Austin's 6th Birthday

I was really trying to stay on top of things and post fairly regularly and then our computer decided to stop working last week. So...I have been basically computerless for a week (I did have my work laptop but it blocks so many sites, it's not even worth using). So.....here is what you missed in our exciting world :)

We had our first "snow" last week. I think we got a whopping 1/2 inch of snow.....of course the schools were delayed here....you know it could be treacherous :).

Luckily Austin's school is a charter school and doesn't have buses, so they went to school on time. When I drove him to school, the sidewalk wasn't even wet. The boys kept asking me...."how come there isn't any snow on the roads?" They are so used to seeing snow in Colorado.

When Austin was younger, he would constantly ask when his birthday is. So, we started telling him that his birthday would be after it snowed since it always snowed a time or two before his birthday when we lived in Colorado. When Austin saw the snow, he said "It must be my birthday."

His birthday was two days later. Austin had his first real friends birthday. We have had birthday parties for him in the past but it was basically friends of ours, relatives, etc.

He invited 9 kids from his kindergarten class and he had a cosmic bowling party. It was a blast! The kids were hilarious bowling. One of the kids told me "I have never bowled in real life.....just on the Wii." Then we had a family party at my parents' house on Sunday (his actual birthday).

He got a lot of fun gifts. One of his favorite gifts is the police uniform that my parents gave him. Austin started telling us this summer that he was going to be a police officer when he grows up. He usually flits from thing to thing, so I figured it was the "thing of the week" but he seems to really be into the whole police officer thing.

It is fun (and a little sad) to see how much our little guy has grown up.

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Jacob Is Four!

Jacob just had is 4th birthday on July 7th. I can't believe he is already four. It seems like just yesterday we were bringing home a baby. He is definitely no longer a baby and he certainly has the attitude of a teenager. He can be super sweet at times but he seems to mostly be practicing early for his teenage years. 

We decided to keep his birthday kinda low key this year since he still doesn't have any expectations as far as a birthday party (except that there be cake). He actually got two birthday celebrations ie. two birthday cakes, one on his actual birthday and one the following weekend.  He loved the toys he got as did Austin who is already trying to coerce him into letting him have full reign over the newly acquired toys. Austin is destined for a career as a used car salesman :).

With every birthday there is the dreaded trip to the pediatrician for a check up and shots. Jacob was thrilled to find out he would be receiving 4 shots. He actually was really brave and only cried a little. He weighed and measured in at the 80th percentile which is great (for a future football career). 

Jacob decided to refuse the eye exam. He basically told the nurse that he didn't really want to do it. She tried to persuade him but he wasn't on board with it. "Making" a child read an eye chart is not something that I have experience with, so the nurse said to call if we had any concerns with his vision. I told her there are no concerns with his vision, just his attitude :)

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Jacob Turns 3...

The wait is over ... Jacob is now a bigger boy. Not sure what has changed but the terrible twos are behind us and onward to the terrifing threes! ;)

We had a good time, several friends and family showed up for fun in the sun on the slip-n-slide and sprinklers. Event Aunt Anne got some water... on her shins. All of the boys had fun. I think Jacob was a bit overwhelmed by the end of the day. He slept till 9:30 am the next day, and usually he is up at 6am sharp.

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Birthday

Do you enjoy giving or receiving gifts at parties? I enjoy both, not sure which one I enjoy more...

We brought three 20x20x12 boxes of things for the kids. In two of these boxes were 15 winnie the pooh bears from toys R us. They are a bit larger (about 2' tall), we (or really Beth) got a really good deal!

Austin's birthday is today, he is 3. They celebrate the fall birthdays during this month so there were two birthdays, Austin's and another girl. We arrived early and brought the bears, a truck, bananas, oranges, apples, and sok (juice). We put two bears in the front of the class in a basket for the two children, the rest were hidden in a big sheet that was used as wrapping paper with a bow on top.

They came into the room to a train song, they were moving their arms like the arms of the locomotive moving in a circle. They all sat in their chairs, Austin was in the first (of course). They sang several more songs then presented the two with a plastic cake with candles on top. The intent was for both of the birthday kids to blow the candles out.

Austin blew them all out...

Then we presented Austin with the new machina (really that's car but it works for the truck) and bear. He was thrilled. We presented the little tivichka (girl) with the bear she was happy. Then the best part was when the entire package was opened and all the kids ran for the bears. In some cases the bears were longer than the children.

We returned to the group room where we ate our snack. I was able to video the room and the bedroom where he sleeps. It was great. We played with Austin in the music hall for about 15 minutes after the snack, then it was 10:25 (time to go outside). On come the 3 layers of clothing.

Beth took him outside while I signed a paper stating that we donated the bears to the kids. I went outside to find them walking, and Austin looking at some object on the ground. He is doing better about coming when called. Today Beth would give him a big hug when he returned.

Later he hauled of and hit another child with the truck he was carrying. The translator had left so I was left to discipline in a foreign language. Long story short we had a mini-meltdown.

Later that morning we took both boys for their passport photos. They both were very calm and watchful of what was going on. Austin especially liked riding in the machina.

Prayers are being answered. Our bonding seems to be improving and each boy shows a little progress each day of relating to us more and more. We saw that while Austin is independent he does feel. He is also very aggressive (for aggressive sake) and we need to help him with this.

Please continue to hold us in your prayers:
1. That another couple we know her would receive their court decree tomorrow (there is something strange going on and they are not being told the whole story).
2. They will continue to bond to us
3. We will be able to communicate with them (especially Austin)
4. That our process would continue to be smooth.

We love you guys.

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