In just the last few weeks, it seems, the twins have really begun to grasp the English language. I would read on the blogs of others about how quickly their kids picked up English and I'd wonder if something was wrong. For nearly five months the boys didn't speak much English at all. They spoke mainly Creole to each other. While they understood everything we said in English, it just seemed like they were never going to speak it.
That has all changed.
Everyday I hear something new. Not only are they saying new words, but they are forming sentences correctly and using proper pronouns, etc.
Just a few minutes ago Noah was whining because his favorite toy rolled under the playpen. He wanted me to get it, but he hadn't tried to get it himself. After he tried I asked Samuel if he would help Noah. Samuel abosolutely loves to help out like that. He got down on the floor and exclaimed, "I see it!"
Yesterday the boys wanted dinner, but we weren't going to be eating anytime soon. When they asked about dinner I told them, "Not yet" to which they replied, "Soon?" And I said, "No, not soon." Then Noah said, "A while?" It's these little things that just completely catch me off guard and help me to realize that they are learning.
On Friday I asked Noah, "Do you like it?" He replied, "I like it." It is such progress from the standard "yes" or "no."
Another thing that I heard recently had to do with the cat. The twins like to yell at, chase, and in general terrorize the cats. It is all based out of their own fear of them and they never touch them. I saw Noah chasing Sabrina down the hall and I said, "Noah!" He replied, "Sabrina my friend?" Chuck has been teaching the boys that the cats are our friends, that we love them, etc.
Chuck has also taught the boys that in response to "What's up?" they should respond with, "Yo mama." It is hilarious. Noah said it to someone at church and the guy turned to me and said, "Did he just say what I think he said?" To which I responded, "Yes, Chuck is teaching them the important stuff."
A word that is getting all sorts of new use is NO. "No sleep." "No diaper." "No eat." "No bath." Along with the recent language acquisition has come a new level of autonomy. This has meant more whining, fussing, and temper tantrums. Good times. The good news in this is that they aren't afraid to tell us what they want (or don't want!) and need. Children with attachment difficulties can have a hard time sharing their wants and needs. Noah and Samuel have no problem letting us know when they want to eat or need some water, when they want to watch a movie or play with a particular toy or listen to music.
I've just been so amazed with their language lately and I'm so thankful we are able to communicate better.
This blog was created to share information about bringing our boys home from Haiti. Now that they are home and we've had a baby, we share the day to day craziness that we now call life.
About Us
- Juli
- Mom to three fantastic little boys: Noah and Samuel, 6 year old twins, born in Haiti, who've been with our family since 9/08 and Tristan, our 4 year old handful! God's moved us all over the country and continues to move in our hearts.
Not a Surprise...
Chuck and I have noticed that most people make the assumption that Tristan was a surprise. You know, the idea of, "adopt a child and you'll end up pregnant." While that may be true for some, that is not the case for us. Believe it or not, Tristan was planned. At the time of his conception we were unsure our adoption would ever complete and we decided to stop putting our family on hold. God saw fit to bless us with Tristan, Noah and Samuel all at the same time! While the transition into parenthood was not easy for us, we trust that God knew what He was doing!
April 21, 2009
Brothers
Noah and Samuel, 3 years old
Samuel and Noah at 2 years old
Tristan, 5 months
Tristan, 5 weeks old
Noah and Samuel at 21 months.
Noah at 19 months.
Samuel at 19 months.
Samuel and Noah at 11 months old.
Our Timeline
May 2005 - God began speaking to us individually about adoption.
July 2005 - Decided to move forward with adopting from Haiti.
October 2005 - Applied to adopt through an orphanage.
November 8, 2005 - Approved to adopt through chosen orphanage.
January 19, 2006 - Committed to adopt the boys.
May 15, 2006 - Dossier arrived in Haiti.
July 14, 2006 - Dossier submitted to IBESR.
January 23, 2007 - Dossier exited IBESR.
September 21, 2007 - Exited Parquet.
October 2007 - Received Judgment Granted.
December 2007 - 2nd Legalization completed, which means Noah and Samuel's adoptions are complete. They are ours!!
March 2008 - Finally receive all needed documents from Archives.
March 13, 2008 - Birth parent interview completed.
Late March, 2008 - Submitted to MOI.
May 20, 2008 - Confirmed that our updated fingerprints have reached the USCIS office in Port au Prince.
May 20, 2008 - Received word that our MOI long form has been completed.
June 24, 2008 - Received MOI approval.
July 10, 2008 - Received word that Samuel's passport has been printed.
July 16, 2008 - Received word that Noah's passport has been printed.
July 25, 2008- Confirmed that our passports were presented to the USCIS office in Port au Prince and that out I-600 file has been approved.
July 26, 2008 - Emailed our request for the boys' visa appointment.
July 31, 2008 - Emailed 2nd request for boys' visa appointment.
August 4, 2008 - Spoke with the Embassy, awaiting email confirmation of visa appointment.
August 5, 2008 - Email confirmation of visa appointment received. Our appointment is scheduled for 9:00 a.m. on Tuesday, August 12th.
August 12, 2008 - The visa appointment went well! Visas should be ready tomorrow.
August 13, 2008 - The visas are in hand and the boys CAN COME HOME!!
August 15, 2008 - Baby brother Tristan was born.
September 1, 2008 - Flew to Miami and spent the night.
September 2, 2008 - Woke very early only to learn that our flight to Haiti was cancelled due to Hurricane Hanna hitting Haiti. We spent the next few days visiting friends and family in Florida.
September 5, 2008 - The boys are HOME!! However, we are stuck in Miami for the night because Hurricane Hanna hit Virginia, too, and our flight home was cancelled. Hoping to get home tomorrow.
September 6, 2008 - We are FINALLY home. To God be all the glory!
July 2005 - Decided to move forward with adopting from Haiti.
October 2005 - Applied to adopt through an orphanage.
November 8, 2005 - Approved to adopt through chosen orphanage.
January 19, 2006 - Committed to adopt the boys.
May 15, 2006 - Dossier arrived in Haiti.
July 14, 2006 - Dossier submitted to IBESR.
January 23, 2007 - Dossier exited IBESR.
September 21, 2007 - Exited Parquet.
October 2007 - Received Judgment Granted.
December 2007 - 2nd Legalization completed, which means Noah and Samuel's adoptions are complete. They are ours!!
March 2008 - Finally receive all needed documents from Archives.
March 13, 2008 - Birth parent interview completed.
Late March, 2008 - Submitted to MOI.
May 20, 2008 - Confirmed that our updated fingerprints have reached the USCIS office in Port au Prince.
May 20, 2008 - Received word that our MOI long form has been completed.
June 24, 2008 - Received MOI approval.
July 10, 2008 - Received word that Samuel's passport has been printed.
July 16, 2008 - Received word that Noah's passport has been printed.
July 25, 2008- Confirmed that our passports were presented to the USCIS office in Port au Prince and that out I-600 file has been approved.
July 26, 2008 - Emailed our request for the boys' visa appointment.
July 31, 2008 - Emailed 2nd request for boys' visa appointment.
August 4, 2008 - Spoke with the Embassy, awaiting email confirmation of visa appointment.
August 5, 2008 - Email confirmation of visa appointment received. Our appointment is scheduled for 9:00 a.m. on Tuesday, August 12th.
August 12, 2008 - The visa appointment went well! Visas should be ready tomorrow.
August 13, 2008 - The visas are in hand and the boys CAN COME HOME!!
August 15, 2008 - Baby brother Tristan was born.
September 1, 2008 - Flew to Miami and spent the night.
September 2, 2008 - Woke very early only to learn that our flight to Haiti was cancelled due to Hurricane Hanna hitting Haiti. We spent the next few days visiting friends and family in Florida.
September 5, 2008 - The boys are HOME!! However, we are stuck in Miami for the night because Hurricane Hanna hit Virginia, too, and our flight home was cancelled. Hoping to get home tomorrow.
September 6, 2008 - We are FINALLY home. To God be all the glory!
Labels
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1 comment:
Yo mama! What a hoot! Mama jokes used to be the main insult at our house but then my mother in law passed away and that took all the zip out of that. Still though, there is an occasional "yo mama" uttered.
I think the language thing has to come on a spectrum. It's kind of weird because you find all these lists for how many words a "normal" American toddler should be using but no one has done any research on kids who are learning English. While not really worried, I had hoped Kenson would be saying more in English by now. He doesn't say anything in English other than Mama, Papa, no, hello and by by. (And all of those are really things you can say in Creole too so...) He repeats things often but after the initial experiene with whatever word we're telling him, he doesn't seem to remember it or so I thought. His first stringing together of English words came Monday night as we were eating supper without Derek. "Papa back" Anyway, like I said, I'm not really worried but somehow in the back of my head, I had thought that he would have picked up a bit more. Your boys also have each other to speak Creole too which in some ways might slow down their English. I'm just basing that on our school district where we have a lot of kids learning English. Those who hang out with friends who consistenly speak their first language learn English at a much slower rate than those who hang out friends who speak English often. (And for two days in a row, I have now posted a lengthy comment that is way too long for blog commenting. Oh well! Yo mama!)
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