One week home

Two short weeks ago our boy was living in an orphanage in Russia. Now he is home. He has been an American for a whole week and he is loving being part of a family.

Things that have happened this week:

Our son now responds to "Jacob". Misha will always be a part of his identity and we have kept Mikhail as his middle name. But now he will look when we call his name.

Jay also responds to "no-no" which surprised me. I guess it's the tone he recognizes. But there is one thing in the house he feels he must touch that is off limits: the fireplace tools. I have left them out so far because he actually responds to the verbal correction.

Jacob knows with assurity who "Mama" is and that she is important. If someone else is holding him and I come into the room, he wants me.

 

Jacob is learning to express pain and seek comfort. This is very good for our tuff guy.

I no longer hear tooth grinding and Jacob's thumb has healed completely.

Jacob only rocks himself a little now when he is over tired right before nap time. He accepts my rocking and soothing at sleep time. His self-soothing "orphan behaviors" have diminished greatly.

We are sleeping through the night!! The past 3 nights have been completely silent from 8pm to 7am!

Baby Jay is finally relaxing a bit about food. His meal still MUST be ready the moment he wakes to keep peace. But he is learning to take his time and even sign when he is "all done". All of our children have done baby signs. It is exciting to see him using one so soon.

 

In the two weeks that we have had him, Jay has gone from a tense ball of gulping sputtering laser-focus on his food to laying back and drinking his bottle and even taking an occasional break to chew on the nipple or look around. He is learning that there is enough food all the time.

Jacob loves having siblings. We wondered if he would be overwhelmed by our busy household. True, the orphanage was likely a noisy and busy place. But in a group of babies your own age no one is in your face trying to talk to you and "play" with you. You get to just do your own thing. Jacob loves the attention and continual entertainment his siblings bring.

 

Jacob loves his pets. We also wondered if Jay would be afraid of the dogs or cats. Quite the contrary, Jacob loves the dogs and finds the cats fascinating.

 

 

 

This has been an amazing week. We are all still adjusting and the experience is not without challenges. But this first week has been far better than I could ever have imagined. We are blessed.