Catching Up

Hello and happy spring!

I am woefully behind on the blog, but it's not because we don't have lots to share. Every day is an adventure. Every hour is something new. It's impossible to sum it all up, but below are a few photos from the last few months, along with commentary. I also added 3 videos of Milo in action.

I have to admit, I'm much better at keeping up via the very convenient Facebook. If your not a member, please join and "friend" me and/or Frank!

Milo is doing fantastically well. We've been home 7 months now. In May it will be 1 year since we met him! We had our 6 month post-placement report and his 6 month adoption doctor follow-up. He is still on the small side for his age, but everything looks great and he's catching up developmentally and emotionally. We will finish out his Early Intervention Therapy until he turns 3 in August, but we won't move on to the next age level because his therapists (EI/OT/Speech) are certain he won't qualify anymore because he is doing so well!

Language is coming along nicely and he knows hundreds of words, but is just starting to put them together. He speaks pretty clearly, but some of his cuter word approximations include:

Kickle = Bicycle
Tiss = Kiss
Dum = Come
Robop = Robot
Dinket = Blanket
Tee-knee = TV
Choose = Shoes
Adin = Again
Airtane = Airplane
Oooosic = Music
Oooburries or Boondies = Strawberries

He still eats like a prizefighter and sleeps like a drunk. Lucky us! We're waiting until he starts climbing out of the crib before we transition him into a toddler bed. It will be any day now and I'm truly shocked our little monkey boy hasn't done it yet.

He is getting tall and has a long, willowy body type despite his hearty appetite. He is still a fearless daredevil who loves to climb, jump, run and dive. His more intense sensory-seeking behaviors are getting better and better, and we are learning new ways to safely give him the sensory input he needs. At home he is pretty calm these days, but when we are in a new environment it can be tough to control his "exhuberance."

Our Kindermusik class has not been easy, but I've stuck it out because he shows improvement each week. He's "that kid" who won't conform to the group activities and wants to just run around much of the time. But he loves being the teacher's helper and is really good with assisting and encouraging the younger children. It's very sweet! He's doing well in pre-school one day a week, although it's still a tearfest when I drop him off. It's hard on both of us, but his teachers say he is just fine the rest of the day and is very well behaved.

Milo had some big issues for several weeks with spitting when he was upset (very frustrating) as well as intensified biting and hitting, etc. But after tweaking our disciplinary techniques we have seen huge improvements. On this note, for adoptive parents I highly recommend the educational video series "Because They Waited," by Heart of the Matter Seminars. This video does a great job of summing up all the information out there on adoption parenting in an easy-to-digest format. It's geared toward kids who have been mildly-to-moderately affected by institutionalization, which is so much more applicable than the "gloom and doom" training we had through adopteducation.com. Watching it recently made a big difference for us when we needed it most.

Potty training is still in the works. When we got serious about it Milo decided he wasn't having any part of it, so we backed off. We eased into it again slowly, and this week he has made leaps and bounds, asking us to go often and even in public. I think we're ready to try some underwear-only days around the house. Wish us luck!

Milo's favorite things in the world right now are still Thomas the Tank Engine and tractors, trucks, airplanes and ALL things cars, including the movie Cars. Many nights he wants to go to sleep with his Thomas train or a toy car in his hand. He also loves to "drive" our car. I wish I had captured the look on his face when I let him actually drive the car down the driveway sitting in my lap. Ecstasy! He is finally able to color with crayons and play with Play-Doh without trying to eat everything, so that has been a great milestone. He is utterly fascinated by basic mechanics and engineering. He can never just play with a toy -- he has to figure out how it works and/or take it apart too.

Milo's vibrant personality continues to blossom like a spring garden. When he turns on the charm there's nothing like it. He's so cute and quite funny for a 2.5 year old. His giggle is infectious, and when he gets excited about something I love to see the light in his eyes and hear the lilt in his voice. He is as determined and stubborn as ever too. I hope that his will-of-steel serves him well in life, even though it makes some of our days together trying.

I have seen an important change take place in Milo over the last few months. It is that he really understands that we are always going to be there for him. That we are his forever family. He really trusts us. He has learned to love openly and is allowing himself to be loved completely. It feels so good. His sincere hugs, kisses and snuggles are the stuff of dreams. He brings us such JOY. Helping him grow up is an absolute honor and a privelege, and we want nothing more than for him to be happy. I just hope we can do him justice.

"Where is my agent???"

Hanging out with new friend Cora-Lynne
(originally from France) at Charlestowne Landing.


On a recent roadtrip to NC we stopped to say hello
to the Kieffer family, recently back from Kaz
with their beautiful daughter, Elloree. She joins
her Kaz brother, Rhys, who is a little older than Milo.


The Kieffers were such big supporters
during our adoption process. We are so happy
they finally have completed their family!

We also visited our friends, Sean and Julia
who have also been wonderfully supportive.
In fact, they are one of the most enthusiastic
couples in our group of "non-parent" friends.



Enjoying the early spring mountain views on our trip.
Yes, we have a monkey backpack "leash" on Milo.
It's not our favorite thing, but essential when
running around on mountaintops!



Petting a purring barn cat
at the estate of Carl Sandburg.

Filing mommy's nails.
Actually, it's more like stabbing.

Eager to hop in the car to go bye-bye

and looking like such a little BOY.

Again with my shoes!

Loving the slide and flashing that smile.

I kiss this face 5000 times a day.

Check out his double cowlick. I pulled a section of his
hair back in this photo so you can see them both clearly.
They swirl in opposite directions, sometimes causing
his hair to "cone" on the top of his head.

This is his "I know I'm being naughty" look.

In a timeout, Al Bundy style.

He still sucks his thumbs to self soothe.
Here is the callous that has formed on one of them.

VIDEOS:

Playing with his friend, Cora-Lyne
at Charlestowne Landing

He really gets around on his "kickle."

Pretending to sleep is his favorite pastime.