Settling in...

Here we are trying to get Andrew to laugh (by tickling him, of course)...

Here is the more formal picture of us...

Here is Andrew, ready to grab the camera...

Andrew is doing so much better with his sleeping!  I don't want to jinx it, and I know once I post this we will have one of those nights, but he did very well last night.  The biggest issues are his early morning wake ups (anywhere from 3 to 5 am).  Usually I can be up for an hour to an hour and a half when that happens.  But last night he didn't get up until 5, and I kept waiting for the "cry", but it never came.  I just heard him playing and babbling, with an occasional whimper, and then the thumb sucking and back to sleep.  I had the bottle and diaper all ready to go in, but he went back to sleep.  So, we are making some progress, which is nice.  I must say though that I have found the silver lining in our nighttime 'bonding'.  Although sleep is good, too.  I am a light sleeper and it can be hard getting back to sleep.

Andrew continues to make new discoveries.  He has learned how to shut doors, to take 2 stacking cups and clap them together, and when I pat his belly or mouth, he makes little 'Indian' noises (sorry to be politically incorrect there, I just didn't know how else to communicate the sound he makes).  He can even feed himself Cheerios now, although Vernon says sometimes he cheats.  He doesn't always feed himself with the 'proper' technique.  He is also taking steps with assistance, and he loves to try to stand with no hands.  Oh, and he loves to pull Gracie the Cat's tail.  The cats are quickly learning that elevation is their friend.  For a while, at least.

We are also making progress in the attachment area.  He loves bottle feeding time, and it is such a nice way to bond.   Andrew and Vernon love bath time as well, although Vernon refers to it as 'splash' time.  He absolutely loves my Ergo baby carrier, and starts to laugh when he sees me put it on (again another good way to attach).  We appreciate everyone's understanding with respect to our need to be the ones who do the caregiving and most of the daily interaction with him.  I wish we could 'share' him more, but that time will come.  We had our first post placement visit this week, and our social worker thought he was doing very well, and was pleased to see that he wasn't interested in her in the least (which sounds odd, but that means we are doing a good job with Andrew).  

It's funny, because I rarely leave the house with Andrew except for appointments, but Vernon and I had to make a Target run today.  As I passed by the ladies clothing, I started talking to the clothes, saying hello and that it is good to see them again.  Vernon thought I was a bit nuts.  Oh well.  That's what happens when one stays at home so much.

By staying at home, I have realized much about our neighborhood.  I have realized that our cul-de-sac road must be the route for the drivers ed students, as I see the student driver car drive by several times a day.  I have also confirmed that our cats really do nothing all day.  And I have realized Sesame Street has changed.  Andrew really doesn't watch it yet, but I have turned it on a couple of times only to realize that Elmo gets e-mail, and that Cookie Monster is "in the house".  I'm going to have to find some old school Sesame Street, full of bell-bottoms and wavy hair.  Or maybe I won't.  

Our days are fairly routine.  We are now on a good nap schedule, and we are sticking to it.  I hope to get the baby jogger out next week and see if Andrew will let me go for a run with him.  He loves the outdoors, so I hope he will let me train for a 5k coming up Labor Day.  We'll see.

I hope everyone is well.  I will post more early next week!

Christa