Frogs, snails and puppy dog tails...

Samuel turned 2 on February 1st!  We so enjoyed celebrating him!  It was his first birthday where we were all together...we are so thankful for the joy he has brought to our family!

Mom and Dad visited for the weekend and Lucy, Eli and Samuel kept them busy with all sorts of Lego projects!  We had snow both Friday and Saturday mornings, so there was good sledding and hot-chocolate-drinking!  Fred, Kay, Kelly, Andy, Lauren and Nathan joined us for dinner on Friday night, then again at our house on Saturday for Samuel's party...it was great to be together!  We missed Nancy, Justin and Jason since the weather was too bad for them to come...that can happen in February...brrr! 

Samuel seemed to really enjoy himself and all of the attention!  He had a complete change of personality while we sang "Happy Birthday"...he got very serious and just stared at all of us, like "why are all of you looking at me and singing?"  But, once that was over, he gobbled up his petit-four, ate all of his lunch, and loved opening his gifts!  He tried very hard to hold up two fingers on one hand, but those chubby little fingers just couldn't do it...so he resorted to one-finger on each hand...he was very proud of himself! 

It has been such fun watching his little personality develop!  He loves all things related to "self care"...he wants to put on his own lotion after his bath, loves to put toilet paper in the potty (and flush...a lot)...and he he has serious "no one brushes alone" policy - he insists on brushing his teeth if he sees you brushing yours.  Even if he just brushed moments ago!  We like to joke that he's doing his best to make sure he's the caboose of our family - he is very physical and loves to run fast and climb.  He gets on the kitchen table numerous times a day - I think he just wants to be up higher and have a different view-point.  He loves to read and we'll find him in his room looking at books.  We had two copies of "Goodnight Gorilla" and the covers have fallen off both - that was his favorite all Fall.  Now, he is loving "Mr. Brown Can Moo, Can You?" and all of the Eric Carle books.  He enjoys working puzzles too! 

He has his 2-year check up last week and we are amazed at his growth!  When we arrived home from China, he was in the 30th-percentile for height and 19th for weight.  Now he's in the 50th for height and 55th for weight - he is 34.5-inches tall and weighs 27 pounds.  He is an excellent eater and sleeper - good thing, 'cause he wears me out some days with all the energy!

His speech is coming along too.  His most frequent words right now are "book, sock, milk and ma-ma."  He does a lot of babbling and he tries to say so much...we are seeing improvement each month.  Thankfully, we have all sorts of good therapists in this area, so there is a lot of help if we feel his progress slows down.  Most professionals seem to think I'm too concerned and that he is fine.  Samuel goes back to the plastic surgeon in Spring 2014 to discuss his next surgery for the cleft lip and palate...we last saw the surgeon in September and he was impressed with his recovery so far.  His awesome eating, remarkable weight gain, and constant babble mean that mouth is working! 

He is quick to give us hugs and greet people he knows!  He's learning all sorts of normal American stuff...the other day, I said "Samuel, come with me..." and he looked at me, held up one finger (like "hold on!"), ran to get his lovey and came back to hold my hand.  He's also mastered the shoulder-shrug-hand-in-the-air gesture for "I don't know!"  He loves to mimic what we do and be part of the action...we love him so! 

I will praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made...

Psalm 139:14

Eli turned 4!

On Saturday, the 12th, our Eli turned 4!  How can this be?  Didn't I just find out I was having a boy?  His awesome-ness has made the years fly by! 

 

Eli continues to love dinosaurs and football, but his latest "love" is all things Artic!  He loves polar bears, penguins and talking about snow!  We started his birthday with doughnuts, then made a visit to Build-A-Bear (where he made a polar bear...shocker!), and ended his birthday with a polar bear-themed party with our family...he had so much fun!  Eli loves an adventure so we hid all of his presents as everyone arrived, then he and Lucy ran around to find the clues that lead them to the presents! 

This past year has been a big year for Eli - he became a big brother, he started his third school in three years, and he had his first performance!  Adding Samuel to the family has been hardest on Eli because he isn't the oldest...or the youngest.  We see him finding his place though - he enjoys teaching Samuel new things and he realizes how Samuel will mimic ANYTHING he does.  And, being in the middle, someone ALWAYS wants his attention.  Sometimes we find him playing in his room alone - he does a great job entertaining himself with his dinosaurs or books.  

Of the eight students in his class, there are five boys and Eli has such a great time with them!  He is always excited to share what he's learning in school.  On our way home from church on Christmas Eve, Eli started reciting "The Night Before Christmas"...the entire poem...from memory.  He recited it a few more times over the holidays and we all loved how confidently he spoke!  He is so ready to be part of the children's choir at our church...he did a great job singing in his school Christmas program. 

A funny story about Eli from the past year...when took individual pictures of Lucy and Eli with us to China and people often asked to see them.  When we showed the Chinese people Lucy's picture, they would gesture that she looked like me...when they say Eli's picture they went CRAZY about his HAIR!  At home, people are quick to comment on his lovely locks...like a pregnant belly, people think you can reach out and touch.  This attention doesn't even phase Eli.  

Eli loves to wrestle with Chris and play dress-up with Lucy.  He does best with some time outside every day - no matter the temperature.  I love to be his mom - he's constantly challenging me to a race and asking tough questions.  I like to joke that he's made me "National Geographic Mom!"  He'll ask "how does a beached whale get back in the water?", "where is Abraham Lincoln buried?" and "if the Titans play the Colts, who will win?"  He usually starts his conversations with "hey, you know what...?"  One time, in December, he told me my cooking "was delectable."  Love him so, so much!

Answers to the above questions...in case he asks you too!:

1.  A beached whale should be sprayed with water so it doesn't dehydrate and be pushed back into the water.

2.  in Springfield, Illinois

3.  The Titans lost to the Colts twice in 2012. 

Look Who's One-Month Old...

Avery became a Big Sister one month ago today...Owen Freeman Boss arrived on September 16th!  After staring at my phone for weeks, ready for "the call", I jumped out of bed when I heard the phone ringing at 3:45am.  Matt told me they were at the hospital and that he would "call me back in 5-minutes"...and it is exactly what happened.  Amy is totally no-nonsense about delivering babies...Owen arrived 20-minutes after they got to the hospital!  We didn't know BOY or GIRL and almost everyone thought it was a GIRL...what a sweet surprise in Owen! 

I flew to Charlotte that afternoon and was cuddling that boy before dinner!  When I wasn't hanging out at the hospital with Amy and Owen, I was with Avery and Matt, learning Avery's routine.  She is such a joy and we had a blast together...we played, read, did stickers...and repeated that a zillion times!  I learned about Amy's pregnancy with Owen on March 2nd.  We got home from China that evening and Amy and I were the last ones awake...sitting at the kitchen table chatting.  It was so special to dash to Charlotte and welcome this baby...he is already very, very loved! 

Around Here...

...We're winding down a wonderful summer!  It was just the right mix of structure (golf camp, VBS, American Girl camp) and lazy afternoons in the backyard. 

 ...We're amazed at the energy and spirit in Eli!  He keeps our washing machine working...constantly changing clothes and choosing to express himself through his socks.  He is in-and-out of his football uniforms numerous times a day.  He likes us to watch him play - he is the Quarterback, Wide Receiver and Defensive Tackle - all at the same time!  He's doing lots of thinking too...I overheard him ask Samuel "did you have brothers and sisters in China?" and last week he asked me "when Samuel came out of his mommy's belly, where you there to catch him?"  He continues to love music, so we sit in our pew at church at the end of the service even as the other folks leave the sanctuary because Eli doesn't want to leave while there is still an instrument playing...so we hear the entire "dismissal song."  He has absolutely "risen to the occasion" as our middle child - or "the central position" as Grandma likes to say! 

 

...We're tickled with our Samuel!  Oh, he does all the normal almost 19-month old stuff...if left unattended he will unroll toilet paper, flush the toilet twenty times, crawl up the stairs, put crayons in his mouth (or on the wall!)...but he has blossomed so much and we're thrilled to see these normal (mischeivous!) behaviors!  It makes us laugh that sometimes he smiles so hard that his left eye completely closes.  He has become very empathetic and will pat Lucy and Eli on the back if they are upset.  He's quick to run up to Chris and me and wrap his adorable arms around our legs and give us a few pats.  He's definitely feeling like a member of the family!  I don't want to ever forget this: he was finished eating and running around when the four of us started saying our dinner prayer...Samuel heard the prayer and came running over to the table to hold our hands...attachment indeed.  When we got home from China he was in the 5th percentile for his weight, in June he was in the 20th, he is now in the 46th...he loves to eat and should be learning to use a spoon, but has figured out that slows him down.  His progress is a miracle!  

 ...We've celebrated our Lu!  How can this sweet girl be 6?  Her initial birthday party idea was a Fancy Nancy/slip-and-slide/make-your-own-sundae/make-your-own pizza extravaganza...I don't know where this creativity comes from?  We narrowed that down to a Fancy Nancy/make-your-own-sundae celebration and she had a blast!  She keeps herself very busy playing school, taking care of her babies, and entertaining Eli and Samuel.  She loves to read and being in kindergarten...she said her favorite part of the day is literacy.  She continues to say she wants to be a teacher, artist and mother when she grows up.  She is wise beyond her years and I miss her during the day...time does fly when you're having fun!  

...We've celebrated Samuel's baptism...he's been marked as a child of God. 

...We're thankful for a great start to the school year and awesome teachers!  It worked out great that Eli and Samuel are going to a new school this year too, so there was enough new-ness to spread around!  All of the kindergartners at Lucy's school are given a bag - no backpacks allowed - so that the teachers and staff know which students are kindergartners.  Eli and Samuel's school gives bags too.  They all have great teachers and are excited to go each morning!  I've signed a zillion pieces of paper over the past month, deposited money into Lu's online lunch account (hello 2012!) and tried to be calm and encouraging as they navigate these first few weeks!

Samuel's daily reports consistently call him a "love bug!"  And, I've been told I need to send him more to eat for lunch.

Eli's class has seven other children and he loves his music class and learning Spanish.  He has to take something for show-and-tell each week that starts with the letter they are studying.  So far, he's taken an Apatosaurus and a Blue Volkswagen Beetle toy car.

This is Lucy's teacher's first year teaching and we love her enthusiasm!  Lu is tired by the end of the day, but she says she's having a great time...it is fun to watch her learn and see the work she brings home.  We went to the Girl Scount "Round-Up" meeting this week and she loved it!  So, it looks like she'll be a Daisy this year!  This is her third year to participate in choir at our church...those two activities seem like enough for Lu.  She continues to enjoy a lot of "free play" at home...I know her school days are very structured.  She really wanted to ride the bus and enjoys riding it home each day - she recently navigated a "who do I sit with?" situation and we were so proud of her...I had to sit on my hands to keep from intervening!  She was so pleased with how it turned out and we love her confidence! All is good around here!