Monday, July 28, 2008

quiet weekend


Last week was about as close to a quiet week as we ever have. We went to the zoo Saturday AM w/ our friends Michelle and Bri; and Jennifer and Elaine. We were SO tired when we left. We hung out at home in the afternoon. Sunday we went to church in the AM and did some back to school shopping in the afternoon. Oh, yeah, just 2 weeks away! In this photo, they are playing on Wilson's new toy.





A good friend who I don't see much recently asked me to tell him about the boys. I'm going to copy in some of my response for you serious readers.


Jackson turned 6 in April and will start first grade this fall. He’s very smart and witty. He talks constantly; loves sports; sleeps well; eats well and is generally fun to be around. He is very photogenic as you see, but he’s handsome in person too. His fave sport is basketball right now, but he did very well in soccer and Tball last season. He’s in a sports camp this summer and its nonstop kickball, basketball, dodge ball… He loves it. He’s a pretty good reader and can do some math. We are watching the Planet Earth documentary together when we have time at night. We cook our own popcorn for it. He loves to help around the house, but has started asking to be paid for it. I’ve told him everyone has responsibilities that come with the privilege of being in this home, but he can volunteer for extra duties for low pay. He recently told me that he’s saving money so we can get a bigger house. He likes to be hugged but he’s too big to kiss now (according to him). He is very good with directions and can tell people how to get around town- or at least the places we go. He’s fairly well traveled, having been on an Alaskan cruise, to a Green Bay home game, and visited in San Fran, Dallas, Chicago X 2, Nashville x 3, Little Rock, Mammoth Cave, KY, St. Louis and the Miss Gulf Coast, which he loves. He is fed up with flying though, so our trip to Chicago over Mem Day weekend was via the overnight train. It was a great adventure. Oh, and of course he went to Guatemala twice. He’s traveled and flown more than some adults. He loves our church. He can be over-dramatic, like at church last night when I told him he’d waited too late to get an ice cream (I was wrong) and he melted down on the spot. He is a great helper w/ Wilson. They truly had love at first sight. They are big huggers. We also have dance sessions. We have a Go Fish (Christian kids band) CD that we rock out to. It’s like Pavlov when the music comes on- they start hopping. In a lot of ways he’s a classic first born- on the straight and narrow and wanting to please. I think because it was just the two of us for so long he has this idea that he gets an equal vote with me on family matters. Like on the topic of siblings…how many, gender, etc.




Wilson will be 2 on Monday the 14th. Wilson’s 5 month homecoming anny is Sat [July 12] and that’s when he’ll have a small birthday party. He has had almost no transition issues. We’ve had small bumps in the road but not b/c he emigrated- because he is a child. He sleeps and eats well. He’s got a super sweet personality. He doesn’t talk much and is in speech therapy, but I’m not too worried because he seems to understand very well and I think his “delays” are consistent with a child who heard Spanish only for the first 19 months, then switched to 95% English. I do speak a little Spanish to him- as much as I know. Last night he said “rana” and I realized he was pointing to a picture of a frog in his book. So of course he is right, but they wouldn’t know that at his daycare. He’s so small, I refer to him as pocket sized. <>

Monday, July 21, 2008

just a regular week


Chillin! I don't have a new pic since the birthday party but I love this one of them taking a break after their baths when we got home from Mississippi a couple of weeks ago. Wilson can just barely get his feet propped! Popsicles rock when it's hot.
The few days after birthday weekend were tense. Wilson got accustomed to his rock star status and had trouble going back to regular kid. Plus, he seems to know he's two and maybe he just feels like he's got a lot of reason to complain. And he has. If this is the terrible two's, then I can hang. He's just not quite as laid back as he started out, I guess. We've been encouraging him to speak up so it wouldn't be fair to take that back. Of course he smiles and laughes a lot still. And he's always up for a hug.
Uncles Clark and Jake visited us this weekend and the boys were in Heaven. Wilson had someone new to admire him (Jake's first time to meet him) and Jackson had more attention and someone else to throw a ball to. They hung out with us, visited Jenn with us and went to church with us. We hope they come back soon! Unfortunately, they were also with us when we had a fender bender. No one was injured but the car will be out of comission for a couple of weeks- hopefully starting tomorrow. So the boys came out of their first accident (and hopefully the last) completely unscathed. Thank God. We were on Walnut Grove stopped at a red light when a girl hit us from behind. It was a shock for sure.

Wednesday, July 16, 2008

Wilson is 2! Dr's report.





We basically partied all weekend to celebrate Wilson turning 2. I'm including some photos our friend Rusty took at our supper out with him and Vince @ Red Robin. The boys had a great time as they always do when hanging out with the guys. I had fun too.

Tuesday AM Wilson went to Dr. Higginbotham for his 2 year check up. He is excellent. He cooperated with the exam and the doctor was obviously pleased with the progress he has made since coming home. He's up to 25.5 pounds and 33 inches- way to go! Dr. H said that he's officially no longer "tiny" but he's still small. Very healthy. His development is on track. He's still not a big talker but he's making huge strides- possibly due to a talkative mom and big brother? Dr. H did advise us to get a children's vitamin w/ iron, but otherwise we are GREAT. He was very impressed. All things grow with love and we are fortunate to have an abundance of that.

Saturday, July 12, 2008

Wilson's birthday party Sat 7-12







Wilson marked exactly 5 months home today and also celebrated his 2nd birthday. We had a lot of great friends over to play in the sprinklers and kiddie pool and to have lunch. He had such a great time, but he didn't last past 12:30 and he's still sleeping now. We'll have a quiet afternoon I hope!!

Well I attached some party photos but the last 2 pics should be the first two: the boys getting a taste of cookie cake, then Wilson post bath.

Thursday, July 10, 2008

Introducing Jackson and Wilson.


I'm starting this blog to serve as a casual photo album/diary for the boys.


Everyone should know that Jackson Evan was born in Little Rock, AR on April 8, 2002.


Wilson Ernesto was born in Coatepeque, Guatemala on July 14, 2006 and came home to Cordova on February 12, 2008. I've joked that both boys were born in foreign countries!


I'll attach some of my fave pictures soon. For now, here's a photo of them playing on a playground in Biloxi, MS on July 4.