Happy New Year 2011!

Well, as you know, holidays come and go fast!! We had just a bit of snow so far this winter. This is Micah's first run in a little dusting we had.

Micah was in his first stage performance with the Montessori School winter program. Too cute!

Ben has really grown since last year which made Christmas more fun. He got into singing carols and thoroughly enjoyed decorating his candy house. While he is not a crafty kind of guy, the candy was a real attraction!

We are almost home with Micah four months now! He is adding some words to his vocabulary such as "get down" and "Boma" for Bennett. He happily follows Ben in the school door two mornings a week. He also continues to go along with me to any store with a smile on his face! Sometimes I'll go in the evening and take Micah along so Brad and Ben can play "big boy" dragons and bears without interruption.

Micah continues to eat well. I discovered he loves cooked carrots. Yeah! And I found out too many snacks make him think if he holds out at dinnertime, I'll bring out the good food! He is napping longer now.

Ben turns 5 years old at the end of January. Somehow, for Ben it has been almost like a teenager turning 16 - a prize achievement. I think it has to do with his anticiaption of going to kindergarten. Wrestling is a big activity at our house this winter and maybe every winter until they go to college!

Travel Group Friends

We were so blessed to have Diane and her kids travel from New Jersey to visit us! Another travel family lives close by and we run into each other quite often! What a way to celebrate being home  two months!!

Celebrating Micah

My sister and my friend Robin pulled together a party for Micah. I was surprised by the love at this event and by the gifts many of you gave at Micah's homecoming. Thank you for your words of encouragement, fun clothes and things for the boys to do. We are blessed!

Everywhere that Bennett goes...

Everywhere that Ben goes Micah is sure to go or at least try to! Ben sometimes likes it and sometimes would rather not have a shadow. I asked him what his favorite thing about the trip to China was and he said,"The plane ride, movies and getting Micah." Not the first two things I would pick but definitely the last one!

Wow! Home two months!

We all are amazed how time flies! All the dreaming and praying through paperwork is now a wonderful reality! We are a family who has settled in to life together. The boys and I did lots of harvest events to help expose Micah to outdoor fun before we have to go inside for the winter. His class also had a fun party I got to help with.

Sweet Boy

One of the many things that have happened in the last few weeks is that Micah now has  many friends!
More things:
His hair is filling in darker and thicker!
He started preschool two mornings a week.
He got his stateside immunizations caught up.
He now sleeps in his crib in a room shared with Bennett. (one week down!)
We can leave the bedroom before the boys are asleep. (two days down! Brad and I can have more conversations now!!)
He likes swinging on a big boy swing. The baby swing didn't last very long with him.
Communication is going better.
At his one month check-up he only gained a few ounces - so I guess he won't be having a big growth spurt.
He's not eating as much as he did at first.

We are thankful for all the growth that we see!

One month home

Micah loves time at Grandma's house and with his cousins. What fun to be be babied! The neighbor kids are so good to him, too. They love to help him do just about anything!

Micah really enjoys animals but is wary of them. Here at the Mannheim Farm show he talked excitedly quite often as we walked around checking out the various animals. He did NOT want to be out of his stroller.

We have been home one month tomorrow. WOW! Where did time go - It seems so long ago that we had the first week of so many firsts. Our boy will probably always be one of those busy types but things continue to go smoother. More later!