Well, I think it's finally happening. I'm starting to recover from toddler shock. BOY toddler shock.
It's been quite a month. Our little guy is a gem- I'm so happy with how well he's doing... but it wasn't until recently that I figured out he was doing a lot better than me!
You'd think that I would have had a clue that toddlers are a lot of work. But a friend recently pointed out that with my daughters by birth, I had some time to work up to a 3-year-olds activity level. Hmm... good point. Not to mention that when my other kids were 3, I wasn't home with them full-time. I had it easy- I went to work!
I think recovering from a half-way-around-the-world trip with 3 kids didn't help. Helping our 8-year-old adjust to now being the middle child hasn't exactly been a picnic either. Then there's all the paperwork (Health Card, Social Insurance Number, Citizenship work) and the medical appointments we've been to. And back to school for the older kids. And a husband who has had to travel 7 days out of the last 9. Boo hoo.
Oh yes, the post-adoption experience has been a whirlwind up to this point, to say the least. But I think I'm finally getting into the groove. At least... today things seemed pretty groovy. Tomorrow? We'll see.
14 comments:
So glad today was groovy!
Simon and Garfunkel is running through my head now - 59th St. Bridge song. Glad to hear you're on the other side of your bridge, too.
Groovy sounds good - I hope for more Groovy days ahead for you. You'll get up to speed in time, I'm sure - I can hardly believe that you've been home for a month. Whoa.
Hi, I found your blog by way of trying to find the e-mail address for the PEI Adoption group (so I could send a copy of my letter I sent to the PEI Premier, as the full e-mail address wasn't showing up in any of the posts I'd seen).
Anyhow, read through some of your postings, and want to congratulate you on the recent adoption of your son from China! I have a 7.5 year old daughter from China who has been home with me just over 2.5 years. She also is cleft-affected. Her lip had been repaired in China about 4 months before she came home (unlike your son's, hers wasnt' that great, according to the plastic surgeons here), and she had the palate surgery here in Ottawa at the age of 5yrs 2 months. The surgeon said it was actually a lot easier working on a 5-year old than an infant/toddler, as the mouth is that much bigger! She's done just fine; I worked with her on speech at home for several months after her surgery, until she got to the top of the wait list for speech therapy through the school By that time, frankly, she'd conquered most of the basic consonants and was just working on the s's and z's and sh's etc - some of the more difficult sounds. She's still doing some speech therapy, but frankly I figure she doesn't need much more - everybody can understand her now, as opposed to most people having difficulty understanding everything she said when she started to speak English.
Now I'm waiting to bring home a 4.5 year old son from Ethiopia (hit by the singles restrictions in China).
You're welcome to visit my blog at www.randt-onourway.blogspot.com!
Roma
Oh dear god -- are you telling me the work/the paper work/ the emotional drain doesn't end once you are home?!? OK, I guess I knew that, but some small part of me was hoping...
Anyway, I am SO glad you are getting into your groove and things are looking up!
Well, you're preaching to the choir here...!
Glad things have hit that groove....
Every day is an adventure when you have a toddler boy!!
They give amazing hugs and kisses too!
Boys are SO differnt than girls. Boy energy is louder, rougher, less calm. A whirlwind. A beautful chaotic whilwind.
I can imagine it being overwheming, heck I live with it, I'm looking forward to the calmness of a girl-child.
This comment is for ms. dragonfly.
Girl-child = calm ??!!???
Tell that to my girl (age 7.5) - pure movement (wild, bouncing, LOUD, frequently rough and generally chaotic). She even kicks and wiggles in her sleep. Calmness occurs when (1) she is drawing pictures or doing artwork and (2) ... hmmm, can I think of a second? Oh yeah, when her eyes are glued to the TV, which I let happen as infrequently as possible. But I guess there is a (3) too, and that's when we're in the story chair reading stories. Otherwise, it's hard to get her to stop moving...
I've been the told the boy I am about to adopt is "gentle and loving." Everyone also tells me boys are different than girls. Here's hoping ...
Roma
I think there is a broad spectrum for activity level, etc. with both girls and boys- but I have to admit that the male ENERGY is very different than the female energy. Think I'd know that too since I've been living with male energy for over 14 years! LOL. But our little guy is VERY sweet and charms Mama in a very different way than my daughters did at his age!
I was home my with my two children when they hit there two's and three's but the big differance was I could let them cry it out more and let them chill.. With Larkyn I am told to comfort her sooner rather then later with makes some days feel very closed in!!! And poor David hasn't had a back rub since our return... I don't seem to have anything left for him at the end of the day... Hang in there!!!!
IKWYM, Wendy! I won't even mention our sex life since we've come home from China. Not much to mention, come to think of it ;)! Ah, this, too, shall pass.
What, don't don't find having a crib in your bedroom romantic?! LOL! I hear ya on the instant toddler thing - exhausting! And mine is a girl!!
Oh, I can't even imagine that 3 year old boy energy. Olivia is FULL of energy. The daycare tells us she is busier than any toddler they have seen in a long time. Hmmm, busier is that a polite way of saying WE WORK FOR OUR MONEY!!!! She is the absolute pride and joy of our lives and we wouldn't want her any other way. Let me tell you though, it is only now about 8 months later that my body is finally adapting to Ms. Munchkin.
We still get up with her about 3 times a night, but then again we let her sleep in our bed until last week. Good birth control eh?
Deb
(Olivia's lucky mom)
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