Zalen Moise.......3 months home

 

It is hard for me to believe that Zalen has only been home for 3 months.  It just seems like he has been part of our family forever.  The above picture was taken on Easter Sunday - his first big American holiday since he has been home.  I love my kiddos.  Here are a few more pictures from our Easter fun:

Zalen's Egg Dinosaur

This is not an Easter Egg!

Time to go on an egg hunt

He loved dying eggs and the three different Easter Egg hunts he went on.  He was way too interested in shaking each egg and wanting to open each one instead of just running around and picking them up.  At Aunt Charity's he thought the ball hitch on the van was an Easter egg and I laughed when he tried to grab it.

The twins turned five at the end of March and I was a bit nervous about how Zalen would react to the extra attention they would get, but mainly concerned about the presents.  I am glad we were able to break him in a few days before the big family party.  On the twin's actual birthday we presented them with a gift.  As I expected, Zalen thought he should get one as well.  He pouted quite a bit and then I pointed out that Aleigh didn't get one either because it wasn't her birthday.  I wasn't sure he understood but I reassured him his birthday would be coming up soon and he would get presents as well.  By the time the big party rolled around he seemed to get the concept and didn't pout at all.  Of course there was a lot of things to keep him distracted - like water guns!! 

He is doing so well!  He is for the most part a very content little boy.  He is definitely a lover -- and will just crawl right up into your lap and give you hugs.  Now he won't stay there, not much of a snuggler.  One of my biggest challenges with him is to get him to sit on the couch.  He always wants to sit on the floor.  I always feel bad because we will all be snuggled in on the couch watching a movie and he is sitting on the floor - his preference.  He normally starts on the couch and ends up on the floor.  

We have had some major breakthroughs in communication this month.  I had an epiphany one night that if I always just give him a drink, give him a snack, give him etc... then he will never communicate with me when he wants something.  So for a few weeks I really worked on him asking for what I was going to give him, hoping he would pick up the concept.  I think it worked.  First he came up to me in the kitchen and mumbled something.  He is still unsure when he speaks to me so he doesn't speak very loud.  I asked him to repeat what he said and leaned down close to listen.  "Can I please have a drink?"  I have never been so excited to get a drink for someone in all my life.  I about just broke out in a Hallelujah dance right there in the kitchen.  The second time he came and asked me if he could color.  I again was so excited!  We are communicating with words!!  Ok, simple things right now like drinks and coloring but it is the beginning to much more.  I am excited to see how another month will further break down the language barrier. 

We are still working on colors and I have started working with him more on his writing/coloring skills.  We have been coloring more and doing some pre-write exercises with the dry erase markers.  His drawings still mainly are scribbles and small circles so I am trying to expand these activities to include shapes.  He is really doing good at sorting out the colors with our megabloks but gets mixed up on the names of the colors.  

He loves playing outside.  His favorite thing to do is push around the umbrella stroller I have for Kinnly.  He will just push and push it around the yard.  He also loves Aleigh's scooter.  We don't have a good place to ride it out here with so much gravel but when we took it with us to the tennis courts he loved riding it and was actually doing quite well on it.  I have already decided that for his birthday he needs a bike of some kind.  He loves the bikes as well.  When he isn't playing with something with wheels he is cooking something.  I am constantly seeing him stirring something up in a bowl or bucket.  He loves to cook.  Avery has influenced him a lot and taught him how to pick up grass, rocks, leaves, etc... to use as ingredients.  

He also has been doing much better with not wetting his bed at night.  I think we are ready to get rid of the pull-ups.  He has went almost two weeks now with no accidents.  I think his body has finally got into the habit of our routine.  I do limit his liquids in the evening because he is a very sound sleeper.

Please keep him in your prayers this next month as we will do another blood draw and check his thyroid readings again.  I am praying for a normal reading when the results come back in.  

Looking forward to this next month as we celebrate Zalen's first birthday.  Also hoping to get things rolling with his re-adoption and make him a Fuller legally.  

Just watching the boys bond and work together makes this mommy's heart so happy!