From August 14th...

Due to technical problems...certainly could not be an operator ERROR.... :)... this did not get post on Adam's 8 mo home anniversary....So a little late but it is here! I have been asked WHY I continue to write now that Adam is home. The same reason I did before...#1. I enjoy it! During the waiting it was a way for me to talk about it without feeling as if I was bothering other people...it made it REAL for me in some ways as I watched more posts added and added... #2. To keep family that are not close informed about Adam's progress...I know Adam's adventures are read from Tampa to NYC and beyond! I have said before - yes, it might take a village to raise a child but sometimes it takes a village to BRING a child home too! And we did not get Adam home without the support of many...So I try to keep them up-to-date! AND most importantly #3. It is about Adam, just as his sister's blog is about HER! I feel very strongly that they BOTH know about the process to get them HOME and the milestones along the way. I want them to be able to read this one day and know what they were doing when they were 10 mo old and what they were doing at 24 months old! We are obviously missing parts of their history but I will provide as thorough history of them that I can. Another blogger I read refers to her blog as a digital scrapbook. Although I have other scrapbooks for Adam, this will be just one more piece for him HIM. It is truly all about ADAM...So on to what should have appeared on August 14th...

8 months ago Adam arrived in Columbus! It is so hard to believe it has been that long!! He is definitely growing and somewhere along the line….he grew into a toddler! How do you know when the switch from BABY to TODDLER happens? Simple…you hear that one, 2 letter word you have dreaded hearing…and fear you will hear many times the REST OF YOUR LIFE….! But Adam does not say it just once –instead it is, “NO-NO-NO…” And because he is so smart….he even uses it at appropriate times!! UGH!

Adam is learning all sorts of new words other than no-no-no….he tries (when he is not running around) very hard to repeat words. One of his newest words is “stickers”. It is funny to hear that one! He also knows football and basketball…hmmmm if only I could figure out where he learned that! The other day he and his cousin Beans were out for a wagon ride and he would point to every basketball hoop and say. “Basketball, basketball…” And yes, about every house had a basketball hoop!! We are working hard on PLEASE or as he says it, peese. Thank you is proving to be a challenge!! Hey, baby steps, or rather TODDLER steps!

In other news….Adam has been working hard on his animal noises this summer!! He has been a pro at “cow” for a while but…..we have added horse, sheep, cat, and my personal favorite because he throws his head back slightly when he says it, dog. Yesterday AM I got to see him when he woke up and very un-Adam-like he was still on the changing table. After his diaper was changed he was just laying there and I started asking him animal noises and when we got to dog, I could not help but tear up! Seriously – what the heck is that?? He was so stinking cute and apparently he could read the approval on my face because he broke into a huge smile and giggled! We are still working on pig, but I personally think he just chooses NOT to say it because he wants to hear us SNORT!! Oh and though not an animal sound, he will tell you what a train “says”…Choo-choo!

Adam continues to love to be outside (though it has been pretty humid and wet here recently…which makes Mommy and Daddy not so quick to take him outside). He also has a new love for all his CARS and TRUCKS…anything with WHEELS!!! He is also still a big fan of using anything from the kitchen: spoons, bowls, measuring cups, etc. We have discussed getting him a little kitchen….but that is his favorite thing to do at his cousin’s Bean’s house so…. We will see! He is also doing quite well with his shape sorter! He understands the concept and will sit to try to figure it out. The darn star is giving him some trouble though!

Adam is OF COURSE prepping for football season! I will hold off on revealing one trick I have spent the last few days working on with him until it is PERECT but to give some of you a hint – it starts with an O and ends with an O…and is HI in the middle!! We are getting there! Hopefully in time for Jim Tressel and the boys to take the field! (He seems to want to leave out the I!!) Oh yeah, and his dad is teaching him to recognize the Steeler symbol….hey Sat. is BUCKEYES….Sun. is Steelers. That is in the contract!!

We are also prepping for our first report that will be sent back to Kazakhstan! We have some paperwork to complete, a social worker visit, and we need to collect some pictures….if ONLY we had some! Hmmm!! I know that our facilitator in Kaz is the one that gets the report to translate into Russian…I am excited for her to see his pictures and how much he has grown!! She told us 10 months ago he was a BIG boy…ha! Wait until you see him now, N!!

Adam’s first summer home is coming to a close and I don’t think any of us are quite ready for next Monday AM! It has been a very busy summer…with lots of changes! I think we have learned many things this summer. There is no doubt that having his smiling, happy face to come home to has made some of the more challenging things this summer much easier! Again – of all the babies in the world….it is truly amazing that we found the perfect one for us!