You are My Sunshine

(If you want to skip the blah, blah, blah, there are pictures at the end of this post!)

Spud Central is beginning to hum along. Today marks 3 weeks home with him!

Spud is a happy, affectionate little guy who loves being the center of attention. He is spontaneously loving and stubborn – in equal measure :) He seems to have slid into his life here with relative ease. I have not detected any real emotional distress on his part yet, though I’m sure he has experienced more than I realize.

We have had our bumps in the last few weeks – all to be expected. I mentioned the language barrier before; that continues to be a challenge. It’s frustrating not being able to understand exactly what he wants, and it’s frustrating not being able to explain to him what I want. But it’s getting better, and body language speaks volumes (his and mine!).

The sleep issues are also improving. He’s still waking at 4 a.m. on some days, but if WMWM or I go lie on the twin bed next to his crib, he’ll go back to sleep until 6:30 or 7. He’s napping regularly in the afternoons, but usually only an hour or so.

Meal times are definitely still stressful. One day Spud will eat something, but the next day he will reject the same thing. Besides peas and Cheerios, we haven’t hit on anything that he’ll eat consistently. I tend to take it personally when he doesn’t eat, which is ridiculous of me. The pediatrician says not to worry too much about his food intake; it’s the only part of his life he can control right now, so he’s bound to exert his power. That made me feel a little better. But not much.

I have been working on keeping my expectations in check here. Since Spud has slid so easily into our lives with few attachment issues, I tend to forget he just got here and sometimes expect the same from him that I expected from my other kids at his age. It’s easy to forget he probably doesn’t understand 95% of what is said to him and that nearly everything is still a new experience.

Tater and Racer, especially Racer, are smitten with the little guy. They are extremely helpful and patient with him, though they do laugh at him when he’s naughty which encourages the behavior. Tater taught him how to jump on the couch, and now I must break him of that habit even though it’s hilarious because he laughs like a maniac when he does it.

Spud is pretty much a little ray of sunshine in our lives, and we are so happy he is home!

Daddy is Spud's hero, and this firetruck is his favorite toy.


Spud and Dad spend a lot of time tumbling, tossing, and tickling.


Spud gets a big kick out of blowing zurples on daddy's belly. We're pretty sure this is how WMWM got ringworm on his stomach.


This is another of Spud's favorite tricks -- ta da -- Super Diaper Baby!


Brother Tater is passing on all his best baseball tips.


And looking forward to passing on his lawn care duties.


Sister Speed Racer also seems eager to pass along her yard chores.


Racer spoils the kid rotten and tends to give in to his every whim.


And here are some random pictures of Spud being cute.





Peace.