Ethan’s big challenge right now is having to train two new, sometimes clueless, parents! 😆
Think about it, Ethan had invested six months (of his 8-month-old life) in training a foster mother (an experienced mother of three grown children) to read his signals and meet his needs. Now he has to start all over with two newbies.
To help with the transition, we were supplied information by the foster mother about sleep schedule, eating habits, and things like that. Of course, now that we’re home, in a different time zone, where the food is different, we’re really having to learn everything new anyway, it seems.
Ethan has developed some signals to indicate different things and we’re in the process of learning what they mean. Sometimes when he’s hungry, he smacks his lips. Yesterday, when he wanted a bottle, apparently, he started crawling toward the kitchen. When he’s getting sleepy (but doesn’t really *ever* want to go to sleep) he rubs his eyes with his hands or on a blanket.
But this training process that we’re involved in is a two-way street. As we build a stronger relationship with Ethan, and as we become more confident about what we’re doing, our challenge will become ‘being trained by Ethan’ to ‘training Ethan.’
We’ve been pretty lenient in our first week together, mainly because our first priority has been survival. But now that we’re getting to know each other (and getting well), it’s time to start our own training program.
Part of this training will involve working on Ethan’s sleeping schedule as well as his diet. We will take Ethan to his first doctor’s appointment here on Wednesday, where we’ll probably try to get some help with these two areas.
The training continues …
As I said before they don’t come with a manual. lol
But we were all “newbees” at one time. Time and Love is all you need. Hope you are feel better. call if you need anything. You are in our thoughts and prayers.
Just getting a chance to catch up with your blog on your exciting trip… sounds as if you had a great time, so happy for you two ( no you three) Congratulations!! If we can help in any way let us know. You all are in our prayers!! Hope you feel better.
Beth & Chuck
We are feeling better, thanks! Randy’s stomach is still weak today. Thankfully Ethan hasn’t gotten this stuff!!! Thanks for your offers of care. We sure appreciate it and appreciate those who have reached out to us when we were ill.
Talk about newbies … tonight I put Ethan is the highchair to feed him and he fell asleep! He was sleepy, not hungry! I just wanted him to stay awake so he’d go to sleep at a decent time tonight. And if he goes to sleep at a decent hour, I hope I can!
I think this is the best description of the first few days/weeks that I have ever seen! Thanks for sharing!
When he puts his hand to his forehead and shakes his head that means “I’ve got a lot of work ahead of me.”
JK, he’ll love hearing these stories years from now!
Thanks, Bob. I was wondering what he meant by that! 🙂
Ironically, about 10 minutes after Joleen’s comment, Ethan got awake from a nap. We thought we’d get him up (now rather than later) so that he would go to sleep at a decent hour (anytime before 2:00 am would be an improvement!).
Let me just say, it didn’t go as planned. It was a reminiscent of our first hour and a half together a week ago.
But, it was a good day otherwise. We finally got out (with Ethan) to pick up some supplies. Outside of this evening’s episode, it was a good day. We’re just hoping for a good night.
So glad you are feeling better!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Our thoughts and prayers for you continue in this amazing adjustment for you all.
We still wonder if our “kids” trained us or we trained them 😉
Jean and Dave
Bob and I are so happy you are feeling better and Ethan did not get sick. We raised out daughter who will be 38 this year and now we have to raise another who is 86. If we can help you in anyway (due to our vast knowledge ho ho ho) let us know. Ethan will adjust to your schedule in time and each day will bring another joyful moment. Enjoy every second for once they pass the seconds can not be recalled. Soon Ethan will be grown and you will want these times back.
Just a quick update: it’s after 1:00 am here and we’re trying to get Ethan to go to sleep.
It was (sorta) funny: earlier, Ethan was miserable (thanks to a second episode since my last comment), and then all of a sudden, sometime in the last half hour, he got energetic and was laughing. Now that we have him in his room, he seems to be trying not to go to sleep.
We might be up a while! 🙂
BTW, we’re grateful for all of your comments. This is new territory for us and we appreciate the support and the encouragement!