Perfection

I think the last few days have been the most fun I have had with Duc in a very long time. I’m not saying we don’t usually have fun, but the last few days have been exceptional. No time outs, no *major* meltdowns—just lots of giggles and orneriness.

Yesterday I had to make a trip to Indy for my nearly yearly visit to Homeland Security for yet another fingerprint appointment. I was beginning to sweat it a bit. Last summer I completed the homestudy update when Duc and I had our 6 month post-placement visit. Then I left it…after the almost baby girl event in July I just couldn’t. It made me too sad and slightly ill to even try to pull it together. In September I had a panicked thinking that I was expiring that month. Well, I was an idiot. My fingerprints expired, but the 171H was still current. Finally, on January 2nd with exactly 3 weeks left I sent it off with a kiss and a hope that this might be the end of it.

The last time I visited the USCIS office Duc was still a hope & and a prayer away and I had no idea if I would see either baby. This time I dragged Duc along for the road trip and we had a wonderful time together. The whole time they rolled my fingerpinrts he kept up a running dialogue and waved and chit-chatted with all the others there. He never ceases to amaze me. After our appointment we went to my favorite Vietnamese restaurant. I just couldn’t pass it up since I was so close, but unfortunately Duc had a meltdown while we were eating and once the noodles and meatballs began flying through the air it was suddenly time to get the heck out of there. Actually, I think the noodles were still in the air when the owner swooped in with a big, wet towel to wipe up the mess. I apologized repeatedly, but assured me his 3 kids did the same thing.

The highlight of the day was actually much later in the day. We didn’t get back to town until the witching hour—the hour I refer to when he gets a bit manic because he’s so tired and it is too close to bedtime—and I still needed to go grocery shopping. He was whiney until I put him down to help push the cart. He loved it! We started racing through the aisles and then he began running ahead to pick up groceries—he grabbed an armful of ramen noodles (and, no, I don’t usually buy them because of the sodium levels), canned soups, potato chips (of course, he has a bit of obsession with them which is why we don’t have any in the house. Ever. Especially since both of us could eat our way through a bag pretty quick). At one point he ran ahead and I was having trouble seeing him. By the time I located him he was in one of the six yogurt cooler doors pulling down his favorite yogurt brand and flavors. Honestly, watching him run through the store and shop made me realize he really pays attention to everything we do.

Other Highlights from the last week:

• Duc has begun potty training and without going into detail I’ll just say he has successfully been using the bathroom.
• He turned to me on Sunday and with his finger pointing at me said, “Stop it!” Too funny!
• Tonight, for the first since he entered my life, let me wash the dinner dishes after eating. While in the same room. While he was awake. Without whining, hitting me or throwing things. He stood next to me while I washed and he played with the bubbles in the sink. We had water everywhere, but it was so worth it!
• He’s really helpful around the house now.
• In the morning after we are both dressed we go to the living room and I put both of our socks on. Once done, he gathers up our shoes and brings them back to me. He even picks out my shoes based on what he has seen me wearing recently. He even releases the velcro on our shoes so I can get them on both of our feet.
• He carries in groceries from the car to the door, from the door to the kitchen and helps upack them. Yeah, he’s getting too big a big boy.
• He especially loves to carry the massive packages of TP that I buy (I hate buying it so I buy in bulk)
• He puts his laundry away.
• He reminds me to hang up our coats (which until this week never happened because I was always chasing after him)
• He blows his nose by himself and throws his kleenex away.
• He brushes him own teeth.
• He asks for soap during his bath and he scrubs himself down.
• He puts his toys away...somedays:)
• He picks up ice cubes that fly out of our crazy ice chute and throws them away.
• He has his bottom 2 year molars and the top ones have broken through.
• He is growing like a weed and is now wearing 18-24 month pants and 2T shirts (this kid has massive shoulders)
• He loves to run.
• He insists on using chop sticks every time we have noodles, we eat at an Asian restaurant or he sees me use mine. And sometimes he can actually pick up the food and eat with them. I need to buy him some of the baby chop sticks they have at some of the specialty stores.

A few weeks ago I was driving us home from school and work and I glanced in the back seat. For the narrowest of seconds I really thought I was looking at a 5-7 year-old boy. He is growing so quickly and for the first time since he bounded into my life, I'm not fighting it. I'm enjoying every minute of it and I am just amazed at the difference a day makes. On Saturday he could pull the doors in the house shut, but could never lock them or open them up again. On Sunday, he could.

On Saturday we went to the park to play. Last summer and fall we played there a lot, but I always got a lot of looks from the other parents since i allowed him to go down big slides by himself. Yeah, he was tiny and barely a year old, but his physical abilities are amazing! On Saturday he was once again the youngest and smallest in the park, but not the least coordinate. He climbed the steps all by himself holding the hand rail. He climbed all the way to the top and went down the tall slide all by himself. I even heard other parents and grandparents pointing him out to their kids talking about the little boy that went down the big slide by himself.

I realize this post is really more for me than any on you. I've gotten pretty lazy about journaling and it was easier to grab my computer than focus on pen and paper. I hope you will allow a little latitude as I have really been blown away by him lately. I always look forward to picking him up from daycare, but lately it is all I can do not to pick him up early or put him to bed late. I just can't wait to spend time with him again!