Rex - Seventeen Weeks Home

Yesterday marked seventeen weeks home and nineteen weeks out of the orphanage for Rex. The last two weeks have been a whirlwind of change for him and for all of us. Rex has really handled everything in comparative stride. He was an amazing little traveler on the way to and from Bulgaria, he held up well while we were in Eastern Europe, and he settled back into our home life with ease. We have seen a few expected regressions, including one major rage of two hours in Sofia, but it’s not been anything we can’t handle.

So, Rex is growing… I mean really, he seems bigger every day. He weighed in at the pediatrician at 30 pounds. Developmentally, Rex has finally learned how to operate ride-on toys. When he was first home, he did not want to straddle anything, but now he rides around on those toys despite being a bit too big for them at this point. I was also so very proud of Rex for another first: he sat on my lap fully awake and let me cut his fingernails without any tears or fussing. He was so cooperative that I don’t think it even took a minute to accomplish this grooming task.

Bonding seems to have made a big leap forward with increased eye contact for Craig and me as well as lots of permissible cuddles. When we first had Rex, he would not allow us to touch his face or hold his hands. Now he lets me cup his cheeks into my hands and kiss him. I can also run my finger down from his forehead across his nose and lips to his chin and he enjoys it. Lately we’ve seen a few occasions where Rex has checked back visually with Craig and me before he proceeded with an activity. Moreover, he is just barely starting to hold on to our hands while walking in certain public situations.

Of course, the biggest challenge of the last two weeks has been the arrival of Emilia in our family. Rex is still a bit tentative about her, but we are very pleased that he has shown no aggression or any other negative behaviors toward her. Both kids are still in the parallel play stage, so we don’t expect any interactive play yet. We’re happy that they have locked eyes a few times and exchanged a few brief touches. I think once Emilia gets a little more settled, her sweet spirit will eventually win over her stubborn big brother.