Jonathan Week 9

Monday -

JH went to Terry's house for the day and Da Da worked on the deck while I got caught-up from being off Friday.  The sad thing about taking a vacation day is I come back to 200+ emails.  I went with Da Da to pick JH up and he announced that he had an accident :-(  I really think he gets too busy playing and just remembers he has to go potty when it's too late.

We played outside until the contractor that is doing the framing in the attic came and Da Da was pulled away.  I fed JH and while eating he started swinging his spoon around and food started flying.  I got very upset and immediately picked him up and looked at him and said "GO to your room!". JH ran to his room and after I finished cleaning up his mess I told him that he wasn't finishing dinner and he was going to bed; and that's what happened.  Da Da came down while I was putting his PJs on and JH asked for a hug and kiss from Da Da.  I cooled down and went in to Jonathan's room and apologized, I told him daddy had a time-out and realized I got too upset, he said "that's okay Daddy".  I felt TERRIBLE and we talked, hugged, and he said he had to potty.  After about 30 minutes of a story and a little sit nice time we really put him to bed :-)

Tuesday -
Da Da got up with JH and all I heard was "I'm a little wet Da Da", a little wet was pretty much head to toe.  I guess I shouldn't have given him that last glass of water while I was feeling guilty last night.  We had a nice breakfast and since I took the day off we all went outside to play, well JH and I played and Da Da worked on the deck.  It was a nice day so he had a blast playing on his play set.

After showers we jumped in the car and headed to Chicago so we could meet with the adoption attorney.  Rick is starting the process to become his other legal dad.  When we started the process last year we just didn't have the funds to have him added.  So, in about 90 days we should both be able to be on Jonathan's birth certificate.

Wednesday -
I don't remember much of Wednesday other than JH going to Terry's house for a full 7 hours.  He went to the church play group and Terry said the day went very well.  The nice thing is he talks about his friends Owen and RJ when we pick him up

Thursday -
I worked and Da Da worked in the yard.  I think this might have been the day that JH pooped his pants.  Since he has been with us he has only done that once or twice.  He kept saying "I pooped my pants Daddy, and Miss Terry put me in time-out", I asked him why he pooped and repeatedly the answer was "because".

After my work day ended we drove to MI City to buy the tile for the new bathroom.  We got to Lowes and discovered they no longer sell what Da Da designed the whole bath around; he wasn't happy.  Since we have been so good sticking to Weight Watchers we treated ourselves to dinner out.  Dinner out in MI City consists of very few choices, we decided on Applebee's since they have a low calorie and WW menu.  When we were driving to the restaurant JH said "Hmmm, it must be around here somewhere".

Friday -
Late on Thursday night we got our shipment of wood for the attic so Da Da and I moved 4 pallets of drywall, 2x4s, plywood, and heavy beams in to the garage.  Friday morning my back was killing me; Da Da forgets that I'm 13 years older than him :-)

JH was chipper on Friday morning and announced "I'm hungry Daddy, I think I want Oatmeal".  JH and Da Da drove to Benton Harbor to pick-up the sink he ordered from Home Depot for the attic.

In the early evening Uncle Michael and a friend Steve dropped by to bring us a beautiful professionally mounted photo of our Advocate ad.  The October issue came out this week and we were really happy to see that it turned out really great.  We show JH and he gets all shy and runs away.  It was nice to hear Uncle Michael notice that JH says "I love you Uncle Michael" before Michael tells him that he loves him.

Saturday -
Waking up was painful, I am on horse and chicken duty over at Linda and Neil's farm.  They got the heck out of Dodge this weekend.  We have a big bicycle ride weekend where the streets are loaded with cyclists.  I fed the brood and came home to feed my brood breakfast.

Once again we got dressed and hit the road to go to Mishawaka to find tile for the bathroom and buy the stuff for the electrician.  Our neighbor is a licensed electrician in MI and has been doing side work for us.  We have been buying all the materials so we can get the miles on our American Airlines credit card.  The plan is to go meet Jonathan's brother David as soon as we get enough miles.

When we got to Mishawaka we let JH drive the cart/car in Menards so he was happy for about 5 minutes.  He started acting up a little so he was transfered to the seat in the front of the cart.  My guess is he is getting a little tired (like Daddy) of home improvement stores.  We'll all be happy when the attic is done and we have a second bathroom and a private space for Daddy and Da Da.

In the evening we tried going to the park in New Buffalo but only stayed for 10 minutes,  There were too many older kids there playing on the toddler equipment and their parents didn't seem to care that little kids were trying to play.  We went to the park here in Three Oaks and it too was loaded with 10 to 15 year old kids :-(  We played in the back yard until dinner and JH had a bath and we watched a little Sprout before bed.  He has been saying "thank you for the delicious dinner (or lunch/breakfast) Daddy".  I think he is figuring-out how to work us, we also get "You're a very good boy Da Da (or Daddy)".

Sunday -
I heard JH chattering and singing as early as 6:30 AM.  We got up at 7:30 AM and only then did he throw his door open and say "Good morning Daddy, I'm a little hungry".  I made him an omelet from the eggs our chickens have been laying.  The chicks we got in May have been laying tiny eggs for about a week.  I had to crack 4 to get a JH sized omelet.   I let him help mix the eggs and he was thrilled; I think he's going to like cooking.

In the afternoon we played in the basement since it was raining here all day.  JH played with his tool set and his A B C train set.  He screwed plastic bolts in and out at least 30 times.  When we asked him casually what letter was on the train car he always got it right.  I also recorded him reading the eye chart that he has NEVER done for the eye doctor.  I plan on saving it to prove that he knows all the pictures very well; and from at least 15 feet (like at the Dr's office).

It's now 7:00 PM on Sunday evening and after 3 time outs JH is in bed.  After dinner he started to be a little naughty.  When we ask him to do or not do something he says "No, I don't want to stop", he was also in his room playing pretty nice and we heard "OH DAMN IT".

We hope to get Jonathan to Gramma and Grandpa's next weekend so he can spend a week with them while we're focused on my work and Da Da managing the attic remodel.  We'll miss our boy but need a little break again :-/

Jonathan Week 8

Monday was a decent day for us other than another blazing hot day.  Seriously, it's mid-September and we still have the AC on!

I moved my office to the basement so Da Da and JH could have full run of the upstairs.  I cleared away an entire aisle of Toys R Us and WOW, I have a real office with a granite desk and PEACE and QUIET.  No one running by saying "Daddy, I want to help you work", "Daddy, I'm going POOP".

On Tuesday JH went to Miss Terry's house for a full 7 hours, I think he may have had one accident and he said "I had a time-out for peeing my underwear" when he got in the car.  We told him that he needed to stop wetting his pants and he said "I promise that I won't do it again", we always tell JH that we keep our promises (and we do)!

Wednesday JH went back to Miss Terry's house and she took all the kids to her church group play-time.  JH had a blast and while playing he had an accident.  When they returned to Miss Terry's house he had TWO MORE "accidents", he spent more time in time-out!!  When we picked him up he came out in loaner clothes :-(

We had to drive to Benton Harbor after picking JH up to pick-up a part for the attic remodel.  JH sang several songs on the way and one was about cleaning the toys up.  I think Miss Terry is a good influence on our little man.  He talks about her son Davyd and how he doesn't get to see him now that he is in school now.  He also told us that he likes going to Miss Terry's house :-)

On Thursday morning JH woke-up and announced that he wanted oatmeal for breakfast.  He ate everything on his plate and then wanted some of Da Da's yogurt, and then wanted a bite of my banana.....

We went and picked him up at 4:00 PM and while Da Da was holding him at the door (he didn't have his shoes on), he said "Hi Daddy, I didn't wet my pants today!"; I was so proud.
He is really so damn cheeky and funny!  I am NOT a kid person and I find myself acting like a blooming idiot while having conversations with this child.  I guess when they are your own it's totally different.

JH stayed at Miss Terry's again for 7 hours today and seems to be doing great!  He said "I like going to Miss Terry's house" when we picked him up.  He took a bath before dinner (not a good idea), and we read several books before bed.  JH loves having books read to him and actually pays attention for almost 10 seconds :-)  His new bed routine is "no hugs and kisses" and then "I have to go potty", "I'm thirsty", "I want LIP BALM" and finally, "FAN on (or off based on where it is at bed)".

Friday morning we loaded up the car and drove to Auntie Jo Jo's house to help her move.  She moved in to Dug and Jamie's townhouse since they moved last month.  We got to Jo's and immediately jumped in the car to go get paint.  JH and Jo wandered all over Home Depot while Da Da and I filled the cart.  After we paid and unloaded the car Da Da started painting and Jo and I ran JH to Dug and Jamie's so JH could play with his cousins.  Damian was really excited to see Jonathan and they were gone running and playing before we knew it.  Dug and Jamie have an amazing new house with so much room for the kids to play.

JH stayed the night and since Jamie had to work, Dug had an 18 month old, a three year old, and a six year old!  It takes two of us to keep up with Jonathan so how he did it I'll never know.  We called on occasion for updates and Dug said the kids were having a blast.  Having JH gone allowed us to get about 6 hours of painting in, and by the time we went to bed we were all beat!

Saturday 6:00 AM came VERY quickly and we all headed back to the Townhouse to continue painting before the movers arrived.  Skip to 9:00 PM Saturday, the Townhouse looked beautiful, rooms painted, furniture in place, and all new window coverings.  Jo and I ran to get JH and he was asleep on the sofa at Dug's.  We scooped him up in his PJs and took him back to Jo's new place.  He was in and out of sleep and when we walked in Jo was holding him and he said "I want Daddy".  I held him on my lap for about 15 minutes before taking him up to bed.  The plan was Jo would lay with him while I helped Da Da finish a few more projects.  He insisted I lay with him so I did :-)  He was so loving and sweet telling me he missed me and held my hand while he went to sleep.  I snuck away and after about 2 hours (while we were finally having a glass of wine), he started crying and Da Da ran up.  He said "I don't know where I am, Daddy left me, please stay with me Da Da"' and he did; until JH went to sleep again.

Sunday morning JH woke-up in the middle of us and was chattering away, "good morning", "it's light outside (it wasn't), and various other things that were too perky at 6:00 AM.  Jo came up and got him while Da Da and I slept about 45 more minutes.  We said our goodbyes and headed back to MI.  When we stopped for gas JH said to Da Da, "Da Da, the world scares me", WTH?  Where does this kid come-up with things!!

It's now Sunday evening and we just finished dinner.  JH had to be bribed with green beans to eat his chicken leg.  I'm still amazed that vegetables are reward to get him to eat meat.  I may need to try some Tofu dishes to help get him the protein we know he isn't getting.  JH is in the bath playing Choo Choo with all his bath toys lined up on the side of the tub; it's good to be home!!

Jonathan Week 7

It was great waking-up on Monday and not having to sign on to work.  We had such a nice time at Michael and Janine's house, and we only chatted about JH when people asked :-P  We both noticed that we were able to have real conversations with people with no interruptions.  There were folks there that we had been around 3 or 4 times and never talked; this time we talked with everyone and it was great.  When we got home Linda mentioned that JH cried for a bit when we left and when she went up to his room he said "I want my Daddy", she told him I was in the basement talking to Uncle Neil and he said "Okay" and went to sleep.

Tuesday was a pretty good day for us.  JH and Da Da left after breakfast and didn't return until around 12:30 PM.  We all had lunch and JH laid down for a nap.  After about 10 minutes it was really quiet so I assumed he was asleep.  I looked in on him after 40 minutes and he was just laying there looking around his room.  I asked him if he had slept and he said "no, I'm just waiting for my nap to be over".  When I said he could get up and play he said "I need to go potty first" and went poop.  After I cleaned him he got dressed and while I was helping him get his jeans on he said "Thank you Darling", where do kids come-up with this stuff?  Da Da and I never use Darling!  Ha :-)

In the late afternoon on Tuesday JH played outside until dinner.  I went out after work and gave Da Da a break from keeping JH occupied on the play set.  We ran to Hardings to get some chicken for dinner tonight and Da Da was a mess from working, so he waited in the car.  JH asked if he could go in with me and while walking around the store he decided it was a good time to sing A B Cs.  He did really well and made a few grumpy old women smile....a little.

Dinner was good on Tuesday, I used our garden veggies and made a roasted Tomato, Pepper, and Onion Chutney to put on top of the little Turkey patties I also made.  Da Da and I started Weight Watchers eating again after we both had to buy larger clothing for Gramma Junker's funeral.  He's lost 7 pounds and I've lost 6 in the week since we started.  We need to shed the pounds before Gramma V comes to visit!

Wednesday and Thursday were pretty uneventful.  JH went to Terry's house on Tuesday and wet himself three times.  He kept telling Terry "I only go potty for Daddy and Da Da", I wish that were true :-)  He then wet himself here later in the day.  I don't think this boy likes change very much.  On Wednesday Terry found the magic formula to get JH to potty; offer her phone for a minute IF he potties!  Eureka!!

It's now Friday morning and JH just left a few minutes ago to go to Terry's and I miss the sound of him.  He says something almost every day that is music to my ears, "Daddy, can I have you?"  That means he wants me to pick him up or for him to sit on my lap.  I love those words!!

On Saturday we drove in to Chicago for a Dr appointment.  JH had eye surgery in January and this was a follow-up, and it went really well.  Well, not that well, JH would not cooperate AT ALL.  He wouldn't answer any question, identify any objects (that he does at home all the time, so it was all exam and the surgeon was confidant worked.  Before the appointment we went to a park and let JH cut loose for almost 90 minutes.  It was very crowded and he played really well.  At one point a little girl started smacking him in the face (3 times) and her mother was too busy chatting 2 feet away with what looked like a single dad.  I stepped in and said please don't hit him and then the mom glanced over, when the girl did it again the mom saw it this time and walked over and weakly told her to stop.  JH didn't hit back but just sort of looked at her and scooted over; not sure what to think about that.

On the drive home JH dozed off for a few minutes, and when we looked back at him, he opened his eyes and said "I'm sleeping, please don't watch me".  He said a bunch of other funny stuff but I'm too exhausted from the day to even try and remember :-(

Sunday we were outside from 9:00 AM until after 1:00 PM working in the yard and playing.  Da Da got a turn at getting things done while JH and I played, and then we switched.  I got the shed cleaned and finally usable!  JH kept walking up the ramp through the double doors, through the shed, and out the single door saying "I'm cutting the grass".  We had lunch and being on Weight Watchers (WW) is a challenge when JH always wants some of my food.  I'm starving myself and that little voice saying "Daddy, will you share with me?, we're sharing" (while nodding and scarfing down my fat free hot dog).

In the late afternoon we drove to MI City to get building supplies for the attic remodel.  We grabbed a quick bite for dinner and got home after 7:30 PM.  Since it was so close to bedtime, we did a quick teeth brushing, potty, and Da Da read Jonathan and goodnight story.

Jonathan Week 6

In Orion:
Monday was as crazy as the last few days.  The week was challenging but knowing that Gramma Junker would be laid to rest in just a few hours is comforting.  Death brings out good and bad in people.  Luckily we were with Gramma and Grandpa V that kept their composure and didn't let the petty bickering and "I wants" even phase them.  Death brings out good and bad in families.

JH had a few kids to play with over the weekend that stopped by with their parents.  He played trains with Lilly on Sunday night and he and Keegan pulled each other around the yard on his tractor.  Once they discovered Grandpa's rock pile we needed to refocus them on the ever popular trains in the living room.

It's now Tuesday very early and everyone is asleep except for me and Grandpa.  I wanted to make sure the kitchen was cleaned from last night and Grandpa is sorting through pictures to keep the vultures at bay.

There are a few more things Da Da has to be here for and after my work day we're driving back to Michigan.  Gramma and Grandpa need their house back and Jonathan Harper needs his yard, toys, and room.  He has been really good but almost daily he says "I want to go back to my room" or "I want to take a nap in my room in Michigan".

In Michigan:
We got home on Tuesday afternoon and it felt damn good.  After unloading the car and getting JH settled we ran to Rio's in New Buffalo for last hurrah food.  Da Da and I started Weight Watchers again on Wednesday morning.  We had to buy new clothes for Gramma Junker's funeral because we just got too FAT.

JH went to Miss Terry's house on Wednesday and didn't seem too happy when we got there.  He had been with Christy and Carly for more than 8 months and new kids and a new place was a little overwhelming.  He didn't cry when we left but was very clingy to us while we were there.  He didn't eat lunch, he didn't go potty, he just sort of kept to himself.  Terry has a 9 year old son named Davyd and he eventually got JH out of his shell.  Terry sent a picture of JH smiling after a few hours.  When I took JH out of his car seat after picking him up he was wet :-(
He just couldn't hold it any longer.

It's Friday morning now and JH is going back to Miss Terry's house.  He seems okay but Da Da will know more after he takes him in an hour.  He was so fun and good yesterday playing here at home and just chattering about the funniest things.  We have heard from some people that we talk to JH like he's an adult and I have no regrets.  He is more verbal and articulate than some 5 year olds we have met.  This is a kid that uses words like Rectangle and Parallelogram when we draw shapes for him.

Saturday morning we drove to Niles, MI to look for a tree that we want to plant as a memorial to Gramma Junker.  We stopped to grab some groceries and then came home to wait out the NASTY heat today.  It was the third day of 90+ heat and JH was stuck playing in the basement or watching A B C Pre-school in his room.   At dinner JH was waiving his spoon all over and when I asked him to stop, he said "I don't WANT to", he has been saying that all the time now.  While waiving the spoon he knocked his milk over and covered himself and the table with yummy chocolate milk.

Sunday morning JH was stirring at about 7:00 AM so I got up and as soon as I turned the coffee pot on he opened his door and yelled "Good Morning Daddy!"; he was in a good mood.
We had breakfast and drove to Mishawaka to look at Home Depot and Lowes to compare prices on fixtures for the attic.  The plan is that Da Da will start working on the attic as soon as next week.  With luck, we'll have a new master suite in just a few months.  He'll have to address the abundance of wasps and spiders that call it home today.  I have nightmares about spiders and earlier he had me holding a tape measure and a spider the size of a dime was inches from me head.

On the way home from Mishawaka we were looking for a radio station and "In The Summertime" came on and JH said "I like this song".  In the sond they sing a verse "I have women, I have women, I have women on my mind", JH piped up and said "I have women on my mind too, I like women".  We cracked-up!!

I'll probably post this after this update because Da Da and I are actually stepping out tonight!  Linda and Neil are coming over to stay with Jonathan while we attend an actual adult event at Michael and Janine's house.  It'll be nice to have him in fed and in bed before we leave and a piping hot Pizza Hut Pizza waiting for Linda and Neil.  I don't think I need to keep mentioning how much we appreciate them and value their friendship.