6 Months Home!!!

Six Months. 184 Days.
During the last 6 months we think we have felt every emotion/feeling known to mankind. We have experienced joy, sadness, frustration, elation, doubt, overwhelmed, anxious, laughter. We have gone through the darkest days and nights with each other and have come out the other side. We have wanted to give up and we have wanted some days to last forever. We have all looked at each other and cried and felt so inadequate that all we could do was laugh. We have slept on the floor, patted a bottom for hours to soothe to sleep, rocked and cuddled for countless hours. Again, through it all, we have made it through and even stronger than we were before. We have become a family!!!
Last night as we played on the floor in Jae-min's room we were sitting in the spot where we had slept when he first arrived home. Tears welled up in my eyes as I remembered those days. During those times it felt so hopeless. We were exhausted and overwhelmed and had so many first time parent jitters. Looking back at those days I sort of felt a twinge of nostalgia. I'm not saying I would wish for them back, but I am grateful we went through them. They make these days so much sweeter.

As things have settled down we have begun to notice the little things that make Jae-min unique and we thought today, our 6 month anniversary, would be a good time to share them. Enjoy...

How do we love thee?

Let us count the little ways......

*We love his belly laugh and how his face gets bright red, almost looking like his head will pop off.

*We love the scar by his left eye from a scratch he had when we met him in Korea. We say its his little Korean souvenior.

*We love the dimple high on his left cheek when he smiles big.

*We love how his pinky toes jut out slightly from the others.

*We love how in certain light you can see the peach fuzz on his cheeks.

*We love his birthmark under his armpit.

*We love his inquisitive mind and his love of learning.

*We love how he feeds the dog one piece of food at a time.

*We love how he rubs his blankie as he falls asleep.

*We love that he is Korean.

*We love seeing his smiling face at 6 am. Well, we like it more at 6:45 but thats another story.

*We love how he cuddles into you as he's rocked.

*We love how he loves us unconditionally,

*But most of all we love how he made us a family!!!

Happy 6 months home Jae-min Francis. We will never ever forget that day, that trip, and all the days that followed.

Are You Ready For Some Football?

Yesterday was Joe's fantasy football draft with his buddies from his old job (that sounds so weird). This year we had Jae-min home to help daddy pick the best players. So, he turned on the computer at 8:30 am while I got Jae-min dressed in his football outfit only to realize that oops the draft was actually at 8:30 PM. So...needless to say, Jae-min did not attend the draft but looked cute in his outfit anyway!!! We worked on touchdown all day and hope Jae-min has it by the first game. Jae-min and daddy waiting for the football draft.

Jae-min has had a big couple of weeks. He's started walking behind his push toy and climbing the stairs. He has several new words "cracker", "car", "go" which he uses appropriately. He's also used other words yet not consistently so we won't count them yet. He's also using the sign for help appropriately. He's begun to feed himself, after lots and lots of patience and work!!!
With all this progress comes a little "toddler tude". Jae-min has grown independent and with this independence comes some frustration. He's begun to have mini meltdowns, mini tantrums, and whining. He's definately testing us and we know this is totally age appropriate. We're actually happy to see these tests because it means that Jae-min feels comfortable and safe with us. We're sort of igoring these behaviors which is working so far. So, "toddler tude", it doesn't work with us!!!!!

Firsts!!!!!!

As you all know Jae-min joined our family through adoption so we didn't get to see some of his "firsts", but we've tried to make up for that since he's been home. We didn't get those little "first" footprints and handprints when he was born to place on his birth certificate and then place on our shirts so.....we made our own!!! We bought a little kit this weekend and had Jae-min press his hand and foot into the clay so that we could always remember how small he was when we met him. Who needs those teeny tiny prints when you can have the chubby ones that hold onto your hand while snuggling? We love our "first" prints even more!!!!

This weekend Jae-min had another "first" that we could be a part of. He had his first haircut from his Auntie!!!! She did a great job and he looks so snazzy and handsome I just can't stand it!! From the back and sides he looks so grown up, but from the front he still looks like my little baby. When he finished getting his haircut (which he did a great job at) I looked at him and my breath was slightly taken away. He's sooo handsome and I just want him to stay a baby alittle longer. I feel like we haven't had enough time, and now he's turning into a little toddler. Give me my baby back!!! haha Let's stop time and stare at his cuteness.

This first picture is the after:

This second picture is the before:

Our last "first" this week has been for Joe. He has started a new job teaching in the electrical department at the local highschool. His first day of school was today and he was a wee bit nervous. It was a big decision to leave his other job, but Jae-min and I are so proud of him and can't wait to go to his school and peek through the windows and whisper "thats our daddy". We'll wait though, we don't want anyone to think we're crazy haha.

So, we celebrate these "firsts" and look forward to many many more in our little family.

Silly Goose!!!!

The other night after dinner we went to feed the two geese that live at our local small airport. We were all excited to go on this family outing and Jae-min clutched the bread bag in his hands all the way there. When we approached the geese everyone was happy and having a great time, until.... Remember I said that it was a family outing? So yes, that means we brought along Martin. He was being very good with the geese when all of a sudden the big goose began to hiss at Martin, distracting Jae-min, which allowed the little goose to snatch the bread right out of Jae-min's hands!!! They were in cahoots I tell ya!! So, needless to say our fun outing turned into a barking, crying fest with two very upset goose visitors. Silly Gesse!!! I never knew geese hissed, did you?

This past weekend we met up with another family we had met during our waiting family groups. They traveled to Korea in June to bring home their son Ryan. We were so excited to finally meet him, he's such a doll. We went to a local park and then to the waterfront for a casual dinner. The boys had so much fun playing and eating together. It was so fun to see them home with their little one!!! Welcome home Ryan. We hope you and Jae-min are great friends.

5 Months Home!!!!

Today marks 5 months home with our little Jae-min!!! The time has totally flown by since March and we just can't believe its already been 5 months. Where does the time go? This past month has been a big change for Jae-min. We think that now he finally feels like this is his house too and he's really become very inquisitive and alittle more independent this month. He loves exploring and looking back at us to make sure we're still there, waving.
So, in honor of 5 months home we thought we'd post 5 new things about Jae-min:
1. He's now saying Mama and Dada, music to our ears!!! He also uses word approximations for ball (ba), book (bo), bird (bir) and balloon (baoo) and he's trying Martin (Mabroer) which translates to Martin brother. If you know him well you can decipher between all these b words and if not he'll just keep repeating them until you figure it out.
2. He's understanding more directiions to get ball and trucks, He's also able to look for mom, dad, and Martin when asked.
3. He and Martin totally crack us up everyday together. They now actually play together, Jae-min getting him a toy and Marty running down the hall to fetch it. Jae-min then squeals in delight as Marty runs back toward him down the hall dropping the toy in front of Jae-min. This could go on for hours, or until Marty gets tired!!!
4. His play has changed from just shaking and banging to actually playing with trucks and all of his toys in a different manner.
5. He is so lovable and friendly, always waving to others in church, at the beach, at the canal. He has this little Mr. America wave that totally captures everyones hearts as he makes eye contact with you and waves. He's just alittle cuddle bug and loves cuddles, tickles, and smooches.This month has brought many new experiences for Jae-min and he's enjoyed each and every one of them. We can honestly say that now we really can't remember life without him. Just look at that face!!!!

A New Mode Of Transportation And A Few Appointments

We bought this bike trailer to hook to the back of Joe's bike so that the boys can go for a ride together!!! They have been enjoying riding and Jae-min just loves anything that moves, so this trailer is just up his alley. Don't worry, he has a helmet, just wasn't wearing it in this picture!!!!Our 2nd post placement visit with our social worker went well. She thought Jae-min was doing great and that in return we were doing a great job. We talked at length about alot of stuff and she kept reassuring us that we're doing exactly what we should be doing and parenting Jae-min terrifically.
We also visited an international pediatrician last week. She had reviewed his file so it was fun for her to see him in real life. She thought he looked great for arriving so early into this world. She thought his development at this point is on track. We will visit with her again after the new year just to make sure everything continues to go well developmentally. We also talked alot about attachment, bonding, and my worries and fears for Jae-min. She also reassured us that she saw no red flags with the attachment stuff and thinks he's bonding well. We talked how its a continuous process and to keep doing the things we're doing. We also talked about how much I worry about him and hover around him. She thinks thats wonderful and encouraged us to continue to be there for him whenever he needs or wants us. We talked about sleeping and again we're doing what we should be doing here too. No letting him cry it out and tending to each need to continue to build that trust.
We felt better when we left these appointments as we got reassurance that we're on the right track and parenting Jae-min as he needs to be. So, we'll continue to do what we're doing because I guess its working!!!!!!!!!! Yahoo

4 Months Home!!!!

Wow, this post is way too late!!! This past Sunday we celebrated 4 months as a family of 3. We spent the day together walking along the canal and having a picnic lunch. It was a nice way to spend a summer day. Jae-min continues to thrive and is pulling to stand on everything and anything he can get his hands on. He's beginning to cruise alittle on the furniture and has become the little dare devil!!! He's chatting up a storm and has started to refer to me as Maba. Whatever works, right? Oh, and he's still such the little nerd vocalizing Baa for books everytime he sees a book, even in church when he saw the song books!!! I guess book was his first word. Definately I found the right little boy as he appears to share my love of books. He also now has 6 (and a half) teeth. ouch
Today we are going to our agency for our 2nd post placement visit. It will be fun to show Jae-min to all the people who helped us bring him home.Jae-min also melted this mommas heart this week. He's become very affectionate but we've always had to ask for a smooch and then he would happily lean in and give us a drooly kiss. Well this week I got my first unsolicisted kiss!!!! I had taken him out of the crib in the morning and we were hanging out in the rocking chair with his head on my shoulder when all of a sudden he looked at me, smiled wide, and leaned in and planted one right on me!!!! To say my heart melted is an understatement!!!