Yep, 16 months and 6 days it's been since Isaac and Jonah came home. It's amazing. Isaac is now 5 years old and Jonah is 4.5 years old. They start kindergarten in September! My, how time flies!
So, what is the news since the last time I posted? Well, lots!!!
Isaac and Jonah started a wonderful daycare at my work in mid-August 2007. It is French-speaking and the boys understand everything. Isaac was speaking some French since the first week. However, Jonah is just really starting to speak in French lately. Of course, we speak English at home and they are very comfortable in English.
In the last year I have learned so much about my sons.
Isaac is sensitive and shows his affection easily. He is a very bright and outgoing child who is the star of the party. He likes to watch movies and look at books. He has a very curious nature and is often asking, "Why, mama, why?" He is a beautiful child who is endearing to everyone around him. He loves animals and staying home with the family, playing and helping mama.
It wouldn't be fair to you the reader to let you thing the last 16 months were all roses. Isaac had difficulties in the first months of his new life. He simply didn't want to be here. He missed his life in China, but he didn't tell me. He had night terrors for months. He was afraid of his father. As you may remember, my husband, Amar, is from Nepal, a very diverse and beautiful country. Most Nepalis that we know in Quebec are often confused with Chinese or Korean people. However, my husband is usually taken for a Mexican. Anyways, to make a long story short, Isaac was afraid of his father because he was dark-skinned. Actually, Isaac called him "black." To add to that, he said that I was pink, and that he was pink too.
Boy, you talk about an identity crisis. OK, I am pink, but baba isn't black, he's brown. Isaac isn't pink either; he's light brown. Now, I knew that colour was something that we had to talk about. By the way, race exists, but man, was it hard for me to find someone to talk about it!
I simply explained to Isaac that God made people in different shades or colours, but that inside we were made all alike. Baba loved him and his heart was what mattered the most. And I told him, he wasn't pink. He was beautiful the colour he was. I sensed that he didn't think he was beautiful at all.
Then in the fall we went a few Nepali functions. When the boys walked into the room, you should have seen the looks on their faces! I have yet to see them feel so comfortable in a caucasian environment. Eventhough I had prepared them, Isaac still asked, "Why, mama, why?" I eplained that baba came from Nepal, which is beside China and you look a lot alike. "Why, mama, why?" "Because God made you (and them) that way. Isn't that wonderful!" Jonah said, "Wow."
And just the other day, Isaac told his father that when he came home from China, Baba was black, but now he's brown and he loves his Baba just the way he is. I asked him what colour he was. He said brown too - light brown and that it was good.... but he still likes pink. It brought tears to my eyes to se how he had accepted his father and who he was himself.
Jonah, however, is a different boy altogether. He is 100% boy. What I mean is, he doesn't care what colour he is or anyone else is... He just doesn't seem to notice the details... He doesn't have time! He's got things to do.. cars and trucks to play with, things to put in the VCR, food... there's got to be food around here somewhere... Jonah is always on the lookout for the next snack. I figure he most have been hungry in earlier years. Eventually we do put limits on what he can eat. He is a more reserved boy in groups. He is shy and still whispers to mama what he's really feeling. He calls himself Ati (little brother) that's still his nickname at home. He is a real sweetheart, who loves to cuddle with mama and make her laugh.
The stuggles with Jonah over the last 16 months have had to do more with medical concerns. He often catches the flu or bug... whatever is around. He had something or another from Oct 1 until Feb 1. I kid you not!
On the medical front, Isaac has had ear tubes put in and he hears better than he ever did. Isaac and Jonah had reconstructive teeth surgery (21 cavities) and now have many fillings and even a few crowns to boot. Isaac will have plastic surgery in a few months. Our concerns have had little to do with medical conditions, but rather with adaptation and family issues.
We know that adoption is a journey, but we feel that right now Isaac and Jonah are two very happy little boys!
