DVR and 1 month out

Every other year we head out to Colorado with hub's family to one of my most favorite places..Deer Valley Ranch.  It's so nice to escape the 100 deg weather in Texas.  

Unfortunately, I didn't make the cut this year.  With David's arrival only 3 weeks prior, it wasn't in the cards, so Hubs took the girls only.  It took all I had not to sneak into one of their suit cases.  When I say, I HATE missing this trip, well it's 100% TRUE!

So I'm posting borrowed pics...thank you Mandy!

The kids had a blast.  They talked about it all day.  

Allie loves to ride, and Mary has always refused.  Not this year.  She was so proud of herself.

Hubs sent me this pic one day as I was sitting in the hospital with my sister.  (She's doing great...just had a little episode of contractions mid pregnancy).  We both had a hard time not wanting to wring his neck (from jealousy) for this pic.  

I can't even explain my relief that they are all home.  I am SO GLAD they went.  The girls had an amazing time.  They needed a break from David's adjustment.  On the flip side, because they were gone..WOW, what a difference it made in the dynamic of the house.  Garrett was forced to interact with David, and visa versa.  The buffers left town on a plane, and I didn't really see it coming.  The prior three weeks, the girls happily played with David and catered to him even.  

It made for a very difficult week.  There were a lot of battles between the boys.  There was a little pushing and punching on David's part (and a lot of screaming).  Garrett finally said "he didn't want him to be his brother."  It's part of adopting a toddler.  As my friend who has gone before so eloquently said, when a toddler "explodes on the scene" it can turn things upside down.  Garrett JUST turned 4.   Most 4 year olds who have a 2 year old brother, have had 2 full years to see the storm com in'!  NOT THIS ONE!  Poor Garrett feels like the storm has rolled in and is not letting up.  It's been a very difficult month for G.  He's no longer the baby of the family, and David is all in his business and guess who usually gets deferred to?  Not Garrett:(  It is what it is, and it'll get better, but it's been one of the more difficult realities that I've been facing.  

I brought all this up to just give an update on our month.(Today is the one month marker.)  There are have been some VERY HIGH moments and VERY LOW moments.  I would honestly say from a mom perspective, this has probably been the hardest adjustment I've made as a mother.  That first born is pretty hard though because of sleep deprivation, so they may cancel each other out!  I am just SO SO SO thankful that sleep deprivation has not been a factor because it very well could have been!

I don't want to give the wrong impression.  Just because it has been hard doesn't mean that it's not been GOOD.  We've seen some REAL progress and turning points in David's security and attachment.  He's honestly done better than we expected.  My point is on a good day, toddler adoption is hard.  We are trying to squeeze a first born, only child personality in the fourth born slot.  My attention and time is divided incredibly thin among four very different personalities, and finding the patience and endurance to attach to him, nurture him, pour into him, discipline him, communicate with him, etc. is draining.  It is not my intent AT ALL to discourage adoption.  However, I think it's fair to paint a realistic picture in case you are ever considering it.  It's only been a month.  I can't imagine how this time will fly by.  

David is doing well.  He is so expressive. He is communicating quite well with his hands, and he understands quite a bit of English as evidenced by following commands appropriately.  He's pretty chill.  He becomes a little more secure every day and with that has brought  on the normal toddler tantrums.  He only has a few daily tantrums that are difficult (car seat and bed time).  Those are definitely the worst.  All the rest are short lived.  He is very clingy to me still, but since the girls and hubs are home, he will readily take them.  He's the boss of the house already, did I tell ya? He eats very well, and that's never been an issue.  He's also sleeping in his own big boy bed.  He fights bed time, but sleeps all night normally.  This week he was up 3 different nights, but that's pretty unusual.  He loves the pool, loves riding his tricycle, and watching Signing Times.  

Mary taught him to ride a horse this afternoon:)  If you can't tell, he's saying giddy up.

This week would have been so very hard with hubs being out of town, but my BFF Beth Ann showed up early in the week.  My sweet sisnlaw, Melissa flew in Thursday to help, and she's also been so helpful.  Garrett LOVES both of them!  That's a whole separate post!

Happy one month at home David:)  

Fun with friends

There is a sweet family that we "go to school" with.  You know wherever your kids go to school is where you go also:)  Allie is in the same grade as this little Ally, so they've been friends since Kinder.  She was adopted from Korea, as well as her youngest sister, and we could not wait to get together with them.

9 year olds are perfect little "mammas."  She kept little man happy the WHOLE time!

This is her middle sister Anna.  They have 3 beautiful girls!  I wish I had a group pic, but I missed the photo op.  They've been such a comfort to us these past 2 years as we've had many questions!  They are pros.

Look who else wanted to meet him?  Beth Ann came down to help me do some organizing and playing of course.  

Garrett was all about posing for the camera for some reason.  He LOVES Beth Ann.  David did too...he made the sign for "I love you" without prompting.  Who doesn't love her?

Just pics

It's summer.  Some days you just reach your word limit.  I've reached mine:)  Night!

First ER visit

 Don't panic.  It wasn't David.  Our social worker is visiting tomorrow, so let us keep this on the mum.

Mary and Allie were horsin' around at the pool, and the diving rock won.  Mary ended up with a little gash in her chin, but it was deep enough to require four stitches.

Sweet Mary.  She was brave but a little scared.  Someone else was going to sew her up, and she burst into tears and said she needed DADDY.  She had no idea he could sew:)

Emmy was working, and she dropped in for a visit.  She spoils her rotten.  She took her to the gift shop afterward and told her to pick out whatever she wanted.  What am I going to do with that girl?

All better!!! Love that sweet girl!

First hair cut

Ok well, I'm sure this was not David's first hair cut, but it was for me.  He was CHILL!  I told Mandy and Katie, I've joined the dum dum nation, and again those little suckers saved the day.  (We wouldn't have made it home from Korea without them.)

He did want to sit in my lap, but he sat still and even smiled a few times.  

High 5!!! Ms. K loved meeting him:)

What you think mom?

Signing all done!

He's getting more comfortable/confident with us.  We are seeing more tantrums when he really wants something, but overall for his circumstances and age, he's pretty easy going.  His biggest "new" battle is bedtime.  He was doing so well, and now he cries, and cries when it's bed time.  

2 weeks ago we could barely get him to set one toe in the water.  Now look at him!

The other kids are doing well with him.  Garrett is still being a stinker at times, but some of that could be boredom.  I did not schedule much for us this summer because I didn't want to be running around in the car all day with a new toddler.  They don't seem to be tired of David yet which surprises me, and the girls especially really love playing with him.

Just caught him...

being a dad.

It's what he loves most.

So thankful for him and my amazing DAD and DIL!!!  I'm surrounded by greatness:)

Happy Birthday Daddy!

The hubs turned 29 today:)

We celebrated his youth by making a cake.  I really haven't cooked in a couple of weeks, so it was quite the conundrum to have to hunt for the ingredients in my pantry. (My sister and mom unpacked my food a few weeks ago.)

Don't let this picture fool you.  It is full fledged summer, and we've had a lot of together time.  It is definitely touch and go with all of them, and this was a sweet moment.

Brother bear is doing better.  He's so sweet to David, and loves it when David engages with him, but it doesn't happen too often.  

Chocolate was a hit!

We dropped in to see him at work, and had our first family photo.  It's too bad about the scenery, but what a day to celebrate.  We are so thankful for his life and for the daddy and husband he is.

It's been 2 weeks since we brought David home.  It feels like 2 months honestly.  This past week has been hard.  Some days are really good and some days are really NOT so good as we learn to adjust to one another.  David is really clingy most days, (although today was GOOD!)  and it's hard to meet everyone's needs when he is this way, so I'm praying for patience and endurance.  I know it's just going to take time, and patience is not my strong suit.  

Have a great Father's Day Weekend!!

Last month is HISTORY.

May was CRRRRRAZY.  I just passed through the single busiest month that I can remember.  I'm not exaggerating.  We moved the beginning of May.  School ended for the kids the week after we moved.  We left for Korea a week after that.

It took half the town to make it all happen.  My sweet friends helped in so many ways, that I will never get all the thank you notes written.   

My friend Mommy Lion moved in with her kids to keep Mary and Garrett while we were gone.  The kids love each other and they had a blast with the longest sleepover they've ever had.  Garrett had a REALLY hard time when little lion left because he didn't want to sleep by himself anymore.

Fresh manis by Becky.  Becky has been babysitting for our family for quite a few years.  She moved in too to help shuttle kids around that last week of school while I unpacked!  She absolutely could not wait to meet David.  I wonder how many kids she'll adopt:)

These two go WAY back.  They are like brother and sister..still.

We bought them these in Korea obviously.  I hated they had to leave right after we returned, but I'm so glad they could stay the whole week.

Mamma lion and my our other friend K, pretty much kept things cracking' around here the whole week or two.  I was so foggy after we got the call and when we returned that I just had a hard time making decisions.  They kept me on track.  They dealt with workers in and out of the house after we moved in.  They put together furniture.  I could go on and on. 

The Lord truly has provided everything we have needed through our friends.  I can't list everyone, but they took care of all our kids and so I didn't have to pack and prepare to leave them behind because their lives just continued where they were.

When we returned home, my sister had organized meals for a couple of weeks and just showed up every day to make sure I wasn't on the verge:)  Friends gave rides to the kids all week took them to swim lessons, etc.

I'm thankful for my friends and my family.  Last night, I was able to go out with a group that has been getting together for years now.  They make me laugh.  They have supported us through this journey too like so many others.

So thank you friends for loving us.  Thank you for cheering us on and for praying and supporting us on this long journey.  We've only just begun, but I'm so encouraged every day.

And don't worry Beth Ann...I left plenty for you to do:)

Faces

Hubs commented tonight that David likes to make faces.  He doesn't just have many expressions..He intentionally makes all kids of faces...to make you laugh:)

This is random blogging.  The video is of him swimming!  He's learning to balance in the water with his many floatation devices.  He LOVES the water.  It took him a while to LIKE the pool though.

So here are the faces we are seeing.  His hair is combed over because he had just gotten out of the pool.  It too makes him looks so different.

He does this scrunchy face a lot.  

The "come get me if you can" face.

Without prompting he walked up to Mary to hug her..

He LOVES LOVES LOVES Mary....but who doesn't ..I mean really?

This little man had a better day today.  Yesterday was hard. I found him outside on the couch crying because he'd been in trouble over something.  He looked all flustered.  I asked him what was wrong, and he said, "I hate my job!"  I asked him what was his job, and he said, "This..This is my job!"  I didn't really understand, but it just told me he's frustrated with the way things are rolling right now.  Today David was really happy with Mary and I was able to play with Garrett more.  It made a big difference.

Mary had a perfect day because David finally "let her" in.  Allie was at soccer camp tonight, and they needed a little break.

Finally, the help me face.  He came to us, often saying this phrase that we quickly figured meant..help me now!  We taught him "please", "all done", and "more" in signs and he can do all of them, and it's cut down on the frustration.  He's such a quick learner.

Let's play

It seems like all we've done this week is play at home.  The girls went to VBS, which left a lot of time for the boys and I to play.  It's been a while since I've sat down and played because we've been so busy the past couple of months.

Garrett loves the Wii and we haven't discouraged it much lately because we felt like it would be good to keep him distracted technologically babysat while we managed a new toddler.

When we pulled out the trains, he came running.

They were a big hit with David.

Again, David is just doing great.  We had been calling him KwonHee, then KwonHee David, and now if you call him David, he turns around.  If asked, "Where's David?", he points to himself.  He's saying a couple of new English words every day.  And those cheeks??  Nothing but kissable.  I've never seen a kid who is so "lovey."  He gives kisses ALL THE TIME.  He'll grab my face with both hands and smack me right on the lips!  

I finally tricked him into drinking milk (yes Mommy Lion it was chocolate milk.)  I don't know why he went from drinking 4 bottles of formula a day to not wanting bottles or milk.  It's baffling.

He seems so much more secure even though it's been a week.  We finally realized rocking him wasn't the way to get him to sleep because he can't be transferred.  Now, if I just sit at the end of the bed and pat his bottom, he falls asleep in about 15 minutes.  The past 2 nights he has slept all night without either of us in the room.  He has a little cold, so I don't know if it's making him more tired, but he's sleeping well.

We took him for his initial medical evaluation, and he was laid back as usual.  The Dr. said he looked great and was very age appropriate.  

I am so relieved that we have traveled, are home and settling in as a new family.  I'm so thankful the kids are out of school because it's really helped David.  He loves kids, and it would have been hard if they were all away.  There are so many things about the timing of all this, that only God could have planned better.  I'm still amazed.