... playing with Audrey and Sam...
... playing with friends...
... and he LOVES preschool!
When I picked him up after his first day at preschool, his teacher said that he just cried a little bit one time and was easily distracted with toys and had a great day. Jay got in the car and immediately told on himself. He said "Ma, I cried BIG!" and then he imitated a major meltdown and started to laugh and said "I was a baby!!!" and laughed and laughed at himself. I'm not sure if the teacher was trying to downplay the meltdown or if Jay was exaggerating his reaction at school. But, I was nervous about taking him the next day. The morning of the 2nd day of preschool, he ran into the room, hugged his teacher, started playing and yelled "Bye, Ma!" and waved goodbye to me. Both his teacher and Jay agree there was no crying the second day :)
Jay is learning language so quickly. It seems that he understands everything that people say to him in English. He has tons of English words and has stopped all Chinese words. He does lots of babbling, which is really interesting. Our pediatrician told us this is normal when young kids are changing primary languages - he's gone from speaking Mandarin, to babbling and saying some English words, adn then should start speaking entirely in English.
It's been a great 2 months off with Audrey, Sam, and Jay. I go back to work next week, Jay's started preschool this week, and Audrey and Sam start school in a few weeks. Sam's football practices and soccer practices and Audrey's soccer practices have started. Real life is starting. Jay has done a great job adjusting to waking up for school and hanging out at his siblings' practices. But he says he wants to play too - so he's signed up to start soccer in a few weeks. More cute pictures to come, I'm sure!
Thanks to an amazing orphanage that provided love and food to Jay for the first 4 years of his life and prepared him well for the transition, to Hope Station for providing love, are, and helping in his transition into our family, to Audrey and Sam who have been amazingly patient and loving siblings, to our village who has provided unbelievable support and encouragement, and to Jay's strong little spirit that was willing to be courageous and vulnerable, this has been a very easy transition and it feels like Jay has always been in our family.
