tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-55157215321392026082024-03-12T19:42:47.124-07:00Keys to AdoptAubreeKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09749152869365996420noreply@blogger.comBlogger138125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5515721532139202608.post-34732122383035315242019-04-22T08:11:00.001-07:002019-04-22T08:11:36.748-07:00Four Years<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9KR6HR1wacOfSjazeahArpK4YpJETDmMpkglqXFSBG7WvsPthwsZVFuyVMoU9RUKr1Yard_y9N69CkPJClP-oUTuJ97C2Yeu1EGl3-vCf7s6N6M5ZE-JxeAzxneowDfZXCpkbaNZKc74/" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1510" data-original-width="1600" height="301" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9KR6HR1wacOfSjazeahArpK4YpJETDmMpkglqXFSBG7WvsPthwsZVFuyVMoU9RUKr1Yard_y9N69CkPJClP-oUTuJ97C2Yeu1EGl3-vCf7s6N6M5ZE-JxeAzxneowDfZXCpkbaNZKc74/" width="320" /></a>We were in New Mexico for Jonas's Adoption Day this year, on an awesome Spring Break road trip. We still celebrated, hanging his Kyrgyzstan flag and sign on the tent and giving him his yurt present (he got some other gifts back at home). Jonas is still the light of our lives, bringing joy to everyone he encounters. Though he can have a bit of a temper at times, he recovers quickly and is as sweet as can be. Here's the recap on his year...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPMhwQMiCjv6cqCxlYYnY35vzCPPRX6ZMdE73YZGDGwSJC0rN2xWsBw6WBpeJlQxJo41yp4MBGVA-PSXguA0JnOsXkS9xh18D-raeDrDi6QHNb3Ko8uIUFAGlrqyKmVe36j8zpyZ2yyZw/s1600/IMG_2563.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPMhwQMiCjv6cqCxlYYnY35vzCPPRX6ZMdE73YZGDGwSJC0rN2xWsBw6WBpeJlQxJo41yp4MBGVA-PSXguA0JnOsXkS9xh18D-raeDrDi6QHNb3Ko8uIUFAGlrqyKmVe36j8zpyZ2yyZw/s320/IMG_2563.jpg" width="213" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGB7uh6-YhxzELLLsvTO42KYhbZyUFvyLNpWGvQMsDmufsdis4AbRbBcvwDDFz5q91fXCxQsM_IPpHBXJXZ0ZBIYN7_-AbULTHrpXfqRosyjTdVIZaEvmdDaCwGdig8Jflh_SN2FdT0fM/s1600/IMG_2515.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGB7uh6-YhxzELLLsvTO42KYhbZyUFvyLNpWGvQMsDmufsdis4AbRbBcvwDDFz5q91fXCxQsM_IPpHBXJXZ0ZBIYN7_-AbULTHrpXfqRosyjTdVIZaEvmdDaCwGdig8Jflh_SN2FdT0fM/s320/IMG_2515.jpg" width="213" /></a><br />
Stats:<br />
-45 inches tall (2.5 inches taller)<br />
-41 pounds (4 pounds heavier)<br />
-Size 10 shoes<br />
-5T shirts and pants<br />
-Sleeps from 8pm-6:30am (with a Pull-up still)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFNnRCsHIbnVwwAR3bhjFdUla3MAen6o3d6mDCiW58PcRorpFtiodl1UTgW1Q5fYSWAgjAUiFUyM4oQ3w4KVZJFhkmrmmeN74kyIBM4p8EjL1cuF5PBzM5QgtkA6zmTtArfGi1QtB21H8/" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFNnRCsHIbnVwwAR3bhjFdUla3MAen6o3d6mDCiW58PcRorpFtiodl1UTgW1Q5fYSWAgjAUiFUyM4oQ3w4KVZJFhkmrmmeN74kyIBM4p8EjL1cuF5PBzM5QgtkA6zmTtArfGi1QtB21H8/" width="240" /></a>Activities:<br />
-Kindergarten with Mrs. Lang and Enrichment with Mrs. McCall at Cottonwood Creek Elementary<br />
-Taekwondo (currently a yellow belt decided) at ATA Infinite Martial Arts (after moving away from Evolve martial arts class)<br />
-Skyline Soccer<br />
-Healthy Kids Running Series<br />
-Swimming lessons<br />
-REECA Heritage Camp<br />
-Camping, fishing, skiing, biking, swimming, etc.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJeDs7z9pZJixBcQRQFP668Yk-Ur6W2VqLAT8tDSqNtc8Y-Za1izAMHkCmZGqK-5xSAb9naAj7rF4Zc7Nn7RxqOFCv1_rHhf-q_wJKtLs1HFzVZxG8zzgpm8gTLivPmDPpbjke8cmOCNw/" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJeDs7z9pZJixBcQRQFP668Yk-Ur6W2VqLAT8tDSqNtc8Y-Za1izAMHkCmZGqK-5xSAb9naAj7rF4Zc7Nn7RxqOFCv1_rHhf-q_wJKtLs1HFzVZxG8zzgpm8gTLivPmDPpbjke8cmOCNw/" width="213" /></a>Other Items of Note:<br />
-Moved from Wash Park to The Hills at Cherry Creek<br />
-Lost 2 bottom teeth naturally, had 2 extra top adult teeth removed in a surgery<br />
-Flew on a plane alone with Johanna to Michigan for a week during the summer<br />
-First girlfriend named Bradli (1st grader he met on the bus)-they got "married"<br />
-Served as a page boy in Aunt Morgan and Uncle Brian's wedding in California<br />
-Moved from his toddler bed into a full-size bed<br />
-Learned to ride a 2-wheel pedal bike<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht5y8nqN8KndThoGwevtoM_6koXTPRxS1AfbjhHpQb33h4pLqtlmH9DwTtQ4PYdC6IyW6sz4AWjS-4LKPwxKu637ll4Nmorjv8mS3qFJQe5xqS_AsIEl672gZe2v3JUUYaHrs49DN_3xY/" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOamX0PNH6g1RA7otMOTz6YTPKu4CNNdm0MuZy1JrzfJcWdwqpr_omwMcvtU9y4nCVTnEs6FpgvDFW3MoksC5sE9-XEjZsz19cve0XCS-jNVnQAznm5yBMuFi0f1WFBo8ZhrnOJi1O9VE/s1600/IMG_3264.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOamX0PNH6g1RA7otMOTz6YTPKu4CNNdm0MuZy1JrzfJcWdwqpr_omwMcvtU9y4nCVTnEs6FpgvDFW3MoksC5sE9-XEjZsz19cve0XCS-jNVnQAznm5yBMuFi0f1WFBo8ZhrnOJi1O9VE/s320/IMG_3264.jpg" width="240" /></a><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht5y8nqN8KndThoGwevtoM_6koXTPRxS1AfbjhHpQb33h4pLqtlmH9DwTtQ4PYdC6IyW6sz4AWjS-4LKPwxKu637ll4Nmorjv8mS3qFJQe5xqS_AsIEl672gZe2v3JUUYaHrs49DN_3xY/" width="213" /><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhulp8gbluzWeBDyfa20R11cBvAFv9MPiZ27Am8lIxaKETsknrdhzVRWYeuHjCn-wGPqfNaAtmQO_YvtKTgxP7sWgg5YC1fCzz34w2fWV9DZbVIZ4elk5pI79TpVCiuJTt9n-RNc9qLQ2E/" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhulp8gbluzWeBDyfa20R11cBvAFv9MPiZ27Am8lIxaKETsknrdhzVRWYeuHjCn-wGPqfNaAtmQO_YvtKTgxP7sWgg5YC1fCzz34w2fWV9DZbVIZ4elk5pI79TpVCiuJTt9n-RNc9qLQ2E/" width="240" /></a><br />
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Favorites:<br />
Jonas still loves anything related to police, especially the SWAT team. He's also obsessed with Star Wars and Legos and army stuff. Playing the Nintendo Switch is a favorite as well, as well as playing with Johanna for hours on end. He loves pickles (he even had a pickle birthday cake!) and watermelon, <i>Calvin and Hobbes</i>, dressing "fancy," wrestling, giving cuddles, and riding his bike. He plays with Nirvaan, Tyler, Eric, and Lewis and talks a lot about Chance, Hudson, Maddox, and more buddies at school. He talks nonstop, usually about Star Wars or Zelda, and he gives lots of cuddles and hugs. He still says the sweetest things, and his kindergarten teacher described him as one of the most empathetic kids she's ever met in her entire teaching career! We love our sweet boy so much!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiag90X1zZbb5WVarc_oMkpqzk4a07pxnLKXZH40R3mEyksNeuKDUFQfngWjnizMenPKg_g8-vJTpd18wCs2T0n1vAUj80zCfs4KJ60xuFaKGxOW_QrBeAiv2XAr7YpuMpWhVSWcs9HYAA/" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiag90X1zZbb5WVarc_oMkpqzk4a07pxnLKXZH40R3mEyksNeuKDUFQfngWjnizMenPKg_g8-vJTpd18wCs2T0n1vAUj80zCfs4KJ60xuFaKGxOW_QrBeAiv2XAr7YpuMpWhVSWcs9HYAA/" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJnHT1ATTaSklVgeKM3VU_Lt1yjl2TPQNVt9_JEg3nt4FiaakwjD8hxwtoPVEJ-2Q-zm6NmKapTAsVoQdjfxJYrdq58Nx5ABi6NQ1cC-Idbyl4bagtt0K3VJxRmfipYO5gzrd7vV5h5lc/" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJnHT1ATTaSklVgeKM3VU_Lt1yjl2TPQNVt9_JEg3nt4FiaakwjD8hxwtoPVEJ-2Q-zm6NmKapTAsVoQdjfxJYrdq58Nx5ABi6NQ1cC-Idbyl4bagtt0K3VJxRmfipYO5gzrd7vV5h5lc/" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjepSANT_CEmlY-TU4qj6PhlqQsS3H_qBP21a0Hcs5YH2OxLXArOBOZgcGfP6GD_Hctz-Ip9eQp4ZdPBJron-cV6_YH_HHkKqxP9rAgKSpxUSb6Dr7iCY5VPtbm_DsGpWtKP9m3sv1zSuo/" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1371" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjepSANT_CEmlY-TU4qj6PhlqQsS3H_qBP21a0Hcs5YH2OxLXArOBOZgcGfP6GD_Hctz-Ip9eQp4ZdPBJron-cV6_YH_HHkKqxP9rAgKSpxUSb6Dr7iCY5VPtbm_DsGpWtKP9m3sv1zSuo/" width="274" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFJPCbIi1oj9iY18RrDTVthqEjMtnwhJbY-VB_ePPqoh8ttqULqETWTsmdRvAc0x2XrQET3yTntuFB_h4hi9nh-AHANlq_GIJ6feFQod7Ijf9HMSoKaJLmOCpEkB663BSP0Cm0mMnBDB8/" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1475" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFJPCbIi1oj9iY18RrDTVthqEjMtnwhJbY-VB_ePPqoh8ttqULqETWTsmdRvAc0x2XrQET3yTntuFB_h4hi9nh-AHANlq_GIJ6feFQod7Ijf9HMSoKaJLmOCpEkB663BSP0Cm0mMnBDB8/" width="294" /></a></div>
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Follow me on Instagram at <a href="https://www.instagram.com/aubreekeys/" target="_blank">@aubreekeys</a> for almost daily pictures of Jonas and Johanna!<br />
<br />AubreeKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09749152869365996420noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5515721532139202608.post-78509982636918274232018-03-18T16:30:00.001-07:002018-03-18T16:30:43.955-07:00Three Years<br />
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We spent the weekend at a yurt (the dwelling of Jonas's ancestors in Kyrgyzstan), celebrating Jonas's 3rd Adoption Day. Here's the yearly update on our darling boy:<br />
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Stats:<br />
-42.5 inches tall (3 inches taller)<br />
-37 pounds (2 pounds heavier)<br />
-4T shirts and pants<br />
-size 9 shoes<br />
-still should wear a Pull-up most nights!<br />
-sleeps from 8pm to 7am (no more naps unless we're driving)<br />
-still receives speech services at school-currently struggles with plural words ("dogses" vs. "dogs") and saying "them" instead of "they"<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNJOKFsy_l691SZHGBUVHOviFsbsHaJlilUNEAoAir0SlBTdqeMXXRKLHeFc_iVWov6F3P02Dck12FIzMHp8NwEQrC3K4v0hwOVzjlyaVfpEiqJE6Q0cso0wovT9Yk_WmAIhL3IwJ4aWc/" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNJOKFsy_l691SZHGBUVHOviFsbsHaJlilUNEAoAir0SlBTdqeMXXRKLHeFc_iVWov6F3P02Dck12FIzMHp8NwEQrC3K4v0hwOVzjlyaVfpEiqJE6Q0cso0wovT9Yk_WmAIhL3IwJ4aWc/" width="213" /></a><br />
Activities he's done in the past year:<br />
-DU gymnastics<br />
-Skyline soccer<br />
-YMCA T-ball<br />
-Evolve martial arts<br />
-Stephen Knight preschool (Ms. Hilary and now Ms. Bev's morning class)<br />
-REECA Heritage Camp<br />
-camping, skiing, hiking, swimming, etc.<br />
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Places he's visited:<br />
-China (Beijing, Nanchang, Guangzhou, Hong Kong)<br />
-Michigan (Holland and Traverse City)<br />
-Chesterfield, Missouri<br />
-Various places in Colorado (Fruita, Aspen, Twin Lakes, Granby, Winter Park, Walden, etc.)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8ceqCfhz2I0CGMzxlc68QNFL0bJH6q6lw9nrY5Dz_kuxFJejDfty-3diWShsUaBD57bcOkwfMN6CEarcuQGQ-d7VvSqhK32ECM4dvcNp-7xpDfx_CwUqEwlR2BWkEn56coKFJW9oSCNQ/" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8ceqCfhz2I0CGMzxlc68QNFL0bJH6q6lw9nrY5Dz_kuxFJejDfty-3diWShsUaBD57bcOkwfMN6CEarcuQGQ-d7VvSqhK32ECM4dvcNp-7xpDfx_CwUqEwlR2BWkEn56coKFJW9oSCNQ/" width="213" /></a><br />
Favorite things:<br />
-the color green (still)<br />
-putting things together (Legos, circuit set, etc.)<br />
-movies (especially <i>Big Hero 6</i> and <i>Peter Pan</i>)<br />
-shows (especially <i>PJ Masks</i>)<br />
-Hot Wheels cars<br />
-police, pirates, robots, superheroes, Star Wars, and army stuff<br />
-bike rides, going to the park, swimming, fishing<br />
-dressing up handsomely (he loves wearing button up shirts and a tie)<br />
-cuddling and expressing affection (saying how much he loves us)<br />
-candy, yogurt, pickles, fruit<br />
-wrestling (his sister, friends after school, and mostly Zack)<br />
-<i>Calvin and Hobbes</i><br />
-playing pretend, especially PJ Masks or "ninjas"<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaJNQcjGPkZDi4IxKQ27hfTMkx1xv6S_jZQ1RrhMGHRrCt6uDvbTZSnNF_vQwOVGfRhAaxUF6BSjuHnDVpf3DOV6hVTMOlvHpGGqxqLertMgSUw2ugM6f9jdnHIDQXm5DJbsJ26dnOJ_k/" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaJNQcjGPkZDi4IxKQ27hfTMkx1xv6S_jZQ1RrhMGHRrCt6uDvbTZSnNF_vQwOVGfRhAaxUF6BSjuHnDVpf3DOV6hVTMOlvHpGGqxqLertMgSUw2ugM6f9jdnHIDQXm5DJbsJ26dnOJ_k/" width="213" /></a></div>
Jonas is so charming and such a sweetheart. With his cute glasses and endearing personality, he makes friends immediately wherever we go. 95% of the time he is easygoing, up for anything, and fun-loving. He also says the most hilarious and cutest things. He loves playing with Johanna; having a sibling has been the best thing ever for him. We wonder if he might become some sort of engineer, as he spends hours playing with his circuit set and loves figuring out how things work. Life with Jonas is always full of adventure, laughs, and love. It's been another great year with our little boy!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYGaWAvSuihXaxaMzuRHzrb_rqfl0eQLvMM2mP-zOAUcxGglpk20H-tbaBi-MEqR8ghz4CInDB9avvX_3E7vkdW9GDtEQIFyLDctL4zmfe9Pm_iiea3mwt1gkaQZfi7bFNT0v_wrMz6MM/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYGaWAvSuihXaxaMzuRHzrb_rqfl0eQLvMM2mP-zOAUcxGglpk20H-tbaBi-MEqR8ghz4CInDB9avvX_3E7vkdW9GDtEQIFyLDctL4zmfe9Pm_iiea3mwt1gkaQZfi7bFNT0v_wrMz6MM/" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />AubreeKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09749152869365996420noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5515721532139202608.post-32454631200540547782017-03-17T14:45:00.000-07:002017-03-19T19:54:05.414-07:00Two Years<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA69ulf0T9bmCHOC4MviJczI_F5KKFQ4qFF9MA0FZah3-ttcpvODPBsvRItyfcIqgHl3glDLNtTOlWHtKuM08jXVCxxqvivB8CojSsTzUjmCvKekyCvPh1dKuYy8gs90LlHKZcpZnEG0I/" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA69ulf0T9bmCHOC4MviJczI_F5KKFQ4qFF9MA0FZah3-ttcpvODPBsvRItyfcIqgHl3glDLNtTOlWHtKuM08jXVCxxqvivB8CojSsTzUjmCvKekyCvPh1dKuYy8gs90LlHKZcpZnEG0I/" width="256" /></a>It's Jonas's second Adoption Day! He is still the light of our lives and as sweet as can be. Now he even has a little sister (five days younger) from China! He and Johanna have a lot of fun together. Instagram is where I post our daily adventures, but here are the yearly stats and things I want to remember...<br />
<br />
Stats:<br />
-almost 35 pounds<br />
-39.5 inches tall<br />
-3T/4T shirts, 3T pants<br />
-size 8 shoes<br />
-still wears a Pull-up at night<br />
-still eats most everything<br />
-wears glasses full-time (also had to patch his right eye for 2 hours a day for a few months to strengthen his left eye)<br />
-takes an hour-long nap about every other day<br />
-goes to sleep around 8pm, wakes up at 7am<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiApCb4gZHUWFAhANT2JZ3SNkK4QhLkgTTgPqhU6vxsBzX1WfEdicN6QhkMWX4EjqF4mhP2Xtsc87CrRPJ89uS9TlBFCs3LGuYUvTu5SQdnwpCtum_ld6kPCLrYWFEhsKuh2c_TRrz5AbA/" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiApCb4gZHUWFAhANT2JZ3SNkK4QhLkgTTgPqhU6vxsBzX1WfEdicN6QhkMWX4EjqF4mhP2Xtsc87CrRPJ89uS9TlBFCs3LGuYUvTu5SQdnwpCtum_ld6kPCLrYWFEhsKuh2c_TRrz5AbA/" width="240" /></a>Activities he's done in the past year:<br />
-DU gymnastics class<br />
-Skyline soccer<br />
-YMCA T-ball<br />
-Denver rec swim lessons<br />
-private speech therapy (still struggles with articulation of s-words like "school" and "stop" and including verbs "Mama, you so beautiful!")<br />
-Stephen Knight Center for Early Education preschool (Mr. Bryan Kottke's morning class)<br />
-camping, whitewater rafting, mountain biking, hiking, etc.<br />
-summited Mt. Bierstadt, a 14er!<br />
<br />
Places he's visited:<br />
-various places in Colorado (Sand Dunes, Royal Gorge, etc.)<br />
-Holland, Michigan<br />
-Notre Dame, Indiana<br />
-Moab, Utah<br />
-China (Beijing, Nanchang, Guangzhou, and Hong Kong)<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf4NZaybx0QxnH_iLn1O1G4ZN3vpaX6IqPu3rJOAUMDq3-5LAi2xgeSv_rWqhci7WlZaWfb4Gl7yxFGFQvybw37Cwuu006-p2OAlRyEeLf6Ct4rf0VQ4Ka1LPpqIOkxCxiGZgev7i-8YU/" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf4NZaybx0QxnH_iLn1O1G4ZN3vpaX6IqPu3rJOAUMDq3-5LAi2xgeSv_rWqhci7WlZaWfb4Gl7yxFGFQvybw37Cwuu006-p2OAlRyEeLf6Ct4rf0VQ4Ka1LPpqIOkxCxiGZgev7i-8YU/" width="320" /></a>Favorite things:<br />
-the color green<br />
-cars, trucks, rockets, tools, pirates, dinosaurs, and sharks<br />
-building forts<br />
-watermelon (and all other fruit)<br />
-movies (especially <i>Aladdin </i>and<i> Peter Pan</i>)<br />
-ice cream, candy, suckers, and popsicles<br />
-the <i>Ghostbusters</i> theme song<br />
-swimming, riding his bike or scooter, playing outside<br />
-going to Wash Park, Denver Zoo, Children's Museum, or Denver Botanic Gardens<br />
-reading books<br />
-dressing up as a policeman or knight<br />
-friends (Caleb, Dylan, Isaiah, Lela) and running around with them after school<br />
<br />AubreeKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09749152869365996420noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5515721532139202608.post-20228102990140097462016-09-17T13:41:00.000-07:002017-03-17T14:06:45.612-07:00Jonas is Getting a Little Sister!Jonas has been ours for 1 1/2 years as of today. He's amazing and hilarious and creative and the sweetest son ever. And now he's getting a little sister! That's right...we're adopting again...this time from China! Check out our new blog <a href="http://keystoadoptagain.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">HERE</a>, and if you'd like to help bring her home, please consider participating in our Puzzle Fundraiser. Just $10 will help "Bring Home Our Missing Piece!" Check it out <a href="https://www.adopttogether.org/keys/" target="_blank">HERE</a>!<br />
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<img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuTYvDIPpNFfO12jLCSXJa40NRz2qrML2r7EvHKdbafO7iR2AsiSppe8YQaxcu4xFhoy-H_8LqGBnFgEx1LKfpH_nEsZf1WMxr_pc_zdtcg2Xrr71PJPgOWPawgVFsAqdcK1aTISkcxFU/s400/IMG_1280.jpg" width="340" /></div>
AubreeKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09749152869365996420noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5515721532139202608.post-22994443174443765482016-03-17T21:24:00.004-07:002017-03-17T14:33:26.452-07:00One Year<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMgiVphOMxhN3toebLwtyNyi6TC1q30mKkv_giMKZ3pog8NBpFRFZgIuEvLusHcBlAhR9CjBp7mp3TnOW-09YTnR2vixCDnv03_maR8w39BY0YdVRjs8EzT88Dtv-yL3iipQ-5hADZ_8g/" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMgiVphOMxhN3toebLwtyNyi6TC1q30mKkv_giMKZ3pog8NBpFRFZgIuEvLusHcBlAhR9CjBp7mp3TnOW-09YTnR2vixCDnv03_maR8w39BY0YdVRjs8EzT88Dtv-yL3iipQ-5hADZ_8g/" width="240" /></a>Today is Jonas's first Adoption Day! We've had an amazing year with our darling son. I wanted to document some things, so here goes...<br />
<br />
Stats:<br />
-30 pounds (gained 7 pounds)<br />
-36.5 inches (grew 4 inches)<br />
-2T/3T shirts and 2T pants (was 18 month size)<br />
-size 6 shoes (was size 5)<br />
-fully potty trained (but not at night)<br />
-eats everything<br />
<br />
Activities he's done in the past year:<br />
-DU gymnastics class<br />
-Music Together class<br />
-JCC art class<br />
-Progresh ski lessons<br />
-Skyline soccer<br />
-Denver Rec swim lessons<br />
-Early Intervention tutoring for language<br />
-Stephen Knight Center for Early Education preschool (Ms. Kathy Lange's morning class)<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6VGyPSiNTve9wM3IxN7nq21-Cy5SyDFuoRAxy1iFHep5F73cgZJ3JeVCUdUz7oShbOFsVMw1cC5FEGg2TxrhHALrSJDORaUsPbxOltMACro0LMXgFXo_qgA207yAQFI79S6QzPxIp9dY/" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6VGyPSiNTve9wM3IxN7nq21-Cy5SyDFuoRAxy1iFHep5F73cgZJ3JeVCUdUz7oShbOFsVMw1cC5FEGg2TxrhHALrSJDORaUsPbxOltMACro0LMXgFXo_qgA207yAQFI79S6QzPxIp9dY/" width="320" /></a>Places he likes to go regularly:<br />
-Wash Park<br />
-Denver Children's Museum<br />
-Denver Zoo<br />
-Denver Botanic Gardens<br />
<br />
Places he's visited:<br />
-Michigan (Holland and Traverse City)<br />
-Chesterfield, Missouri<br />
-Orlando, Florida<br />
-Dallas/Fort Worth<br />
-Berkeley/San Francisco<br />
-various places in Colorado<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRX_KMx3kBQSVW2rBBo4Mto6oL4CJ3cjYrSxso1mJv2t3_5CsalOJPArhGcRLDwfZZS6r1rptcYSTx9n0qUduO0p6PwoKOBmWLjoHhl6HvbZrLxFNhiFhU7JmmDELOb0JQ0jtgdSQzkzI/" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRX_KMx3kBQSVW2rBBo4Mto6oL4CJ3cjYrSxso1mJv2t3_5CsalOJPArhGcRLDwfZZS6r1rptcYSTx9n0qUduO0p6PwoKOBmWLjoHhl6HvbZrLxFNhiFhU7JmmDELOb0JQ0jtgdSQzkzI/" width="213" /></a>Favorite things:<br />
-fruit (especially grapes and clementines)<br />
-movies (especially <i>Toy Story, Finding Nemo, </i>and <i>Despicable Me</i>)<br />
-riding his bike<br />
-cars<br />
-sharks<br />
-the color green<br />
-ice cream and suckers<br />
-his friends TJ and Lela<br />
<br />
I post picture of Jonas almost daily on Instagram, so go <a href="https://www.instagram.com/aubreekeys/" target="_blank">HERE</a> if you want to keep up with our life as a family of three!<br />
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<br />AubreeKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09749152869365996420noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5515721532139202608.post-57114366077034471602015-12-12T18:22:00.000-08:002015-12-12T18:22:36.120-08:00Visit Instagram for Your Jonas Pic Fix<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="text-align: start;">Please visit </span><a href="https://www.instagram.com/aubreekeys/" style="text-align: start;" target="_blank">aubreekeys on Instagram</a><span style="text-align: start;"> to see almost daily picture </span></div>
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<span style="text-align: start;">postings </span><span style="text-align: start;">of our </span><span style="text-align: start;">dear Jonas, who is doing great and growing like crazy!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_I7PEcKke-7N-x75RWNnjC9d-32uZnZs9ys1xMx8AWsy30FXKuc3e7hSN9pMS5qRVyv2QJ6qM5QaN4T7Mx0rwprPVBNOveoyVbQ_DtEciBHKkf_tU6lFZOFPNvkNc3cGWjsTB3EbwMuA/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_I7PEcKke-7N-x75RWNnjC9d-32uZnZs9ys1xMx8AWsy30FXKuc3e7hSN9pMS5qRVyv2QJ6qM5QaN4T7Mx0rwprPVBNOveoyVbQ_DtEciBHKkf_tU6lFZOFPNvkNc3cGWjsTB3EbwMuA/" height="400" width="266" /></a></div>
AubreeKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09749152869365996420noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5515721532139202608.post-3254894130877028222015-06-17T21:45:00.000-07:002015-06-17T21:45:49.042-07:00Three Month Report and Signing Off<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2fvS0xw3RTgfOMuNYtl-xSKVbBn5HVEpjRo5Q3BWhyphenhyphenryaJx1S4HHtMtJFDmmLTGmVdu2ThRjeI78sz2jpRrJHlpkcgxPBo9YhLZKCGjsVBwdfk6vWLP3ncERVegufDmFVNh1nObnDQKg/" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2fvS0xw3RTgfOMuNYtl-xSKVbBn5HVEpjRo5Q3BWhyphenhyphenryaJx1S4HHtMtJFDmmLTGmVdu2ThRjeI78sz2jpRrJHlpkcgxPBo9YhLZKCGjsVBwdfk6vWLP3ncERVegufDmFVNh1nObnDQKg/" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2fvS0xw3RTgfOMuNYtl-xSKVbBn5HVEpjRo5Q3BWhyphenhyphenryaJx1S4HHtMtJFDmmLTGmVdu2ThRjeI78sz2jpRrJHlpkcgxPBo9YhLZKCGjsVBwdfk6vWLP3ncERVegufDmFVNh1nObnDQKg/" height="320" width="213" /></a></div>
Jonas has been with us for three months; I can hardly believe it! He seems like such a little boy instead of a baby now. In the past month alone, he's started using two words together, he rode a camel and a llama, he caught his first fish, he started playing on a soccer team, he started gymnastics class, and he got his first haircut (today)! We love our son more than ever, and we can't imagine life without him.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiRe7bAJeVu79FMQdGTo0Zd_e_sGmMjUnwkQGuBpIMdHmMsthklDed4v4WH0WQiOs_zhgnO0sdlKZIUIm-3KCPiO4oFEybkDeztpa7Lhm7mZ7TswQLKC0xjXjSZFcHJs233ioEWCZnfjY/" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiRe7bAJeVu79FMQdGTo0Zd_e_sGmMjUnwkQGuBpIMdHmMsthklDed4v4WH0WQiOs_zhgnO0sdlKZIUIm-3KCPiO4oFEybkDeztpa7Lhm7mZ7TswQLKC0xjXjSZFcHJs233ioEWCZnfjY/" height="320" width="213" /></a></div>
After this post, I don't plan on updating the blog anymore (maybe once a year on St. Patrick's Day?). We're too busy enjoying life. Of course, I reserve the right to change my mind and post if I feel the urge! I'll still take tons of pictures and put those on my Shutterfly site (www.aubreekeys.shutterfly.com), but I'd rather be hanging out with Jonas than sitting at my computer.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRMjVWJyiG_UxfvSagUK6cpezBEDl-N2Nl3ARLT8MUcBFwhCJGFrl5im5CLcl781FCXblpqE78pYf7K4OiOe98pIFxACWoG1ZYHjJ6_LAfslbE9TwzcndXgsbbyfYMhyPTRI1s0Np56BI/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRMjVWJyiG_UxfvSagUK6cpezBEDl-N2Nl3ARLT8MUcBFwhCJGFrl5im5CLcl781FCXblpqE78pYf7K4OiOe98pIFxACWoG1ZYHjJ6_LAfslbE9TwzcndXgsbbyfYMhyPTRI1s0Np56BI/" height="400" width="266" /></a></div>
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Here is the three month update:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWQ-tkcwasiDdwCbnx_y5Rbp8qfLvT2Yo5OvsecZJOKz0hyphenhyphenKf0krXWX5ubIdZcO6Mjsv_D-XQnS8aD7MPrNG5YrnmaCladvmy-FeKNaG9Pj6GmLUJPOPgf_NoXx9gsKOR1ZkCsM3hWRx0/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWQ-tkcwasiDdwCbnx_y5Rbp8qfLvT2Yo5OvsecZJOKz0hyphenhyphenKf0krXWX5ubIdZcO6Mjsv_D-XQnS8aD7MPrNG5YrnmaCladvmy-FeKNaG9Pj6GmLUJPOPgf_NoXx9gsKOR1ZkCsM3hWRx0/" height="400" width="266" /></a></div>
<br />
Favorite Foods:<br />
-pretty much the same as last month (mostly fruit)<br />
-Pediasure (we give him one every day)<br />
-pizza<br />
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English Words Jonas Knows (since last month):<br />
-home<br />
-doctor<br />
-open<br />
-upstairs<br />
-owie<br />
-star<br />
-stuck<br />
-movie<br />
-bowl<br />
-keys (a very important one!)<br />
-boom<br />
-truck<br />
-duck<br />
-cooking<br />
-hot<br />
-ear<br />
-upside down (he says "up down"-it's adorable)<br />
-work<br />
-potty<br />
-water<br />
-teeth<br />
-walk<br />
-flower<br />
-swimming<br />
-moon<br />
-napkin<br />
-thirsty<br />
-car<br />
-two<br />
-broken<br />
-water<br />
-hello<br />
-pizza<br />
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Favorite Things to Do:<br />
-go swimming<br />
-point out airplanes (he hears them even from indoors and wants to go see them, and when he's outside he yells extremely loudly and points them out)<br />
-gymnastics class (especially the trampoline)<br />
-soccer practice (he's decent at dribbling and kicking!)<br />
-music class<br />
-go on rides (like at amusement parks or fairs)<br />
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Habits:<br />
-nap is earlier now-around 11:30am-still just over an hour long<br />
-has to be the one to turn the lamp on and off for reading books at night<br />
-has to be the one to turn on the fan/heater downstairs before bed<br />
-loves to help and do things himself<br />
-falls asleep around 8pm, wakes up around 6:30am<br />
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Habits We Are Working on Breaking:<br />
-whining when he wants something<br />
-calling other ladies and men "Mama" and "Dada" (he's trying to figure out how they can be parents of other children but not him)<br />
-sometimes having a meltdown when he doesn't get what he wants or has to wait<br />
-having to immediately go upstairs when he wakes up<br />
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Our Favorite Things About Jonas:<br />
-still gives spontaneous kisses and now asks for a hug "hu" at random times throughout the day<br />
-turns everything into a "guitar"<br />
-the cry of excitement that the whole neighborhood can hear when he hears/spots a plane<br />
-the way he has become such an important part of our family in just three short months!<br />
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Thanks for reading along on our journey to Jonas. Please contact me if you have any questions about the adoption process (especially in Kyrgyzstan). Oh how life can change in just a few short months!<br />
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The decor for Jonas's room was built around this shyrdak. These Kyrgyz felt rugs, which are handmade and traditionally used in yurts, are made from two sheets of white felt which have been dyed, cut into identical shapes, and reassembled into a mosaic-like textile of interlocking patterns. They come in a variety of beautiful colors, but this gray and cream colored one is very common. I noticed it on my first trip to Kyrgyzstan, and that's the image that was in my head as I planned his room. I bought it at the market when I went back for the court visit, and now it hangs above his dresser next to his closet.</div>
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Jonas's room is yellow and gray with a gray and white chevron pattern and espresso-colored furniture. My parents came for a weekend back in February to help us put the room together before bringing home our son. I think it turned out really cute! My brother Justin and sister-in-law Cindy hung Jonas's name letters and helped hang the wallpaper border when they came for his Baptism.<br />
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Though Jonas's bed is currently downstairs next to ours, this is how it would look if it was in his room with the rest of his chevron stuff. The glider from my parents is one of my favorite items; we read him books there every night. It's a cozy little area with the rug and little lamp and table.<br />
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This is the other side of Jonas's room. It's sort of a little play area. He loves to do various activities at his table and point out the pictures he knows from the alphabet letter stickers on the wall. He also uses the chairs to reach books on the top shelf.<br />
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Jonas has a pretty well stocked toy and book shelf. The top of it holds his traditional Kyrgyz hat (a kalpak), a family picture, and a book of photographs from Kyrgyzstan. Above the shelf is an awesome Mother's Day present from my parents. You can click on the picture to read the plaque. <br />
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This shelf contains pictures I took in Kyrgyzstan (at Lake Issyk-Kul, Burana Tower, and up in the mountains), along with some decorative items from both Kyrgyzstan and Moscow (where he was born).<br />
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I love Jonas's room, and I'm grateful for everyone who helped fill it with so many awesome toys, books, clothes, and furniture pieces. I think he loves it too!<br />
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<br />AubreeKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09749152869365996420noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5515721532139202608.post-2788810929346629022015-05-23T16:37:00.000-07:002015-05-23T16:37:16.245-07:00Two Month Report<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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We were traveling to Orlando on May 17, so I never got the chance to write a two month report post. Here it is!<br />
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Favorite Foods:<br />
-fruit (especially grapes, strawberries, and bananas)<br />
-crackers<br />
-cheese<br />
-yogurt<br />
-macaroni and cheese<br />
-applesauce<br />
-hot dogs<br />
-juice and smoothies (that's how we get the vegetables in him!)<br />
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Foods Jonas Dislikes:<br />
-pretty much anything not listed above<br />
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English Words Jonas Knows (since last month):<br />
-shoes<br />
-guitar<br />
-no<br />
-up<br />
-down<br />
-Dada<br />
-clean up<br />
-ball<br />
-hot<br />
-help me<br />
-snow<br />
-strawberry<br />
-meow<br />
-roar<br />
-basketball<br />
-more<br />
-apple<br />
-dog<br />
-stay<br />
-again<br />
-stop<br />
-choo choo<br />
-baby<br />
-juice<br />
-bath<br />
-book<br />
-ready<br />
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Favorite Things to Do:<br />
-chase birds and squirrels<br />
-point out and pet dogs<br />
-copy what older kids do<br />
-swim<br />
-swing<br />
-anything related to music/instruments<br />
-climb things<br />
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Habits:<br />
-nap is only about 75 minutes now<br />
-only about 10% potty trained right now (we've let it go-he's not interested)<br />
-says "no no" and shakes finger at things he's not allowed to touch<br />
-only sucks his thumb at night or when really scared (now sticks all fingers in his mouth when mad)<br />
-says "hi" and then "bye bye" to everyone in sight multiple times<br />
-points to items he recognizes in books or on screens and then points to the real-life object (like lamps, airplanes, dogs, etc.)<br />
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Habits We Are Working on Breaking:<br />
-saying "no" to everything<br />
-whining to be picked up<br />
-hugging anyone who will let him, including complete strangers (still)<br />
-sometimes having a meltdown when he doesn't get what he wants or has to wait<br />
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Our Favorite Things About Jonas:<br />
-he calls us Mama and Dada now<br />
-spontaneous kisses at random times of the day<br />
-the helmet that earns him extra smiles from strangers and keeps his head protected<br />
-how eager he is to learn and how proud he is to show what he knows<br />
-that it feels like he's been part of our family forever!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp5hFSBLbAdQ6SPK8iDUtZg5DZveSSUCmZd9xnSDNFMRM8bvAFnmeYOGlGZyB_XyIdHocptBIPpKHeRjRM-cl50Yg072Mvs3kvXWmPNoDTWbtIOZmXN5QYzB3JT14v0uK6B3W5Is_8yWk/" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp5hFSBLbAdQ6SPK8iDUtZg5DZveSSUCmZd9xnSDNFMRM8bvAFnmeYOGlGZyB_XyIdHocptBIPpKHeRjRM-cl50Yg072Mvs3kvXWmPNoDTWbtIOZmXN5QYzB3JT14v0uK6B3W5Is_8yWk/" height="400" width="266" /></a>He still wears the same size clothes, and I don't think he's actually gotten much bigger, but sometimes he looks taller or chubbier, and he may actually be at the 25 pound mark now. We love you little Jonas!<br />
<br />AubreeKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09749152869365996420noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5515721532139202608.post-83986633189489553532015-05-23T16:00:00.000-07:002015-05-23T16:00:07.443-07:00Guitar Crazy<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Jonas is obsessed with guitars. Anytime he draws something, such as with chalk on the sidewalk or with markers on a library craft project, he declares that it's a "guitar" (though of course it's just a bunch of scribbles!). When music comes on somewhere, he sometimes yells "guitar," and he's usually correct!</div>
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In Orlando, as I was putting sunscreen on his leg, Jonas wanted some on his hand. When he saw the design that came out, he yelled "guitar!" I had to laugh and take a picture, because it actually kind of does look like one!<br />
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I blame Zack. Jonas wants to be just like him, and so of course he loves guitars! He's kind of taken over Zack's ukulele as his own child-sized guitar. I guess his plastic green toy one just isn't realistic enough. Let's just hope this obsession doesn't mean we have to add even more guitars to the music room collection in years to come. (Just kidding-there are worse things he could collect!)<br />
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AubreeKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09749152869365996420noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5515721532139202608.post-32459135192164226672015-05-23T15:46:00.001-07:002015-05-23T15:46:18.598-07:00Disney Dogs<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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On our finally evening in Orlando, we wanted to do something special. Our hotel concierge helped us find a restaurant at the Swan Hotel called Garden Grove, where Disney characters make appearances and visit with the customers. On the night we were there, Pluto and Goofy visited, which was perfect, since Jonas is now obsessed with dogs.<br />
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Jonas wasn't too sure about these huge furry creatures at first (see the picture above!), but after watching other kids make contact with them and not get eaten, he decided it would be fun to meet them too. We let him do it on his own terms and at his own pace. He tentatively shook Pluto's hand, and touched his paw, nose, whiskers, and eyes.<br />
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You can tell he's still a little unsure about the whole thing in this family shot!<br />
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But as our meal continued, Jonas totally warmed up to both big dogs. He was giving them hugs, running after them, and saying "dog" over and over.<br />
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Meanwhile, Zack and I enjoyed our chicken and salmon meals with salad bar, soup, breads with flavored butters, and unlimited delicious desserts!<br />
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Jonas now loves looking at the pictures of himself with Pluto and Goofy. I'm glad he was able to meet some of the Disney dogs!AubreeKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09749152869365996420noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5515721532139202608.post-49934960602807163692015-05-23T15:46:00.000-07:002015-05-23T15:46:04.978-07:00Epic Epcot<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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As part of Zack's conference in Orlando, he had an after 4pm ticket to Epcot Center one day, along with a dessert party by the waterfront for prime fireworks viewing. Since Jonas's entrance was free, we bought a discounted ticket for me and went along.<br />
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There were no lines for the rides, which was awesome, because I don't think Jonas would have handled waiting very well. We took him on all the toddler-friendly ones, like Nemo, Spaceship Earth, Living with the Land, etc. He loved them all and sat with his mouth and eyes wide open in awe on most rides.<br />
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There was a lot of walking, and Jonas didn't always like to be carried. Of course, if we let him walk, he just wanted to wander off in random directions among strangers. There were a couple of meltdowns, but we all survived.<br />
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There was a beautiful sunset as we headed over to the World Showcase section of Epcot.<br />
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We shared a famous School Bread from Norway's bakery, and I ate dinner in the Germany section. After another boat-themed ride in the Mexico section, we headed over to Italy to join Zack's conference party.</div>
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The desserts were delicious, and the view of the fireworks display was incredible. In this shot, Jonas is signing and saying "more," even though the show had just begun!<br />
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I can't imagine surviving a whole day at a Disney park with a toddler, but an evening at Epcot was perfect.AubreeKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09749152869365996420noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5515721532139202608.post-20121157066666068252015-05-23T14:27:00.001-07:002015-05-23T14:27:30.150-07:00Downtown Disney<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Downtown Disney is a free area where you can wander among shops and restaurants and a few little rides. We went there one evening for dinner and fun. The main attraction for Jonas was this huge balloon. At all times, he had to know where it was in the sky. He would say "balloon" (sounds like "baboo") and look around frantically until he saw it. We just had to take him for a ride in it. He wasn't scared at all, even though it went about 300 feet in the air. We enjoyed the views, while he enjoyed saying "up," "down," and "more."<br />
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The Lego Store was another favorite. Jonas got to see and touch all sorts of characters made out of Legos and build with some Legos too.<br />
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We ate dinner at Raglan Road, an Irish pub. Jonas loved listening to the live music and watching the dancers. He even got to do a little dancing himself! Later on, while we ate our Ghirardelli ice cream sundae, Jonas "entered" a dance contest for kids that was happening at an outdoor stage. He made it past the first round with his Irish "step dancing," which consists of him kicking his leg up and clapping his hands underneath it. Unfortunately, there are no pictures of that, because we think that's where Zack left his phone (and where it got stolen), because we couldn't find it soon afterward on our way home, and it went from ringing to going straight to voicemail (and it wasn't low on battery). And no luck with Lost and Found. Boooooo!<br />
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And of course we had to go in the main Disney store. Jonas tried on all sorts of hats and ears, and Zack bought him a 2015 stuffed Mickey as a souvenir.<br />
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Jonas just HAD to go on the carousel. For $2, we couldn't say no! I think he actually rode it three times, waving and smiling with each go-around.<br />
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Jonas also enjoyed playing in the water fountain and getting soaking wet. There was lots of free or cheap fun to be had at Downtown Disney. Other than the phone loss, we had a great evening together.AubreeKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09749152869365996420noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5515721532139202608.post-5373588464679493392015-05-23T09:10:00.000-07:002015-05-23T09:10:58.767-07:00Awesome Orlando<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiusUZuWgCaTQ6N9GTS4uBqe35RBCeabZZHsAmqKD8T8Yju7yq54pyOST1BoDPqJt8wWqW4rtYynmPeJ69zIXKTG7jbD2jhkKSCj1za9Pi7i-Hinzk7bXUKrEWWZWkM-JcdAh3aAfQ8QRg/" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiusUZuWgCaTQ6N9GTS4uBqe35RBCeabZZHsAmqKD8T8Yju7yq54pyOST1BoDPqJt8wWqW4rtYynmPeJ69zIXKTG7jbD2jhkKSCj1za9Pi7i-Hinzk7bXUKrEWWZWkM-JcdAh3aAfQ8QRg/" height="239" width="320" /></a>Zack had a work conference in Orlando this week, so Jonas and I tagged along. We weren't there to do the normal Disney stuff, because he's two, won't remember it anyway, can't ride a lot of the rides, and it'd be way too overwhelming for him. But we were still able to have a lot of fun. Our hotel, the Wyndham Grand, was on the Disney complex, so we got to take advantage of a lot of the amenities.<br />
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We spent most mornings at the pool. Jonas loves the water as much as ever. To try to protect his incision, we put a shower cap under his helmet. He looked kind of funny, but it worked pretty well. Jonas loved blowing bubbles in the water, jumping off the edge of the pool, and just paddling around.<br />
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We were on the tenth floor, and our balcony overlooked the pool and a lake. Jonas got to practice saying "up" and "down" a lot as we rode the elevator, and he made lots of friends by saying "hi" and "bye bye" to other conference attendees and hotel staff.<br />
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We could see the nightly fireworks over Epcot Center and Magic Kingdom from our balcony, so that was cool. Jonas liked saying "boom" and "more" as he watched.<br />
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I'll have some other posts about how else we spent our time in Orlando, but it sure was nice to have some days of sun and heat, since Denver has been so rainy!AubreeKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09749152869365996420noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5515721532139202608.post-39623694197872807982015-05-22T20:15:00.000-07:002015-05-22T20:15:48.431-07:00Last Life LatelyI promise I'm going to quit this blog. Soon. I really just need to take some pictures of Jonas's room, because I want to have a post showing that, and then I'll be done. In the meanwhile, here's a last "Life Lately" post, and then I'll do a few about our time in Orlando (that's where we've been for the past week) and other random things before quitting for good.<br />
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In no particular order, here's what Jonas has been up to lately:<br />
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We visited Zack at work for lunch one day and checked out his office. If I could caption this shot, it'd say "C'mon people, I told you I needed those reports an hour ago!"<br />
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Jonas sleeps in some odd positions. We've found him upside down, completely sideways, half hanging off the bed, covers almost always off, etc. This "touchdown" position is probably the most normal position we've found him in!<br />
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Jonas loves playing at Wash Park. I'm so glad it's only four blocks away from our house.<br />
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We've had a few follow-up appointments at Children's Hospital. Jonas now recognizes the campus and looks for this bear statue, where he always makes the cutest growling sound and puts his arms up in the air.<br />
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A few days after our Mother's Day snow, it was 75 degrees outside, and Jonas said goodbye to what was left of his snowman.<br />
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Jonas's new favorite hobby is chasing birds. Seriously-he could do it for hours. Too bad they always fly away!<br />
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We spent an afternoon at the Five Points Jazz Fest. Jonas got to try cotton candy for the first time. He thought the texture was weird and didn't eat much of it.<br />
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He also got to try out some stilts. Hey, as long as he has his helmet on, I don't care what he tries!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikeiv8y41h4os4ldTPMqL4G6nb4M0aZD4DV37uCOgaVw-tjNqODwJsqieJkw27pMK2J_wjxBbyl0BrGx2rYVpJJ38fJqIY0Fy709A8unYK5V0iZfP0clBgZ_lW6pAB_LDuYsZ8krdVMDY/" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikeiv8y41h4os4ldTPMqL4G6nb4M0aZD4DV37uCOgaVw-tjNqODwJsqieJkw27pMK2J_wjxBbyl0BrGx2rYVpJJ38fJqIY0Fy709A8unYK5V0iZfP0clBgZ_lW6pAB_LDuYsZ8krdVMDY/" height="239" width="320" /></a>Jonas has gone to lots of library story/craft times, another music class, and some playdates with friends. It's funny to see him interact with other toddlers. He often likes to copy what older kids do and usually finds one or two toys that he "takes over" and doesn't want to share!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHD6FSDsCeDlwzOoHhdLD8AdHJspXNySNFyjwMMEA-yIuJ7c3TnR-JAFDqEjE2rZ1Cpkn-4R_ScYqUyLLT_WLRQPVQ70lpDwPiGGVdWC-PkcP7uCuQ0-7usntqT_9DRdGmCzPBAskBE-c/" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHD6FSDsCeDlwzOoHhdLD8AdHJspXNySNFyjwMMEA-yIuJ7c3TnR-JAFDqEjE2rZ1Cpkn-4R_ScYqUyLLT_WLRQPVQ70lpDwPiGGVdWC-PkcP7uCuQ0-7usntqT_9DRdGmCzPBAskBE-c/" height="320" width="239" /></a>Jonas is my little buddy, as we do most everything together nowadays. The other morning after dropping Zack off at the bus station to go to Boulder for work, we went to Union Station and had a "date." We shared donut holes, and I had a chai latte while he enjoyed a chocolate milk. We have lots of good times together!</div>
AubreeKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09749152869365996420noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5515721532139202608.post-13693564307115687952015-05-22T19:26:00.001-07:002015-05-22T19:26:32.143-07:00You've Got Mail<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjakcIUGecJt4TA4MLq6sYZvi-CBo__-X56TJYoJAag-dpCZV3jm1-j7V8qmoBDzzz5wX0AikA91Jaou_PYKwvzgrIozBhiEUHLB20_zDKjkYGEFZ8o6TuUoYYBdqzPExHWSw2_wkar2fk/" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjakcIUGecJt4TA4MLq6sYZvi-CBo__-X56TJYoJAag-dpCZV3jm1-j7V8qmoBDzzz5wX0AikA91Jaou_PYKwvzgrIozBhiEUHLB20_zDKjkYGEFZ8o6TuUoYYBdqzPExHWSw2_wkar2fk/" height="320" width="236" /></a>So, many of you who read this blog have probably already gotten our adoption announcement in the mail. It took me awhile to finally send them, because I was waiting to get pictures done with Jonas by a photographer who is part of the Red Thread Sessions program. These photographers waive their session fee for adoptive families, so you get awesome (free) pictures of your new family! We did our session at Wash Park shortly before Jonas's surgery. So here is the adoption announcement I sent out to some friends and family members, along with other pictures from our session. Jonas looks so different now; I feel like we need to get new family pictures taken!<br />
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AubreeKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09749152869365996420noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5515721532139202608.post-59794244210572562782015-05-22T19:21:00.000-07:002015-05-22T19:22:12.935-07:00Garden Helper<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZrGLjCgzJAuysV1b2x0Y5eZHD9BL03gTFkXOe4dvcIJnr0bN8lSxISmRoBdjR9hloYcjftVwbMJDu3IIJIGnkkJGk34DO9fP0LkSOzjio-I02eEQ6lzj8V2uXKm_FBnaZIAyJOxAti2I/" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZrGLjCgzJAuysV1b2x0Y5eZHD9BL03gTFkXOe4dvcIJnr0bN8lSxISmRoBdjR9hloYcjftVwbMJDu3IIJIGnkkJGk34DO9fP0LkSOzjio-I02eEQ6lzj8V2uXKm_FBnaZIAyJOxAti2I/" height="320" width="239" /></a>Jonas "helped" me with the garden the other week. All of these antics are of his own doing, well, other than asking to be put in the wheelbarrow. He cracks me up.<br />
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He really enjoys moving my plant markers around and sticking random ones next to random plants, so I may end up getting carrots where I'm expecting peas. We'll see!<br />
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Denver is still getting tons of rain, which is great for the garden, so we should be able to enjoy lots of fresh veggies this summer. Not that Jonas (Mr. Picky Pants) will eat any of them!AubreeKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09749152869365996420noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5515721532139202608.post-64671038659052764222015-05-12T14:46:00.000-07:002015-05-12T14:46:27.617-07:00There's Snow Day Like Mother's Day<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXIXTNEt3ytkBQmx34eE_1muwlN-BhcVlR3cdGuKHxEDOUqz90wDhIhJvQWnceOYJLXPj8erRUcbMLT4kDtWnGqp-JNKDeoC0hkqu4Ao5jEItcOn1cuJmB6Hqo-D2HwMi8L7fBq42zxbc/" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXIXTNEt3ytkBQmx34eE_1muwlN-BhcVlR3cdGuKHxEDOUqz90wDhIhJvQWnceOYJLXPj8erRUcbMLT4kDtWnGqp-JNKDeoC0hkqu4Ao5jEItcOn1cuJmB6Hqo-D2HwMi8L7fBq42zxbc/" height="213" width="320" /></a>I finally got to celebrate Mother's Day! Though it's currently 70 degrees in Denver, on Sunday we woke up to this.<br />
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So we went to brunch at Lucile's. We had to wait over an hour for a table, but that place is always worth it. Jonas enjoyed sharing my chai latte during the wait.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2LFw0mxoGtWIopi6pythgs4WL9tkMPZCZb-oKY18qj0yHeFemkpH-HlowUVHlPulKtA1W173xkbADkxo_beToURhjtvWMjWLDQ3zuxjoYi4QA_rfYr9KdrCq4-VUJKRX9c3g5GoApfy0/" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2LFw0mxoGtWIopi6pythgs4WL9tkMPZCZb-oKY18qj0yHeFemkpH-HlowUVHlPulKtA1W173xkbADkxo_beToURhjtvWMjWLDQ3zuxjoYi4QA_rfYr9KdrCq4-VUJKRX9c3g5GoApfy0/" height="213" width="320" /></a>When we got home, we went outside to play in the quickly melting snow. Our poor son doesn't even own boots or gloves, as we didn't see the point in buying him winter gear that might not fit next season since he was adopted in spring. So we put double pants and socks on him, a heavy coat and vest, and let him wear our big mittens to build his first snowman. It was a pretty pathetic snowman, but Jonas had fun practicing his new word ("snow"), rolling around in it, and eating it.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQx_kZMc9uel4t7GMoZiDqZWPvmGyEGrqtlUt1xkixoFVZf_N9hUskaL4hssDhgFIRE4t9dALuUGP9xASFq3t3eK63IuyilTii6iJP2M4FZRp_JVYBVxqBnBRG77mpV8KRgZ3zde3wskg/" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQx_kZMc9uel4t7GMoZiDqZWPvmGyEGrqtlUt1xkixoFVZf_N9hUskaL4hssDhgFIRE4t9dALuUGP9xASFq3t3eK63IuyilTii6iJP2M4FZRp_JVYBVxqBnBRG77mpV8KRgZ3zde3wskg/" height="320" width="213" /></a>Zack did all the diaper changes on Mother's Day-woohoo! He also kept Jonas entertained with playing in the music room, reading books, watching basketball, and making him laugh with "This Little Piggy" (seen in the picture). He had Jonas help sign a really nice card, and I did a craft with my boy to preserve his handprint in an ornament.</div>
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Jonas also made it all the way through church without having to go to the cry room! Not that he ever cries, but he gets so crazy sometimes and wants to leave the pews (and yells if you won't let him) that we have always had to head to the cry room partway through Mass. I guess him making it the whole way through was his present to me!<br />
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Mother's Day used to be a holiday I dreaded. Now I'm grateful I have a reason to celebrate! Here are my two "babies" looking cute as can be. Lucky me!AubreeKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09749152869365996420noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5515721532139202608.post-2612340106920769622015-05-09T19:11:00.001-07:002015-05-09T19:11:48.189-07:00What We DoOkay, we feel like we live in Seattle. It's been raining for days in Denver, and this is SO not normal. We're all kind of going crazy. Here's how we've tried to keep sane...<br />
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Jonas has enjoyed watching basketball (another word he's learned) with his daddy.<br />
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He also has liked taking Molly for "walks" inside the house.<br />
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Here's Jonas trying on Mommy's shoes.<br />
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We've been waking up early with Zack for work, so the other morning, Jonas fell back asleep on me in our back room for about an hour. I just watched <i>The Today Show</i> and enjoyed the extra cuddles.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ81SgvUdZAwfCTK5jEPjQjfCKpdxJx44EisNhLwFMAgMPlDbIETq8CdkT35ip1oWK8CJnHlkcCzoYapoLta-kOtly9UO8LKggjceIhLFUJ7DTagq53DxolPYqy4vae6KWYPZy_NeFHDU/" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ81SgvUdZAwfCTK5jEPjQjfCKpdxJx44EisNhLwFMAgMPlDbIETq8CdkT35ip1oWK8CJnHlkcCzoYapoLta-kOtly9UO8LKggjceIhLFUJ7DTagq53DxolPYqy4vae6KWYPZy_NeFHDU/" height="320" width="239" /></a>I'm not sure what Jonas is doing here. This was after breakfast this morning between pajamas and getting dressed.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnTg-pZKJW6cG1m5l70aFYUjB-jmG6OBB0DEOFSfqMM2cVM5XABjIrJ8nUBc0tKNOHVD_s6alNuzLYjlg4OmiWpPtsozLOrQV84e8kZwYv-vm-imLnijFomSwVnLWQXlhViFMT4eLzzlk/" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnTg-pZKJW6cG1m5l70aFYUjB-jmG6OBB0DEOFSfqMM2cVM5XABjIrJ8nUBc0tKNOHVD_s6alNuzLYjlg4OmiWpPtsozLOrQV84e8kZwYv-vm-imLnijFomSwVnLWQXlhViFMT4eLzzlk/" height="320" width="240" /></a>Today we met up with our friends Emily and Adam and their son Graham at the mall to let the boys run around in the play area. Jonas had a blast climbing everything, going down the slide, and as you can see from the picture below, hanging with the ladies! And now the rain has turned to snow...<br />
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AubreeKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09749152869365996420noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5515721532139202608.post-9355900202715103192015-05-09T17:02:00.000-07:002015-05-09T17:02:27.917-07:00Mongolian Spots<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic7nrMEhVtptIr1BLpY4LHcMwlYyRwgYN8l__uUAHC0bzS63GZrO-KrODTqSMOZCW6QKjHLo0TpDcxNVEbZ_syprjgvhuGgJyra95P_fTG7sF8666_hLrc4QcpY7Ef2SjeozZAfeNSKis/" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic7nrMEhVtptIr1BLpY4LHcMwlYyRwgYN8l__uUAHC0bzS63GZrO-KrODTqSMOZCW6QKjHLo0TpDcxNVEbZ_syprjgvhuGgJyra95P_fTG7sF8666_hLrc4QcpY7Ef2SjeozZAfeNSKis/" height="320" width="213" /></a>Mongolian spots are bluish colored birthmarks that are found on 90-95% of Central Asian infants. Jonas has them in all the normal spots (lower back, butt, shoulders). They usually disappear before a child starts school, and they are caused by melatonin-containing cells getting trapped in a lower skin layer during embryonic development. They are flat, painless, and don't cause any problems.<br />
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I first noticed the spots when I was visiting Jonas at the orphanage on my second trip. We were playing outside, and when he bent over, I noticed these bluish marks on his lower back. Having no idea about Mongolian spots at all, I kind of freaked out internally, thinking he was bruised! I tried to take a picture for documentation, pressed the area gently to see if it hurt him, and wondered if he had had a bad fall or if I should be worried about abuse. The next day, I showed the translator, and she said something about that being normal for Asian skin. When I got back to the hotel and Googled something like "bruise marks Asian toddler back," I knew right away that he had Mongolian spots and that I could stop worrying.<br />
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I wish I had known to expect them, and as recommended, I've told his pediatrician to document them (so we never get accused of abuse), but now that I know what they are and that they will eventually go away, I think they're kind of cool. I thought I'd include this blog post in case someone else has never seen Mongolian spots, especially prospective adoptive parents of Asian children, so they don't have to freak out like I did at first!AubreeKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09749152869365996420noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5515721532139202608.post-45626082591623490332015-05-07T13:23:00.000-07:002015-05-07T13:23:30.356-07:00Rain Dance<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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We've had some unusually cloudy and rainy days here in Denver lately. But Molly still needs to be walked, and we were getting cabin fever, so Jonas and I went for a walk in the rain the other day.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuLoyUf9JPyBn1I-RQuYcrotWkz-6mqGnVK_uroV305BMt6YZPws9YkcjKjbAVs-4j4k1_yrd6r1z_Kk_2qY2Z0_7RwyO-iIXspb3Ybpi2EPrL6VjbpZGDr_U7-9URpW5vq7PGBw6PHjs/" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuLoyUf9JPyBn1I-RQuYcrotWkz-6mqGnVK_uroV305BMt6YZPws9YkcjKjbAVs-4j4k1_yrd6r1z_Kk_2qY2Z0_7RwyO-iIXspb3Ybpi2EPrL6VjbpZGDr_U7-9URpW5vq7PGBw6PHjs/" height="320" width="239" /></a>The fun started when Jonas decided to try splashing. He walked through a little puddle first. That got his shoes wet, along with the bottom of his pants.<br />
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The rain started coming down harder, and at that point, I had given up on trying to keep either one of us dry. So I let Jonas go hog wild in the puddles. He found the widest and deepest ones and ran through them over and over and had a blast. His pants were soaking wet above the knee. I had fun just watching his joy.<br />
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I honestly don't think Jonas has ever felt rain before. There's no way the caretakers brought the kids outside in the rain at the orphanage. When we got back home after our splash session, I stood under the patio roof, but Jonas just stood out in the rain holding his hands up to the sky and feeling the drops.<br />
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After bringing his bike out in the rain, playing with the gushing gutters, and eating a snack on the patio, Jonas could finally be convinced to come back inside to take a warm bath and put on dry clothes. I'm so glad I didn't try to stifle his desire to jump in the puddles, because we both had an awesome afternoon in the rain.<br />
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AubreeKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09749152869365996420noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5515721532139202608.post-44470030287442395102015-05-06T20:58:00.000-07:002015-05-06T20:58:17.794-07:00More Music<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Jonas continues to love music. He asks to go in the music room and bang around on the full-size keyboard almost every morning. His toy piano just won't do!</div>
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Jonas also loves to sit on Zack's guitar stool and admire (and try to touch) his guitars and pedals and music.<br />
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If the video below actually works, you can get a taste of our boy's personality and musical skills. Enjoy!</div>
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<br />AubreeKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09749152869365996420noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5515721532139202608.post-6327665521340038372015-05-06T20:49:00.001-07:002015-05-06T20:52:05.562-07:00More Life Lately<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Yup, another blog entry where I post some random pictures and talk about what we've been up to lately...</div>
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Jonas and I went to the Furry Scurry (a huge dog walk/event) at Wash Park on Saturday. Molly got lots of treats and took second place in the "Best Trick Contest" with her ability to "count." In this picture, Jonas is watching the dog racing demonstrations.<br />
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Zack took Jonas on a Daddy-son coffee outing and then to the park to play on Sunday morning so Mommy could have some time to herself to relax (or do laundry).<br />
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We had Jonas's mattress on the ground next to our bed, but he was always playing games with kicking his legs over the edge and such when we were trying to get him to go to sleep. He also moves around a lot, so he often ended up on the ground. Now we've got his entire toddler bed downstairs next to us, and things seem to be going more smoothly. He often ends up upside down, but he's only been found on the ground once. And we don't care if he kicks his legs all over the place, as long as he doesn't get out of bed.<br />
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Jonas has really been getting along with Molly well lately. He puts hats on her, tries to play doctor with her, gives her spontaneous hugs, and sits on her sometimes. She's a great sport through it all, and I think they'll have lots of fun together in the future.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiayGZScsfgFXToPZAUPDAoPs-xtjtA04vgl8fjGhGmzUE6InMcjBRK3WKJvk1ZhVoaHIihScfOWWcBiEsjpD3k-9X6CB464nNTZBwz7SZni-9JxGv-2-T0T9CgxqetVzjj8QKUyLGfacw/" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiayGZScsfgFXToPZAUPDAoPs-xtjtA04vgl8fjGhGmzUE6InMcjBRK3WKJvk1ZhVoaHIihScfOWWcBiEsjpD3k-9X6CB464nNTZBwz7SZni-9JxGv-2-T0T9CgxqetVzjj8QKUyLGfacw/" height="320" width="213" /></a>I've been taking Jonas to some library story times and craft sessions. We also tried out a free Kindermusik class, but to be honest, the library programs have been better (and they are always free!). The kids sing songs, move around, play some music, listen to a book, watch a puppet show, and make a craft to take home. Jonas made a lion puppet yesterday, and today he painted with Q-tips. Yesterday, Jonas was a little too quiet in his room while I was preparing dinner. I peeked in, prepared to see something disastrous, but instead saw my little guy had crawled into the rocking chair and was reading a book all by himself! Melted my heart. This is a big deal for a kid who I don't think had ever had a book read to him before. Guess those library visits are paying off!</div>
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Lots of people have asked about Jonas's helmet. He only has to wear it when he's up and running around (so not when he's sleeping or in the stroller or being held and stuff). He'll only have to wear it for about six weeks total, just so he doesn't bang his head during the initial healing process. It's not the kind that shapes his head; it's just protective foam. Unfortunately, it makes his head kind of sweaty, but he doesn't mind wearing it, and we feel a lot safer when he has it on. It's been funny to see what kinds of reactions he gets when we're out and about. Most people just smile. One lady asked if he had febrile seizures. Kids at the library story times we've been attending just think he forgot to take his bike helmet off!<br />
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So that's what we've been up to lately, along with playing music and playing in the rain, but those will be other posts.<br />
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I think Jonas looks much older with his new look. I kind of miss my cute little baby with the pointy head and eyebrows, but he's pretty handsome now. How many two-year-olds can say they have already had "work done"?! The bottom set of before and after pictures really shows you the big change in his head shape. Now we just need his hair to grow out!<br />
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AubreeKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09749152869365996420noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5515721532139202608.post-61388763151459861312015-05-01T22:05:00.001-07:002015-05-01T22:05:14.283-07:00Simple Pleasures-A Special PostWhen you've lived your whole two years of existence in orphanages, there are some things you don't get to experience very often that the rest of us take for granted. I thought I'd use this post (one I've been working on for awhile) to describe some of the "simple pleasures" that we've noticed Jonas enjoys. I think we all have something to learn from him about appreciating the little things.<br />
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1. Wind in your Face<br />
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We're not sure if this is because Tokmok is not a very windy place, he didn't get outside all that much, or it's just stronger in Colorado, but Jonas definitely noticed and felt the wind when we walked to our car at the Denver Airport. He kept touching his face and hair when it blew, and he even started pursing his own lips and blowing. It was pretty cute. He's since blown seeds off dandelions and blown a pinwheel with a look of wonder on his face. We can't wait to see what he thinks of flying a kite!<br />
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2. Plush Carpet<br />
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Jonas's face when his feet felt the shag carpet in our front room at our house was priceless. He lifted his feet up and down and kind of giggled. He liked the carpet near his bed in his room as well. At the orphanage, they had flat carpets and paneled floors. I understand those were probably easier for cleaning, but can you imagine never having felt soft carpet beneath your feet?<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2N60V5tIriLeWoA3fctaIVStUektzk58nSjECsPdTkZKRtoQApH9ngmY0fS7LhMuM1_oKcGTywaGJMdMIVBkl-IyRIoD96HBaaqsQtNqD1jpXCinQdXvLpAkXJ6lZxfSx_bjqb1kAIQA/" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2N60V5tIriLeWoA3fctaIVStUektzk58nSjECsPdTkZKRtoQApH9ngmY0fS7LhMuM1_oKcGTywaGJMdMIVBkl-IyRIoD96HBaaqsQtNqD1jpXCinQdXvLpAkXJ6lZxfSx_bjqb1kAIQA/" height="320" width="239" /></a>3. Cars<br />
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Jonas probably didn't see many cars before leaving the orphanage. There were occasional ones that drove into the grounds to drop off donations, the toy ones he loved playing with, and I'm sure he saw them on the cartoons they showed, but his exposure to automobiles in real life was pretty limited. Our little boy makes the cutest "ooooooo" sound when he sees a car he likes. He especially likes the ones that are big, flashy, or noisy. We're in trouble when this kid turns 16!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdt6fMOgFUBAVx4ZERVIbv_kOcEIffdWdbVwG4wwIH_NBkfmrGL_WknXshwcbNiPqzjXNO8q1ChlkfzdoJQIg1__YmmJR9193QLMg6ShvL1jYYcK7znkXwlJJEzTw_yxtTU-qyaWyPPug/" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdt6fMOgFUBAVx4ZERVIbv_kOcEIffdWdbVwG4wwIH_NBkfmrGL_WknXshwcbNiPqzjXNO8q1ChlkfzdoJQIg1__YmmJR9193QLMg6ShvL1jYYcK7znkXwlJJEzTw_yxtTU-qyaWyPPug/" height="213" width="320" /></a>4. Baths for Pleasure<br />
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Getting clean in the orphanage was a task, not an activity. From what I understand, the caretakers washed several kids at once in showers. So imagine getting to take a sudsy bath for the first time with toys and one-on-one attention and nobody rushing to get you out. Pure bliss!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf34Az81gKO67jIcbcWRn-L4zwS-2BMqwZ2CZBOV7h2NHIe7IPtKwspSBPi1JM7jnIHi9UBIKTlggC7WZtRykcTY7He5Z-J-fyjh-mYQvKT0gv6YPzNLw6URqB27OyqM8rY48dki81fvE/" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf34Az81gKO67jIcbcWRn-L4zwS-2BMqwZ2CZBOV7h2NHIe7IPtKwspSBPi1JM7jnIHi9UBIKTlggC7WZtRykcTY7He5Z-J-fyjh-mYQvKT0gv6YPzNLw6URqB27OyqM8rY48dki81fvE/" height="320" width="213" /></a>5. Possessions<br />
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Jonas has never owned ANYTHING of his own. Every item of clothing, toy, blanket, etc. that he's ever seen has always been shared. I don't think our son quite understands yet that some of the things in our house are his, and only his. What an amazing thing it would be to have your own room, your own closet full of clothes, and your own toys for the first time in your life!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh75z1sFFn-34CQA7G9YqrBkD8ysVXcahTf-nCrwKtf2xQR10BkwDtNS2YaoEi1J3kg7ltbtKjKhqKSCYANkbpiGQeEf4mO0ajnbcUgCmldontgunnPtN2x8xiBtBmTX665dinjDUw41RM/" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh75z1sFFn-34CQA7G9YqrBkD8ysVXcahTf-nCrwKtf2xQR10BkwDtNS2YaoEi1J3kg7ltbtKjKhqKSCYANkbpiGQeEf4mO0ajnbcUgCmldontgunnPtN2x8xiBtBmTX665dinjDUw41RM/" height="320" width="213" /></a></div>
6. Balloons<br />
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Now, I think most kids love balloons. But I feel like Jonas has a special love for them. Maybe they were only used for decorations (instead of toys) at the orphanage, and he was never allowed to touch them? I'm not sure, but he's crazy about them, especially the punch balloons.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrcLulTIsvcaxBWBRgZKTkloh75LRW2ofaCmIDxsVDaPI_iOfiGZTE1_VNjEF5xbelr_LFiIB3M_MGgnhpPCHJkESE2wBUqgKiY2S3Cliua2htvq4YfhkllcL8CWEbCwV3mB4x_-oDHiU/" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrcLulTIsvcaxBWBRgZKTkloh75LRW2ofaCmIDxsVDaPI_iOfiGZTE1_VNjEF5xbelr_LFiIB3M_MGgnhpPCHJkESE2wBUqgKiY2S3Cliua2htvq4YfhkllcL8CWEbCwV3mB4x_-oDHiU/" height="320" width="213" /></a></div>
7. Eating<br />
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Whatever was served for breakfast, lunch, and dinner was what Jonas ate. It was usually bland, colorless, mushy, and he had to finish it all. There was strict enforcement of using full-sized silverware with the right hand only. Now he gets to decide what he eats, how much of it he eats, and how he eats it. He's exploring new textures, tastes, colors, and flavors every day. How strange and fun it must be to try a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for the first time, to squish mashed potatoes between your fingers, or have fresh vegetables and fruit made into a special juice just for you right before your eyes?<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLFTIfp9b0aFj4MK0Mb-vx34TogwyT-ad4q5kIVhoJh2uoQmJu4r1KwyLsMbw6UtcunbzerllefvoWihYbjhKcsG8tG46Axxuqy6OkhEi5DUf8g8L2LSh9f6Mq7nQqOrRNJ7uCN252ddU/" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLFTIfp9b0aFj4MK0Mb-vx34TogwyT-ad4q5kIVhoJh2uoQmJu4r1KwyLsMbw6UtcunbzerllefvoWihYbjhKcsG8tG46Axxuqy6OkhEi5DUf8g8L2LSh9f6Mq7nQqOrRNJ7uCN252ddU/" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
8. Choices<br />
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Jonas had a strict routine at the orphanage. He did what all the other kids did at the time it was supposed to be done. That included going to the bathroom, play time, getting dressed, eating snacks and meals, etc. Now his life is full of choices. He can run around in his diaper for awhile if he wants. He can choose to not eat all of the sandwich if he's not hungry. He can pick which book he wants read to him at night. He can choose to color or play with blocks or go down his slide or climb in a hole and get dirty. How amazing to be able to do what you want to do when you want to do it!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN4Eke9ROrexMvCiBo7a3kwluFUE9YBtjmNUIJGPOBMHJHcYAvUm3ZCeseDXtzVXvwwRC_e6ZhPXoSnY6nPCFNhIYj1ZiTLVJlyOiwnkr389qqW4aBTi4f_ShyphenhyphenbzH7KtUXx9IpnmZ4mn8/" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN4Eke9ROrexMvCiBo7a3kwluFUE9YBtjmNUIJGPOBMHJHcYAvUm3ZCeseDXtzVXvwwRC_e6ZhPXoSnY6nPCFNhIYj1ZiTLVJlyOiwnkr389qqW4aBTi4f_ShyphenhyphenbzH7KtUXx9IpnmZ4mn8/" height="213" width="320" /></a>9. Birthdays<br />
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I'm so happy that we only missed one of Jonas's birthdays. If we hadn't been in Kyrgyzstan for his second birthday, I'm sure that the day would have passed by like any other day in the orphanage. Nobody would have said anything special to Jonas, made him a cake, given him a present, or celebrated his life in any way. Now, I know he's only two, and he won't remember it anyway, but I'm glad we'll be able to some day show him pictures of the fun time he had on his second birthday. It's sad when I think of the orphans, especially the older ones, who never have a day each year where their being born is acknowledged and celebrated. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdft6TjxDmj7nXUs1vqH5AM6o5bDkLVy1uOlc5PSEpnGTqGorDRNKXXAGDXq9ANLBpj9VYPcM2NW1geA_p1NxAE3Zsr1AAiyg5n7EhIP0b6ApRc9Ec8NE0qK6fnHJEa-f_pLepFy2xwH4/" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdft6TjxDmj7nXUs1vqH5AM6o5bDkLVy1uOlc5PSEpnGTqGorDRNKXXAGDXq9ANLBpj9VYPcM2NW1geA_p1NxAE3Zsr1AAiyg5n7EhIP0b6ApRc9Ec8NE0qK6fnHJEa-f_pLepFy2xwH4/" height="320" width="213" /></a>10. Parents<br />
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As far as I know, nobody greeted Jonas by name when he woke up each day in the orphanage. When he cried, nobody necessarily comforted him. When he was sick, nobody held him. Nobody cooked him his favorite food, took him to the park, read him a story, or kissed him goodnight. Nobody ever even told him that they loved him! A lot of people say that Jonas is lucky to have us as parents. That's very kind, but we feel like we are the lucky ones to be parents to such a special, sweet little boy. We love you, Jonas. Thanks for teaching us to appreciate the simple pleasures in life!<br />
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<br />AubreeKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09749152869365996420noreply@blogger.com2