Oh dear. It’s loud. It’s loud when kids bike outside due to the plastic tricyle XS rides (which now has a giant crack in the front tire that makes a snapping sound every rotation.) It’s loud when baba walks out the front door to work, with 3 kids screaming goodbye.
It’s loud right now (evil momma laugh) with calls for “BABA! DADDY!” 2 boys are calling for him and I told Brian straight up I’m not helping.
It’s bath time and wind down time but you wouldn’t know it.
Swimming in the tub
Brian and XS have challenged me a lot this week.
You know how your own kids can be angels at school, church, your best friend Rebekah’s house and the minute you show up, the whining, complaining and laziness emerges as a tiger from his lair.
It’s probably something regarding attachment, feeling safe and how we take our worst out on our favorites because we know they will love us, care for us NO MATTER WHAT.
Well, XS is a daddy’s boy. 150%. There are days it is easier when Brian is not around because I seem to be able to discipline and correct him more firmly and quickly. He won’t even “let” Brian blow his nose. He just refuses.
Now I’m a control freak, admittedly (although I could pass the blame off to the 3rd and 4th generational sin stuff…). But when one of our kids tries to control one of us it really bothers me.
Even just right now, XS is trying to climb Brian’s back by grabbing his shirt. Uff da.
I don’t know what to do so much about this. Ideas are welcome from non-adoptive families and those that have adopted…
We spent 30 minutes looking at pictures from China the other day for “bonding” time.
I do know what I can do differently to bond more with him but darn it, there is just so much work to do around here! The laundry alone is enough to keep my legs and back in shape (laundry is in basement…) but the cleaning the bathroom, the weeding through clothes, getting ready for winter, gardening and don’t get me started on meal planning and trying to keep these 5 fed (I include myself. I had 2 servings of pesto and pasta for lunch today…)
So I came home from dropping Elam off at preschool Wednesday and we sat down to look at pictures from XS’ orphanage. He pointed to a bedroom picture with bunk beds and perfectly folded blankets. I asked where he slept. He told me the top bunk! He remembered “ba-ba policeman” and called him “ba-ba” and didn’t seem disturbed by it all. We want to keep doing that. Often. And it was nice for the 2 of us to just sit still for a while, leaving the dust, breakfast dishes and even yogurt (gasp) sitting out on the counter.
Other news this week:
It’s cold. This is hard for XS. We seem to be teaching him how to put on gloves and hats. But he soldiers on, biking to the bus stop every day.
That dot in the distance is Elam on his 2-wheeler!
Elam is officially riding his bike, even pushing off alone.
And tonight, Friday Night OUT LOUD, we kicked off with a dance party, singing to “Let it go.”
She loves to dance: gets that from my sister maybe or at least some other relative. Definitely not from this chick.
Overall the 3 kid are getting along better (although Elam still gets blamed for so many tears and tantrums from his brother. Pray for him.)
HEADBANDS! Perfect game to play with a kid learning English:)
Aaah, it’s getting quiet around here. Books are being read. Calista is in the bath, actually not using the acoustics to her benefit. I’ll enjoy it while it lasts.