"So, How's It Been Going?"

Is a question I've gotten a lot the last few weeks since we've been home. This week marks one month since we met our sweet little man, so I thought it would be a great time for an update.

The past few posts I've mentioned and/or shown pictures and videos of how great it's going. And it is. It seriously is going really great. Yonas is such a little lover - he freely gives hugs, kisses, and "love you's," and accepts and seeks my comfort whenever he's sad, grouchy, or hurt. That was probably my biggest concern/fear and I've been so pleasantly surprised in that arena.

That said, Yonas is also NON-STOP action-man. Seriously. He keeps me going from the moment he wakes up. I've really been trying to wake up before him in the mornings just to getting a running start, but he usually beats me. And first thing - really first thing out of his mouth as he climbs, sleepily and wobbily into bed with us, is either, "Mom, hungry - sucker - pizza!" or "Mom, bike!" or "Mom, bye-bye!" or "Mom, bath!" And then the rest of my morning is spent saying, "Isch (Ok) buddy, Koy (wait) - first, let's get dressed." And he's totally "isch" with that...he obeys and gets dressed. THEN, immediately after he's dressed, he's ready for pizza, bike, and bye-bye again. Soooo, then I talk him into some sort of breakfast food other than pizza (seriously, it would be pizza 24/7 for this dude) saying, "Koy, Yoni, pretty soon we'll ride bikes and go bye-bye!" Whew. So, by 10 am, when we're all ready to go for the day, I'm pooped! :)

But, I'm so thankful to say, the last few days we've fallen into more of a routine (what do ya know - 2 wks. before school starts when it'll totally change again!) :) So, he's getting to the point that he can anticipate what's next and therefore have a smidgen more patience for what's next in the day. AND, big praises here, he's actually been taking a nap the last couple of days! "Rest time" for all of us has been huge. We all desperately need it to make it in one piece until dinner-time. I'm really, really thankful for this.

And language-wise, it really has not been near the issue I thought it might be. A lot of this has to do with the fact Yonas has a definite opinion on EVERYTHING...and he makes it particularly clear if we can't get it the first couple of times. :) And he's catching on like crazy. Today I said as we were crossing the street and he looked like he might make a run for it, "Yonas, NO -makeena (car)!" To which he replied, " No, Mom, car." Like, "Give me a break, mom, you don't know what that's called??!" :)

So, my spunky, full-of-life, strong-willed, lover of a boy keeps each day fresh, new, and full of surprises. It reminds me a lot of the 18 mo. old stage that I loved so much but which exasperated me to no end with my other 4 kiddos. There are daily discoveries and milestones met, but also disasters diverted and patience stretched beyond what I ever thought possible. All rolled up in my little bundle named Yoni...

And here's a pic from our town coffee house's steps with all of our kids and two of their cousins, Carys and Moses: (see Yonas with his sucker and cowboy boots? He'd have it no other way. And neither would I.)