We choose to celebrate National Adoption Month for all of our boys. There are many ways to make a family and we have tested that with a traditional adoption and embryo adoption both. We celebrate Otto's Gotcha Day on November 22nd as the anniversary of the day he officially became an Earl legally. Thus, we celebrated the twin's first Gotcha Day on November 5th as the anniversary of the day they were transferred as embryos to my womb and legally became ours. It is a beautiful story in all its forms! Happy Adoption Day!
Our weeks were incredibly busy with our friend C in the mornings and M in the afternoons. My phone was always buzzing with alerts to remind me to pick someone up or drop someone off. The babies were small enough to sleep anywhere and I often fed them in the car while waiting in the pick up line. While the weather wasn't too cold, we waited to pick up M by playing at the nearby park for a few minutes. This worked out well when the babies fell asleep and could stay in the car.Otto also loved to hear stories while we waited in the pick-up line at school. I told him stories of Jedi Knights and Luke Skywalker. He wanted to hear and retell the stories many many times.
It was becoming clear, however, that the time spent in the car and trying to meet the needs of all 5 children was becoming difficult. The weather wasn't going to be pleasant for much longer to wait at the park or in the car. I imagined if they were all 5 my own, I would be trying to find someone at their own school to share carpool with to avoid so much driving around, parking, waiting, and I would be getting young babies on a better nap schedule. So, I concluded that we may not be able to continue watching other children long term.
I spent as much time taking the kids to the park as we could while the weather was tolerable. I bundled them up in hooded body suites and hats, extra blankets, and we took the stroller out.
What I learned about each child this month:Otto: He loves stories and story time. We got audio CD books from school from Scholastic and he was thrilled to hear a book read to him in the car. He does homework with M (3rd grade) after school every day and has begun reading Kindergarten level books. I teach him the sight words for each leveled reader and he sounds out the words until he is reading fluently. He is not so keen on learning to write or color, but I think it will come along eventually. His love for dinosaurs has begun to overtake his love for cars. We talk often about his "Super Powers" of love, learning, and friendship. He uses these powers at school and tells me about it when I pick him up.
Atticus: Is learning to use his voice! He struggles with acid reflux and digestive issues so there are some difficult nights with a lot of screaming. However, he is a happy baby in the daytime and squeaks and squeals and coos. He likes to jerk and twitch and surprise even himself. He is full of static kinetic energy, ready to pounce! Not quite sitting up or rolling over, but lifting his head during tummy time.
Vincent: Vincent is a rock star! He sings and grunts in a low, guttural sound. He is a butterball of potential energy. He doesn't have the drive to keep going like his brother, but he likes to roll up into a ball, grab his feet, and stay put. His back and neck muscles are strong enough to sit up with assistance. He is fascinated by textures so he grabs, feels, and inspects with his hands. He loves to sit forward on your lap, but he will always periodically look back to make sure you are still there holding him.
We got out the high chairs for them to sit and play and watch the world in the dining room as we move about the house and kitchen.
Their nap times are difficult and random, sometimes they nap at completely opposite time so at least one is always awake. It makes getting anything done impossible. I believe this to be the problem with our strict bedtime. Even though we have been consistent with 8pm bedtime routines, suddenly Vincent is staying awake until almost midnight. He cries for hours when we try to leave him in the crib and he is liking a ticking time bomb when we rock him to sleep and try to transfer him to the crib. Luckily, he doesn't wake up Atticus. They have miraculously been able to sleep together and never wake each other up when the other has a rough night. Thank goodness!
Thanksgiving with the families in Brigham City was fantastic as always! Noon-lunch meal with the Earl/Rasmussen clan and another evening meal with the Reeder/Bohmans. I had a ZILLION packages of skittles from Halloween so I put together a gratitude game that we played at both families. We took out 1 skittle at a time from our package and told what we were grateful for based on the color. Otto was very good at it since we practiced with several packages of skittles at home leading up to the holiday.
The weekend after Thanksgiving is always our Christmas decorating day. I like the season to last as long as possible.
We worked on putting up our tree and lights. Of course, when we say to a 4 yr old "Mommy and Daddy have a lot to do today and we are going to be getting things ready for Christmas. You need to help by playing downstairs and staying out of the way." He hears, "Please bring all of your toys and puzzles upstairs and into the living room."
Mostly, he was helpful and tried to find places on the tree to hang the ornaments.
We took advantage of some time together to have a "beauty day" and paint our nails. He chose the colors he wanted and did very good sitting still so they could dry while watching a movie.Part of his power is that he can do and be whoever he chooses when it is done in love. No proactive, positive activity is just for girls or just for boys. No fashion choice is reserved for only one gender. Using his power of love, he can help others to understand that by accepting and spreading love to others for their choice to express themselves.
With his colorful nails, he showed them off to everyone and got many compliments and smiles. This was how he saw his powers working.
Otto is still such a big brother and takes excellent care of them.
