Settled

I can't believe it's been almost a month since I last posted! It's been a busy month but happily busy with just the usual day-to-day life.

We are all *I think* settled into our new routine...a routine which likely won't change until next summer. Lucas has been in school for over a month now. There were tears for about a week but he has since settled in so nicely and usually starts saying 'play play' when we pull into the driveway of school. He's there 3 days a week and it seems a good balance of time with kids his own age and fun activities and being at home with family.

Lucas has changed so much in the last month. He had his 18-mo check-up in early October. Since he's been home he's grown nearly 2 inches! His weight has stabilized but that was somewhat intentional as I slowed down on the butter, avocado's and formula :). He still eats like a champ...with cottage cheese, fruits and veggies still his favorite foods. Although 'cwackas' (aka crackers) are not far behind. The whining that started at exactly 90 days home has not disappeared...if anything has increased...especially when he wants something he knows he can't have. He is also more stubborn, vocal and pushy (physically) when he wants his way! Ah the sweet, easy-going laid-back kid who came home over 4 months ago has finally become comfortable enough to exert his own demands :)

His language development has kicked into high gear lately as well. He seems to understand everything we say now...much to our dismay as we forget the need to spell sometimes. He is communicating very well now, with a large vocabulary and attempting to say SO many words. We're starting to get multiple syllables now and it's been so fun to watch this progress. He has also finally mastered the names in our family :). For the longest time we were all 'mama' but now he consistently names and calls Paul 'Papa' and Alexander is 'Ala'...so cute!

Oh and one last Lucas update...this kiddo has become a climber. For Alexander a chair was a chair and a table was for eating...for this little guy they are Everest and K2. The other day we caught him climbing up the front of his highchair, carrying his legs over and getting right in. Oy. Can't keep our eyes off of him for too long anymore.

Alexander is getting into the groove of kindergarten. His afternoon crankiness has decreased as he's become more accustomed to the schedule and intensity of his days. He's making friends and even said this morning "I love kindergarten" (definitely an improvement from a couple weeks ago when he classified it as 'medium'). But it is so different - even for us. Daily papers from school, events to attend, fundraising, etc. He doesn't have homework yet thank goodness.

Alexander seems to have also grown up a lot lately. Kindergarten will do that to you I'm sure but he says the most mature things every now and then ("that's OK Mama I can wait until next week for us to go get more graham crackers" - he LOVES graham crackers) and is also into imaginatively building things...whether legos or lincoln logs or kinetx...he's really into making 'creations' lately. It's so great to watch. But my sweet and sensitive child is still there...he burst into tears at the end of a Land Before Time movie the other day.

Here are some photos from the last month - enjoy!

LauraAsleep after a long day with friends in Maine...Paul and Alexander at the Topsfield Fair...a day with just the 3 of us.Lucas giving us his "mad" face