Then and Now

Nikolas has been home with us for six months now. He is weighing in at 26.5 pounds (up 6.5 pounds) and is 36 inches tall (up 5 inches). The photo on the left was taken before bed on July 25th at the Radisson in Sofia, Bulgaria. Nikolas had been with us for only a few hours. The picture on the right was taken last week in our living room before bed one evening.

He's come so far in the past six months and we're so proud of all that he's accomplished. Six months ago he couldn't focus on one activity for more than a couple of minutes (unless it involved food). He didn't know how to play with his toys and had no interest in television. All he wanted to do was eat. Now he has a much better attention span, loves playing with his toys and gets excited while watching his favorite television shows. He's a happy little boy who laughs often. He enjoys cuddling with us and with his cat. He gives lots of hugs and kisses every day. He continues to sleep well and enjoys a wide variety of foods. He has bonded to us very well and we're so thankful for that. He still struggles with his speech, but he will be evaluated for speech therapy as soon as our doctor finishes the paperwork. We love having Nikolas as part of our family and are so excited to see him become the little boy he was always meant to be.

One year ago today...

I checked my e-mail after work and saw this adorable little face along with his referral information. The MOJ had given us a referral for a sweet little boy.

One year later I'm lucky enough to be able to snuggle with my happy little guy every single day. He's such a blessing and we love him so much!!

Five Months Home

We had a wonderful holiday season this year. I'm pretty sure Nikolas enjoyed his first Christmas as part of our family. We had Christmas celebrations three weekends in a row, and by the last one, he had it all figured out. As of Friday (12/30), Nikolas has been home with his family for five months. What a blessing!!
Nikolas got his new braces in mid-December and he's doing so well with them. He's moving faster and better then he ever did before. We have a follow-up appointment at Riley tomorrow morning.

I was watching videos this morning that we took on our first trip last February and it was amazing how much he has changed. It's almost hard to believe that he's the same child. He struggled with his walking, didn't talk at all and showed little interest in toys. He would let us hold him, but it was only for a very short time.

Although he's still not saying many words, his constant babbling is starting to sound more like real syllables. With the help of our pediatrician, we are going to have him evaluated soon to see if he qualifies for speech therapy. His understanding of English impresses us daily. He follows commands very well. He knows most of his body parts and quite a few of his animals

He continues to be a good eater. This morning he weighed in at 26 pounds, which is up 1.5 pounds from his last visit to the doctor. He lost quite a bit of muscle while he was in his casts, and he's starting to build it back up again. He sleeps a lot, and we've never had to get up in the middle of the night with him. He sleeps 12-13 hours at night and naps for at least two hours every afternoon.

He's getting much better at playing on his own and is expressing more interest in a variety of toys. He looks at books more and will even let us read a few pages to him before he loses interest. He still likes cars, blocks and toys that make noise. He also enjoys playing with his little zoo and farm. He doesn't throw his toys as much as he did in the past.

Attachment is continuing to go very well. He is an affectionate little guy and loves to give us hugs and kisses. He makes wonderful eye contact and likes to snuggle. He takes time to warm up to new people and acts appropriately around them.

Overall things are going very well and we are excited to watch him continue to grow and learn. He is an amazing little boy and we're so lucky to be his parents.