What can I say?

Isaiah is:

Absolutely charming!

Delightful!

A smiler

A joker

Ticklish

A cheek filler – with food at the end of a meal 🙁

A splasher (in the tub)

A whiz (at the ipad – swiping games work well!)

Strong!

A communicator ( he has a few words: like chee-chew-ah which is car, family titles like jiejie, Baba, Mama, and he’s copied a few English words like Hello and likes to say Uh-Oh)

A giggler (sooo cute!)

A player (he knows how to put on a show)

A page turner ( he loved showing off his page turning skills again and again today – we are truly amazed!)

VERY, VERY LOVED!

We met our guide in the lobby and were happy to reconnect with her.  She had helped us process Samuel’s adoption 2 years ago and now has a little one of her own as well.  We purchased some flowers for the official gifts today (an idea I stole from another parent) and off we went to the civil affairs office.  Our guide, Vicky, let us know that we would most likely beat Isaiah to the office, so not to worry.  We arrived and headed upstairs.  Walking into the meeting room, our eyes were drawn to a family that we’d met in the hotel lobby the night before.  They were trying to engage their new three year old son.  What we didn’t notice right away were the two ladies sitting off to the side with the little boy on their laps!

There is was!  Watching us with wide, speculative eyes.  We’d seen those eyes before (James, Garnet).  I walked over and knelt in from of him.  Talking softly to him he didn’t move much.  Then I reached forward to pick him up.  He didn’t resist me and I turned him around on my lap to cuddle him closely.  He turned to look up at me and we stared at one another for a second.  Then I smiled.

He began to curl into me a bit and kicked at his legs.  The nanny handed me the small quilted photo album they had been looking at (one we’d sent the orphanage a but more tan 4 months ago).  And then the fun began!

Isaiah began turning the pages of the book with his hands!  We had no idea he could do that!  He was able to control his arm muscles so well.  Well, we all clapped and told him how smart he is and he really warmed up to the idea.  Next thing we know he’s doing it again and again – wiggling in pride as we praised him.

He holds himself up in a sitting position with a lot of strength.  He moves his legs around and can wiggle his toes. He can easily pick things up with his mouth.  He can sit up from a reclined position (amazing abs!).  He plays with toys and can grasp objects between his fingers to pick them up and move them.  He likes to wiggle and bop up and down to music.  And he sings and hums.  He also chatters in a soft voice and belly laughs loudly.

We are totally smitten, just as every new parent should be.  Once again I can honestly say that I really and truly felt my heart expand.  It’s an unbelievable knowledge that from now and forevermore, I am Isaiah’s Mama.