Happy Almost-Seven-Month Anniversary

Way back on October 2, 2004, Andy and I met our son for the first time. He was tiny for
his 2 and 1/2 years, quiet and somber, hungry, and coughing. He wasn't malnourished or
underclothed or anything like the kids you see on the charity commercials on TV, but he was
understandably withdrawn and his cough sounded pretty bad.

Skip forward almost 7 months and what has changed?

Kevin still loves to play with balls and blocks and he still eats a lot and he's still short and
he is still quiet when he is distressed (particularly in unfamiliar enviroments or around unfamiliar
people) and he's coughing now because of what we assume are allergies.

However, he doesn't eat as much as he did and he talks a lot around us and his body has filled out.
He loves to be outside instead of being scared and he walks and runs in the grass instead of only on
cement or asphalt. He has
grasped more of the English language than we expected by now and everyday he is better able to
express himself. He has learned to enjoy playing with other children rather than backing away from
them and he loves all sorts of toys and jungle gym equipment.

His sleeping habits have changed but each phase brings new challenges rather than just being easier.
While I was able, at one point,
to put him back into his bed in the middle of the night and he'd fall back to sleep, he now will
come back out of his room as soon as I get back into my bed. He'll do this up to 6 times (perhaps more
but I haven't found out because by that time I'm so aggravated that I just go sleep on the floor
in his room instead.) This also happens now when he goes to bed - he comes out over and over and over
again. And this also happens during what used to be nap time but which is now "quiet play alone time."
I don't really get much alone time with him coming out of his room every few minutes but I'm trying to
see this as a phase and let him work up to longer stretches of time.

He is learning to share and take turns which helps his playtime with other kids. He has become
opinionated about what clothes he wants to wear and he loves to wear pajamas. His shoes are still
a necessity with clothes but he can do without them while wearing pajamas.