First Week Home

My computer was acting up and would not let me type with my pics, so instead of trying to win, I posted pictures and decided I would tell you all about them separately! (see post below for some pics!)

Overall we have had a great first week at home. We landed on Good Friday - VERY thankful to be home! We did have a photographer at the airport that got some wonderful shots of our arrival - I will have to post those soon too! The 17 hour flight was one we were thankful to survive! That is behind us now, so we'll move on from that.

From the point we landed in the US, things have gone very well. We dreaded the car seat and them having to buckle in, but turns out, they actually like it. Hope loves that she can buckle herself and Zak just wants to go in the "beep beep."

They love baths! Hope started out wanting to bathe multiple times a day. We are down to 1! She loves those bubbles. Zak has progressed from screaming standing outside the tub and us washing him with a washcloth to loving the bath and splashing around in his bubbles. We have made huge progress in one week with bath time!

They both love to be outside playing. JUMP! is something we hear often. The trampoline has turned out to be a great way to expend some energy. They also LOVE the pool. They will ask for that even when it is raining and a little to cool outside to swim. Both of them just laugh and giggle while those teeth are chatting from the water I find a bit too cool to swim in yet. Mommy just takes the pictures!

We have a walking path and creek behind our house and walking on the path to a close playground has been very fun as well. The creek is big fun to throw sticks in on one side of the bridge and watch them come out the other.

They both love their new brother and sisters. All 5 kids are doing extremely well. Hope and Zak also are getting acquainted to my parents. Hope loves her Mimi. Zak has even let Papa hold him once. That's pretty big since he is really attached to his daddy!

Eating and sleeping is going extremely well!! We have no issues with either one. We go through A LOT of eggs! They both go to town on eggs in the am. Hope will try anything! She is the best eater! Zak is a carnivore. As long as we have some kind of meat and "dabo", bread - he's good. They are definitely getting their protein. They both sleep all night long for about 11 hours. Hope sleeps in the girl's room. I will lay down with her and she will fall asleep in about 5 minutes and sleeps the rest of the night. Zak is the same. He and Carter share a room. We can lay him in his bed, stay with him for a few minutes, he's out for a good 11-12 hours. So Jay and I are in our room with a baby monitor and loving that we get some sleep too!

Zak seems to be doing well overall. There has been nothing I would not expect out of a 2 year old boy. Hope also is doing well. She has her sad moments which is normal. She does let me hold her through them. Our only minor problem has been Hope does not really take to males, including daddy. If I'm here, she does well, but she needs her mommy around for security right now. She has started calling out to show Jay things, but she still won't go to him to give him hugs or hold his hand. Prayers for her healing, trust and growth with that would be very much appreciated.

There's my quick update. Thank you again and again for all the love, support and prayers. They have been felt and have made a difference in this initial transition.

Love to you all!

Candi