2 weeks home!

Hard to believe we have been home two weeks now! The first couple of days seemed to drag on. We were fighting jet lag and all we wanted to do was sleep and yet knew we couldn't if we had any chance of getting ourselves back on track. Blayten was still on China time the first two nights home and so on Monday, we sent him to the summer preschool program so that he was on a schedule and didn't have the opportunity to sleep during the morning at least. He was excited to go back and see his friends, so it worked out well. That definitely helped, because by day 4, we basically were all back to feeling a bit more normal. We were still tired, but not so sluggish and foggy. Jackson was sleeping at night, but continued to be a very restless sleeper. Every time he moved, he cried out and would wake up....it was nonstop! However, he did have a few nights of sleeping more peacefully so we have tried him in his toddler bed in the boys' room. Despite the little railings, he falls out of it. I don't want to have to get a crib, so we will see what we can figure out. He is back to crying out during the night. His restless sleeping is the biggest struggle we are having with him right now.

The kids have all adjusted well to Jackson being home. Blayten never is aware of his own strength, so we have to constantly remind him he is being too rough and to be more gentle with Jackson. Blayten is loving having a brother and when his preschool teacher asked him what the best part of going to China was, he responded "getting my brother!" Let's face it, it was definitely harder having Blayten on the trip. I had hoped he might have some fear and be a little hesitant, but he didn't! He was still the "I'm awake, life is happening, and I'm going to experience it all" kind of Blayten! Regardless, Blayten talks about the trip fondly, so I know he had a good experience.

The girls both dote on Jackson. Arrayah is definitely the little mommy. She wants to know what she can do and how she can do it. If Jackson is having his diaper changed, Arrayah is asking questions on how to do it. She wants to be the one in charge of wiping Jackson's hands and mouth after meals and getting him out of his booster seat. She does a great job with him. Anna also loves playing with Jackson, although she tends to get distracted and forgets she is watching Jackson. Happily, no one is fighting over him, which I was concerned might happen. Jackson is doing well with all of them, but does get upset with Blayten when he is too rough, which who could blame him. I have noticed that Arrayah is talking more about her own adoption. She remembers different things from our time in China with her and she brings it up and asks questions. We look at lots of pictures with her. She isn't upset, just asking questions, not only about her adoption, but Anna's as well. Anna doesn't say too much about her adoption, of course she had just turned 2, so she doesn't really remember it like Arrayah does. Anna does however often say how happy she is that we adopted Jackson!

Jackson is still eating pretty basic foods still. The girls were both eating pizza when we were in China, but not Jackson. He likes his rice and noodles. Like the girls, he doesn't care for meat much, including chicken. Every morning I make him scrambled eggs and he eats a lot of those. He also has discovered frosted colored animal crackers and he LOVES them! I have let them run out so he doesn't focus on those so much. He does like bananas, grapes, watermelon, and apples. He got upset when he realized we were cutting his grapes up, but the kids were eating their grapes whole. SO....now he gets small whole grapes and we hope for no choking! Jackson no longer needs his carbs in each hand like he needed in China. Now if he has a treat, he still wants both hands full of the food, but otherwise he doesn't need something in his hands all of the time. We've been working on him throwing food on the floor if he doesn't want it. Before he would have been upset to lose any food, now he knows there are many choices and he wants what he wants and gets angry and throws food when he is given something he does not want. Today at lunch, he actually said "Mama" and handed me back some food I gave him when he didn't want them....so we are making progress!

Jackson has taken right to our stairs. For those who don't know, we live in a 2 story house, with a basement, so we have three levels basically. Jackson grabbed the handrails or more like the spindles of the handrails and walked up and down the steps. Now he is feeling pretty confident and we have to remind him to hold on, because he wants to just walk down the center of the stairs like a big boy! Jackson is liking his baths, but in the mornings, he gets upset when we take him out of his pjs and try to dress him for the day.

Jackson likes to play with building blocks and stacking bowls. We took him outside and got him on his little trike. He had to figure it out, but is enjoying it now. He is a little short and can't quite pedal, but is getting the hang of scooting along with it. We bought a little wading pool for him and he has been having fun being in it. We took the kids out to Morgan's Aunt & Uncle's house to visit their horses. The kids loved it and Jackson wasn't scared at all. Morgan's brother, Nolan came out as well and as we are walking down the long driveway, watching Jackson run as fast as his little legs could carry him, we were all talking about how just a few weeks ago this little boy was an orphan, without a family and a very uncertain future. Now, he was petting horses, chasing his siblings and giggling as he "knocks" Nolan down to the ground, without a care in the world! I think of that often...what our kids' lives would have been if they were still in the orphanages and not adopted. Now, they can just be kids and do what every normal kiddo does without wondering if someday they will have a family of their own to love them.

We are transitioning this week and it definitely is an emotional struggle (at least for me.) Mark went back to school on Monday. Jackson screamed and cried when Mark left. He has become a bit of a Daddy's boy, so Jackson was sad when Daddy left. I left a few hours later to see clients for the first time since we returned home. Bethany watched the kids and Jackson cried for over a half hour. I tried to just see a few clients on Monday and Tuesday mornings so I wouldn't be gone quite so long. Jackson was better on Tuesday when I left. Today, the "little ones" who I have noticed this week I have been referring to as "the big kids" started Kindergarten. Jackson has been looking for them, but seems to enjoy just having time alone by himself in the quiet. Thursday afternoon after the kids get out of school, I am taking them along with Jackson to the daycare provider, so Jackson can spend some time with them there are try to get used to it. I worry how he is going to do. It was just a few weeks ago that his entire world changed when he was dropped off at an unfamiliar place, with unfamiliar people, so in his little mind, the same thing could be happening this time. So hopefully, having his siblings with him will help. The following week we will need to increase the daycare hours and when I start back teaching at UNK, he will be going to daycare four days a week. We are also now trying to figure out after school care for the other kiddos. Initially I was just going to do my private practice and be able to take and pick the kids up every day from school. However, once UNK called and asked me to come back and teach this year, we had to figure out after school care. I absolutely love teaching and am excited to be doing it again, but these are the challenges that come with that.

Well, I know lots of other things have happened, but I can't remember and I have been trying to post this for over a week now, so if I don't post it now, it likely won't happen! Here are lots of pictures for you!