Putting It Into Practice

AJ got a cricket bat!  He loves it!!!

It's been four years of reading books on adoption, learning about attaching and bonding, going to adoption/foster care support group, reading adoption blogs, listening to adoption conferences, and listening to my friends stories of their experiences.  Today we finally put it into practice.  We were pleasantly surprised at the good day we had.  AJ will try to rock himself and self soothe, and it is a joy to pull him close to me and rock.  He doesn't understand yet, but he has parents who are now going to be there for him and comfort him.  At breakfast he was singing a song, and I realized it was Happy Birthday.  So we sang happy birthday to carrot cake.  Then Ryan figured out his other two songs are Twinkle Twinkle Little Star and Jingle Bells.  Needless to say we have sung a lot today because it's something familiar to him.  We went to a mall to get him some smaller clothes, and we had the best time watching him look at everything.  He never picked anything up or ask for anything.  Then at the market he pointed and smiled at the bat so of course we brought it.  We got a few foods AJ is familiar eating.  We've tried keeping his routine some what the same so his meal times and sleep are the same as the orphanage. AJ has enjoyed eating at the hotel's restaurant, and they have loved cooking for him.  They are so kind to come to our table to talk to him.  Shower time was fun.  I put on a swimsuit and got in with him to make him more comfortable.  He likes the warm water running down his back.

We are trying to have Brody and AJ bond a little through FaceTime.  Brody is just precious talking to his brother.  AJ will say, "Hellooooo!"  I can't wait until they are together.  Brody will like teaching AJ things.

It's now bedtime, and I pray we get another full night's rest. Here are cute pj pics.