It’s so sweet! Maybe the stuffy-nosed voice makes it even cuter. Much like our frustrating moments throughout the day, when it’s all said and done, we look back on our day and realize one thing still remains…love.

“And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. 

But the greatest of these is love.” 

1 Corinthians 13:13