Sunday, September 27, 2015

God Knew...



God knew something that we didn't know...there was missing piece to our family.   His name was Zhou Xiao Hua and he was waiting in China for us to come and get him.   Hugh had to wait 6 long years for us, but we have to believe that God's timing is perfect.   Hugh has added so much to our lives and we have only been together for 33 days!   He and Kai have become playmates.  They play, they laugh, they squeal and every now and then they fight, but they are brothers.   Hugh is learning how to share which is a little bit more difficult for him.   Hugh and Bei are connecting on different levels, video games, playing ball, origami.  Sometimes, Hugh goes up to Bei and hugs him randomly and I am teaching Bei to hug back.  He is not use to having a brother love on him like that!   Another awesome connection has been between Bei and Kai.  They are connecting more and playing more.  Today, Dan took Bei and Kai out on the boat and to the beach.   Kai is so proud to be one of the big boys!  Hugh and I stayed at the cabin because he wasn't feeling well.

We have had Hugh's eyes checked and he is getting glasses sometime this week.   I asked for an interpreter so that we made sure that we got the right prescription for him from the get go.   The interpreter was fantastic.  He was a sweet Chinese man who is living here on a green card and works at the University.   Anyway, we were able to ask Hugh specific questions through the interpreter.   We asked him if he missed China.   He told the interpreter, yes, because he has 5 very close friends that he misses very much!   We asked if he ever left the orphanage and he told us that he went swimming and the kids would gang up on the nannies with water squirt guns to get them wet.  We asked him if he liked living with us and if he was happy.   He said, yes that mama and baba are very nice.   We also asked the interpreter to explain to him that he is our forever son and he is not going back to the orphanage ever.  That he will live with us and be our son.   The interpreter told us that Hugh was somewhat confused about that but is happy he is not going back.  I also told him to tell him not to be afraid at night, that I will keep him safe and I will sleep with him.    Since the interpreter talked with Hugh, we've noticed that he is happier and going to sleep much better.    The interpreter also told us that Hugh's Mandarin is very good and he is very articulate.   He said he is quick and smart.   Dan and I are really considering getting a Mandarin tutor so that he can keep his language.
Speaking of language, he is picking up English very well.

So many times people say to us, that the boys are lucky to have us.  Believe me, we are the lucky ones!   And once again, God has blessed us with a little boy that was meant to be our son and the brother to Bei and Kai!   God knew!!!

Friday, September 11, 2015

Hugo!!



I can not express how AWESOME this little boy is!!!   Both Dan and I are totally smitten with him.  He has Dan totally wrapped around his little finger.   He loves to be outside with his Daddy working in the garage or putzing around the lawn.   He is incredibly sweet!   When I wash my hands after going the bathroom, he praises me and says "Good Job Mama".    He likes to say "No, Thank You".  I think he learned that one on Thomas the Train DVD.    He already knows the tune to Thomas the Train and Signing Times with Alex and Leah.  You will find him singing either tune randomly during the day...in tune...I might add.  He LOVES music!  He talks in Chinese to us but the translator doesn't do a very good job translating it.  Many times the translation has nothing to do with the topic at hand.   He seems to understand English really well.   He knows all of his ABC's and likes to draw.   His muscles are weak at the moment but I think he will make a good gymnast.  He loves to hang and climb on things like a little monkey.   This little guy can entertain himself for hours!!  He is creative and plays by himself for hours, if I let him.   He is a dream!  We are feeling incredibly blessed to have him in our life.

He struggled with going to bed at night but has gotten better the past few nights.   Now, tonight he regressed and wanted to be downstairs on the couch to fall asleep.   It breaks my heart that he is so afraid that he can't find comfort with me sleeping next to him.   We are moving in the right direction.

One of the neat things about Hugh's orphanage is that there is an American Sponsored school right at the orphanage.   It is sponsored by a company in California.  I don't know the back story to it yet, but want to look into the impetus of a school being sponsored by an American company.   Anyway, as you all know we named our little boy Hugh because his Chinese name was Hua and we thought they would sound similar.   Well, Hua is actually pronounced Qwua...like Quagmire.   The day of adoption we received several folders full of Hugh's American school work.   The American name they had given him was Hugo!   We were so close!!  So if we call him Hugh...he will say "No! Hugo!   Hugo rolls off my tongue easily and if it makes him happy, we will do it.   When he came to the US as a host child, I don't know why they changed his name to Diego.   To me that doesn't make any sense.

I can't wait until family and friends start to meet Hugo!  He is still displaying a lot of orphanage behavior in the kissing department.  Hugging and kissing people at Kai's school and trying to kiss the few people that we have introduced him to.   So be forewarned, that we really need people to redirect him and tell him kisses are only for mama and baba (dad).


Sunday, September 6, 2015

Connecting

What a day makes in bonding and attachment. We arrived home at 5:40 a.m. on Thursday morning and having been dealing with jet lag. Hugh has been happy during the day but crying unconsolably at night. Sadly, he wouldn't let me comfort him. He would cry "oopa" which means I am afraid. Our China guide shared with us that the nannies would scare the children into sleeping by telling them if they didn't fall asleep, the big bad wolf would come and eat them. She said it is a common custom in China, to scare children to sleep. He did great during the day but the minute we mentioned bedtime, he would get this look of terror on his face and shake his head no. We had to force it a few times because we all need sleep! Well last night, Kai had fallen asleep early, Bei was keeping busy and Dan, Hugh and I hung out on our deck. We had music playing and we all danced a little bit. Several days ago, I downloaded a voice translation app, so that Hugh and I could speak to one another. We used the translation app to tell him that we were going to be his forever mom and dad. He would never have to go back to the orphanage. That we loved him. He thought he was smart and beautiful. We were so happy that he was our son. We told him he didn't have to be scared to go to bed. That we would keep him safe. I swear I saw the lightbulb go on in his brain. When we went to bed that night, he gave me kisses, laid down next to me and fell fast asleep. He slept through the night and was a happy, silly boy! He is just a joy! Now, tonight a day later he struggled a little more but we didn't have that down time with him to reassure him. But he sought comfort from Dan and he fell asleep in Dan's arms. We are learning what works for him. He is fitting into our family perfectly! He is a sweet, sweet little boy!