*5 months*

it's been five whole months since my sweet boy has been home. it's amazing how each month just gets better and better. the first couple months, we dealt with a lot of transition...language, sleep, habits, tantrums, bonding, trust...and the list goes on. i'm so happy we are past those first couple months...they were tough...rough...and very bumpy. we have our days where i wouldn't mind putting O to bed early...but i know everyone has those days. i finally feel like our life is normal again.

 

i feel like there is so much to tell about Oliver and feel he's changed so much but i think it's more of me who has changed too. when O came home, he was more attached to b. as each month has past..he's opened up his little heart to me little by little. i feel recently, we have jumped a huge hurdle together. he now comes up to me and just wants to be held. he's given me hugs and kisses on his own and will just look and smile at me (like the picture above) for no reason...just that sweet little smile letting me know...he's happy. it means the world to me. my heart could burst when he does this. i just want to scoop him up and kiss him all over...which i do some days and it makes him giggle. we've come along way since day one.

 

 so let's talk about O....

 

he is a typical happy little guy. he laughs a lot, he likes to cuddle after his naps, he loves to play with his trains and trucks in the morning. he does get sassy from time to time and will show some attitude. his time out chair gets used from time to time as well but for the most part, Oliver is an easy going little guy.

 

Oliver feels taller to me. last month he was still at 33.5"...which hasn't change all to much the last couple months..for some reason..i feel like he's grown. maybe because he had a week where he slept A-wesome and was requesting to eat all.the.time!

 

my little guy is talking up a storm..he wants to know what everything is and if he can, he will try and repeat it. it's super sweet and i love how he's saying words. the way he says apple is like Ah-pool and pumpkin is his most recent word...it's more like Punk-key. so so sweet. he gets so excited seeing all the fall decorations especially the pumpkins...but really does not like the scarecrows.

 

the other day, b and i took him shopping and he started to cry. he was in his umbrella stroller and was getting really worked up. i could tell it was a scared cry and not a mad cry. i took him out of his stroller only for him to latch onto me. it was because of the mannequins. i knew he didn't like them from other experiences but for some reason this particular store had really scary ones.

 

O loves to explore and look at how things work. he loves loves loves wheels. he says the word like Weeez. he will point them out on his trucks, trains, cars etc. he loves to play outdoors and has learned to like Frisbee. he can't quite throw one but if i throw one in the yard, he will take a second one and throw it towards mine. it's quite funny and sweet how he tries.

 

he's been such a great helper. as i mentioned before, he loves to help with the groceries or other bags and putting things away. he is still doing a great job with putting away his toys before night night. some days...he's a little stinker and most of the days..he's happy to put them away with guidance.

 

at night, he loves to take a bath. loves it. he calls it "bah-th". b made up a jingle for when Oliver picks out his night night books, it makes O laugh and laugh. when it's time for him to lay down in his bed...he says the sweetest night night..it's more like nnni-nnni.

 

he now associates Appa with car. he knows that his Appa leaves to go to work in a car so all day long he will ask, "Appa? Appa? Car-ra (car)?" he is also trying to say two to three words together. today, as we were leaving i always tell Ardie goodbye and said..."Goodbye Ardie..we'll be back.". Oliver said "bye bye AR-dee".

 

the one thing i so love about my boy is that he puts things back where he got them and in the right way. for example, if there is a stuffed animal on his shelf and he's played with that stuffed animal..when it's time to put the toys up...he walks over to the shelf and props the animal up just like he found it. he will also notice if i have changed out one of his cubby shelves. he squeals when he sees it's changed and gets really excited. he notices everything that changes in the house too and will point them out and squeal. today, i added a picture of the three of us to a frame. i placed in amongst other frames in the living room. as we were finishing our story time, he walked over to the table with the frames on it and squealed and then said  "Appa!". i love this about him. i love that he tries to help make our bed when i'm making it. he copies my tugging and tucking. it's so cute. he also likes to know that his Appa and Mommy are wearing the same items he is...like shorts or jeans. he will go to each of us and point to our outfits and then point to his.

 

oh and speaking of beds...he pulls himself up on our bed by using the blanket and sheets...like he's climbing a rock wall. it's the funniest thing. he grunts while he does this too. some mornings, as i am getting ready..i will find him on our bed with some toys...just playing.

 

he's using a spoon more and more now and wants to feed himself with it rather then have one of us do it for him. he still gets a quarter of it on himself/bib but he's learning.

 

he's also learning his colors. i got some color cards the other day and we've been practicing almost every day. i try to point colors out to him in things he uses all the time. so far, he knows red, green, brown and yellow. he can't say them but he does point them out...most of the time when asked.

 

as for numbers. i count to ten through out the day so that he hears the numbers. he tries to repeat me..it's so sweet. yesterday, as he was playing with a toy...he "counted" "three" things on it.

 

he now requests ice in his water. during the hot summer days, i would add ice to his sippy cup to help cool him down. some days, he will hand me his sippy cup and say "iccccce?"...or if i ask him if he wants water, he will respond with "iccccce?".

 

i know there is more...i just have to think of them.

 

oh by the way, next month is a big month for us...

 

we will finalize in court and Oliver's name will be official!

 

here are a couple photos from this week/weekend...