January update....

Well January is more than half over and time is flying by. Just thought I would upload a few photos and update everyone on Matteo's progress. He is a busy little boy, still loves books, still crawls, is trying to stand whenever he can, though not on his own .Tonight I put up the jolly jumper (Thank you S & W) and did he have fun. I will try to post a video of him having a blast.

He sort of has a routine but some days are off. Over the weekend he had a slight fever as I think he is teething. Lots of drool, red cheeks, but no other teeth have sprouted yet. He still loves the carriage and the car, and loves going out shopping or visiting. He loves his play area and is playing with more of his toys, and especially is playing with his musical activity set...so that is great.....He still screams when he doesn't get his way, and doesn't sleep much during the day, but does put in a full night sleep, most of the time, with a few wake up moments, but quickly goes back to sleep. There is still the occasional yelling episode where I'm not sure what is going on and what is wrong.... He sometimes works himself up quite a bit and it takes a bit to calm him down. Yet I am getting better at knowing when he is overwhelmed etc...so try to stop it from getting really bad/ Sometimes it happens quite quickly and the screaming is hard to take, and I do not handle it well all of the time...it scares, me, scares the cats too...and I'm sure scares Matteo as he is totally frustrated at not being able to communicate what he wants.

For the most part however the relationship with the cats is going very very well...they are all becoming fast friends and they let Matteo grab them and touch them and he lets them sniff him....He really enjoys them, and for him they are there for him to play with, just as I am there to take care of all his needs when he needs them....

...As for me, well last week I started teaching my one graduate course. As this adoption journey was uncertain I had requested to teach this winter term, thinking that I would be in Vietnam over the summer and then off in the fall. While I wasn't sure I would go ahead with it, decided that Matteo was doing well and we were both adjusting and it would be valuable for my career path as it is the first graduate course I've taught...Additionally my nephew who is living with me is the one who is here with Matteo on the evening I'm away. I feed him his supper and D. plays with Matteo and gives him his bottle and puts him to sleep. He is usually asleep for most of my time away and I'm so glad he has some male company which is good for Matteo. I'm home in time for the final bottle of the evening. I have 13 students and most of the work for the course was already prepped in the fall, so it is my night out. I have found thus far, (only two classes) that I feel re-energized after having a stimulating evening of adult discussion. The break is doing me good, because it is really hard at times caring for Matteo and I feel run down not so much because it is hard but because it is so repetitious. While it is stressful getting myself ready and out the door....something I will have to get used to eventually...but great that Matteo has his cousin to care for him. Additionally one afternoon a week I head off to my office hours and have found a great student whose family I know, to babysit with Matteo....so that is great. She has lots of baby experience and comes to my home as well. During my time away, I try to do most of my prep for the following class, so again, a very good break too. The rest of the time it is just me and Matteo.

Sometimes the days feel very long depending on how Matteo is doing, other days we have lots of smiling and lots of fun and those days seem to go fast. He really does love to laugh and I enjoy finding and doing different things to make him laugh. He is starting to laugh from down in his belly and that is so sweet to see and hear.

I think our relationship is going well and I continue to learn about him, and to learn about myself and the kind of mother I am becoming. While I loved the holidays I did not really enjoy that we were dealing with them, jetlag, returning to Canada, a major change, all at once....It has been nice to get into a more "normal" routine beyond the holidays, and though I am not looking forward or wishing that Matteo gets bigger, I am looking forward to the spring. He's going to love getting out more and visiting various parks. All those parks that S. has been posting photos of in our neighbourhood. I am craving the warmth of spring. .I think the warmth of Vietnam imprinted itself on me, such that I feel cold all the time, more than usual, so all in all, January's routine is starting to feel very nice and motherhood and my little boy continue to become more and more real each day.