It has been almost 3 months since we arrived home in Montana. I really have no excuses for not posting, other than being honest. "Two Year Old's are Busy!!!" Tracey and I forgot how much energy is required to keep up with a 2yr old. I don't remember the girls being this way, but maybe it is that I am not a kiddo anymore either. Ruben has adjusted quite well. He has always been very happy and sociable. He is still low on height and weight, but not for a lack of eating. Within a week of getting home, we stopped giving him the formula "Klime" from Colombia. In fact, Ruben likes to feed himself. The hard part, is that a bath is usually required afterwards as well. Language is the area of improvement for Ruben. He says a few words, but mimics about anything and everything that he hears. Tracey and I are both back to work now, so daycare set in. Ruben loves it. There are three brothers at the in-home daycare, and one is about the same age as Ruben. The little guy is setteling in with his new american way of life. The girls taught him to hold his nose when he does a little duty in his pants. It is pretty common to see him run down the hall holding his nose. We really didn't need the extra sign language, as we can usually smell him come a running...We made the decision to get him circumsized before the holidays. In Colombia, the boys generally are not circumsized. It was a rough day or two, but now he is doing great, and I think he will appreciate it later. Working in the medical field, I can tell you that men that don't get circumsized have a lot of health issues later, not to mention the potential problems and peer pressure he could recieve in school.
The girls are adjusting as well too. As expected, our youngest (7yrs) has had the hardest time adjusting, and often acts out for attention. Bree is my tom boy, so I try to spend a few extra minutes here and there throwing the football with her in the yard, as Ruben watches from the window waiting for his time to shine.
We had a great holiday season with all of us here. Ruben celebrated his birthday 12/26 a week later, as Christmas was overwelming. I think he would have been happy as a pig in mud, just to play with the box's and wrapping paper. Nothing too new to report. We did have our first post-adoption visit this month and again sending off the paperwork for apostille and then to our agency. We have 3 more to go. We have started the legal adoption process to "readopt" Ruben in Montana. This way he will get a Montana birth certificate and be able to drop my wife's maiden name. Colombia puts the mother's maiden name at the end. So currently Ruben's name is: Ruben Levi Miller Rongholt. That is still shorter then the five names he had in Colombia. Well, enough for now. Will post more developments later.
