The other night at bedtime, Dave had already snuggled with Luke and put him down in his crib. Per usual, I was still in their room rocking Ben in our beloved chair. (Countless times I have thanked my husband for researching the best rocker before Ben was born. Thank you Restoration Hardware! If you have to spend half your life in a chair, it might as well be a comfy one!) Luke stood up pointing at us, so I picked him up and set him next to me in the chair. Ben was his usual squirmy self. He has to try about a thousand positions before deciding which is most comfortable. When he saw that Luke had joined us, he repositioned so that his head was next to his brother. After giving each other a dozen kisses, Ben settled in. I guess he finally found the best spot. Luke sucked his favorite fingers on his left hand and stroked Ben's head with his right. Ben promptly fell asleep. It was the cutest thing I've ever seen. Luke's little dark hand petting Ben's sun-lightened hair. Then Luke rubbed his own head. Then back to Ben's head. Back and forth, he would touch his own hair, then Ben's hair. It was like he was discovering how different their hair is.
I had a mini-meltdown last Wednesday. I guess 5 weeks of twin toddlers finally got to me. Ben has gone back to his old ways in the sleep department. Most nights it's a power struggle. He just wants things his way. Wednesday night it took two and a half hours to get him down! :-/ Dave and I are brainstorming strategies to get back into a better bedtime routine. Hopefully it won't take too long! I've realized that if I don't get 1-2 hours of a break in the evening with some time to catch up with my husband before we're completely exhausted, it wears on me.
Over the weekend we received some difficult news. I had brought Ben to the pediatrician a week ago because he had a pretty severe allergic reaction after lunch. The doctor called Saturday with his blood work results. He's allergic to EVERYTHING. Peas, Walnuts, and Cashews are the worst. Followed by several other things-- Peanut, Dairy, Wheat, Eggs, Soy, Beans, Corn, Potatoes, etc. For now, we aren't changing his diet too much. The doctor said if we try to eliminate everything then he may react badly when we try to reintroduce the items later. We have noticed changes over the last couple weeks that may be a result of his allergies. He's much more fussy than normal and has a hard time going to sleep. His digestion has changed and he occasionally has hives and rashes and swollen eyelids. I'm praying we can get him in to see an allergist very soon. I don't really know what I should and should not be feeding him. And I'm nervous about him having another bad reaction. We'd definitely love some prayers for God's protection over Ben.
Monday, July 31, 2017
Thursday, July 20, 2017
The fun continues
It's nap time. Both boys are in their cribs. They continue to sleep in the same room (for better or for worse, not sure yet...) Only Luke is sleeping at the moment. Hopefully Ben doesn't wake him up with his constant chatter and sound effects!
There are so many things I feel like I should do... fold laundry, write thank-you notes, pay bills, make appointments, blah, blah, blah. Instead I'm going to sit here and eat a sugar cookie while I write a quick post. I wish I could be committed enough to write a post everyday. These boys do so many hilarious, awful, disgusting, cute and clever things. I know I will forget them if I don't document them!
Four weeks ago yesterday Luke came home. I continue to be amazed by him everyday. He is acclimating so much faster than I thought he would. He's eating most of the same foods as Ben. He knows his family (and extended family) very well. He sleeps through the night, takes a nap everyday. He has learned to communicate many of his needs without whining. Instead he signs (or says) "please" and "help" and "more" and "all done." He loves the pool, the playground, going for walks; he tolerates the grocery store and Target without much fuss.
Luke is definitely more compliant than Ben when it comes to diaper changes. More than once, after completing Luke's diaper change, I have asked him to go get Ben. He runs off to wherever Ben is and takes him by one (or two!) hands saying, "Come on, Ben-Ben" repeatedly, leading him to the changing mat. Such a big helper!! He likes to put things back where they belong. He usually removes his shoes when he comes inside. Last night after bath time, he went back into the bathroom to collect the boys' dirty clothes so mom could put them in the laundry basket. Too cute!
One day after Ben removed his diaper to poop on the wood floor (SO gross!!!), I decided it was time for a kid's potty. We found one at target that even "flushes"-- I just couldn't resist. ;) So far Luke is the only one that has successfully used it, but I'm hoping he will rub off on Ben.
Luke has continued to warm up to his mama. I think Dad will always be his favorite, but I'm thankful that he seems to feel safe and secure with me as well. Most days I get my Lukie snuggles after his nap since Ben sleeps longer than him, so we get a few quiet moments together. At night our routine is for Luke to cuddle with Dad while I rock Ben to sleep. We're trying to get them to bed by 7:30 or 8:00 because they keep waking up between 5-6:00 am.
For whatever reason, Luke has taken a liking to these safety goggles that were included in a tool set given to the boys. He has been wearing them for almost 24 hours straight-- sometimes over his eyes and sometimes on top of his head-- except for when he's sleeping. But don't worry, they stay in the crib next to him for safe keeping!
Luke is a little fish at the pool. He rolls around and floats and submerges his head over and over while holding his breath. No idea how he knows what to do in the water. Goodness knows he's never had swimming lessons!
Ben continues to be an energetic little pistol. For the most part he is playing well with Luke (minus the episodes of biting and pushing his brother downstairs!). He's learning new words each day. "Hot" (which he uses to describe both chicken nuggets and popsicles, so I guess in his mind it means "extreme temperature"). "Bubbles" "Berry" He's eating tons and growing like crazy. I'm not sure how it's possible, but he looks fatter everyday. Uncle Dave recently said that he thinks Ben is going to be a "glass half full" type person and I would agree. There's a lot of joy bundled up in that sweet boy!
I guess that's enough for now. I should probably get something done while I can...
There are so many things I feel like I should do... fold laundry, write thank-you notes, pay bills, make appointments, blah, blah, blah. Instead I'm going to sit here and eat a sugar cookie while I write a quick post. I wish I could be committed enough to write a post everyday. These boys do so many hilarious, awful, disgusting, cute and clever things. I know I will forget them if I don't document them!
Four weeks ago yesterday Luke came home. I continue to be amazed by him everyday. He is acclimating so much faster than I thought he would. He's eating most of the same foods as Ben. He knows his family (and extended family) very well. He sleeps through the night, takes a nap everyday. He has learned to communicate many of his needs without whining. Instead he signs (or says) "please" and "help" and "more" and "all done." He loves the pool, the playground, going for walks; he tolerates the grocery store and Target without much fuss.
Luke is definitely more compliant than Ben when it comes to diaper changes. More than once, after completing Luke's diaper change, I have asked him to go get Ben. He runs off to wherever Ben is and takes him by one (or two!) hands saying, "Come on, Ben-Ben" repeatedly, leading him to the changing mat. Such a big helper!! He likes to put things back where they belong. He usually removes his shoes when he comes inside. Last night after bath time, he went back into the bathroom to collect the boys' dirty clothes so mom could put them in the laundry basket. Too cute!
One day after Ben removed his diaper to poop on the wood floor (SO gross!!!), I decided it was time for a kid's potty. We found one at target that even "flushes"-- I just couldn't resist. ;) So far Luke is the only one that has successfully used it, but I'm hoping he will rub off on Ben.
Luke has continued to warm up to his mama. I think Dad will always be his favorite, but I'm thankful that he seems to feel safe and secure with me as well. Most days I get my Lukie snuggles after his nap since Ben sleeps longer than him, so we get a few quiet moments together. At night our routine is for Luke to cuddle with Dad while I rock Ben to sleep. We're trying to get them to bed by 7:30 or 8:00 because they keep waking up between 5-6:00 am.
For whatever reason, Luke has taken a liking to these safety goggles that were included in a tool set given to the boys. He has been wearing them for almost 24 hours straight-- sometimes over his eyes and sometimes on top of his head-- except for when he's sleeping. But don't worry, they stay in the crib next to him for safe keeping!
Luke is a little fish at the pool. He rolls around and floats and submerges his head over and over while holding his breath. No idea how he knows what to do in the water. Goodness knows he's never had swimming lessons!
Ben continues to be an energetic little pistol. For the most part he is playing well with Luke (minus the episodes of biting and pushing his brother downstairs!). He's learning new words each day. "Hot" (which he uses to describe both chicken nuggets and popsicles, so I guess in his mind it means "extreme temperature"). "Bubbles" "Berry" He's eating tons and growing like crazy. I'm not sure how it's possible, but he looks fatter everyday. Uncle Dave recently said that he thinks Ben is going to be a "glass half full" type person and I would agree. There's a lot of joy bundled up in that sweet boy!
I guess that's enough for now. I should probably get something done while I can...
Saturday, July 8, 2017
Toddler Talk
Luke has already learned a lot of English in two and a half weeks. He definitely understands more than he speaks. So far the words he says are "ciao bye" (combined Amharic + English for goodbye), "hi," "pease" (please), "da," "more," "mama," "Ben." It's so funny because you can tell by his voice inflection that he's learning words from Ben. He says "Da" and "more" and "oo-ooh" just like Ben does. He signs "cheese," "chicken nugget," and "please." He still uses Amharic for water and milk- "weha" and "wetet." We love hearing him jabber away in Amharic though we feel badly that we can't understand what he's saying. Some phrases we hear often are "Effica," "Anjou," "Danya," "Shika."
Ben FINALLY started to say "Mama" right before we left for Ethiopia. He's even starting to say "Mary" and "Dave." Most of his signs are food related... (shocker!)
Cheese
Peanut butter
Cereal
Milk
Water
Bunnies
Crackers
All done
French fries
He can rattle off over a dozen animal sounds when you ask him "what does a ____ say?"
Horse
Cow
Monkey
Car
Elk
Lion
Bee
Dinosaur
Pig
Donkey
Duck
Dog
Bird
Fish
Bunny
Hyena
It's one of our favorite forms of entertainment! :)
Ben FINALLY started to say "Mama" right before we left for Ethiopia. He's even starting to say "Mary" and "Dave." Most of his signs are food related... (shocker!)
Cheese
Peanut butter
Cereal
Milk
Water
Bunnies
Crackers
All done
French fries
He can rattle off over a dozen animal sounds when you ask him "what does a ____ say?"
Horse
Cow
Monkey
Car
Elk
Lion
Bee
Dinosaur
Pig
Donkey
Duck
Dog
Bird
Fish
Bunny
Hyena
It's one of our favorite forms of entertainment! :)
Friday, July 7, 2017
Firsts
We are just amazed by how far Luke has come in two weeks. A friend recently described Luke's acclimation as miraculous and I don't think there's a better word! You would never guess Luke's history by looking at him today. He has his moments where he gets overwhelmed or scared or reverts inward but his good moments far outweigh these. Most of the time he acts just like a two-year-old should and it's easy to forget he has been an orphan since 3 months old, weighed 10 lbs at one-year-old and moved to a drastically different culture only two weeks ago. We know all of this is a direct result of your prayers and God's intervention on his behalf. I remember praying years ago for our Ethiopian child, not knowing who he was or if he was born yet, asking the Lord to please fill in the gaps for whatever is lacking in his life; please send an angel to take care of him if there are no humans to do so. Now that I know Luke and know some details of his difficult past, I am thoroughly convinced that God most definitely sent that angel to take care of him when we weren't able to be there for him. All the research you read says that the first year of life is the most critical in developing attachement and bonding capabilities. And this boy has learned to attach. There's no doubt when you see him with Dave especially! No doubt we will have our unique challenges with attachment and bonding but it's so encouraging to see how far Luke has come in such a short amount of time at home.
We've enjoyed many "firsts" together. First trip to Target (during which Luke jumped out of the shopping cart!), first wedding, first swimming pool, first hike up the Castle Rock, first fireworks (he's not a fan!), first trip to Costco, first sippy cup, first time playing the piano, first visit to the pediatrician. Dr. Healey was very impressed. He said in his opinion Luke looks great given that he has just come from an African orphanage. Skin is good. Teeth are good. We have an appointment for the eye doctor. Mobility is good. And even the doctor said it appears Luke was loved in his early years judging by how quickly he has connected with us. The only problem is his weight. Luke is 50th percentile in height for his age but off the charts (negatively) in weight. As you will see from the list below, we are trying desperately to fatten him up...
First Chick fil A french fry dipped in ketchup (he liked the ketchup way more than the fry!), first popsicle, first string cheese, first quesadilla, first chicken nugget, first yobaby yogurt, first bowl of ice cream, first fruit snacks. Each day he seems to get more courageous in trying new foods. He's learned to feed himself with fork and spoon and he's much neater than Ben! He loves to help himself to applesauce pouches and granola bars and fruit snacks from the pantry.
He's sleeping in a crib in Ben's room now. Occasionally they wake each other up but overall it's working ok. We leave his door open and we leave a night light on in our room so that he can see us from his crib in the middle of the night. This seems to give him comfort and allow him to fall back to sleep. He still sucks his forefinger and middle finger on the left hand for comfort. So cute!
His hair is growing in. He loves his baths! He likes to make his brother laugh with his crazy antics... jumping off the side of the tub into the water, playing hide and seek in a box, trying to catch bees etc.
He's too clever for his own good. When he can't reach something he finds an object to help his cause. For example, he uses the broom handle to knock of our keys from the hooks on the wall.
He does best with mama when dad isn't around. He's also warmed up to Papa and other family members who are around a lot.
Ben has struggled the last couple days with his attitude. He's had to be disciplined a lot for pushing Luke and stealing toys. Everyday is an experiment. Lots of prayers asking God for wisdom! The moments where the brothers are happily playing together bring us a lot of joy!
We've enjoyed many "firsts" together. First trip to Target (during which Luke jumped out of the shopping cart!), first wedding, first swimming pool, first hike up the Castle Rock, first fireworks (he's not a fan!), first trip to Costco, first sippy cup, first time playing the piano, first visit to the pediatrician. Dr. Healey was very impressed. He said in his opinion Luke looks great given that he has just come from an African orphanage. Skin is good. Teeth are good. We have an appointment for the eye doctor. Mobility is good. And even the doctor said it appears Luke was loved in his early years judging by how quickly he has connected with us. The only problem is his weight. Luke is 50th percentile in height for his age but off the charts (negatively) in weight. As you will see from the list below, we are trying desperately to fatten him up...
First Chick fil A french fry dipped in ketchup (he liked the ketchup way more than the fry!), first popsicle, first string cheese, first quesadilla, first chicken nugget, first yobaby yogurt, first bowl of ice cream, first fruit snacks. Each day he seems to get more courageous in trying new foods. He's learned to feed himself with fork and spoon and he's much neater than Ben! He loves to help himself to applesauce pouches and granola bars and fruit snacks from the pantry.
He's sleeping in a crib in Ben's room now. Occasionally they wake each other up but overall it's working ok. We leave his door open and we leave a night light on in our room so that he can see us from his crib in the middle of the night. This seems to give him comfort and allow him to fall back to sleep. He still sucks his forefinger and middle finger on the left hand for comfort. So cute!
His hair is growing in. He loves his baths! He likes to make his brother laugh with his crazy antics... jumping off the side of the tub into the water, playing hide and seek in a box, trying to catch bees etc.
He's too clever for his own good. When he can't reach something he finds an object to help his cause. For example, he uses the broom handle to knock of our keys from the hooks on the wall.
He does best with mama when dad isn't around. He's also warmed up to Papa and other family members who are around a lot.
Ben has struggled the last couple days with his attitude. He's had to be disciplined a lot for pushing Luke and stealing toys. Everyday is an experiment. Lots of prayers asking God for wisdom! The moments where the brothers are happily playing together bring us a lot of joy!
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