Today marks nineteen weeks home and twenty-one weeks out of the orphanage for Rex. The last two weeks have still been quite a challenge with him, presenting a mix of terrible, horrible, no good, very bad days and then wonderful days where Rex has been happy and relaxed, open to learning and loving.
Developmentally, we have seen an increase in Rex’s use of sign language, especially for the word eat. He’s also doing a lot of babbling with intonation, for example, at times it sounds like he is asking a question in a language I don’t know. He also has learned how to turn buttons on toys (fortunately not doorknobs yet), improved his pincer grip very much, and also walks much smoother from one surface to another. No more stopping to go up and down from the hardwood floor to the exercise mat at OT, for instance. He’s doing a lot of climbing with the help of his step stool and balancing on top of mattresses and couches. This is great exercise for his muscles and equilibrium, so we are happy to see it. Rex wants to go upstairs a lot now, too, in an effort to expand his territory of exploration. One day I had left my toothbrush loaded with toothpaste on the master bath sink and when I came back to finish, I found Rex attempting to brush his own teeth with it. I guess this means he gets daddy's nightly efforts at dental hygiene. Rex still really dislikes fine motor tasks and gives me a hard time when I make him do them anyway.
Rex and Emilia continue to get to know each other and to figure out what this siblinghood might be about. They have now shared the same space at the same time or used the same toy together on occasion. I am not talking about interactive play, but they might both sit there and listen to the same musical toy or both lounge on the trampoline simultaneously. And they imitate each other’s sounds: one coughs and so will the other, one laughs and the other will join in. There have been times in the car where it sounded like a very animated conversation was happening in the back seat which makes Craig and me smile.
I also want to tell you about our nap time, but it’s so special to me that I plan to devote an entire entry to the topic soon. For now, I’ll just say that I think Rex is well attached to both of us. He is terribly jealous of Emilia when she receives any attention from HIS daddy and he demands his bedtime story and snuggle time with Craig every single night. Rex frequently checks back with me now when we are at therapy sessions and gives me wonderful eye contact at home. I have been able to sneak a few kisses on the lips from him and he lets me hold and rub his hands when we sit together. And he lets me place his hands on my face now and gently move them around. Remember, this is the child who would crane away from hugs, kisses and other physical contact and not allow anyone to touch his face or hands. But love!
Parenting a child with many special needs is really hard and I am exhausted at the end of the day, but I cannot imagine Rex not being here with us and I shudder to think what would have happened to him had he stayed at the orphanage. He is my love through and through, more and more each day.
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