Zeke

Is this the best smile ever?

Almost a year home.   Adjustment has not been as easy for a 4 year old as a younger one, or maybe they just show it better, because they can.  Learning to be in a family has been the one area that Zeke has struggled in, but now is embracing.   He sometimes will copy everything that a sibling is doing and that would bother that sibling.  We explained this to the rest of the kids and they understood and helped him out so much.  In fact Phoebe and Charis have loved pretending to be his teachers and he has thought that great.   He is learning so much, never have experienced a family atmosphere.   Learning that he can ask for anything he needs.  Realizing that he is free to get a drink and there will be food left for him.  He would eat so-so fast because I believe he wanted to make sure he got to eat and not have someone else take his food.  He has learned that I may leave for a short time, but I will come back for him.  He is very secure in this aspect now.  He is still afraid of Chinese people though.  I really do not think they treated him very well.  I know they didn’t treat him very nice when I was with him in China, I can only imagine him as a baby and young boy by himself.  He has learned that we love his elbow and that he doesn’t have to hide it.  When he gets upset, he will sometimes pull hard on his arm or flick it.  But he has come so far.  Having his big sister Charis and her limb difference has been the best thing in the world.  Sometimes they give each other high 5’s with their elbows. : )   His English is amazing.  It is funny sometimes when we encounter a new situation and we talk to him about it then he looks at us with this “what are you talking about look”.  We then explain it in words he knows, and then all is better.  His mind is a sponge.  I am glad he is learning how to speak clearly unlike the beginning when he was learning to speak from his cleft sister.  That was frustrating at times.  Now he knows Molly Mei needs speech to help her speak better (which we have been doing 3 times a week over the summer).   We really think he is probably a year older  than the date they gave him, but unlike Charis, we are not changing his birth date.  We have waited to do his re-adoption, just to make sure, but since he is a boy, having the extra time is only going to be in his favor.  The doctors have agreed.  Zeke still loves John Deere tractors and being outside.  The surgery to take out his tonsils has changed his sleeping drastically and he very seldom takes a nap now.   We are so glad he is our son and we love him so much.   If you have never adopted an older toddler, feel free to ask me any questions.