We just celebrated Alex's 4th Adoption Day! He really wanted to go to the restaurant "where you can throw peanuts on the ground" so Chris and I took him to Logan's. He had a great time! We looked again at his adoption scrapbook and gave him a small gift. He still doesn't ask too much about adoption, but we always want to make sure he feels free to talk about it and how special he is!
This has been a great year for Alex. We think repeating first grade was the best thing for him and his confidence. Now he is on grade level in most things and excels in reading! He is better at making friends and learning to do things he never would do before- riding a bike, riding his scooter, etc... He has a neighbor friend he does things with now and that has been great for him. Being an older brother has been good for him, too. He has never been jealous at all of the girls- and is always eager to help with them. He still has his struggles, but overall he is doing very well.
Thought I would share a little more about the girls and their personalities too:
Anna definitely acts the oldest- she is the little mother. She loves to help me work- clean up, put the laundry away. She also takes care of the other girls- when they cry she tells them "sshh", when they get hurt she runs over to kiss and comfort them, when they drop things she picks them up for them, she also checks their diapers for poops! She says the most words and seems to comprehend everything!
Natalie and Elisabeth play together often- they chase each other and wrestle. Natalie enjoys playing the most. She loves to put on her necklaces and play with the Little People characters or her horse. She is the best with her fine motor/hand-eye coordination- she loves and is very good at puzzles and shape sorters and throwing and catching balls (Chris likes that part). She loves to sing and dance and you can't resist her when she asks for something with "pees" (please)!
Elisabeth still loves to climb and climb and climb. She can be a challenge to keep up with! If we are in the kitchen I just turn my head and she is on the table! Her favorite thing to do is read books. She always wants you to read with her, but she is very content to sit and look at books by herself, too. She is very attached to her "baby" right now and the other girls love to get Elisabeth to scream by stealing her baby or the baby's bottle. And Elisabeth can scream! She also loves to sing. Both her and Nat can sing the whole tune and get some words right to Twinkle Twinkle Little Star!
The girls are a challenge right now as they can break through/climb over all of their gates and anything else I might try to block them in with. They aren't climbing out of their cribs yet, but I'm sure they could if they were ever left in there when they didn't want to be!
We have a crazy and fun house!!
