I hope those of you who get today off are enjoying your
3-day weekend! Dennis and I are enjoying our rest time. Taking care of an
active 4-year-old takes a toll on these old bodies! We love it, but we definitely
need our rest time.
Last week went well for the most part. Nam had a rough time letting
go of Sheila the first couple of days, but after that, he did very well. I
think he is finally learning that this is how things are going to be, and that his
momma will come home every day. It is so much fun to watch him learning new
things. We are doing a lot of driving on the interstate: picking him up or taking him home. He is very
observant! He works on his language skills by pointing out things that he sees
on or alongside the road. I bought a Wee Sing Bible Songs CD to play on the
trips, which really helps pass the time. I love hearing him sing along! My
kiddos grew up listening to those same songs, and it is neat to see my
grandkids enjoying them as well. (Both Stephen and Sheila have been playing
them for their kids.)
We took Nam out to the state park on Friday. He loves going
out there to look at the deer. This time he wanted to see an eagle. Well, eagles
are NOT easy to find! There are usually a pair of them at the park in the
winter, but it is a rare thing to actually see them. He was disappointed that
we couldn’t find them, but we saw a doe standing right beside the road. We also
saw a bunch of ducks and seagulls and pelicans fishing. We stopped once to hike
down to the edge of the lake to glass for the eagles. We showed Nam deer tracks
and explained to him what they were. Sheila said over the weekend, he would
make animal tracks in his playdoh! I also thought it wise to point out what
cactus were and tell him to avoid them. For the rest of the day, he would point
out every cactus he saw (even while driving down the road). Teaching a
4-year-old is such a different experience than I’m used to. When you are
training a child from birth, they pick up things gradually as they mature. To
bring a child that is already developed (to a certain extent) from a different
culture and country and teach them all of the new things they need to know is
so amazing, because they are able to understand so quickly. Plus he shows
amazement at all of the new things he experiences. I love sharing new foods
with him. He is a good eater and will usually try anything. Sometimes it takes
a little time for his taste buds to adjust to new tastes and textures. He is
good to eat pretty much anything that is “soupy”. I think that is the predominant
form of food that he was served at the orphanage. He also LOVES meat…and fish!
He hasn’t shown a lot of interest in baked goods…until he discovered Vienna
Finger cookies. I’ve tried him on both homemade oatmeal and peanut butter
cookies, and Sheila tried him on her chocolate peppermint crinkles, but he just
wasn’t interested. I did make some apple pie fingers last week (applesauce
spread between layers of pie crust, cut into strips and topped with cinnamon and
sugar and baked). He did enjoy them! He has also become a fan of cinnamon/sugar
cake donuts. I know…we really shouldn’t be teaching him to like stuff like
that, but it is just so fun! He is also really good about eating healthy snacks
like greek yogurt and fruit.
Since Nam would rather play with Dennis, I’m able to get my
normal chores taken care of without any trouble. In fact, he is pretty good
about wanting to help. When I got out my Swiffer to mop, he wanted to take
over. He likes to mop for his momma. He did really well at folding napkins for
me. He is pretty meticulous, so he worked hard at trying to line up the edges
and make them neat. It wasn’t a perfect job, but it was plenty good enough! He
is also starting to play more independently while here. Dennis is trying to “wean”
him off of always having to play with him. He hasn’t been able to do anything
without him being right there. That works ok for making simple projects like
his stool and toolbox, but it won’t work at all when he gets back to working on
the house. I’m sure we’ll be able to work out a manageable routine in time.
Sheila takes Nam for his checkup with the international
adoption clinic in the morning. She has put it off until her new insurance went
into effect. It will be interesting to see what all they say. I have court in
the morning, so Gina will be going with her to help with Nam. That will also
give them some time together without Grandad and myself being around.
Ricky is still struggling with his crud from last week. He
had to miss two days of work last week. He is still snorting and spitting up
stuff, but he is feeling better. I think he had the beginnings of a migraine
yesterday, but we managed to head it off before it got too bad. He is about the
age that Dennis was when he started having migraines. I hate to think that he
is going to have to go through that. He has been through so much already!
Another bitter cold front is heading this way today. It sure
makes me want to hunker down and hibernate. Nam has handled the cold much
better than I expected. Last week, Dennis got him out when it was sleeting. He
loved it! He would throw his arms out, look up to the sky, turn around in
circles and laugh and holler. I can’t wait to see what he does if it snows!
That child enjoys life!
Daddy continues to do well. His face has finally all cleared
up from his fall and he is feeling good from his physical therapy. Bobbie still
isn’t doing well. She continues to suffer from her cold, plus her anemia has
returned. She is going to have to take her iron infusions again. She made it to
church yesterday morning, but as soon as the service was over, she wanted to be
taken straight home…before eating lunch. We dropped in on them last night, and
she was feeling better, but still not good. Tonette is taking her to the doctor
tomorrow. She is just really weak right now. I’m hoping that the PT that her
orthopedic doctor has ordered will help with that. The winter months can really
take a toll on people her age. Last winter was when her health started really
declining and we had to step in.
I hope all of you weather this extreme cold front with no
problems! I am sure thankful for a snug house and central heat! Stay warm and
safe!
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