Christmas Boys!

We took Adam and Alex with buddies Sam and Will to the mountains to celebrate Adam's birthday a little early. We had a great time! Alex did awesome for his first day of skiing. He got tired around 3:00 in the afternoon...but enjoyed riding the magic carpet ski lift. It was really fun to see him enjoy it so much.
Adam and Sam and Will enjoyed skiing and snowboarding. It is fun to see how much they improve every year.
We got to go to Adam's favorite Sushi restaurant for dinner and watch them prepare our meal at the table. Everyone enjoyed that!

Christmas is coming!

We had a nice Thanksgiving and Alex did well with meeting the Gratrix side of the family. He was a little shy when he got up from his nap and the kitchen was full of family. It didn't take long and he was chasing around with Adam and the cousins having a Nerf war. He kept coming in telling me "I got one!","I'll be right back."
It is amazing how much English he is speaking. Everyone can't believe it has been three months.
Adam and Alex are doing well. They are enjoying having each other around. Alex always says"Adam at school.""Dazzy at work." "S" is hard for him to say and gets translated to ch......He also has a hard time saying "X".....but all in all it is amazing. He always ask "Mommy,what are you doing?"or "Mommy, where are we going?"
We are having fun experiencing the first Christmas through his eyes. He loves the lights and the trees. They did celebrate Christmas in Russia....but it was celebrated the 7th of January. They have Grandfather Christmas and the Snow Maiden.
We will attempt a plane trip to Indiana for the holidays. We are hoping he won't get too stressed out. It will be fun to have him meet everyone form the Allen side of the family. Taylor is a year older and Bodie is a year younger....so it will be nice for him to have some little ones to play with.

Meeting Mamaw and Papaw

My parents got to visit their 10th grandchild. It was fun to see how quickly Alex bonded with Mom and Dad. He enjoyed having them here. Dad didn't tolerate the altitude very well so he wasn't feeling well the whole time.
Alex is starting to call himself ALex instead of Albert. We talk about his native Russian name and his American name. He is doing very well with his language. He often says "I got it Mom!" I always ask if he understands and he says"Yes Mommy!" His S's are still ch to him..........A boo boo is a boo booch.......yes is yech.....
His little voice is very sweet.
He is doing better with sleep and melt downs are fewer and farther between. It is hard for him to transistion from one fun activity to the next. BUt most three year olds have that difficulty.
The hardest part is the going to sleep at night. Sometimes we are lucky and it can be a half hour.....other times it is hours....After a long day, it is hard.

Easier by the day!!!!!!!

There is no way that anyone can prepare you for the first days of living life with a newly adopted little one from another country. Every child is so different and yet there are several things they all have in common. Life for them totally changes and as well as life for you. Their whole worlds are turned upside down and they are subjected to so many new things. I am amazed that they get adjusted in the short amount of time that they do.
We have been blessed. Alex is doing so well. He is a very happy guy and loves living life. Celeste had told me that there would be a huge change around 2 months. How true! The language barrier starts to disappear and Alex is so much more settled. He loves waking up and seeing all of us and all the animals. He loves to feed Dusty and Tanner (our dogs), Tobie the cat,Rocky the turtle. He is talking so much I can't begin to tell you all his words. He says "Good morning" and loves to have breakfast with Pop (starting to be Daddy)and Mom and Adam. He runs out and says "Bye Bye" to Scott every morning and when he sees the school bus, screams "ADAM!" at the top of his lungs.
It is fun having him with us......We are enjoying doing all the first things with him.......He kept saying..."Mommy more snow?"but he has enjoyed the snow and playing in it and eating it! He did get to play outside on the playground in the snow in Novosibirsk....but he had never went sledding!
It was also his first Trick or Treat......He would only do a UPS costume......No scary masks...or anything over his face. Once he got the whole costume bit...He had to sleep in his costume!!!!!
He said Trick or Treat was Fun! Adam enjoyed taking his little brother for the first time of Trick or Treating.
Lots of new and fun things to do..........

Enjoying Home and Fall

It is amazing how quickly Alex is getting adjusted to life here at home. Our melt downs have almost ceased. He is very happy and is really starting to be quite a character! It is fun to see his personality come out! The words are coming quickly and the language barrier is going away. He tells Adam "Stop it Adam" and "Knock it off Adam" He also knows the school bus and screams at the top of his lungs "ADAM!!!!!" He knows so many words.....All the animals names and some of his favorite sayings are "Good morning", "What are you doing?", "Bye Bye","Have a nice day!","Love you!"He says Hello Ma maw and Papaw.....so many that I can't mention all. It is amazing how quickly they learn our language when immersed in it!
Adam is loving having a little brother and Alex is responding the same. It has been nice to have fall break so they can spend some time together and the only down side will be when Adam goes back to school. Alex enjoys having him around!
When you ask Alex his name ....he still refers to himself as Albert......He is starting to say Alex but it is hard for him to say the X........That will come. He answers to both.....
We are truly blessed to have such a happy guy on our hands...he plays and sings and is just a joy to have around.

Adjusting at Home

Adam posted this post:
Today at home I was amazed that Alex wanted me to come in bed and snuggle with him.Earlier last week, Alex did really well with having very few meltdowns. Last night Dad sat outside his room while he fell asleep and was able to watch TV and he went to sleep with Dad outside his room. We are making progress and Alex is adjusting to life with us. Some neighbors next door were very nice and gave Alex some of their bicycles they had outgrown. Alex loves them. He was enjoying riding them around. This evening Alex showered with Dad and I, he was so excited that he was taking a shower with us.He went upstairs and fell asleep very quickly with Mom.

First Days at Home

We are all getting settled. Alex is getting comfortable at home and we are understanding how to deal with his temporary melt downs. So much about the whole transition is understanding. Over the last two years I have read extensively about the bonding and attachment issues and the issues you face once these little people come home. I can honestly say with all the theory....nothing prepares you for the 2-3 hours of screaming. Emotional support from family friends and a very supportive husband help get you through it!! In the short time we have been home.....Alex is making so much progress. He is such a happy and loving little guy. The experts tell us that their tantrums are the inability to process their emotion. We have gone from having lots of tantrum's to maybe 2 or 3 a day... Usually something small that sets him off.......More the actions of a three year old...Like turning the light switch off before he could.....just little things.
So we feel fortunate. You all ask....How is he eating sleeping and basically doing? He is doing great! He slept with me for the first 2 weeks and then we put him to sleep in his bed and I have a twin bed beside him! After he wakes up the first time in the night....usually around 12:00-2:00...we go upstairs and sleep. I usually don't have a cuddle bug until the morning hours.......and then we play musical beds.......
He eats almost anything and loves fruits and veggies.
Adam enjoys having this little guy around. Alex screams with delight at the sight of a school bus and screams ADAM!!!!!He has a football tackle approach to hugs when he sees something he likes.....Tanner and Dusty, Adam or Dada.
He is learning so many words.....Momma is now Mom and Pappa is now Papa or Dada...Tanner and Dusty, Doggies, Potty, Hello,Bye Bye, Hi, 1,2,3.......Tractor,Rocky the turtle. Hot,cold and Yes, No......He still speaks in Russian and sings all the time in Russian. We have a resource that can help us with what he is saying....that helps a bunch. He loves to give fish kisses and is very much a cuddle bug......He loves cars,tractors and anything with wheels.
He loves to ride in the car......Is learning to stay buckled......and avoids naps like the plague.....The comfort is anytime he gets in a car...he falls asleep and he is going down easier at night!
Right now he is playing in a water table we have set up on the back deck....He loves to play for hours in the water. I knew I had another water child when in Moscow he stepped in every puddle possible. Adam was the same way!
All in all, we are adjusting to this whole New normal and the struggles are starting to be easier.....so we are encouraged and hopeful that the good things continue.