Precious Memories

Slam Dunk 






So many wonderful memories I just have to share with everyone that happened this week with Andrew. When we arrived home last week, I forgot to mention that there were framed pictures of Andrew all over the house, like he has been son from day one. They were in the living room, dining room, bedroom and even on the refrigerator thanks to Uncle David. What a nice surprise for us and Andrew. Andrew would see his picture and point to it and say something we couldn't understand. Some of the pictures that are on the end tables he reaches for and walks around the house holding his picture in his hands while he is babbling something or another.



While sitting in Andrew's high chair I taught his how to fold his hands together so we could say a blessing for our food and now I don't have to show him anymore he will just follow me and fold his own hands. Too cute! Also, another day I taught him how to give me a high five. He now holds his hand or hands up in the air and gently touch my hand or hands with them and smile. It's amazing how much he is picking up and learning at this age. Any time I sit down with him and play or teach him something he usually picks it up right away and follows along.



The past couple of days we've been coloring together. Before I get out the coloring book and crayons I take a blanket and lay it down on the living room floor(to protect the floor). Andrew watches me lay it down and gets all excited and goes immediately over to it and sits down on it like we were playing in the orphanage and looks up at me with an expectant look in his eyes enough to say, "Well, what are we goign to play with today". So I bring out the coloring book and the crayons. He gets so tickled over coloring. He loves it.



We have had some food issues this past week. I can tell he doesn't like certain foods since he will get a chill down his spine and make a face when he is shivering. It's funny to watch. Mama was getting a bit frustrated, because he wasn't eating the foods he was eating in Kiev. One day he'll eat scrambled eggs like it's going out of style and a couple days later he push it away. So I've been trying different foods, baby food and table food to see what he'll eat. He has been eating his oatmeal with bananas, raisons and some brown sugar, canteloupe (which he loves), apple pieces (another favorite), sometimes mashed potatoes mixed with chicken soup(bulletized), yogurt, ground beef and or meatloaf and we just discovered how much he enjoys cheesy fishy crackers. Not sure if the food issues were texture related or just the fact that it's just a new taste to him. He has been much better the past couple of days with eating so hopefully it will continue.



One day this week when Andrew was clawing at Mama's legs for me to pick him up while I was making dinner, I opened the bottom drawer of the cabinet to get a tupperware bowl out and his eyes lit up. Oh Boy, what is in there. So I let him play with all of the tupperware bowls (which ended up all over the kitchen) while I finished making dinner. WHEW, what a good diversion so I can get dinner made. He was a happy little boy playing with all of the tupperware bowls. After dinner, I told him that he had to help Mama clean up the bowls and put them back in the drawer, and of couse he helped put them back in the drawer. Such a good little boy.



Help! 





Andrew surprised us by saying a couple new words to add to his vocabulary. While he was pulling the lens cap off of the camera (a game we played at the orphanage) he said the word "Off" on Saturday, as he pulled it off. He loves to put the camera lens on the camera and then pull it off and each time he does I say "ON" or "OFF" (which ever is happening at that time). We were surprised since he said it so clearly just like I always say it to him. Another word he says now is "UP", occasionally when I pick him up, I will say "UP" and he will repeat it. Now we are working on the word "MILK". Everytime I give him his milk to drink I will say, "MILK". He is starting to say it but not completely yet. He says, "MIL" immediately after I say it.



Another precious memory I just have to state is the last couple of nights when putting him in his crib for the night he will lay there ever so calmly and as I am rubbing his chest he will slowly and sweetly blow me a couple of kisses. Ohhh, Andrew what a precious boy you are...you know just how to tug at my heart. So I blew him a couple kisses back to say good night.