We are still here! Although after not blogging for over a month I wouldn't blame anyone for not being here to read this blog, LOL! We have been running non-stop since we got home from China and it has been nice to get away from the computer for awhile after being glued to it during the adoption process.
So what have we been up to? Well since we returned from our trip we were home for one week traveled to Ohio for another whirlwind week (while still jet lagged) bought a house, returned to Ohio 2 weeks later to close on it and then came back and started the moving process. I would not recommend doing this after just returning from a 2 and a half week adoption trip with a new 3 year old but we survived (somehow), thank you God.
To say we have been busy is an understatement. Ren has been amazing through all this and is the sweetest little boy imaginable. He has transformed from the little boy we knew in China. China was rough for him (and us), but now that we are home he is the happiest, funniest and most affectionate little guy! Eden who had an easy time in China, came home and realized Ren was here to stay and her life turned upside down for awhile.
I can now say they are pretty much inseparable :-). They still have the normal sibling spats but are really working things through now. They love playing together most of the time ;-).
Ren's transition has been really easy. For those of you adopting I want to write an adoption tips post soon. For now some of the details you might be interested in are at 3 and a half he has picked up English really fast. He still is speaking Chinglish but also sentences in English! He is learning phrases instead of just words like "I don't know", "hang on", "I see you", "come here". He really resisted English while in China and the first weeks home and wanted us to learn Mandarin LOL! Once immersed in English he listened for awhile and then just started using it! He loves action movies and Star Wars is his favorite. While watching Star Wars he insisted that Yoda was a baby camel. I will never look at Yoda the same way again, ha ha ha!
It took about 2 weeks for him to totally transition to EST and now sleeps through the night. He sleeps really well and still takes an afternoon nap (YAY)!
I have not seen any attachment issues since we have returned. In fact having him here has pointed out some issues we need to continue to work on with Eden. This is a good thing though, and only helps us to help Eden work through some stuff.
For anyone adopting from Wuxi SWI, I would like to say that I feel they take wonderful care of the children and it is a wonderful facility. I was wondering how much they really worked with the children and if they had much pre-school. I think they did seeing how much Ren already knows. I would like to say that Ren was in foster care during the weekends and maybe nighttime. I think this made a huge difference for him. I found out that he went home with a young single girl who took a liking to him. I do not know all the details. What I do know is that there is NO organization that sponsors foster care at Wuxi SWI. Foster care there is strictly on a volunteer basis and there is no funding for it. I believe that people ask to foster children they have a special fondness for and the SWI allows them to foster them.
So what have we been up to? Well since we returned from our trip we were home for one week traveled to Ohio for another whirlwind week (while still jet lagged) bought a house, returned to Ohio 2 weeks later to close on it and then came back and started the moving process. I would not recommend doing this after just returning from a 2 and a half week adoption trip with a new 3 year old but we survived (somehow), thank you God.
To say we have been busy is an understatement. Ren has been amazing through all this and is the sweetest little boy imaginable. He has transformed from the little boy we knew in China. China was rough for him (and us), but now that we are home he is the happiest, funniest and most affectionate little guy! Eden who had an easy time in China, came home and realized Ren was here to stay and her life turned upside down for awhile.
I can now say they are pretty much inseparable :-). They still have the normal sibling spats but are really working things through now. They love playing together most of the time ;-).
Ren's transition has been really easy. For those of you adopting I want to write an adoption tips post soon. For now some of the details you might be interested in are at 3 and a half he has picked up English really fast. He still is speaking Chinglish but also sentences in English! He is learning phrases instead of just words like "I don't know", "hang on", "I see you", "come here". He really resisted English while in China and the first weeks home and wanted us to learn Mandarin LOL! Once immersed in English he listened for awhile and then just started using it! He loves action movies and Star Wars is his favorite. While watching Star Wars he insisted that Yoda was a baby camel. I will never look at Yoda the same way again, ha ha ha!
It took about 2 weeks for him to totally transition to EST and now sleeps through the night. He sleeps really well and still takes an afternoon nap (YAY)!
I have not seen any attachment issues since we have returned. In fact having him here has pointed out some issues we need to continue to work on with Eden. This is a good thing though, and only helps us to help Eden work through some stuff.
For anyone adopting from Wuxi SWI, I would like to say that I feel they take wonderful care of the children and it is a wonderful facility. I was wondering how much they really worked with the children and if they had much pre-school. I think they did seeing how much Ren already knows. I would like to say that Ren was in foster care during the weekends and maybe nighttime. I think this made a huge difference for him. I found out that he went home with a young single girl who took a liking to him. I do not know all the details. What I do know is that there is NO organization that sponsors foster care at Wuxi SWI. Foster care there is strictly on a volunteer basis and there is no funding for it. I believe that people ask to foster children they have a special fondness for and the SWI allows them to foster them.
Ren and Eden at Grandma G's house
Eden in dance class
Bathtub fun
We took Rachel, Eden and Ren to the C*le Br*ther's Circus and had a blast. Eden and Ren rode the ponies and loved it.
Here is the human cannonball getting ready to be shot out of the world's largest cannon at and I quote "at 16 G's" !!! hmmmmm I think he would of been shot out of the tent at 16 G's.
Sneak peak at the new house. We weren't going to buy new construction, but we got a builders incentive percentage rate of 3.8% !!
My snuggle bunny
Rachel has been home from college before she goes to Uganda. She has been a huge help through all the craziness here. I have been helping her get set for her trip and bought her some gear for her trip. I couldn't let her go gorilla tracking in her Chucks!! Here is a picture of her in her jungle attire. (OK maybe she won't be wearing all this he he he he). Follow her trip on her blog HERE.
