What a difference....

three weeks makes! Wow! In some ways I can't believe we have been home that long, and in other ways it seems much longer. I want to do better at posting the changes as a way to journal them for myself. Luke and Irina are doing so great! They really change daily, and it is wonderful to watch them blend into our family. Each night at dinner we all hold hands as we thank God for our meal and blessings. Both L & I put up a huge fuss and did not want to have their hands held. A few nights ago as we sat down to eat, they both put their hands out and willingly held hands! It might not seem like a big deal, but every milestone is so wonderful.

The day we first met Irina I was so worried for her. She had so many self-stimulating behaviors, and she seemed uncomfortable with affection and physical contact. This little girl just eats up love now. She loves all the affection she gets from mommy,daddy, and siblings, but she also gives lots of affection now. She freely gives hugs and kisses. She smiles and laughs all the time! She is so smart too. Yesterday at dinner she signed "more drink please"! Yes, she signed a sentence! She knows signs for-drink, more, please, cookie, all done. She can now use a sippy cup, and she is working on feeding herself with a spoon. Oh, and she wouldn't touch pasta or rice at first. Actually, she would only eat food that was pureed the first week she was home. She now eats everything we eat, and she is now even eating pasta and rice. She still hates to be bathed, but she loved my in-laws pool (go figure:). I am hoping one day soon she isn't fearful when she is getting her hair washed.

Luke is a smart little guy as well. He continues to learn signs, and has added "no" to his speech vocabulary (of course, he hears "No, Luke!" about a thousand times a day!:). He is now able to actually jump on the trampoline (he couldn't figure out how to actually bounce his feet off it at first). He is doing a much better job of listening as well. He is just so curious and wants to explore, so sometimes he can't seem to help himself but to play with something he shouldn't. I love when he just comes up to me and plants a big kiss on my lips. He is 100% all boy, and he and his big brothers really seem to be bonding and enjoy playing together. He actually decided he didn't like dinner last night and refused to eat much. This might not seem like a milestone, but this is the little boy who snatched a banana off the counter and tried to eat the bottom of it - peel and all! He is obviously understanding that food is plentiful and that every meal might not be his last.

Okay, I PROMISE I won't post again without pictures to share! I just need to get my hubby to assist me in downloading them to the computer.