4 Months Home - It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas

Update for December 18th Posting:

There will be 2 postings for this month because my Christmas post will be one in its own.  This past month has been a complete blur! Zander is growing by leeps and bounds. He's taller, faster and a true toddler boy. We still feel like we are in a honeymoon period with him because he is just like the rest of the kids, no transition problems whatsoever. Believe me, I pray that it remains this way, and knock on wood, it will.

The family dynamics have changed just a bit and he has rolled right with them. Alex, our 25 yr. old daughter moved to her own place the end of November. Zander was used to waking her up at all hours of the day (she works evenings) and kiss her or just want her to play (her bedroom was our couch) and the main portion of time we spend is in our living room. He was a bit confused as to where she went, but rolled with the change.

Zander's relationship with Carmen is actually blossoming, as much as a 2 yr. olds can with their 13 yr. old sister. He likes to follow her to her room, where she asks him for privacy and tells him she is shutting the door. After she shuts the door, he knocks several times, mumbling words only he can understand. If she doesn't open, he s-l-o-w-l-y starts ripping one of her One Direction posters that she has tacked on the outside of her door. He knows she can hear and that this will make her open the door. It works! the door is open, he giggles and runs with big sister chasing him.

Zander and Richie are quite the dynamic duo. Zander LOVES spending time with Richie. He mimics just about everything he does from play shooting his nerf gun, running around, playing ball, dancing, wrestling, etc. You name it, he copies it. Richie is an extremely good sport and a great role model. The only thing you don't mess with is Richie's food though. If there's one thing Zander does want, that Richie has, it his food and it's a constant battle to keep him away while Richie tries to eat, even if Zander has his own plate of the same food.

Big sister Brandy doesn't get to see Zander too much because she has a very busy schedule with her own little ones. But he will interact with her, just at a distance. He loves our grandkids, Savannah (almost 7), Kalya (23 months) and Sophia (8 months). He hasn't been around Savannah too much yet, but he is amazed at how much she moves. He follows her with a perplexed look. He and Kalya are a riot, they are only 3 weeks apart, but Kalya rules the roost. She's loud, fast, and bossy. He just laughs and chases her, all the while trying to give her hugs and kisses. With Sophia Zander is very gentle and says baby and pets her. The only time he pays her much attention is when I try to hold her, he's not real crazy about that.

Tim and Zander's relationship is something to behold. Zander KNOWS he has his daddy wrapped around his little finger (not too tough to do). He leads Tim a merry chase getting into everything, wanting everything, wanting to be held, led and fed. Tim will constantly ask me how I can sit and get things done and Zander justs ignores me and will play and I tell him, "He's got your number."

Zander and I get along great. I adore his giggles, his teasing and watching and teaching him. He is still learning so much. His speech is improving slowly, but he has just started babbling and says things to us and we don't have a clue so we smile and say "really"? He seems pleased with this response because he giggles and moves on. His frustration level has seemed to gotten a lot better since he is babbling more, there isn't much hitting anymore (true blessing).

Zander's first Thanksgiving was very nice. He got to meet the whole Verbeke clan and was the hit of the party. Unfortunately daddy was sick so Papa Art stepped up and Zander toddled around with him all day seeing the goats, miniature horses, donkey, ducks, geese, and rabbits (Yes, he has all these at his home). It was amazing seeing them together because it's never really happened. Zander wasn't really keen on eating all the food (believe it or not) and we went home for a quiet evening.

The next week Zander was placed in outpatient care to finally have his teeth fixed. He did so wonderful for a little 2 yr. old who had to be without food or drink for 12 hours. His surgery was at 2:00 p.m. and he didn't have anything until the next day. He ended up getting 2 root canals, 2 fillings and 3 crowns. He was one funny little boy when they gave him the versad. I will try to load the video. Since then he's had some problem with adjusting with so much silver up there though and constantly has his fingers in his mouth now.

All in all he is doing amazingly well, amazingly adjusted, and amazingly loved. We are VERY excited about Christmas this year. He LOVES to open presents. He has an advent calendar with individually wrapped gifts (they are just small pieces of candy, a small toy etc.) and he can hardly wait to open them daily. He had his first meeting with Santa last week, he liked him from a distance, but when it came to him holding him it was very short-lived, but we were able to snap a picture.

Well, time to sign-off from the Verbeke home, running and Christmas shopping awaits. We pray all of you have a blessed Christmas and a wonderful and safe New Year's Eve. Until next month!

Blessings,
Francine

Patiently waiting for doctor to see him.

Zander, Niece Sophia & Cousin Julien chilling on the couch.

Zander was VERY careful holding Niece Sophia

Sophia & Kalya

Zander giving Kalya a kiss goodbye on the cheek.

Brandi, Emily, Lizzy, Carmen & Katie Black Friday Shopping.

Carmen & Brandi so DONE after Black Friday Shopping.

Mommy & Zander at his first Christmas Parade.

Aunt Tina & Zander looking at the floats going down Main Street.

Zander snuggling daddy after meds.

Very sleepy after dental surgery. Love his new quilt from Angie Weber.

Completely out, he didn't even need his pacifier.

Snuggling Daddy.

Sleeping on Momma.

Best friends in St. Charles celebrating. Wendy, Linda, Francine &  Julia.

Zander watching his favorite show, Elmo!

Snuggling w/Sissy Alex.

Sissy Alex exhausted.

Carmen celebrating blue & white day for school.

Zander LOVES Hummus!

So much he licked the container.

Sweet baby boy in his puppy towel still damp from his bath.

Richie with his gift of Nerf guns from a boy who outgrew them.

Kalya fascinated with the back of the fridge.

Kalya Sue!

Zander enjoying his spaghetti.

Seeing a pattern with Zander licking things clean he likes to eat?

The one and ONLY time Zander sat still for his breathing treatment.

Zander getting ready to place Elmo on the tree.

The 3 amigos (ha) decorating the tree.

Alex decided to get in on the decorating action, at the final moment.

Carmen doing the Butterfly stroke at a December swim meet.

Alex & Carmen chilling on Alex's new apartment floor.

Zander being cool in daddy's sunglasses.

Richie dressed up for blue & white day at school.

Alex & Carmen decorating Alex's tree at her apartment.

3 Months Home - I'm Late I'm Late For A Very Important Date!

At this moment Carmen & I are having a losing battle with the ice maker. It keeps rumbling, churning and making horrible noises. As soon as we turn it off and get back into bed or me back to typing, it goes off again. UGH

Well, I'm actually 10 days late on this posting (as of 12:01am). There's been so much happening and actually the most happening, is my procrastinating. Since my last posting (October 18th) we've had a lot of hurdles happen and 2 holidays.

Well a bit over a month ago Zander was pretty well communicating through sign and trying to repeat what we said. He now is starting to say the word while signing it at the same time. He says more spontaneous things now and has really taken off with words (although very hard to understand). His therapist said he is still doing amazing. She's awed by his ability to stay with something until he almost gets it.

One thing that has not changed from last month, only intensified 100% is the fact that our son LOVES to go bye bye. The first couple of months we were home we thought it was just because of everything new, but now we know, the child is addicted to going....anywhere....even if you just drive down the road he's happy. He doesn't even have to get out of his car seat, in fact I have to pry him out of the car seat (that's the opposite of every other child I have ever known). Although he is unlike any other child I have known. It used to be he got excited when you got your shoes or coat on, now he brings me my shoes and his shoes and says bye bye. He stomps, claps his hands, giggles and says bye bye when we leave. Once we arrive somewhere he even tells the people bye bye, ready to go again.

The one thing Zander has latched on to is Elmo, Melmo as he calls him. Every time the laptop is opened he runs over, "Melmo", we turn on the tv, "Melmo" read a book, "Melmo". He kisses his stuffed Elmo, imitates him on the computer and tv, etc.

Some of the sweetest things to watch is him telling Carmen & Richie good bye in the morning when they leave for school. He blows them kisses through the windows and says "bus bus" as the big yellow blur passes by. He then greets them in the afternoon with hugs and another bus bus when they arrive home. When he hears his daddy's truck (a 1990 Ford F150, a real working man's truck I'm told) arrive in the afternoon, he stops, jumps up and runs to the door, stomping from foot to foot, squealing, giggling, and saying either daddy or mama. Tim walks in wearing his bibs from the day, Zander practically jumps in his arms, hugs him tight and tells him "off, off" because he knows when he takes off his bibs, he is staying home. I'm usually never greeted because I always have the almost 27 lbs. with me : )

This past month we have had to leave Zander a couple of times. The first time he stayed with his Aunt Tina (she's the blonde with the short hair wearing a white coat in last month's posting). He was there during her Bible study and became their mascot, he did very well. The next time he got to stay with his "Grandma Julia" (although after she said he should call her that and she heard it, she now is Miss Julia). I went to have a test done that would take maybe 1 1/2 hours. After arriving back at Julia's house, the duo was MIA. Calls to her cell phone went unanswered also. This didn't worry me because "that's Julia". Well, almost 3 hours later in comes my little counterpart. Staying at her house didn't cut it with him (he cried A LOT), she scooped him up and went to McDonald's playland where he had a blast, then they took a stroll to the nearby Michael's Museum where Julia introduced him into many textures.

Now if I could only get him to stay in the childcare at the Y so I could go back to working out, maybe I could lose all the weight that I've gained since coming home from China.

Zander's first holiday here was Halloween. I was so excited. He could say tick teet and he was going as...of course.....Elmo. First he had his Tot Time party where we had a dry run of the costume, he was not impressed with the head part he was supposed to wear as a hat, but he did have fun at the party. It was good he had fun, because he didn't get to go out Halloween night because our family was all down with the stomach flu. : [ The great thing about it was he got to eat more dum dum suckers though.

Thanksgiving was so nice this year except Tim stayed home, sick again UGH! Who was Zander going to lead around? who was going to follow him so he didn't get hurt? Who? Papa Art stepped up to the plate. This was such an awesome thing in the family although I won't tell you why, just chalk it up to it melted my heart. Papa took him to see the rabbits, ducks, geese, horses, donkey, chickens, etc. helped him up and down the steps, etc. I am so thankful to have such wonderful in-laws. He also got to meet his Uncle Mike & Aunt Cindy and their whole crew. We pray you had a wonderful gathering too.

We are now gearing up for Christmas and I for one, cannot wait! The one bummer is Alex is moving back out on her own. We will miss her closeness, but she really needs privacy and space. She works all odd hours and Zander wasn't very considerate of her needing sleep during the day, but she never really got angry, just tired.

Carmen & Richie have been settling into the school routine really nicely. Richie just got an early Christmas present when a man his Papa works with gave him 17 Nerf guns. Carmen and I with many friends did the Black Friday shopping and had such a great time.

Well, I'm rambling...again and I'm sure you'll want to see the MANY photos from the past month. I will also be listing videos sometime tomorrow so please check back for updates.

Blessings,
Francine

P.S. I apologize if you get tired of looking at ALL the umpteen photos, but I can't decide on just a few.