Adjustments abound

A lot of adjustments to the Warner house! Not only did we bring Joshua home but we made it just in time for his oldest brother to come home from leave from the Navy! At this moment all of my sons are under the same roof and it feels grand.

Our first full day home found us taking Joshua into our pediatrician. We both wanted to go but again after being gone so much from Jake we didn't want to leave him so we packed both kids up for the trip. Joshua weighs 18 lbs 11 ounces. We did not have his length done at the time because we went as a sick child visit because of the pneumonia but I talked to the doctor in great length about things. Joshua is still a bit congested so the doctor suggested another 3 day zithromycin treatment to give it an extra kick out of there. He will go back in 2 weeks for a new x ray to see where his lung is at in clearing. He has a very sparce and incomplete vaccine history so we are starting from scratch for him. Yesterday the poor boy received 6 shots, lead test, and a full blood workup to check his thyroid, iron and all that jazz. The office then set up appointments for us to see a cardiologist. We were told he did not have a heart condition however upon reading our adoption decree there was minor heart abnormality then in parenthesis it says chord malformation. We planned on visiting with our pediatric cardiologist anyway because complete medical history with orphans is almost never really complete. We also have an appointment with a urologist. Without embarrassing him in life later if he happens to read this blog one day, seems Joshua was thought to be missing one particular thing, however it has been located but may need some help descending in place :)

Joshua's appetite is awesome but we are working on ways to regulate him. Seems his bowels are on Ukraine time so in the middle of the night he is getting up. I have asked each little boy in this house to please work on a schedule and coordinate their efforts in diaper changing times but it seems they have not taken me seriously ;)

The boys love Joshua so much! Cody loves his smile when he reaches for him and Ryan makes every excuse to hold him. He is such a cuddle baby. Amazing how when we first met Joshua he was reserved and would push away when we cuddled him and now.. oh what a cuddling sweetheart. Jacob pulled Joshua's hair once and then turned around and kissed his forehead. They love bath time together however I realize that I need some rain gear at bath time now. Joshua loves splashing and Jacob now in turn loves splashing too.

My house looks like a tornado hit. We do not have a "toy" room or play room. So gear that once was put away such as a walker, swing and high chair have all been put out once again. I have two new dressers that have to be brought in from the garage for the little boys. We waited to put the crib up until yesterday. That was interesting since we bought the crib prior to our trip and it had sit in the back of our covered truck the whole time. Well it seems the covered truck is only water proof under normal rain instances and we were hit with an enormous amount of rain a few days so while the crib survived nicely the new mattress did not. So we need a new mattress. It has been ok as Jacob it seems has taken to sleeping now with someone or else he screams so Joshua is using his bed right now. I am dreading the day we have to break Jacob of sleeping with us. Since Jake and Josh share a room, I can imagine nights of both being awake in the middle of the night is in my future.

So while we have only been home for one full day.. adjustments are happening at a rapid pace. I am trying to just take deep breaths and not try to accomplish everything at once. I need to get some organization going in our new routines and lives. I know it will come and I am really just trying to enjoy being with the boys. Dealing with a severe cold and jet lag makes it hard sometimes. I think the weight of my sister's memorial service has been making it difficult as well. Now that I am home and when I pass her apartment down the street from my house- the reality hits hard. Also knowing that she would have been here helping me at each step if she could be is also difficult. Tomorrow, we say good bye to her formally. I know it is selfish but I don't wanna say good bye. I still want her here.

I will be posting pictures soon. Honestly I feel sort of bad. We never had this huge homecoming for Joshua. Our actual finding out we could return home all together put things in a rapid motion. Walking through the doors to my parents found us in conflicting emotions. Tears of happiness of Joshua entering our family and tears of sadness over my sister upon hugging my mom for the first time since.Excitement over unpacking Joshua's things for his new life while dreading having to pack up my sister's possessions of her life. I have to let go of this dream of this grand entrance to Joshua's new life and realize that family life is not always about the happy, gotcha moments but everything on down. It isn't just about the moments caught on video or pictures but the moments that aren't always caught. It is about the cuddles, the love, the kisses, hugs and all that goes with being a loving family. Joshua has that now. Joshua will always have that! Joshua will never have memories of a greeting by a mob at the airport but he will have memories of a mom that loving fed him while giving him kisses in between bites. He will have memories of a mom who can't help but kiss him every chance she gets. He has parents who stare at him while he sleeps and who look down at him and say this is what life is about- this was worth it all.