17 Months Old

Five months have come and gone as quickly as a summer shower. Where did the time go? I'm so thankful that I was able to be a stay-at-home mom the first 4 months with him. I love where I work now, but some weekday mornings it is so hard to get out of the warm covers and quit snuggling with him. It's a blessing to work only 5 minutes away from home. Jason and Rocco come to see me at least once a week. My world lights up when I see them walking down the hall. My big handsome husband carrying my other little man. . . no words can describe what it does to my heart. I drop everything and reach out to hold the little boy I waited a lifetime for.

At 17 months, Rocco is growing and developing so much. It is a blessing that Jason gets to stay at home with him during the day. He spends part of his day at the cattle farm playing in the dirt like any good boy should. When I come home to him he is usually covered in dirt. . . and a little stinky. I love it! Here are some of the latest things Rocco does. . .

1) He picks out a book for me to read from his giraffe bookshelf. He has certain favorites. If it is a book he likes, he'll want me to read it over and over again. He knows what "The End" and "Turn the Page" means. When I ask him questions, he'll interact with the book by pointing or lifting the flaps. He's learned when to expect certain outcomes in the books, too. I love this special time each day when he longs to sit in my lap and be read to.

2) He picks up on things that we do and mimics us. For example, he picked up the jump drive and tried to put it in the outlet in the computer. I nearly passed out and yelled for Jason to come see. Future computer genius! He might even be an engineer because he is really interested in walking up and down ramps. You can see the little gears turning inside his head as he tries to analyze it.

3) Saying recognizable words hasn't come yet, except for mama and dada. He is really good, however, at communicating with us through sign language. He signs more, eat, book, yes, and shrugs when he doesn't know something.

4) Any time we go somewhere in the Tahoe, he vocalizes and points to the DVD player before I can even get him in his carseat. He is not satisfied unless I turn it on and let him watch the Wiggles. He knows when to wave hello, pat his head, and raise his arms with the music. He should. We've watched it at least 100 times.

5) During dinner time, he refuses to wear a bib. On the brighter side, he knows that before we eat we hold hands and pray. Even if he has been upset, crying, or pitching a little fit he gets quiet for our prayer. Sometimes he'll let out a little laugh.

6) Watch out for his pointing finger. It's liable to go off as much as he uses it. Normally if he likes something, he'll point to it.

7) He is really good at pointing out his head, nose, ears, mouth, belly and even closes/squints his eyes when I tell him to.

A Day in the Life of Rocco

The day begins after a good night's sleep right between momma and daddy. I love to stretch out and even lay sideways.

Momma just loves my bed head. I wish she wouldn't take pictures of me all the time. . . especially so early in the morning.

But it's a brand new day so I can't help but put on my happy face. I love playing around on the weekend mornings when I get to sleep in with momma. We snuggle, laugh, and play peek-a-boo.

Getting dressed in the morning is easy. Well except for choosing what I'm gonna wear. It's really neat to have so many clothes to choose from. And I haven't outgrown any of my clothes since I first came home in March. Momma is so silly putting this hood on my head. You know it didn't stay on my head for very long!

I'm not a big breakfast eater. I'm happy with just a bottle of milk, but this morning momma fed me breakfast first (hoping I would eat a little better). She fixed me some Cheerios with milk. I spit the bananas out! Just not in the mood for them today.

After breakfast its off to my room where I love to play! I'm really good at stacking blocks like a tower. The best part is knocking them over.

Hello? I understand what that means. It means you hold the phone up to your ear like this.

I'm a great ball player. Watch me wind up for this pitch! Better watch out. This is a real baseball from a Foxhounds game.

When play time is over, it's off to the farm with daddy during the week. But today is all day with momma! After lunch I take a nap. When I wake up I sure am hungry for a snack. Check out the banana puffs I put on the floor. I like to squat and eat them all up!

Supper time is special. Momma, daddy, and I eat at the table together. We always hold hands and say our blessing. I can't say "Amen" yet so I just give a little laugh. If momma or daddy don't take me outside, I beg them by pointing at the door. Going on the golf cart rides and looking at the tractors and bull are so much fun. . . but when I get through I have to get a bath. Momma calls me a "stinky boy" and says that she loves her stinky boy so much!

I cry when bath time is over. It's no fun being cold and wet. That's why momma and daddy hurry to get my clean pj's on and good smelling lotion. After my clean diaper and clothes are on, it's time to play around on the bed. It's so fun especially when I go near the edge and make momma and daddy think I'm gonna fall off. Watch me jabber and make funny noises with my lips!
And then it's time to drink my bottle. Momma will read the Bible to me. I like to hear her voice as she reads God's Word. If she stops I use my sign for more so that she'll read it again. Very soon the lights will be out and I'll be in my warm, soft bed cuddled up with momma. In the morning we'll start another day all over again!

Old MacDonald

Here's a quick shot I took of Rocco playing with his tractor that sings "Old MacDonald." It is a favorite of his. If only he wouldn't get upset when the music stopped. I had to keep pressing the button over and over for him. It was worth it though to see him dance each time.

Communicating With My One Year Old

Words. Such a simple thing yet so powerful. Two words I'm waiting on in particular. . . "Wuv you." I just know he's gonna say it soon. But for now any words would do. Isn't it weird how we want our kids to do big things like learn to walk and say new words, yet when they do we just shake our heads and say, "I can't believe how fast they grow up"? Regardless, I want to hear what Rocco's little voice will sound like when he begins to use words. At nearly 17 months he still doesn't say much. Sure, he jabbers dah-dah, ma-ma, and blows some really good raspberries. But as far as using words with their appropriate meanings. . . he's not decided to do this just yet. There is no doubt, however, that he knows exactly what we're talking about.

Since he is fully capable of understanding us, I decided to work with him on some more signs so that he can communicate back to us. He already has the sign for more down pat. He not only uses it when he wants more food but when he wants to do something else again and again (ie. ride the golf cart). When we ask him if he is hungry, he'll form the sign for eat. I knew he would catch on quick to new signs, but I had no idea just how fast he'd do it. Yesterday I began working with him on the sign for yes. (Trust me. He definitely knows how to shake his head no at us when he disagrees or does not want to do something. This has almost got him into trouble.) So. . . I began to ask him questions to which I knew he would reply, "Yes." When I asked him, "Do you want to ride the golf cart again?" I would answer for him with a yes both vocally and with the proper sign. Within three laps on the golf cart little man had caught on. Before I even could asked him if he wanted to keep riding or not, he started signing yes. To fully appreciate this, you'd have to see his little hand. He looks like a hitchhiker giving a quick thumbs up/thumbs down. Honestly, one day I'm gonna eat him up. He is just too cute! His birth mother would have no idea that she definitely gave him the perfect Vietnamese name: Tuan Minh meaning handsome and intelligent.

Changes

One thing that is certain in life is change. It's inevitable. People change. Circumstances change. Life brings change. God is the only One I can think of that stays constant. And when this change comes it always brings stress. Not necessarily bad stress. . . but stress nonetheless. Since we adopted Rocco we have been through so many changes. Becoming parents was the most obvious one. Then there was being a stay at home mom after working for the last 8 years. I absolutely loved every minute of it. Living in a new state and making new friendships at Town Creek was like an entire new chapter to our lives. Then, as quickly as it began it ended. One year after adjusting to life away from family, serving in a new church, teaching a new grade level/subject, and enduring a long adoption process, we found ourselves back in our old hometown beginning yet another chapter. Some things are the same. I have my old job back. That is a good change because teaching science to younger children is my passion. We're living in the house we built 6 years ago. The nursery where I would kneel down, cry, and pray for a child is now filled with Rocco's toys and baby furniture. These are great changes. On the other hand, we don't have a church home and we're still living out of boxes. Trying to find toothpaste and underwear in the morning before work has been quiet stressful. I'm so ready to have my life back in order and everything in its place. All of this change has made me feel bad for Rocco. He's gone from an orphanage, several Vietnamese hotels, a house in South Carolina, his grandparents' home, to a big house filled with clutter all in the last 6 months. Right when he gets adjusted to his surroundings we move him. At least we are there and can be his constants.

He seems to be doing fine with Jason during the day while I'm at work. They have their own little routine down. Bottle, some morning TV, time at the farm feeding the cows, lunch, swim in the pool, nap, and wait for mama to come home. When I get there I'll lay down with him. He is pleasantly surpsrised when he wakes up and I'm next to him. In the afternoon we'll play or read books, eat supper, swim some more, ride the golf cart, take a bath, and then go to bed. I cherish every moment we have together and know that Rocco is a special gift from Jesus.

I'm signing off with a picture of his latest. . . the Vietnamese squat. I don't know if this is a culture thing or not. We saw countless Vietnamese men and women sitting in the streets like this when we were in Vietnam. He is so limber and easily squats like this when he plays. It's amazing how he can stand right back up from this position. If I tried this, I'd be laid back in the floor.

Outside

It's not enough that Rocco gets to spend the day at the farm outside with Daddy and Granddaddy. He wants me to take him outside in the afternoon, too. I believe he would live outside if I just let him. It's amazing that during this heat wave with temperatures rising over 100 F that he longs to be anywhere but inside. This afternoon Jason, Rocco, and I went swimming in Nana's pool. Little man clung to me like a mama's boy should. He threw the little water balls over and over again. I'd hold him close to my chest and neck so that I could kick his legs for him. After I would quit, he would look at me and sign "more" with his little hands. This went on for the longest. He finally began to kick them a little himself. Jumping up and down in the water was also a big hit. Once we got out and dried off, he pointed and grunted at the golf cart. Being outside and riding the golf cart go together like peanut butter and jelly. It's just not complete until we've taken a ride. And when we get to the end of the driveway, he gets so excited because the neighbor has a field of cows. You'd think he'd never seen them before because for each trip down the driveway he'd act surprised, point, and gasp. The golf cart would come to a stop, and as we took off again for another lap he'd wave bye. An hour or so later we'd head back inside only to see him point. . . you guessed it. Outside!

21 Years

August 9th is a very special day that I will never forget. Each year as it rolls around I remember back to the Saturday night when I was 9 years old and I sat on my parents' bed asking them questions about God. The Holy Spirit had convicted me at such a young age, and I knew I had sin in my life. I needed to ask God to forgive me. That night I prayed the best I knew how and asked Jesus to come into my heart. Twenty-one years later, He is still living within me. What an awesome God He is to create me, love me, sacrificially die and rise again for me. All this so that I can have joy & peace in my heart and the promise of everlasting life.

Where's Mama?

For several weeks now Rocco has been pointing at things when we ask him where they are. We particularly do this with family members. Where's nana? Where's Drew? Where's daddy? Where's granddaddy? You get the idea. If it weren't so sad, it would almost be funny that he never would point to me when asked, "Where's mama?" I couldn't believe it. The only one that he kisses on the nose, one of the elite that he lets in his space, the one he begs and cries for, the one that he cannot stand to leave his sight. . . I knew he was crazy about me. He had cried, "Mama," so many times for me in the past that I knew he knew who I was. Why couldn't he point to me when asked? Maybe "Mama" was just a jabber word that he didn't really understand. I workd and worked with him on pointing me out. I'd point to me and say, "Here's mama," so much that when I asked him the same question he'd point to himself mimicing me.

Today that magical moment happened. We were in Carolyn's kitchen and she asked him where mama was. He immediately pointed to me. I picked him up, kissed and kissed on him, and celebrated. The feeling was worth more than a million dollars. She asked him again and he turned his arm all the way around to point at me. Later at supper time we began the "Where is. . ?" game. He pointed to everyone correctly. When he pointed to me, I kissed on him in his high chair. He enjoyed the attention so much that he just smiled and pointed to me when not even asked. I love this kid. And I'm so glad he knows where his mama is!!

Life in Cave Town

His famous surprised look. . .

Walking with Nana. . .

Rocco and Drew - best buds