Three Months Home + Surgery Update

Three months ago we arrived home as a family. Nikolas continues to do a wonderful job of adjusting to his surroundings. He's a happy little guy and we are so lucky to be his parents. He continues to be a good eater. He likes almost everything and is easy to please. At his last height/weight check appointment he had gained four pounds and grown two inches. He's still tiny, but he's getting there.

We have seen many improvements in his ability to play and to focus on activities. He loves to push his toy cars around on the floor. Blocks and musical toys are also a big hit. He still doesn't have much interest in books. He will watch Yo Gabba Gabba! or Jack's Big Music Show while he eats his snack before bed, but other than that, he has shown little interest in television.

He understands English very well, but he doesn't use a lot of words to communicate. He says about 12-15 different words when he wants to. Since he is only two and has only been exposed to the English language for three months, his doctors are not concerned about this. They all say that he'll start speaking more when he's ready.

He continues to sleep nicely. He goes to bed at 8:30pm and wakes up around 9:00am. He also naps for a couple of hours each afternoon. He usually goes to sleep without any problems. He loves his lullaby CD and knows the routine at both bedtime and nap time.

He enjoys getting out of the house and interacting with others. He likes going to church, going for walks and shopping for just about anything. He enjoys playing on his swing outside and watching the ducks by the pond. He is a very helpful little guy. He likes to help daddy unload the dishwasher every evening and is learning to pick up his own toys.

We've been keeping ourselves very busy this fall. We enjoyed Zoo Boo at the Indianapolis Zoo last weekend and have taken a trip to the apple orchard. We've also made several trips to Riley Hospital for Children, the most recent being for his club foot surgery on Friday.

His surgery went very well, and he did such a great job. The doctor was able to release his heel cords on both sides with just a small incision instead of having to make a larger incision and doing a more complex procedure. We'll go back to Riley on 11/22 to have the casts removed for good. He'll be fitted for braces at that time, and he'll wear those for as long as they are needed. Everyone at Riley does such a great job of making both the parents and children feel comfortable. Nikolas is currently on painkillers, although we aren't sure if he is experiencing much pain. He's in the small percentage of children who don't get drowsy with the codine. He gets very hyper, happy and loud after he takes his meds. Thank you to everyone who has prayed for Nikolas during this time.

We are looking forward to lots of fun things throughout the rest of the year. Next weekend Jason's cousin Lori will be visiting while they are in town for the marathon. Nikolas' casts come off on 11/22. We'll be spending Thanksgiving in Dana this year. Our 11th anniversary is in early December, and then we'll be celebrating our first Christmas together as a family of three. We have been so blessed this year. We have also reserved a cabin for the Bulgaria Adoptive Families Reunion in June, and are so excited to meet everyone in person!!