13 Months

On Rocco's big day of turning 13 months, I just wanted to reflect on all of the unique things that he does now. I've heard so many times, "They grow up so fast." I believe it, and I don't want to forget what our little boy was doing at this time in his life.

1) Cries in his car seat unless mama is letting him hold onto her finger
2) Winks at us with both eyes and a flirty smile
3) Waves
4) Crawls, pulls up, cruises around the bar stool and couch, walks alone with his push toy
5) Drinks a bottle while I rock him to sleep in his nursery
6) Pushes his toy trucks properly and makes "Vroom!" sounds
7) Sings and rocks back and forth to music (especially at church, to the Wiggles, and Bon Jovi)
8) Claps
9) Mimics us at times (facial expressions)
10) Says "Mama" and "DaDa"
11) Puts shaped blocks into his toy cube / Puts his stacking cups inside one another
12) Feeds himself Gerber puffs, sliced cheese, bread, cheerios, and other finger foods
13) Teeths with non-toy items like his brush, straw, and spoon
14) Loves to have his teeth brushed and cries when I take his toothbrush away
15) Plays simple games like "I'm Gonna Get Cha'"
16) Rubs his eyes and face with both hands when he gets tired
17) Responds well to his name (except when we're trying to take his picture)
18) Turns his tongue sideways and also makes clicking sounds
19) Likes to type on the computer when I'm blogging / Likes to play the piano
20) Drinks his morning bottle in his bouncy seat that vibrates while he watches "The Doodlebops", "Go Baby!", "Higgly Town Heroes", or "Mickey's Club House"

It finally happened. Rocco took his first step toward me all by himself! He didn't even realize what he was doing. We were in Jason's office at the church. Rocco was holding onto a tennis ball when he decided to let go of the couch and come toward me. Of course I was beside myself asking Jason, "Did you see that? He took his first step!!" Jason had seen this first step, too. When I stood Rocco back up to balance and try it again he leaned forward and just fell straight toward me. He knows I'll catch him; he just grins and thinks it is a game.

It is amazing how many new things he does each day. We got out the bubbles after bath time. With wide eyes, he would follow them. When one popped on his face, his seriousness immediatetly turned into a quick laugh. Then, he'd get serious again and wait for more to come his way. He also mimics me a lot lately. When I was changing his diaper the other day, he stretched out his neck, raised his chin, and grunted. I copied him. He copied me back and so this little game began making the silliest giraffe faces at each other. It's amazing how little it takes to amuze

him (and me). Every day we'll just sit around and play these senseless, funny games. I love to eat him up with sugar on his neck. Rocco is very ticklish and sometimes he gets this belly laugh going. Other times he just opens his mouth wide open like he's going to eat me, too. He also does this new thing with his little mouth. Moving his tongue side to side, he'll make this sound like "uh blu uh buh."
I've seen him make progress toward trusting me as well. Even though he is still a mama's boy, he will let me leave the room for a minute while he continues to play. If I'm gone too long, he'll crawl to look for me instead of crying. Also, if I buckle him in the car seat and need to go back into the house to get my keys, he won't fall apart and cry like I've left him. It seems like he's started to see that I'm not going to leave him. (That's all a different story at night when he's tired. Daddy will not do. You'd think Jason was a monster the way he screams when he takes him from me to put him to bed. He wants to cling to me so tight.) I must admit though. . . it's good to be loved!

Like Father, Like Son

The picture says it all. . . Georgia t-shirts, the "I know I'm cool" grin, and the spiked hair. I laughed so hard my mouth started to hurt when we fixed him up to look like daddy. And can you believe it. . . we actually took him to church tonight looking like that! Too cute! I think we'll go back to the combed down look tomorrow. (By the way, Rocco loves fudge rounds. . . another undeniable trait that he is Jason's son).

It still amazes me when I look at his smiling face, so innocent and beautiful. I'm the mother of this living, breathing blessing. God is so good to watch over him even when I make a mess of things. We were in the study tonight talking. Jason asked, "What is in his mouth?" I immediately swiped his mouth out and, to my horror, found a penny. Where in the world did that come from? Had I not checked the floor so many times before for objects like that? God is so good to watch over my little one. It's like you try to do everything just right for them and then a moment like that humbles you. No, I'm not super mom afterall. . . never really claimed to be. I do have one super kid though, and I am so blessed!

One Tiny Step Toward Toddlerhood

Guess who drank some fruit juice from a sippy cup all by himself today? You got it. Little man himself. He only drank 2 oz., but that's a start. He would sit in his bouncer seat, watch the Higgly Town Heroes on Playhouse Disney, and take little sips here and there. I'm so proud of him. I'm not sure if I like it deep down; I want him to stay a baby as long as he will. But. . . the doctor said it was time to wean him off the bottle for the betterment of his teeth. You've gotta do what you gotta do. So. . . here's three cheers for one tiny step toward being a toddler.

New Discoveries Each Day

I really miss being a science teacher, to little kids that is. Eighth grade holds nothing for me. But while I loved my job and exploring the "wonderful world of science" with my students, I am so content at home making new discoveries each day with my son. For instance, he's discovered the act of mimicing me. I used to put my finger on his lips and right about the time he'd open his mouth, I'd take it away quickly and laugh. Yesterday, he started doing this. He put his little finger in his mouth and pulled it out quickly laughing. You have to see it to appreciate it. Uncle Tyler taught him the word "light." Now, he holds his entire arm up into the air and points at the light. . . in every room. I know he is understanding us more now because the other day I said, "Clap." Without any motions or hand signals coming from me, he started to clap. He will wink, too, when I tell him to. He's also learned to play a little game with his firetruck. When he taps the fireman on the head, the bells and sirens start. He knows he better hurry and get in my lap before its wheels start rolling. He absolutely gets beside himself (squeeling, sticking his tongue out, and smiling) trying to get in my lap in time before it gets him. This picture I posted shows Rocco when he is having one of those "laugh all over himself" moments.
While we were visiting his grandparents on my side of the family last week, he discovered what milk tastes like. . . without the formula. While we were in Vietnam he was taking 4 scoops of it at a time. Since we returned home and visited his pediatrician, we were told to get him on whole milk. Rocco was down to 1 scoop of formula when we went on our trip to mimi's and papaw's. One day I left his formula at my mom's house. At nana Helen's house he had his first bottle without any formula. Ever since then, he's been just fine without it. Now we get to move onto trying to get him to take it by a sippy cup. One task at a time. (Boy do I dread teaching him to lay in his crib at night. That will not be a pretty sight.)

Sunday at Church

This Sunday was Rocco's fourth time in church. To be so new at it, he was so good. What a blessing! I still haven't been able to go to my Sunday School class yet, but we are working on the nursery thing. I was so proud of him today because he stayed in the nursery with Shari for 20 minutes. . . without me! I didn't go very far. You could tell I was a new, nervous mama. . . peeping in the window every 5 minutes and never going too far just in case he did cry for me. They gave me a beeper. "What is this? Is this like the thing they give you at a restaurant when your table is ready?" I think they got tickled at me asking that. But so much is still new to me in this wonderful thing they call "motherhood." I absolutely love being Rocco's mom. Sometimes I wonder how long it will last. I'm not really afraid they'll come take him away, but it is almost like it is too good to be true. (I know Kim-Lan said she feels the same way. . . so I'm not that odd). But just like when God forever adopts us into His family when we place our trust in Him, we have forever adopted Rocco into our family. There's no turning back or reversing it. Well, Rocco did great in the nursery, playing with a toy truck and laughing. It was a weird feeling walking around the church without him, like I was missing 18 pounds of something pretty special. His fun ended when he caught a glimpse of me peeking in at him. Regardless, I feel confident that it will be soon that I will be able to join my Sunday School class again. I don't know when I'll let him stay in the nursery for the entire service. That would be too long without him.

When I prayed for our child, not knowing we would be matched with Rocco, I didn't really pray for specifics. Some people pray that their child would have a dimple, have blue eyes, be tall, or they ask for a specific gender. Not that anything is necessarily wrong with these petitions, but my prayer was a little different. I just asked God to place into our lives a healthy, beautiful baby that would be the perfect match for us. God is all knowing and His ways and thoughts are much higher than mine, so I left all of the small details to Him. I can see how God has answered this prayer every day when I look at Rocco and learn of him. He loves music (how perfect!) Being a musician and singer, I am definitely digging that. I took him to a singing concert at a church tonight. He sang so loud with the group that we started to get some looks from all around. Not bad looks. Just looks like, "Where is that loud baby singing coming from?" I'd hold him and he would dance to the music, almost jumping out of my lap. He has the greatest disposition. After the songs he would often clap. At one time he seemed to be raising his little arm in the air like he was praising the Lord. He made friends with an elderly couple behind us, winking and laughing with them. Oh, what a blessing this little boy has been. How good God is to allow me to be a mom to my precious little boy!

One Month Ago Today. . .

One month ago today we were sitting in a judicial building in Vietnam signing papers and smiling ear to ear. March 14th was the day that Rocco was officially given to us and adopted into his forever family. Since then the little fella has grown some more poochy stomach!

So how did we celebrate? Jason rocked him to sleep for his morning nap. He woke up a few minutes later so I went and put him in the bed with me. He crawled up to me on my side, sat on his knees and laid his head and chest over me. He listened to my heartbeat and fell asleep. He wants to be near me almost all of the time. Even when we're in the car he has to be holding onto my finger or he cries. Something about having contact with us is important to him. . . and so sweet to us. Once nap time was finished, Jason and I put his 3 wheeled jogging stroller together and went for a walk by the pond. There weren't any ducks, but we did see some boats. He took it all in, laying back in his reclined seat as if saying, "Now this is the life." We walked out on the dock and enjoyed the fresh spring air. When we returned home, we had an icecream sandwich treat. He just flapped his arms up in the air and brought them back down smacking his little legs. This is what he does when he likes something. He started crying and got mad when it ran out. . . so, being the great mom that I am, I reached into the freezer and got out another one. All was well again! Later, after his second long nap of the day (surprise!), we went to our favorite Italian restaurant for an all meat strombolli. Rocco and I enjoyed cheese ravioli. Tonight after I gave him his bath (and he played so long that he turned into a raisin), we sat in the office and sang Tim McGraw's new song, Down to My Last Dollar. Rocco sang and danced with me. "One, two, three like a bird I sing. . . " He just kept on giving me kisses. . . over and over again. And that is how we celebrated his first month anniversary of being adopted.