6 months home!

Early on February 16, 2011, Owen left Russia to come home FOREVER!  After 2 plane rides, we arrived in the US late February 16, about 24 hours after we had left Russia. Owen met his grandparents, rode in his car seat for the first time, and we all walked into our home together as a Forever Family!  Thinking about the long journey we all had made through the initation of the adoption process to the point of being home, still brings tears to my eyes! Tears of love, joy, happiness, and blessings! 

We have been so blessed to have our family, and Owen makes it even more special. God always knew Owen would be our son, and it amazes me! He knew this little rascal was what our family needed.  None of us could be who we are today without the other.

Our lives have been changed, but better than we ever imagined. Our house is louder, we have more messes, and there are a lot more temper tantrums (though Andy might argue this last point in regards to me), but it is also filled with more joy, laughter, and love.  

I thank everyone that was a part of our journey, our family, our friends, the social workers, the baby home staff and caretakers.  I also thank Owen and my wonderful husband, best friend, and partner Andy, for without them, this journey would not have been as incredible as it has been.  I am looking forward to the next 6 months and beyond to see what the future holds for us. I love my 2 crazy, ornary, and loving boys!

08/08/11 marked 6 months together as a family!

We met Owen in 11/2010, and we just prayed and prayed for the day we could all be together, FOREVER, as a family, without an ocean between us!  On 02/08/2011, we picked Owen up from his baby home and have been fully united:) 

It is hard to believe in some ways that it has only been 6 months, because I know and feel that Owen has been my son since his birth. There is a reason that adoption and specifically Russian Adoption called to us in early 2010, it was because Owen was born, and God needed us to pick him up ASAP! :) 

Owen got to spend the last 2 days with his "aunt" Jen while his regular sitter was on vacation, and tomorrow he gets to spend the day with our friends Emily and Kelli. I know he will have a great time, but I'm just itching for it to be Friday, so I get my day off with him!  He is getting so smart, and cute, and even more ornary, if that is really possible;)  He is simply joy and fun, and a blessing, all wrapped into one. We are so thankful that God formed our family, with Himself as the head! 

Owen finally hit 20 lbs!

It's official, Owen is 20 lbs 4 oz, YAY!  We weighed him at home about 2 weeks ago, and that is what he weighed. We were hoping he would be at least that at his 18 month check up and he was. He is still below the 3rd percentile for his weight, but is now just below 10th percentile in his height at 30.5" We are so glad that he is growing a bit more now. I think it's because he's finally eating regular table food really well.

I'm happy, but sad, that my little guy is growing and learning so much so fast. I actually scheduled his 24 month visit, which made me kind of sad knowing that in 6 months he'll already be 2. I really wish he could have been with us for his first year. But then I think, that first year helped make him who is now, even if it's just a little bit, it's still part of him.

He says "socks" and it sounds really funny. I love to hear him say it. I'm still waiting for him to say mommy, and he's come close, but I don't know that he's associating it with me.  It will happen one day, and I'll be ready;)

18 months old!

Today, my baby turned 18 months old!!! We saw a picture of Owen when he was only 8.5 months old, met him at 9 months old, and brought him home at 12 months old. I cannot believe that he is already 6 months older. He is trying to be so independent. He copies all of motions, whether it's sign language, picking something up, putting something down, washing our hands, dancing, clapping. He soaks up everything he sees and tries to do it.  I could not imagine, and do not want to imagine, where our lives would be if God hadn't guided us all to each other. Today, we spent some time with my sister and 2 of our cousins. we had a great time. Tomorrow, we are going to "celebrate" Owen's 1/2 birthday with a lunch out and just a lot of time together as a family. We are so excited to see how much Owen will grow and learn in the next 6 months.

Owen with cousin Kristen.

Owen with cousin Kayla.

Owen with Mommy, Kristen, Kayla, and Aunt Jessica. We had a great day:)!!

New Words

So Owen has started saying some new words. He has said 'baby' alot lately. Not sure if it is because I call him baby still. Like, there's my baby, or hi baby, those kinds of things. I think it also might be because he was around his cousin Simon last weekend, and we referred to him as being a baby, and needing to be gentle with him. At church that Sunday, he put his hand on Simon's head (who is 5 months old), and rubbed saying gentle, gentle. Then he did it to his Uncle Garey's arm, who was holding Simon. Then he repeated the process with Simon's head. It was cute. We are trying to get him to not hit, so that is what we came up with. the nicely laying a hand on his arm and rubbing saying gentle, be gentle. Of course, unless you know that is what he is saying, it doesn't really sound like gentle, but he is trying;)

He has also said car this weekend when looking at one of his word books, as well as boat. He has tried to say elephant, which actually comes out more like his other cousin's name - Elijah. He tried to say Giraffe as well. We are not too concerned at this point that some of his "words" are not that recognizable, because he's only been home for almost 6 months, so for having 12 months of Russian, and not quite 6 months of English, we couldn't be happier at how well he is doing with "talking."

He also is the first kid I've ever known to say the word 'yes' or 'yeah' before he has said 'no.' Of course I know that the word 'no' is soon to come, but for right now, we like that he answers every question with a yes or yeah. Even if we say, "do you want a time out?" He says "yeah." So we ask him a lot of different questions just for our own amusement.  Of course, he finds many ways to amuse us, he's so darn cute;) 

Tiny little Super guy:)

So, yesterday I was not feeling well, and I stayed home. I decided to keep Owen home with me, so that i wouldn't have to go out and pick him up from the sitters. We were in the family room, and I had Owen take my finger (not my whole hand) to walk with me. He felt so little just then. He is my tiny little Super guy:) (for those of you who remember him from Sesame Street). He is tiny, but super cute, and super fun. I love tickling him, and hearing his loud laugh.

Since I wasn't feeling so great, i decided to take his afternoon nap with him, and it was nice getting to cuddle with him for a little while. It was also better sleeping with him for his nap than at night. At night, he usually wakes up twenty billion times, and ends up kicking and spinning in circles, LOL. during his nap, he just doesn't have time to do the violent moves;)  We both woke up refreshed.

I'm hoping this week goes fast, so I can get to the weekend with my 2 boys. Though Daddy and I will be having our first date night/day together since we brought Owen home. we are going to see Harry Potter. I think I will probably be missing Owen alot though. Andy and I need our dates, but after wishing and hoping for owen for so long, it's definitely hard to be away from him. Owen will have fun with his cousin Kim though. :)

Looking back

The last couple nights Owen's had alot of waking during the night, which is rather uncharacteristic of him. As I was holding him last night the 2nd time he woke up, I was thinking of everything we had gone through to this point. I was thinking of Owen in the orphanage, waiting for us, and I was thinking of us in our big house, waiting for him to come and make it louder and even more fun. I was remembering  our time in between the first and 2nd trip, and having to leave him over in Russia for 3 more months until we brought him home. I started crying and just feeling so blessed that he was in my arms. I felt silly, but it felt good.

It's hard to believe sometimes that we were in Russia, and that is where Owen was born. I'm sure as Owen grows up and we tell him of the stories, trips, and traveling, he will have a hard time believing it too. Because we fit together so perfectly, we are his parents and he is our son, no if, ands, buts or anything about it. We were meant to be together, and it's unbelieveable even to believer's, how great God's plan is and how He just gets it right every time.  There's a reason the song is titled "Amazing Grace." Because anytime we can feel God's grace and handiwork in our lives it is amazing. It makes me want to say Ooooooh, Awwwwwwe, watermelon;) 

Owen had a good week this week. He had a vacation from the sitter's, and spent 4 of the days with Aunt Crystal, and tomorrow, he gets to spend it with Aunt Jessie. I know he's had such a good time, and I think he likes all the individual attention, getting to roam more places, and the car rides. Hopefully he won't be too disappointed when his routine starts up again next week.