Catch-up.

I think this marks the longest time period between posts for me. And that's pretty much a result of my life which is completely nuts right now. Work is as hard and stressful as it's ever been for me, it's allergy season big-time in Colorado and I'm behind in everything. Oh - and I have an 19-month old tornado (formerly knows as the pork chop). Thank God my skinny jeans fit or I'd be totally losing it.

I want to blog so I have record of all of the amazing things going on with Samuel. I've heard parents say it a hundred times "time passes so fast and they grow up so quickly!" But WOW - the changes we see in Sam in a week are really unbelievable. Since I'm strapped for time, I'll just list some highlights:

• He continues to be a great sleeper. (Thank you, Sam!) He generally sleeps through the night for about 10.5 hours, then has about a 2 hour nap mid day. Wake ups are seldom - 2 nightmares to date, or when he's sick. Getting him calm enough to consider sleep is another story - he's usually in the crib for about :30 minutes chatting away after he finishes his bottle and lobs is at the baby monitor. No, I'm not ready to take him off the bottle yet. Not even close. (Please oh please oh please let this sleep pattern continue. Please!)
• He's walking everywhere - and very quickly. He has finally, thanks to daddy, learned to go down stairs/curbs backwards, so there is much less road rash on his face. 
• He's super-active - always going, going, going (and usually throwing, throwing, throwing) but still loves books and being carried in the sling. We love the playground - especially the swings and slide. He's quite an adventurer.
• Talking is the big thing right now! He's a real parrot and he learns new words every day - sometimes every hour. Some current favorites are: tractor!, car!, Jackson!, tree!, apple!, nana!, agua!, up! (which sounds just like apple), boo!, wow!, ought oh!, hi mama!, (although he doesn't call me mama, he does say hi mama! (as one word) when I walk into the room. Oh - and of course no, no, no!, door!, ball! And a few others I'm sure I'm forgetting. When I say the alphabet, he's in charge of saying the letter "D!" And yes, he says them all with explanation marks at the end. He loves to communicate, is signing less but still signing for water, more, light and food. There is not more than a minute or so during the day that he's awake that he's not talking. He might be the chattiest, most animated person I've ever met.
• He's showing more affection to us, his loveys, his truck  and Jackson. Very sweet. 
• He's also currently a hitter - and swings at us multiple times a day. I think it's to see what we'll do - because he's always looking us straight in the eye while he does it.
• He's gets fussy - but is easily soothed or distracted most times. Mostly, he's fussy when telling us his opinion. Generally, he's very, very happy - and crazy funny.
• He loves all things boy: throwing, dirt, trucks, tractors, cars, motorcycles. It's amazing how hard-wired this stuff is.

I know that might sound like a glowing assessment of new-parenthood, adopted at that. Is it hard? Hell yes. But because I'm used to being a spoiled, selfish 43-year old, not because Samuel is hard. Mommy has lots of work to do in learning how to do all of this. And I know it will get infinitely harder.

My mom and dad are coming this week for Memorial Day and I could not be more excited! Coincidentally they'll be here on the six-month anniversary of of the last time they were here - when we brought Samuel home - Thanksgiving day.

Love hikes with mama & daddy

Not as easy to get family pictures as it used to be!

Anything that involves flinging his little body around is good by him!

Neighborhood friend

Did I mention he loves all things boy?

Welcome, Samuel!

It's hard to believe that it hasn't even been 6 months that Samuel has been home. It seems like so much more and so much less at the same time. I was looking through pictures the other day of November and December - he was so tiny! He as grown and changed so much. And so have we. The first few weeks were really hard, but I can't quite remember why now? He's always been a happy guy, a great sleeper and a great eater. So why did it seem, at the time, that those first few weeks were so hard? I guess it was the huge change that comes with being 42 and having always had the money and time to do whatever I want. Then, suddenly, there's this little being who takes all the money and time. Fast-forward 6 months and it just feels like family. And now, on those rare occasions when I'm out doing the things I used to do without him, like hike, or travel for work I miss him.

As strange as it sounds, I have known Sam in a lot of ways for quite a while now - even before he really started showing us who he was. So, when in the the first 4 months or so with us he was very well-behaved and quite frankly hardly ever fussy at all, I knew there was much more to come. From the first referral pictures I saw of Sam, I knew that he was willful, strong and brave. I could see it in his eyes. (And we're kindred spirits in a way, I think.)

Recently, I would say he is finally here. He's showing us who he is. His willfulness is coming out in a big way - he's showing us his opinions - his likes and dislikes. He's also showing us more and more love. Both the Samuel I knew was in there - and, a Samuel I didn't know, is making our lives more full every single minute.

What I didn't know about Sam is what a clown he is. He's a riot - funny, silly and happy as can be. When we met him in July he was very guarded. It was hard to get a smile out of him at all. I cried the first day we left the orphanage because I was so afraid there was something wrong with him. He didn't smile until the 4th visit. And now - he cracks himself, and us all day long. Oh what a little love and consistency can do! Our amazing little boy. Welcome. We love you.

Silly little pork chop! The cups are still his favorite. (Thanks Kyndra!)

Our little pilot!

Ready to roll...

With Ethiopian friends:

Mama's favorite time: