Rex - Thirty-Three Weeks Home

Today marks thirty-three weeks home and thirty-five weeks out of the orphanage for Rex.

In the last two weeks, Rex has learned to jump on the trampoline while holding on to the handle bars. He is also beginning to be very helpful when (un)dressing. He can take off an unzipped vest or jacket all by himself as well as finish taking off pants, shirts and socks after we get him started. When I put on his shoes now, he hands me his feet and he also pushes his arms through sleeves very well. We had not been working with a shape sorter for a long, long time because Rex wasn’t interested and because it didn’t seem like he was making any headway. Therefore, imagine my surprise when his OT brought one out this week and he was able to put the correct shapes into the right places. Smart little stinker who likes to hide his skills and knowledge sometimes! Rex is much better now at making small marks with a crayon or bingo dauber and not nearly as aversive to this activity as he used to be. In fact, he did such a nice job drawing the other day that I was able to turn his design into an Easter card for Oma.

Rex has learned to sign go which, for him, is a modified sign where he taps his right thigh with his right hand. We tried to come up with something very different from his other signs and it worked. He now signs go to get us to open doors, to go outside, to be taken out of his high chair after a meal, to get us to make toys go, and to go in the car. Rex can also sign swing now.

Rex can climb onto this shelf

where he likes to stand and sit

and sometimes watch the world go by.

Soaking wet sibs.

We continue to expose Rex to new foods and he often surprises us with what he likes. In the last two weeks, he ate Hunan tofu (tofu only, no veggies), but did not care for General Tso Chicken. He ate metts and brats off the grill, but did not enjoy pickles. He’s started eating whole almonds with sea salt for his afternoon snack sometimes. For a cleft-affected kid, he sure likes to crunch. He recognized a grape as food and stuck it in his mouth, but then spit it out. He ate nougat and loved it. And he’s totally into ice-cream now, too. And last night he met his first Skyline cheese coney and devoured it.

Rex also an uncanny ability to find the things that have been temporarily left un-child-proof. One day I forgot to push the lock button on the fridge after getting a drink and sure enough, a while later, I found a huge puddle of water on the floor. The doer had already fled the scene, but considering his shirt was drenched, he wasn’t able to make much of a case for his innocence. Another day I let Rex play with the door to the garage and before I knew it, he was half way down to the neighbors’ house pulling a big rake behind him. I guess I have to close the garage door now before I let him play with the door that connects the house and the garage.

Two weeks ago, Rex had never been on a slide.

Look at him go now.

The best part in the last two weeks has been that Rex has started leading me to the couch or the bed because he wants to sit and cuddle with me. I love that he is initiating this special time during which he makes wonderful eye contact and stays close. Yesterday, he motioned me to lie down next to him in his bed. When I did, he turned his face toward me, touched my cheek and said, “Mama.” This was a first and incredibly special moment, so it took all I had to keep from crying my eyes out with joy and gratitude. I don’t know if or when I’ll ever hear this word from him again, but now I am sure that he knows I love him and I am certain he loves me.

Overall, our three-year old Armenian angel is doing very well. He works hard and is steadily progressing toward more independence, communication, and social abilities. Go Rex!