Look at this! Two blog posts in one month.😃(Ok, so I started writing it in December). As most of you know Gabe did not enjoy Christmas. He doesn't like changes in routines and schedules, he doesn't enjoy visiting relatives, he doesn't like the sound of paper tearing. Basically all things Christmas. It was nothing like I imagined our first Christmas with him would be, but that's true for the whole adoption experience and it's ok because he's been through a lot, too much really. Our home is the fourth place he's lived in his short life. Can you even imagine? Not only the fourth place he's lived but he's had people come and go from his life and that's just hard, we are forever, he doesn't know it yet and he doesn't understand but time will help him to realize that we're here to stay. Mike and I took shifts with Gabe at home while the other parent and other kids went to visit family during the holidays. I'm hopeful that 2017 will bring lots of progress for our little guy and he will be able to enjoy doing things outside of our home without so much fear and anxiety.
On New Year's Eve Gabe woke up from a nap screaming for an hour and a half. We couldn't do anything to calm him. I always think about the date when things like this happen, and wouldn't you know it had been 9 months to the day when we took Gabe out of his home country and away from the people that loved him, away from familiar food, smells, and language. On top of all that, as if that isn't enough, our travel day was so horrible. If it was traumatizing for Mike and I (and it was), it must've been even more so for Gabe. I think traumaversaries can happen even on a monthly basis sometimes, or at least it seems so from our experience.
Tomorrow is Gabe's first day of preschool! I'm praying he settles in does well. I think it will be good for him in so many ways. He's already come so far. Remember when we couldn't turn the television on without him freaking out? He has moved beyond that now, thank goodness! Keep the prayers coming, we need them!
