The Halloween Post!

This is the first year Hannah really got to go trick or treating. Her first year she was just 4 months old, last year we Trunk-or-treated in Galveston, and so this year was really fun!! We had everyone over to our house for pizza and then ventured out to trick-or-treat! Hannah had so much fun! After the first house , my reserved little girl realized what was happening. She would run as fast as she can to the house yelling 'Trick me! or Trick treat!' LOL and elbowing her way to the front of the group. ;) James had fun too, but still too young to really understand. We had a fun crew! Here's the pics! (Disclaimer: FULLY aware the Cowboy's are terrible, but still fans! What can you do? ;))

My little DCC and Romo ;)

Sigh, just so pretty

So cute!!

Acorns anyone?

Playing peek-a-boo!

Boo!

Best.smile.ever

And then she was minnie mouse...

Presents from Mimi

Why's he scared looking?...

This guy :) Chris totally freaked James out! LOL

 

His daily accessory these days!

Caleb's sister's and Blair :)

The cousin's minus James.. he was done

 

Since our formal dining still sits empty, it turns into another playroom

Trick or Treat!

Caleb getting his own 'treat' from our neighbors cooler ;)

Some of the crew

Sprinting to the door!

Blurry, This house looked so cool! It was a mummy CREEPY!!

Update! and lots and lots of pics!

So this Saturday marks 8 weeks HOME!!!!! It's hard to believe he's been home just 8 weeks, because it truly feels like he's been with us forever. Hannah and him have adjusted nicely after a power struggle of a start :) I mean they are exactly 1 year apart, so really it was/is to be expected.  She loves him so much!  It's absolutely precious hearing her ask for him and watching them interact. She always wants to read him book and if he's upset, she right there trying to console him. LOVE!

It is absolutely amazing that he understand just about anything we say to him. He's picked up understanding English so so quick! I love toddler brains! They truly are little sponges. He's babbling a lot and making purposeful sounds, says mama and dada, ball, hi (which he says as soon as you walk into his room...so sweet!), bye, yes (ya) and will make the syllable sounds of many other words. I'm also pretty sure he's said Dora as well ;) as it's Hannah's current fav.

When we came home he was walking, but fell after just a few steps, now he's full speed ahead! His growth and development is right on track, if not ahead in some aspects, which is awesome!  He really came from a great baby home and I'm so grateful for the care he was given.  He attached very quickly and has only gotten stronger.  He's been in the church nursery a few times and cry's appropriately! And is super excited to see us when we pick him up. So so happy about the attachment progress!

Since he's been home he's had lots of Dr visits, blood work, and shots, but he's done so well with them all.  He loves the zoo, swinging, and just playing! It's so neat seeing him learn basic puzzles and how to eat with a fork and basic things we sometimes take for granted. He does well when we go out to eat and eats just about anything we give him which is so nice! He loves milk, which is such a change from Hannah. He's sleeping great and loves to take bath's finally!

I know there is a ton more to tell, but I'll just post pics now.  He is such a joy and we love him so much and we are so blessed to have him in our family!!! We have our first post placement report meeting this coming Saturday already! Crazy!! Before we know it, it'll be our last. Enjoy the pics!!

First trip to the zoo!

Feeding the birdies

Gorgeous girl of mine

loves him mama ;)

Cooling off my little Russian in the indoor part of the zoo

Siblings :)

Second trip to the zoo with the cousins!

Love these girls!

Precious

Best cousin friends

So handsome!

more birdies!

First time on the zoo train

 

Picking flowers

sweet girl

hehe love his hair

and his smile :)

Fun times!

LOL love this goofy girl!

Love her!

Coloring outside

Learning the piano!

No worries, daddy is right behind them!

Sassy

Oh my word, I love him so! 

The boy loves him some Tupperware

;)

playing!

Swinging!

Have I mentioned he LOVES his papa too? :)

First pumpkin patch at our church

My pretty one and her teeny-tiny pumpkin!

He seriously was trying to pick this up!

LOL love his face

Love

LOVE LOVE!

Blog of iPhone pics....

I'll do an actual update soon I promise!! James has been home 1 month (last Saturday!) and now 5 weeks out of the orphanage! Let me tell you he's doing fabulous!

It can happen to anyone at any time....

Would you ever think this sweet face could be the face of cancer?

It can happen any one of us...at any time...and this is why Team in Training needs donations NOW to help fund research and help support these families throught the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society!

Nory, age 3, was diagnosed (this past February) with Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia, a type of leukemia that rarely affects children. It does not have an actual treatment plan for pediatric patients. However a quote from her mother "The medication that took her from very sick to practically healthy is called Gleevec and was funded in part by LLS via TNT!" Praise GOD!!!! Unfortunately, she will still need a bone marrow transplant to cure her completely, but until then this drug is working wonders for her!.

Here is her website: http://princessesgetcancertoo.com/

If you feel it on your heart to donate click the link to the right or on the link below.... No donation is too small!

http://pages.teamintraining.org/ntx/mpcsdlsm12/mcrocker 

First week home!!

James is doing so great!! He's adjusting, attaching, and bonding far better than I could have imagined!! He's eating, sleeping, and doing his business just fine ;)
He loves LOVES food! He's definitely shown us why he's 40-50% for his weight...we're sure he was the loudest in his baby home, thus fed first and most :) I mean you do NOT put him in his highchair UNLESS you have food ready to give!
He loves splashing in the water play station, but still working on bath time in which you get blood curdling screams from him.
He loves his mama and dada! His attachment is going great! It take awhile for him to warm up to everyone else, and even then he stays close. :)
He says dada, ball, bye (I think)
This past week he's had two doctor appointment, lots of blood drawn, shots, and his first bloody nose playing with his big sis. I hate seeing him getting 'booboo's', but at the same time, he is living life!! Living life outside of the over-protective orphanage. He now gets to 'run free' and learn his limits, trial and error, playing with big sis, he gets to see his legs! LOL poor little guy just sweats the second we walk outside in this heat. Thank goodness for the cooler air!
Yesterday we gave him his first taste of Joe T Garcia's ;) Y'all who know us, knows this is not shocking at all. The whole Crocker fam went and had a great time on the patio. It's beautiful outside! I even ran into another adoptive mommy blogger a couple tables down. Sweet family! They recently came home with their son from Ethiopia.
So James is doing great and we are all adjusting well! If I ever get on my laptop I'll add pics from the trip and since we've been home, but here are a few off my phone. :)