Alex and his friend, Hannah Cook-
Aren't they sweet?!
Saturday, September 22, 2007
Wednesday, September 05, 2007
Friday, August 17, 2007
Tuesday, August 07, 2007
Monday, August 06, 2007
Tuesday, August 7
Alex has turned 5 years old! He was so excited for his birthday party- and had a great time! His favorite things were the balloons (we blew up a bunch of helium balloons) and the birthday cake. I will post pictures as soon as I get them (they were not taken on my camera).
I did want to go ahead and post about him and how he is doing as he has now been home 6 months! We have completely switched over to calling him Alex, and it actually went really well. It's hard for everyone to remember but I think it was the right thing to do. We explained to him (as he knows our names are Kim and Chris) that my name is Mama and also Kim, Chris' is Papa and also Chris, and he is Sasha but also Alex. And now that he is going to school he will be Alex more. He seemed to understand and be okay with it. If you ask him his name now he does say "Alex", and he can even spell it!
His English is really coming along great. He asks all the time "what's this called?" or "what's that mean?", and he always remembers when we tell him! He does enjoy talking, though, so I think that has really helped him. He often will just sit down with Chris and I, or other people, and say "Let's talk, guys" or "Let's talk about something". It's so funny!
It was interesting looking at toys before his birthday, because he has also come a long way in the way that he plays. When he first came home he didn't really play with anything and the toys that interested him were ones that were more for younger children or even babies. He liked the lights and sounds. He has quickly developed in that, though, and he now is playing with his own age toys, and plays so well. He can just sit for hours now playing with his little men and cars, etc.. He has really developed his imagination. He also likes to act out things he has done and enjoys or sees on television. His television watching has really developed (which I know isn't always a good thing), but when he first came home he couldn't sit still and watch 5 minutes of a tv show. Now (just as of a month ago) he can sit and watch a whole Disney movie (usually Cars) or several shows at once. I actually have to make him turn off the tv now in the mornings as he enjoys all the Playhouse Disney shows so much. I'm sure it is also because his comprehension is so much better.
He is excited to start preschool, although he would like me to come with him and he is a little disappointed he isn't going to ride a school bus yet. I think it will be so great for him to start preschool, mostly for the socialization. There are a lot of social skills he doesn't understand yet (like standing in line), and he is not around children his own age very much so it will be good for him.
A funny story: We have found that Alex, like most children, watches how we do everything. One morning before church Chris was outside with him watering plants and Alex decided he was ready to go to church. He came in the downstairs and got Chris' keys and wallet from their spot in the house, put the wallet in Chris' car and the key in his ignition, got his booster seat out of my car and moved it into Chris' back seat, opened the garage door and got in the booster seat ready to go. We usually go to church in Papa's car. We couldn't believe how he remembered every detail, (except he was still in his pajamas)!
Alex has turned 5 years old! He was so excited for his birthday party- and had a great time! His favorite things were the balloons (we blew up a bunch of helium balloons) and the birthday cake. I will post pictures as soon as I get them (they were not taken on my camera).
I did want to go ahead and post about him and how he is doing as he has now been home 6 months! We have completely switched over to calling him Alex, and it actually went really well. It's hard for everyone to remember but I think it was the right thing to do. We explained to him (as he knows our names are Kim and Chris) that my name is Mama and also Kim, Chris' is Papa and also Chris, and he is Sasha but also Alex. And now that he is going to school he will be Alex more. He seemed to understand and be okay with it. If you ask him his name now he does say "Alex", and he can even spell it!
His English is really coming along great. He asks all the time "what's this called?" or "what's that mean?", and he always remembers when we tell him! He does enjoy talking, though, so I think that has really helped him. He often will just sit down with Chris and I, or other people, and say "Let's talk, guys" or "Let's talk about something". It's so funny!
It was interesting looking at toys before his birthday, because he has also come a long way in the way that he plays. When he first came home he didn't really play with anything and the toys that interested him were ones that were more for younger children or even babies. He liked the lights and sounds. He has quickly developed in that, though, and he now is playing with his own age toys, and plays so well. He can just sit for hours now playing with his little men and cars, etc.. He has really developed his imagination. He also likes to act out things he has done and enjoys or sees on television. His television watching has really developed (which I know isn't always a good thing), but when he first came home he couldn't sit still and watch 5 minutes of a tv show. Now (just as of a month ago) he can sit and watch a whole Disney movie (usually Cars) or several shows at once. I actually have to make him turn off the tv now in the mornings as he enjoys all the Playhouse Disney shows so much. I'm sure it is also because his comprehension is so much better.
He is excited to start preschool, although he would like me to come with him and he is a little disappointed he isn't going to ride a school bus yet. I think it will be so great for him to start preschool, mostly for the socialization. There are a lot of social skills he doesn't understand yet (like standing in line), and he is not around children his own age very much so it will be good for him.
A funny story: We have found that Alex, like most children, watches how we do everything. One morning before church Chris was outside with him watering plants and Alex decided he was ready to go to church. He came in the downstairs and got Chris' keys and wallet from their spot in the house, put the wallet in Chris' car and the key in his ignition, got his booster seat out of my car and moved it into Chris' back seat, opened the garage door and got in the booster seat ready to go. We usually go to church in Papa's car. We couldn't believe how he remembered every detail, (except he was still in his pajamas)!
Wednesday, July 04, 2007
We just got back from a great trip to Jekyll Island, GA. Our first family vacation, and Sasha's first chance to see the beach and ocean. He loved it! He and Chris spent a lot of time in the ocean and the pool at our hotel. After the first day Sasha kept telling us "thanks everybody for going to the ocean", or "thanks everybody for going to the pool". It was really cute. He also thought the ocean was too salty (he doesn't quite keep his eyes and mouth closed all the time yet) and wanted to know why it was like that and how we could get it not be so salty. 
Friday, June 22, 2007
Friday, June 22
I hope everyone is having a great summer. We are enjoying ours, although it has been very hot and dry. Sasha just had his last day of swim lessons, and he really enjoyed those. He loves being in in water. He did really well- he can doggy paddle (while barking like a dog)! My parents have a pool at their neighborhood, and so does my neighbor, so I think we will be spending a lot of time there this summer.
It's hard to believe Sasha will be turning 5 next month. Time is going by quickly, yet at the same time it seems like we have been home with him for so much longer than 5 months. We have enrolled in him preschool for the fall, and he will be going 3 mornings a week. I decided I will just work at home with him the other days. I think that will work out perfect... and I'm not ready to completely give up my days at home with him!
We did have a happy milestone a few weeks ago that I wanted to share. I had been talking to one of my friends about how the sweetest thing for me to hear is my child's laughter. She was saying that for her it was when her child told her he loved her completely unprompted, etc.. Sasha had yet to do that. He would only really say it when we said it to him and then asked him to say it back to us. About a week later I was sitting to eat lunch with him and he just said out of the blue "I love you Mama", and the next day he said it to Chris and me both. It was so sweet. Now he says it often... when I pick him up or hug him. Of course, he also says it when he is in the naughty chair. It's hard to stay upset with him then, and he knows it!!
Well, I've managed to type this whole thing with Sasha playing cars on my lap. Not too bad!
I hope everyone is having a great summer. We are enjoying ours, although it has been very hot and dry. Sasha just had his last day of swim lessons, and he really enjoyed those. He loves being in in water. He did really well- he can doggy paddle (while barking like a dog)! My parents have a pool at their neighborhood, and so does my neighbor, so I think we will be spending a lot of time there this summer.
It's hard to believe Sasha will be turning 5 next month. Time is going by quickly, yet at the same time it seems like we have been home with him for so much longer than 5 months. We have enrolled in him preschool for the fall, and he will be going 3 mornings a week. I decided I will just work at home with him the other days. I think that will work out perfect... and I'm not ready to completely give up my days at home with him!
We did have a happy milestone a few weeks ago that I wanted to share. I had been talking to one of my friends about how the sweetest thing for me to hear is my child's laughter. She was saying that for her it was when her child told her he loved her completely unprompted, etc.. Sasha had yet to do that. He would only really say it when we said it to him and then asked him to say it back to us. About a week later I was sitting to eat lunch with him and he just said out of the blue "I love you Mama", and the next day he said it to Chris and me both. It was so sweet. Now he says it often... when I pick him up or hug him. Of course, he also says it when he is in the naughty chair. It's hard to stay upset with him then, and he knows it!!
Well, I've managed to type this whole thing with Sasha playing cars on my lap. Not too bad!
Friday, June 01, 2007
Tuesday, May 08, 2007
Tuesday, May 8
I am sorry I am not blogging as much as I intended to. Time seems to just be flying by! Things are going really well. Sasha actually started riding a bike yesterday with Chris- this was so impressive to me, as when we brought him home he could not pedal a tricycle or big wheel! It is to me an example of how fast he is catching up. He still is mistaken in size for a 3 year old, but he certainly does not act or talk like one. He is speaking in sentences now, and we can have regular conversations about things. He talks pretty much nonstop- even if he is by himself he is talking!
One thing that we have really discovered is he has such a great sense of humor. He thinks so many things are funny, and can be so funny and witty himself. He is so fun to spend time with, and he also has so much excitement for everything. Some times too much excitement. He certainly wears me out during the day, but I wouldn't trade that time for anything.
One thing he really doesn't enjoy, and we are trying to develop is coloring, drawing, etc... He can currently do nothing beyond scribbling, and I have to force him to sit down and try to draw for a few minutes. Hopefully that will develop in time, or when he is in preschool with other children.
Well, that is all I can think of right now. He also loves going to Sunday School and asks about heaven and what we will do there. He knows Jesus is there and we are going to go there someday. It's so cool to hear him talk about it! That's the most important thing he can know about!
I am sorry I am not blogging as much as I intended to. Time seems to just be flying by! Things are going really well. Sasha actually started riding a bike yesterday with Chris- this was so impressive to me, as when we brought him home he could not pedal a tricycle or big wheel! It is to me an example of how fast he is catching up. He still is mistaken in size for a 3 year old, but he certainly does not act or talk like one. He is speaking in sentences now, and we can have regular conversations about things. He talks pretty much nonstop- even if he is by himself he is talking!
One thing that we have really discovered is he has such a great sense of humor. He thinks so many things are funny, and can be so funny and witty himself. He is so fun to spend time with, and he also has so much excitement for everything. Some times too much excitement. He certainly wears me out during the day, but I wouldn't trade that time for anything.
One thing he really doesn't enjoy, and we are trying to develop is coloring, drawing, etc... He can currently do nothing beyond scribbling, and I have to force him to sit down and try to draw for a few minutes. Hopefully that will develop in time, or when he is in preschool with other children.
Well, that is all I can think of right now. He also loves going to Sunday School and asks about heaven and what we will do there. He knows Jesus is there and we are going to go there someday. It's so cool to hear him talk about it! That's the most important thing he can know about!
took Sasha on a train ride at the TN Railroad Museum- he loved it
Friday, April 20, 2007
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