Lost Somewhere In Maryland

It’s been over two months since we returned from China, and I am only just getting around to scheduling visits and returning calls to the many friends and family we haven’t touched base with yet.  We’d been taking it slow, staying close to home, getting down the new “ day to day” routine and occasionally taking on a little adventure.  Focusing our energy on Liam and Emmett and on most days not having much left over.  When more than one person mentioned wondering when they would see our faces on the side of a milk cartoon, I knew it was time to get my act together!

So, what’s new here on Osborne Ave?  In a word, lots!  Mostly the mundane, but with the addition of Liam into our lives those annual celebrations, favorite haunts, and daily activities and chores have taken on a newness.  We’ve spent a fair amount of our time trekking around the neighborhood familiarizing Liam with Emmett’s favorite places: playgrounds.  There’s Hillcrest and St Mark School to either side of our house and the grand daddy of them all The Tire Park.  A playground entirely constructed of recycled tires. 

We’ve celebrated a holiday and some birthdays.  We’ve introduced Liam to both the good and the bad.  The good, Easter egg hunts and yummy birthday cakes and the  bad, the idea that the birthday present is meant for the birthday boy alone.

He is also becoming familiar with the joys and the drudgery of residing in our house.  It’s got lots of great nooks and crannies in which to hide, stairs to hop and slide down, a porch to tricycle on in the rain and a big yard to explore.  The hedges that surround the perimeter offer endless hiding spots for boys, bunnies and birds.  Is there a downside, yes!  1899 is not only significant because it was the year our house was built, but also because any given weekend means there are at least 1899 chores that should be done!  While Liam and Emmett often don’t participate, after all we know child labor is frowned upon!  They do occasionally stop playing and lend us a hand.  Emmett is very good at lifting, pushing and moving things and Liam is a helpful assistant gardener. 

While our recent reclusiveness has been called into question, I am happy to report we have ventured away from the homestead with some frequency.  Some adventures are nearby like hikes in Patapsco Park, Maryland’s first state park, which makes up part of our town.   And probably more interesting, a beautiful Saturday May morning spent in Baltimore’s Mt. Vernon Square neighborhood for Flowermart.  Flowermart is a 100 year old festival that takes place in downtown Baltimore each spring.  It is a time to celebrate spring, listen to music, check out some art and of course pick up some plants for your garden.  I came away with some funky heirloom tomato plants I had been hunting for.  Women are known to wear outrageous spring hats and crab cakes are served up along with the Flowermart signature peppermint stick in a lemon.  We broke out the toddler backpack for the first time and Liam thoroughly enjoyed surveying the crowd high atop Jerry’s shoulders.  He also loves his sun glasses, and I must say looked particularly cool with them on.

That’s all for now.  Looking forward to seeing you soon, or in Baltimorese, “looking forward to seeing yoose all soon, Hon”!

Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes

Well it was almost two months ago that we boarded a bus in Guangzhou in the wee hours of the morning on our way to Liam’s new life in America.  That bus ride was the beginning of a long journey, which ended some 30 hours later in Baltimore, Maryland.  At each new airport we bid farewell to another family as they continued on in a different direction to their home.  It was an exhausting trip for us not to mention Liam, but all and all he did wonderfully. 

In some ways those plane rides weren’t the end of our journey but the beginning.  Once home, we all had adjustments to make.  Parents caring for two children where their had been one, a little boy reuniting with his Mom and Dad and learning to be a big brother, and another little boy learning what it’s like to have a family for the first time. 

We’ve had good days and bad, and lessons learned through smiles and tears.  Each day things get a little closer to normal.  We are really all learning how to navigate our new family.

Liam continues to blossom and adjust to life with us.  He has done so well that at times it easy to forget how new this world is for him.   His Velcro grip on me is slowly subsiding.   It is still a challenge to leave a room without hearing a British sounding “mummy, mummy” within seconds, followed by the pitter-patter of little feet hot on my trail. 

But with each new day we see a bit more independence.  He is now playing like a more typical child his age.  When he first arrived his games might be balancing a variety of objects on any flat surface he could carry around with the dexterity of the best restaurant server you’ve ever seen or following me around as I did household tasks.  Believe it or not, he’s actually ok at dusting!  Those games are fewer and further between and he has moved on to cars, puzzles and other activities favored by the two year old set.

The boy, who not so long ago, wanted nothing more than to be carried around is now actively asking to go outside to play.  He loves his swing set and sandbox.  Watching Liam and Emmett create a variety of games, their favorite being “bumpy ball” has been a joy to behold.  That being said, their relationship does have it’s ups and downs and it is not unusual to hear the refrain “no Emmett no” when a game begins to head South.

This journey we’ve been on has been amazing, exhausting, exhilarating and a labor of true love.  As I mentioned before, coming home was only the beginning, but with each passing day we are a little wiser, stronger, somewhat better rested and more confident in parenting this special little boy.  These few months have been filled with many “firsts” for all the members of our family, most notably Liam.  We are slowly moving past the joys, the unknowns and anxieties that come along with those first experiences.  Some that are typical to all families with a new child in their home, others specific to adopting a child at the ripe old age of two.  The fact that I actually have the time to sit here and blog after a post China hiatus and communication black out is a testament to how far we’ve come!

So what else can I tell you about the Liam of today in this long overdue blog post?  He has a smile that can melt your heart and a belly laugh that can be heard throughout the house.  He is often content to be held and will bear hug you and wrap his little legs around you monkey style with amazing strength considering how tiny he still is.  He has quite an appetite and is slowly adjusting to foods with unfamiliar tastes.  He will tell you he loves pizza, but still refuses to eat it.  After all he is a Chinese boy at heart!  His language skills are nothing short of amazing.  He was initially a wonderful mimic, but will now speak to you spontaneously with often crystal clear pronunciation.  He is a rabid Curious George fan following in his big brothers footsteps and loves to jump and tumble.   While he wears his big smile much of the time, he does have an incredibly stubborn streak and is known as a bit of drama queen in these parts.  He will tell you of seemingly invisible injuries and demand they be kissed for entire afternoons.  He is smart, funny, and full of little surprises.  If you haven’t had the pleasure of making his acquaintance I really look forward to introducing you soon.