Exciting present for the twin's 5th birthday!!!

I had been writing a blog post on the twin's language and in the middle of it all got the most wonderful news!  Our next court date has been set and our adoption will be finalized on the twin's birthday!!!  I was a little sad at first knowing that my husband would be gone (only one of us has to travel to their country for court this time) for their birthday party and then realized....wait a minute!  They will be getting a family for their 5th birthday, who could possibly top that!?!  I'm so excited!!!

But first, I apologize for the lack of blogging!  I am so sorry that I am missing out on documenting these first weeks....but this is how I am with a newborn too so I shouldn't be surprised. 

I also want to thank everyone for their prayers and ultimately to thank God for His patience with me!  Robert has found a job....one that meets our needs even though it may not meet my wants.  We may have to keep looking and there may still be some changes in our future but for now...we can eat and pay our bills.  We all have learned to be grateful for the basic things and ultimately that is such a blessing.  So, we continue to press forward with lots of humility....and I am working to pray more and worry less and keep a brighter attitude (admitting that I fail at this frequently :(

On to more fun topics!  One of the things I have been asked about the most is how the twins are doing with learning English.  It is such a funny topic for our family because they are completely polar opposites on this one.  (please forgive my hair in this pic, it was a damp day which makes my hair a bit wiggy!)

I. is speaking in full sentences and runs around the house touching things and asking the name for it.  We all immediately thought of the scene in the movie with Helen Keller where she is so excited to learn and find out everything she can as fast as possible. 

I.'s foster mother described him as "the professor".  We think that is a great descriptive for him!  He is curious about everything and is very intelligent.  He asks about everything and has this deep desire to know all.  He is also very active and can get over stimulated very easily.  He can have wonderful calm moments though where he is incredibly sweet and very affectionate.  He tells me "I love you" and gives hugs and kisses frequently throughout the day.

I like to call K. my little fairy princess.  She is flat out adorable and she knows it. :-)  She is also very smart but seems to launch her intelligence into more creative works and dramatic play.  She can make an entire game with a single string and play quietly for hours.  We were in the US Embassy waiting room for five minutes before she had already transformed the waiting room into her own little cafe!

K. started out with an indifference to English and then once we arrived home to the U.S., she announced "NO English!"  And, decided that she would teach us her language.  Which, I might add, has worked to some degree because we know many more words now than we did while in-country. 

So, while I. absolutely never speaks his native language unless he is talking with his sister, she always speaks in her native language and she will speak loudly and slowly in hopes that we will finally get a clue and begin to learn! LOL!

K. is so funny though, because every once in awhile an English word or phrase will slip out with near perfect pronunciation and clarity. 

They are both doing perfectly as far as I am concerned and we are just enjoying their very distinct and super dynamic personalities. :-)

So, I decided it might be fun to recall their very first words and then go on to the words they know now.

Very first words (during the first month in their country):
Mommy

Daddy

I love you (taught by their very loving foster mother)

*water*-we knew it in both languages and man did we use this word! (we used this term for so many things....thirsty, river, bath time, swimming at the water park)

EAT!

milk

pee pee (don't know how they knew this term but it worked for asking about needing to use the restroom....well, until K. decided that she didn't actually need to do #1 but rather #2 so that this term didn't apply and she was completely frustrated and nearly had an accident before we figured it out because she kept insisting No! No, pee pee! :/

Horse (this is because I. absolutely *loves* them!)

Baby-K. loves to play "baby" and I loved the benefits of getting a lot of cuddling and holding in

Blankie-they truly loved (and still use) the super soft egyptian cotton baby blankets that we got for them

Kitty-another game that K. likes to play-she is a very sweet and cuddly little kitty

Doggie-another game that I. likes to play-he is a very boisterous and loud barking doggie!

SWIM-this is the word they use for taking baths and also going to the water park

Chocolate-I wouldn't have thought of this as a first word but...everybody loves chocolate, right? :-)

Boat-look for past pics that show the huge cruise boat that we had a view of from our gorgeous apartment while we were in-country.

Juice

Be nice/not be nice-I don't know how this was the term I chose to use but once it was understood, we kind of stuck with it...possibility out of desperation and necessity

Yucky!-mostly reserved for strange/unknown foods

Taxi/car


Words from our 2nd month together:

PLAY! :-)

Most of the body parts-eyes, ears, teeth, hair, head, legs, arms, mouth etc

Dead-I know, it is a strange one to put in first words but children at this age really do seem fascinated with life and with death...ie whenever there is a dead bug etc.  K. has a game where she pretends to choke and die and we all say "Oh no!  She's dead!" and then she springs back to life and runs away giggling and laughing!  She adores playing this game...

TV- Of course!  Not my favorite word and I am really trying to limit this now but like many children they truly enjoy cartoons....especially Tom and Jerry which seemed to be always playing in the restaurant while we were in-country

Outside-what a treat it is to go outside and romp in the warmth after being so cold in the snow!

Shoes-because we have to have those on to go outside

Get dressed/shirt/pants

Walk-as in "going for a walk" which involves going on the levy across the street from us and going down to the beach at the river

Good morning-this is the term that I. also uses when I tell him something we can do in the morning...he wants reassurance that when we say "good morning!" that he can do or eat whatever it is that he is wanting

Let's go!

Many foods(some they can't say-but they understand)- yogurt, chips, banana, apple, rice, KETCHUP, milk, cereal, ICE CREAM(!!!), sprinkles, meat, chicken, cucumbers, carrot, orange, cheese(usually followed by "yucky"), pizza, popcorn, and pie

Stop!  Go!

Cup/fork/spoon

Sleep/Tired

Words favored by I.

Bottom-I. thinks that he has the word like (b-u-t-t) but I am content that bottom is a much nicer word to use! :-)

Poo-poo-he and Eleanor (our three year old) unfortunately, quite enjoy the "potty talk"

Flamingo!-He loved the flamingo at the zoo and then got a magic egg that hatches in the water and grows into a.....flamingo, of course!  His actual word is "mingo!"

HORSE-loves them, wants to watch movies about them, pretends he is one, and loves any book with them in it!

Words favored by K.

Princess!

Ice cream!-I know, I mentioned this one already, but she absolutely *loves* this and it helps the medicine to go down much more happily :-)

Owie!-Any tiny little scratch or nick and she comes running to me for lots of kisses and of course to have a dramatic reaction of how badly wounded she is!  A band-aid is also a must!

Uppa!-her word for "up" and she says it when she wants me to pick her up and hold her.  Very cute!

*Thanks to those who made it this far and hopefully I will have some fun Easter stories and pics to share soon!