Over these two months we have seen some remarkable progress in CJ’s comprehension and use of language as well as emotional development. It’s hard to capture things on camera because he now insists on coming around and looking at the photo/video rather than being in it so that’s why I don’t have much to show for these developments. But I can still write them down:
- he is much more in tune with emotions, esp. in books. When there is a sad part he will express his sadness by kissing the page with the sad character, or have a sad look on his face and say “poor dog” (or whatever it is – one of the first times I noticed this was when we were reading “Some Dogs Do” and he kept flipping to the page with the sad, lonely dog on it)
- he is very aware of babies and pictures of babies. He will point them out, and go up to prams and look in them and generally be drawn to them. Here he is playing with a bubushka that we got in Kyrgyzstan. I only just got it out yesterday for him to play with and he spent quite some concentrated time playing carefully with the dolls – particularly the teeny, tiny baby and big “por por”:
- CJ has started to get the hang of using a fork and spoon but it is still very messy and I have to turn a blind eye to all the food on the floor, in his hair, on the table and everywhere else. He loves the independence (but I do admit it is slow going and food doesn’t necessarily reach his mouth or tummy):
- I’ve been putting on far too many DVDs for him lately to keep him in one spot while I try to lie down. He doesn’t like me resting and always comes over to make sure I’m awake. His favourite at the moment is “High Five Christmas” which he calls “tree”. Speaking of Christmas trees, we haven’t put ours up because we don’t have any room and also we know CJ will pull off all the decorations. And also because we’ll be down in VV for most of the lead up so we will assemble a little one down there.
We spent a few nights at VV and even though it was meant to be a rest it actually ended up exhausting both Allan and I. We decided to put CJ on a mattress on the floor since he had done so well last time we stayed there (he was in a sleeping bag that time but not this time). It was all too much for him to have so much freedom and we spent over 2 hours trying to get him to lie down. He just refused to go to sleep. And then at 4am when we found that he had rolled off the mattress, under our bed and out the other side. It took another 2 hours to get him to go back to bed. We’ve bought him a toddler bed but think we’ll wait until he’s a little older before transitioning him because it’s too much work. Here are some pics of our time away:
A moment of stillness in front of his favourite DVD:
Trying to skip with Daddy:
Lots of fun playing outdoors:
We had a little Christmas party with our CPC friends and CJ loved seeing Joshy whom he hasn’t seen all that often but is fixated on his name. CJ loves to go through a list of all his favourite people. Predictably, every night when we ask him who he would like to pray for he says “goong goong” and “Nali” and “Samuel”. These are his top three names. But he also likes Joshy too (must be the Caleb and Joshua thing!).
I have absolutely been blessed to have Allan around these weeks because I am getting more and more exhausted being heavily pregnant. Only 7 more weeks to go…..
I’m a little fearful of how I will manage with two under two and having so many changes ahead in our family. Once Allan commences work even though he will be at home it’s going to be a lot harder to expect him to be as hands on. CJ has really been spoilt having both Daddy and Mummy at his beck and call every single day and so I’m worried how he will handle not just having no Daddy here to play with but the addition of a needy newborn taking up Mummy’s attention. Sometimes I just have to stop thinking about it because it’s inevitable and things will just unfold. But other times, I get worried that I won’t cope. Much prayer for patience, grace, strength and ability is needed. I know God has this all under control and will enable me to get through each day. And just as He has been maturing and developing CJ in such obvious ways over these months, I know He will continue to change all of us and develop our trust in Him even when it gets really difficult.
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