My apologies for not updating the blog very often. We appreciate everyone who has supported us through the adoption process and we still need your prayers, so I should keep you all updated...but life tends to get in the way. And even if I find the time, there are so many things I could write about, it's hard to put together a concise, coherent blog post! So, today is a random sort of update that will hopefully encourage me to post more often.
Language
Both Naomi and Simon are picking up English well and are both speaking in full sentences at times. There are a few words and phrases that they still say in Bulgarian, but mostly they speak English, even with each other. They definitely understand more than they can say, which is normal for picking up a new language. They have great support at school and it feels like their teachers and helpers and even the administration is really involved in their learning and encouraging them. I'm so thankful for the school! We weren't sure about enrolling them after they had only been home one month, but they love it, the routine is good for them, and they are getting excellent help.
The Toddler Years...Again
Sometimes I need to remind myself just how different life is for them here than in Bulgaria. Simple things that most of us teach our kids as toddlers, or they just pick up from living with a family from birth, they need to be taught. They really are like toddlers in many of their habits, which can be frustrating to all of us, but according to adoption experts is perfectly normal.
You Want Me to Do What?!?
This week has been interesting at school for both Naomi and Simon. They both had field trips to a pumpkin patch, which was great fun for both of them since they lived in a very rural setting in Bulgaria. Other things are harder to explain - you want me to wear pajamas to school? Simon was pretty upset by that until he saw everyone else doing it. I knew it would be a morning battle, but also didn't want him to feel left out if he was the only Kindergarten student not in PJs. Wearing a costume today was a little bit easier to explain. The word costume is the same in Bulgarian and I think they got that everyone would dress up since every day at school this week had a different dress-up theme. Todd was trying to explain trick-or-treat to them this morning. I'm sure they'll do fine with it by following the lead of their big brother and big sister. The problem will come tomorrow or next Friday or next month when they want to do it again! Sorry, kids, only once a year.
The Noise
Naomi and Simon are both loud. Just naturally louder than the rest of us, even when they aren't trying to be. We are trying to teach them to be more quiet, but I think it's going to take time and patience and us modelling for them. I wish I had a dollar for every time I yelled, "be quiet!" Ummmm...obviously yelling at them to be quiet isn't good modelling of being quiet, but how else would they hear me?
Being in the trenches of this adjustment is difficult, but we do see many positive changes (in all of us) over the past three months. Many (social workers, books, blogs) say that the first 3 to 6 months are the most difficult and I believe it. But I also see that this is going to be a lifelong process of nurturing them, attaching to them (and them to us), and not forgetting about Miles and Ella in the process. It is definitely a marathon and not a sprint.
