You may have noticed that, thus far, I have not posted pictures that were taken after our road trip in mid-July. (If you haven't noticed that, I suppose that I shouldn't have told on myself!) I also have not written much about what occupied the month of August in the life of the Kovars... so this is my attempt to catch up a bit.
When we returned home from California halfway through July, I resolved to take it easy for the next month. Andy and I really wanted to just spend some normal, relaxed family time at home - both for our sanity, and to help with the kids' continuing adjustment. The first three weeks were very interesting. Neither Lynnae nor Charlie had ever been on a road trip with family... and they were not used to packing up things to take with them, and then coming back to the same house. The trip was very good for the kids to meet some family and have some fun. It was also great bonding for the four of us. However, emotionally it was a little inconceivable for them... and that led to meltdown after meltdown when we first got home. By the beginning of August I was beginning to feel in control again!
We started trying to venture out once or twice a week, and kept our wanderings close to home. Amazingly, we made it through the whole summer without an illness. Actually, the kids have not been sick since they moved in ... (Charlie came to us complete with that lovely flu he gave to me!) It's kind of miraculous, because previously they had been sick all the time. We will see what happens now that school has begun and the germs will be shared amongst the children again.
We made several trips to the library - which is now a place that they both love. Even Lynnae is excited to use her own card and always has a hard time whittling her selection down to 4 books before we leave. Once we're home she likes to read the books again and again. Charlie is also reading. (I know, it's a little early - but the kid loves books, so I figured it wouldn't hurt to encourage him.) He knows about 30 words by sight now. When we read together I pause so that he can fill in the words that he knows. He also read one book all on his own, "Cat and Dog". I figured, since he's picked up sight words so easy, that I would start to work on sounds with him. So he's learning the consonant sounds ... and so far, just the short "a" sound. I think that's plenty for a two-year-old! For her part, Lynnae reads so much better now that it's hard for me to remember that she is the same girl that couldn't make it through a paragraph without help just five months ago.
Also in the month of August, I endured my first experience doing well-child doctor visits. With both kids and just one parent, and a TON of nervous energy... I got more than I bargained for. Both were pretty well behaved once they calmed down... and even sat still for the shots. (Although I had to promise Lynnae a treat.... which earned a disapproving glare from the doctor, but it worked.) Let's just say that I let Andy know that if we ever schedule both kids at the same time again, I will require his assistance. Of course, he would have gone with me this time had either of us realized how interesting it would be!
Charlie was really disagreeable for a couple of weeks, and I couldn't figure out why. Then one day he started running a fever off and on. I realized, in hindsight, that he had been stuffing a lot of things in his mouth and drooling a lot... so I hung up the phone with the nurses line, (while I was on hold,) and opened his mouth to find molars pushing through. That's right, not one molar but TWO! Poor kid is behaving much better now that they've broken through!!! Charlie is really turning into a big boy... he changed tremendously during the month of August. I couldn't keep up!
On top of that, Andy and I celebrated our ten year anniversary... which is a milestone that I can hardly believe we've reached. We also attended several birthday parties... each with a cake... which was, of course, Lynnae's favorite part.
So August was a very calm month, especially compared to the two previous months. I didn't take a whole lot of pictures, but I did grab the camera when we went to the park one day. Here are my two favorite pictures so that you can see how the kids are growing!
Pictures will be posted after adoption is finalized.
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