Week 7

We're approaching two months at home with the younger kids...it feels a little surreal, and it's a huge relief that we've actually made it this far.  Things are slowly getting a bit easier, better.  Though our day yesterday challenged the notion that things are getting better, it's nonetheless true that the overall trend is definitely upwards.

I've heard before that the six-week mark is a turning point when adopting older children.  Perhaps that's the case because last week, our seventh at home, was really (mostly) significantly better.  There were still tantrums, still kids fighting, still all of those things that make life challenging...but less of them.

We began the week by celebrating, on the same day, Geoff's birthday and my Dad's birthday.  We did a potluck family birthday party at my parents' house, but I also prepared a special breakfast for Geoff that morning (his favourite breakfast of eggs/bacon/hashbrowns + delicious strawberry/yogurt/homemade granola parfaits)...it was quite tasty, if I do say so myself!




(Above and below) The two birthday boys:  my Dad and Geoff

(below)

Geoff with my brother-in-law and Mom, getting their dinner plates ready.

(below)

My parents set up some little tables in the backyard for the younger grandkids to eat at.

(below)

My favourite picture of Geoff's birthday!

Part way through the week, we headed back to the Infectious Disease clinic, getting the first results from all of the kids' various tests.  Both need to be treated for a few things, and are now on meds to deal with them; we're very thankful that they have this option.

In the past three weeks, since their last doctor's appointment, Seth grew one centimetre and gained two pounds; Lizzie grew two centimetres and gained 1.5 pounds.  No wonder they're outgrowing their clothes!

(below)

Here are the kids while waiting for the doctor, and for the result of their tests, at the I.D. clinic.  We spent 2.5 hours in this little office, between waiting for residents and then doctors and then results and then prescriptions.  Little containers of cheerios go only so far from an entertainment perspective...I had no idea we would be there for that long.  But the kids are being taken care of very thoroughly and I have been impressed with the degree of concern and compassion and interest that the medical staff have displayed.

Of course, given the ongoing sensational weather we've continued to have, we spent a lot of time outside...as usual.

(below)

I love these two pictures...not because Lizzie is crying, but because of why she was crying.  She was bound and determined to zip up her own zipper (notwithstanding it was hot outside and no jacket was required!) and so she spent a full ten minutes trying.  I offered to help several times, but was rejected several times.  As the minutes progressed, her emotions ranged from determined to desperate to sad, and finally to elation as she actually managed to do it "by self."

(below)

I guess determination runs in the family because Seth insisted on wearing these running shoes...which fit him beautifully seven weeks ago but which are distinctly too small for him now.  I suggested to him that it might be a bit easier if he at least took off his socks, but he gave me the big shoulder shrug (a definite no) and spent several minutes squeezing his too-big feet into his shoes.  He looked pained, walking around in them for a while, and I noticed that after a while, the shoes disappeared and were replaced by his crocs!

(below)

Lizzie loves shaking her index finger at me, shaking her head, and saying "no, no, no" when I do something that she doesn't like.  It's kinda hilarious, but sometimes not so much when she does it - oh, about a hundred times a day!

(below)

When I start dinner prep, this is the favourite spot for both younger kids...the kitchen counter.  They watch everything I do, and if they think they might get a little mouthful out of my prep work, they open up their mouths like little birds and say "uh uh uh" to draw attention to their open mouths.  It's quite adorable.

(below)

Not only does my middle child fold laundry beautifully, he now also loves to load the dishwasher (which he calls "wash hands").  He will leave his favourite toys in order to stand by the dishwasher and load it up.  Maybe I should just be sitting down and putting up my feet while my 2nd son works!

(below)

Now that the two boys are starting to play together from time to time, they seem to actually have lots in common...like building hot wheels tracks, and a skyrail system overtop.  When they play together, it's awesome...now it's just a matter of improving the percentage of time they play!

(below)

The kids (Matthew especially) loved having some friends over for breakfast on the weekend...and the friends were kind enough to bring a gifts for the kids to share.  The boys played with the Light Brite most of the afternoon...it was a real hit!

One of the big highlights of last week was celebrating Lizzie's birthday.  We didn't do anything fancy, but we were so glad to be able to honour her birthday for the first time.  We had the family over and had dinner and cake together.  And of course, Lizzie enjoyed opening a few presents.  We told her in mid afternoon that it was her birthday, and she seemed hardly able to believe it.  She got the concept that she was three and now four.

When I was putting Lizzie to bed later, I sang her Happy Birthday again (and again...and again...and again) and I told her that she was now my big girl.  She shrieked and said "No.  Lizzie Senait little girl.  Senait mommy's little girl."  Sweet!

(below)

The first time I've put pink icing onto a birthday cake!

(below)

Celebrating Lizzie's birthday with some of her favourite foods: roast chicken; mashed potatoes; mixed roasted veggies; corn

(below)

The kids had their own table on the deck.

(below)

And finally, it was time for birthday cake.

(below)

She enjoyed her cake...well, at least the thick layer of icing!  I love these pictures of Lizzie - they show a few of her thousand facial expressions.  She has such character, this girl!

(below)

It's a big pile, but we were actually careful not to give her too many presents: One from Geoff and me; one from Grandpa and Grandma; one from a cousin; and one from my sister/brother-in-law.

(below)

Thanking Matthew for the bicycle bell he gave her.

(below)
Lizzie modelling the new hairbands and hand-made bracelet from her cousin; and modelling the sunglasses that came with her Littlest Pet Shop character.

(below)

Seth found it hard during the day to accept that it was Lizzie's birthday - he so badly wanted it to be his birthday.  But by the time dinner, cake and presents came, he was the model kid in terms of his reaction to her.  He sat quietly while she opened her gifts and later clarified that each thing was "Lizzie Senait's" for her "Happy Birthday to you."  I thought he handled things remarkably maturely.  Pictures often don't do justice to what people look like in real life...this picture is exactly what Seth looks like.

All in all, it was a good (and busy) week.  It feels like we're finding a little bit of routine, though how that's going to pair with our attempts at homeschooling in upcoming months, I'm not yet sure.  I'm living day to day right now and I've never before experienced a time when I have so little on my daily calendar; it seems like just making it through the day is accomplishment enough.