Friends

Everyone needs them. You shouldn’t go through this life alone. That is why I am happy to have my friend, Kristy for over ten years now. She is someone I feel like I can talk to about anything. She has been someone that has been there through our struggles with infertility and Nicholas’ adoption. I am thankful for her friendship.

In the last nine months a new friendship has begun. We try to get Nicholas and Chancho*(name changed to protect the innocent) together as often as we can. Yesterday’s playdate was proof that these boys are destined to be good friends. Check out their outfits (and, no, it was not planned).

How You Know Your Child is NOT Ready to Give up His Afternoon Nap!

1. The kid who loves to go to Sunday school doesn’t want to stay in his class for the second hour.

2. He throws two major tantrums in the afternoon over small things that don’t normally bother him.

3. He whines and complains for dinner, but once it is put in front of him has no appetite to eat it.

4. Throws another fit that evening when his mother throws his palm leaf away because it is just a stem and all the leaves are laying on the floor being chewed on by two cats.

5. You put him to bed early because you can’t stand the dramatics every five minutes, and notice he is out cold by 7:00 P.M.

In Nicholas’ defense, we had a very busy weekend. Saturday afternoon he went to his first Easter egg hunt. He was very excited to find out that all the plastic Easter eggs had candy in them. Don’t worry though. His mom and dad made sure to help him eat it, so he didn’t have too much sugar. The event also included inflatables for the kids. Nicholas was too scared to jump in it in October, but did a lot better this time.






Nicholas also had his picture taken with the Easter bunny. After seeing his pictures with Barney you would think he’d feel the same way about the bunny. Not really. He was excited about sitting on the bunny’s lap at the mall, but changed his mind after seeing him up close. He did a little bit better at the Easter egg hunt and stood in front of him. He also felt comfortable enough to let him know the rest of our day’s plans.


Note: No nap was had that afternoon.

Today we had our first services in our church’s new building. Evan and I are attending the first service and teaching every other week at the second service. We knew that this meant Nicholas would be at church for four hours! He would at least be with kids and playing. Of course, he also would receive two snacks, one for each service.

He lasted well through the first, but during the second he was tired and saw Evan and me from across the way. He soon ended up in our class. He had one minor issue where he threw a toy, but overall he was okay.

After church we went to McDonald’s with Evan’s sister and her family, so the boys could run around. Nicholas seemed to have a boundless amount of energy. I’ve never seen him fly through the playland like he did today. Afterwards, we all went back to our house and that is when #2 on the list occurred. Luckily, that was only a small portion of the afternoon. Nicholas and Carter are actually playing a lot better with each other since they’re both getting older.






Everyone left and Evan headed to youth group. I was left to deal with the hungry, tired three-year-old. One thing that amazed me today was how well I was able to keep my cool. Sometimes when I am overtired, I have a shorter fuse. Not today. It seemed like the fact that I was able to remain calm, helped him calm down quicker.

Needless to say, we will not be dropping his afternoon nap yet. If we do, I won’t be able to take one of my own.

Feelings

I mentioned before that our “schooling” was now going to consist of different topics each week. This past week was all about feelings. We just took out a bunch of books at the library where the characters were experiencing different emotions and talked about it.

After reading a book where the character was sad, I asked him a couple of questions. One was, “What makes you feel better when you are sad?” You would think a hug or a kiss might be the answer. Nope. “A lollipop.” We finally, with my sister’s help, figured out that answer. When he had a cough a few weeks ago, we gave him special lollipops for kids that are supposed to help with sore throats and coughs. So, he probably equated a lollipop with feeling better. Thankfully, by the end of the week, we got him to add hugs to the mix.

We also were very intentional this week about talking with him about how he is to respond when he is angry or frustrated. We’ve noticed just recently that he will throw a puzzle or toy down if he doesn’t like an instruction that we have given to him. So, we’ve worked on letting him know the responses that we would like to see.

Finally, we asked him to show us different emotions, and here is what we got:

Happy:



Surprised:



Mad:



Puzzled:



Nicholas is also continuing his Bible memorization. This week he started his third verse. It is a tough one – Proverbs 20:11: “Even a child is known by his actions, by whether his conduct is pure and right.” I wish I could take a picture of our amazed faces Thursday night when he started reciting some of it on his own. I almost scrapped this one the other day because I thought it was too difficult. So, way to go, Nicholas!

Well, this week is all about Easter. I'm sure there will be a lot of pictures to come.

Little Helper

When little kids want to help you around the house, it sometimes makes things longer and more complicated. Also, things may not be done the way you like it. But, don’t kill that helpful spirit. That is something my mom taught me when I became a parent. Let them help when they are younger and willing because if you don’t, it will be even harder when they are older to get them to work.

Nicholas is in that helpful stage. I let him do dusting; he helps me feed the cats sometimes. Evan and I are actually talking about what we want his daily responsibilities to be. They will be age-appropriate, of course. We will start small and build on them as he gets older.

Nicholas took that helpful spirit with him to church today. Our church is moving into a new building this Sunday. They have been working on it for over six months, but now the finishing touches are being put on it. Evan was helping out today, so we tagged along for a little bit. I felt like we were getting in the way, so I took Nicholas to a playland for an hour. Once we returned, Nicholas got to work. He helped our pastor’s wife put away the toys that she was cleaning. Then, he helped our worship pastor hook up the sound for the microphones and speakers.

Thankfully, everyone was so kind and didn’t mind his help. He was even recruited for a position as future soundman in the church. In my own life, I haven’t been as hard of a worker as I would like to be. I’m bound and determined to teach my children otherwise.

Here are some pictures from today. First, Nicholas had to check out the new church by dancing on the stage. Then, he got to work helping Pastor Jim. If it weren't for lunch, he probably would have stayed there all day.

You’ve Come a Long Way, Baby!

This week’s theme continued to be Nicholas. We worked a little on name recognition, but most of the time we just did fun activities. Evan and I traced Nicholas’ body and let him color it with markers.
He looks a little unsure about what we're doing.





We also matched his name to the “Nicholas” I wrote at the top of the paper. After some practice, he is able to tell me what order the letters go in.



This was also a week for singing and dancing. First, Nicholas tried out a gift he received from one of my dad’s co-workers in Chicago. He loves seeing himself on television!



Also, if anyone is getting married soon, I have a little boy who would love to come to your reception and do the “Chicken Dance”. You can’t hear the music well in the video since it is coming from a toy tractor, but it’s pretty funny to watch him dance anyway. He’s either dancing or has an itchy chest. ;)


Since the weather was so nice we took a walk to a park in our neighborhood. We took him there last summer, but now that he’s grown so much, he has much more fun. Just don’t put him on the swings. I think the whole neighborhood heard his displeasure.

Here he is in July 2009:



Here he is now:





Saturday was a very busy day. We went to a local outlet mall to ride the train they had there. Nicholas has come a long way in his fear of trains. I wondered if he would even ride it once he saw it, but he was pretty excited about it. We came on a good day and the ride was free for everyone since the Easter Bunny was in attendance (which we didn’t know in advance – BONUS!). My sister and I decided to shop while they did their short ride. We did make sure to wave as they made their loop around.






After a very short “rest” at home, we were off to a birthday party. My cousin’s twins turned three this month as well. It was really hard explaining to Nicholas that this party was not for him. He did have a wonderful time though. The highlight of the party is when Barney showed up. Evan and I were nervous about how he would react. About six months ago he had a run in with the Chick-Fil-A Cow where he screamed in pure fear. His reaction to Barney was a 180! He loved Barney and wouldn’t leave him alone. He hugged him. He danced with him. He pulled his tail. It really shows how much he is growing up.





I really think that as trying as this age can be it is also a very fun age. I love watching Nicholas’ reactions and hearing his thoughts and feelings. Each week brings so many changes. Nicholas just brings a smile to our faces, especially when he is doing the “Chicken Dance”.

Discouragement

I’ve been meaning to blog this week, but I let my feelings and emotions get the best of me. I didn’t feel like blogging, so I didn’t. But, I know better, and I know that I can’t live by my emotions. Writing is actually therapeutic for me, so I really should do it every day. Anyway . . .

Evan and I have been very discouraged lately. It is really hard to find a job when you don’t know people, or when you don’t have a contact person’s name. Everyone wants you to apply online these days. Sometimes they don’t even give you the chance to submit a cover letter. They’re looking for keywords and if you don’t put those words in, you’re out!

Evan was at a job for ten years. Apparently, that is not always a good thing. He has extensive experience in that field – satellite communications – but is having trouble with companies seeing his transferrable skills. So, we’re both frustrated. I feel bad for him. He wants to work. He wants to take care of his family. He’s not able to do that, so it is weighing on him.

We know that God is good. We believe in His timing and His plan. It is just so hard not to get down when there seems to be no end in sight. Will Evan get a job? Yes. When? That is the question. So, if you think about it, pray for us. God has taken care of us this whole time. We are not destitute. But, we feel like it is time. It is time for Evan to go out and work and feel like he has purpose.

“Three. All Done.”

That’s what Nicholas says when people ask him about his birthday. I guess when we took the “Happy Birthday” banner down he figured it was all over. We did have his third and final party this past Sunday at Evan’s parents’ house. We celebrated with ice cream sundaes and brownies, instead of cake. Evan and I were a little tired of cake at that point. Nicholas was excited about ice cream and presents, but he was most excited about playing with his cousins.






Sunday also brought a transition as Nicholas moved from the Sunday school class that we teach to the 3 and 4-year-old class. I stood at the door just a little longer than normal to make sure that he would be okay. He’s gone from the biggest kid in the class to the smallest. But, I got a good report as I picked him up, so I’m sure he’ll do fine with the move. Especially, considering that he has been trying to get into that room for months. I guess they have better toys.

We also completed “Nicholas Week #1” for school. Of course, most of the week was just celebrating his birthday. We did do quite a few activities though.

First, we cut out the letters of his name, mixed them up, and had him try to figure out the order.






We also used his brand new markers and scissors from the art box that I made him. Scissor skills are definitely something that needs to be practiced. But, he is happy to have his own pair of scissors now.






We also made a “Nicholas Book”. It’s contains his favorite book, color, animal, his height, weight, etc. I learned a lot of new things about my son, including that his favorite color is black. At the dentist's office he was asked that question and it was purple. I guess he doesn’t have a strong preference at this age.






Nicholas also got a chance to use his new fingerpaints. He enjoyed it, but I did have to keep wipes handy for when he felt that his hands were just a little bit too messy.




The hands are starting to get a little too dirty.


"Wipes, please!"


Computer time is something I just started to introduce. Once or twice a week we go on and play a couple of preschool games. This past week I let him use the mouse all by himself. I could see the pride in his eyes as he maneuvered Super Why! through the sky.






Since the weather was so nice last week, we made a point of playing outside.








Finally, we worked on something I find very important - Thank you notes! Nicholas received a lot of nice gifts for his birthday, so I wanted to teach him that we need to thank those people. I sat and read out loud what I was writing to the person. Then, I asked him to either “sign” his name or draw a picture. I think it is important to teach him an attitude of thankfulness and gratitude while he is still young. I just want to note that if you are due a thank you note, please be patient. He does a pretty good job sitting there, but we can only get through so many in one sitting.






“Nicholas Week #2” is already underway. We are on a quest to learn how to recognize and spell “Nicholas”!

Growing

I would have written sooner about Nicholas’ birthday, but I haven’t been feeling too great lately. Nicholas shared his cold with me and I had it a lot worse than he ever did. But, I’m feeling a lot better, so it’s time for a recap.

Nicholas had a great birthday day. We made sure to hang a “Happy Birthday” banner for him, which is a tradition from my own childhood. We didn’t do much in the morning, but went to McDonald’s for lunch. Nicholas shrieked with excitement when we pulled into the parking lot. Thanks to the remains of a gift card we had, we enjoyed a 65 cents lunch. Then Nicholas ventured off to the playland. It took him a few times to get the courage to climb up it himself. But, once he did, off he went. Unfortunately for me, he kept choosing to go down the side where he needed assistance to get down. I’m not one for enclosed spaces, but I did what I had to do to get him out.


Thankfully, the playland wore him out and he took a nap. We later went to dinner at Nana and Poppy’s house. My sister made him a cake with Elmo, Dorothy, and Mr. Noodle cake toppers. Blowing out his candles and eating cake and ice cream was all he could think about. Finally, we opened presents. Nicholas was thrilled about all his new cars and new truck. He also is quite fond of a bunny that my cousin, Jessica gave him. Now I’m looking for someone who would like to build a garage for all of his cars and trucks (Kidding. Or am I?).


The lighting is a little weird, but you can still see the pure joy on his face.



I really don't think it will fit Evan, but it is a cute shirt for Nicholas.



He loves to wear these red lens-free glasses whenever he is at Nana's house.

Today was his three year check-up and it went really well. The hardest part for him was sitting in the waiting room. They have one room for everyone to sit and wait, so Nicholas decided to talk to a young woman sitting across from him. He told her his age and about his birthday party. Luckily, she seemed comfortable with young kids and acted interested in what he told her. Then, the nurses started coming out and calling people’s names. I told Nicholas that he had to wait until they called, “Nicholas”. He then proceeded to yell, “Call Nicholas! Call Nicholas!” This child loves to talk and this mother is working on not caring about any of the attention we’re receiving because of it.

Onto the appointment . . . Nicholas has grown so much since he came home last summer! In July he was barely at 10% in height and now he’s just over 50%. The doctor thinks we’ll see some more slimming down soon. I think Nicholas enjoyed the visit because he blew the doctor and nurse (both women) kisses on the way out. He sure does know how to charm the ladies.

Since my coffee-addicted husband had some free coupons, we hit Dunkin Donuts on the way home. Isn’t that where everyone goes after the doctor deems you healthy? He and Nicholas shared five munchkins between them. A funny thing did happen there. Nicholas asked to go to the bathroom. After we washed his hands I noticed they had a high-powered hand dryer. Nicholas has experience with this type of hand dryer and usually quickly puts his hands under and moves away. For some reason, his reaction was quite different today. I turned it on (his hands weren’t even under it) and he screamed this high-pitched scream at the top of his lungs. Evan, who was in line, said that everyone could hear it! I love the attention!

We have one more birthday party this weekend. I’m sure Nicholas will be thrilled when he finds out that his “birthday” isn’t over yet. Although, I did hear him say something about when he is four years old. . . Is he really going to countdown for a whole year?