Cousins!

Our families joined together this past weekend for a 'toddler shower' for Evan.  It was amazing, Evan did so well! A real prince charming, a bit of a flirt in fact.  It was so fun to have so many cousins all together.  When everyone did first meet it did have a north meets south feeling!  My sister, Rach and her family traveled from Houston, Texas; Val and her family from Fayetteville AR; and my parents from Monett, MO. And the Freudenburg/Day family was from all other Minnesota and Wisconsin!  I wish I had more photos of the actual shower but as you can imagine I was a little preoccupied so until I hunt some down I have posted other photos of the weekend!

Let me assure you we do clothe him, but he is so messy with yogurt/breakfast we wanted to make sure he was done eating! He is playing cars with his cousin, Hudson (also Korean born)

Hudson and Evan sharing some Captain Crunch (notice Evan isn't going to let go of the car even for breakfast!)

It was sooooo HOT!  The kids had left the pool for the driveway toys (that is why the no shirts)

Presley made the photo in this one, she loved the Jeep!

Charlotte with the bubbles

more car competition

I have said since we first laid eyes on Evan many many months ago- He takes after his PopPop with his hair!

 

Evan is NOT a sharer - Hudson sang the "sharing" song over and over and over again all weekend, I kept thinking maybe Evan would get the hint.

Our first Post Placement with Social Worker

We have been home for one whole month!  Just to be clear - It has to be the longest month of my life.  In preparation of our visit we needed to submit photos of Evan (and some with us) to share with his birth mother, foster mother, and the adoption agency.  We also wrote letters and filled out a bunch of paperwork.  I was under no illusion that the paperwork would end once we got him home, but really?  I feel like entertaining Evan is a full time job, now paperwork???  Ha!

By the way the social worker thinks we are doing just fine - a little sleep deprived but good.  In fact his attachment to us is great, better than expected!   We figure what are sleep and food issues when you have attachment?  We will get there!

It almost looks like Mocha is interested in the story - it is actually the crackers in Evan's right hand!

My kid loves cereal (and milk but that is about it)

 

Every other day Apa has morning duty, which includes a very manly breakfast on the sofa watching cartoons, not sure who enjoys it more. This is what I walked into the other morning.

 

And finally he shares with Mocha

Mommy's First

Before we returned from Seoul with Evan I had dreamed about all the 'firsts' we had missed, but so many yet to come, I never thought about my "firsts" until this week.
- my first playdate (this may have been more for me than Evan) and at that first playdate I wasn't even thinking like an experienced mom when I didn't convince Evan that his special red motorcycle would remain safe in my bag while he played, no need to carry it around the entire playground.  Instead I was so excited that he was having fun and playing with other children it never crossed my mind.
- my first 'hunt for the lost toy'  it was only when I began strapping Evan into his carseat I realized the toy we came with was nowhere to be found. I then started my first "search and rescue" attempt. I was unsuccessful and I knew I need to get home only to pass Evan off to Dan for their standing appointment at the pool.  I returned to said park again. I search and search but someone little kid had already made off with our treasure.
- the playdate ended at McDonalds where all the other kids were enjoying the chicken nuggets and cheeseburgers and Evan enjoyed some milk and 2 french fries.  Who knew I would want my kid to eat fast food? He is so picky.

Evan's First English Words

Uh oh!  Yep that is right Evan's first words were Uh Oh!  Can you tell we say it all the time?

We finally ventured out to Target today for some much needed diaper genie inserts!  Of course once I parked and got Evan out of the car seat I realized I didn't have my wallet, then spent 10 minutes trying to get him back into the carseat to go back home.  It was a real fun trip!

Once we finally starting shopping Evan sang the whole time, very chatty also.  And of course he needed a toy or two! so much for a quick trip for diaper trash bags!  Since we were out we also went to Quarry Hill Nature Center. Evan loved it.  I think some of the giant fish (ugly fish) scared him when he got to close to the aquarium. But as far as I could tell he enjoyed looking at all the animals both living and stuffed. He seemed cool with the snakes and other creepy beings, more so than I was!

Evan is also learning to share his deckside pool with the dogs, I think he prefers the big city pool that he doesn't have to share with furry animals!

Learning to share

checking out the animals that don't move

Dinosaur

Bee Hive

Showing off his new sunglasses from Target!

First Full Week

one of our playful moments

Evan Loves to take photos with my phone, he will sit and take photos of himself for 10 minutes at a time!

Evan was so hyper when he opened up a new gift from Alissa, Thomas the Train play tent

He loves to push or pull anything, He pulled his wagon down the street and up the driveway.

Wagon ride with Grandma, cousins Ryan, Rachel, and Nathan

Much needed nap, even the dogs needed a nap

Gift from 'Uncle Jim'

First trip to the pool, It doesn't look like it but he was the life of the party!

This is what happens when he refuses to nap, he sleeps at the dinner table

Our First Weekend

We may have been sleep deprived but that wasn't going to stop us from enjoying the beautiful weather! We headed to the park for some playtime with cousins Nathan and Rachel with grandma and grandpa Freudenburg.

It took a little while before Evan settled on an activity but it was the sandbox that caught his eye, we played with dump trucks, shovels, and sand pails.  He even explored the play sets and sat on my lap for the slides.  It got a bit warm and we needed to go home and put some shorts on! (all of us!)
We were warned that Evan got car sick, but we had hoped that our super cautious driving in the small town of Rochester would be different than the super busy streets of Seoul - not so.  Those four hard boiled egg whites did not look great in our new car seat!  The kiddo loves hard boiled egg whites!

After a quick bath, Evan was ready to play with his cousins and his favorite toy the lawn mower!

Nights are still restless, but we are hopeful with time and commitment Evan will rest more at night and enjoy some sleep.  We are sleeping on a floor mattress with him to try to make it as much like what he is used to but I know it will take time for him to become comfortable. During the daytime hours we are rewarded with smiles, laughs, and hugs.  We have to rely on those beautiful moments to get us through the more difficult nighttime hours.