2 Months

Saturday marked 2 months since the day we took Sun Yaojie in our arms in a crowded Shanghai notary and became a wonderfully chaotic family of five. There have been highs --Mommy, give me kiss!-- and there have been lows --Whhhaaaaaaaaa!!!!!!!-- but above all else it has been a time of learning, adjusting and settling into our new roles. Yaojie continues to both challenge and amaze us --he is incredibly bright and has been learning English in a flash. He's only been in America since March 11 and already he can understand the gist of everything we say to him. And his vocabulary! Just today he complained, "Josh bother me. Cara bother me. I don't like it!" Spoken like a true older brother! We have seen so many wonderful changes in him. Recent breakthroughs include conquering his fear of dogs --"That's nice! Soft!" he now says when petting Malarkey; Staying with the babysitter while I had to drop off some paperwork; Softening to the attention and conversation from new people; & forming bonds with my family, who visited from Pittsburgh last weekend. We've been so proud of him and at times I forget that he has not always been with us. As any parent --and especially an adoptive parent of an older child-- knows, our time together has had its challenges. There has been sibling jealousy, short-temperedness all-around, nights of crying out in pain, hurdles with his medical condition & tantrums --oh, dear God, the tantrums! Often in triplicate! In public! Complete with biting, scratching and strings of Chinese curses! There are challenges and triumphs, highs and lows. Eric and I have laughed, we've cried, we've instituted a daily happy hour. I hope that you enjoy following our story.