Breaking the Code

Creed's language skills are increasing very well. He quickly caught up within 6 months or so of coming home and now has the challenging dialect of a two year old. But I've cracked his 2 year old language code and really it is quite simple.

So here is the code: Take a 2 syllable word and say the first syllable twice. Examples as follows:

Baby Jesus = Creed says "baby JeJe"
Raisin = "ray ray"
Dora = "Dor Dor"
Puppy = "pup pup"
Manta Ray = man man ray
African Children's Choir = "Af Ch,Ch, Choi Choi" (this one took me a long, long time to decode)

Surprising how consistent he is with this code. Context is still everything though. For instance, with the word "pizza"

Pizza = pi pi

Now this is also the word the boys use for a body part so it is important to know context. It can really foul up your interpretation if you do not know the context in which the word is being used :)

Christmas with the Kouris

Finally getting our Christmas pics up. Here is a montage of the Kouri family Christmas: Getting ready to go to Grandma's. We pulled out an x-large suitcase. They played for a good hour going to various countries to get a sister. Daddy is writing a letter to Santa on Christmas Eve.Family movie night. All the kids wear new pajamas on Christmas EveSanta knows when you are sleeping. He knows when two boys are faking it too.While visions of sugarplums and milkbones dance in their heads (I love my Langley)Time to unwrap PRESENTS!Happy Birthday Jesus cake "Happy birfday, baby gigi" says Creed.While 17 people wait for their Christmas dinner, Creed asks Grandma to read him a book. Naturally, Grandma halts everything and plops down right where she's at to read Creed a book. This is one example of why parents must spend 2 weeks "detoxing" their children from Grandma hangovers once they return back to their home schedule.

Creed received a dancing "yo gabba gabba" doll for Christmas. We don't watch the show, but have seen enough of it. If you have seen it, you know that Creed's slightly shocked and fearful face is appropriate.

West's first bottle of Christmas pop. West finally noticed this year that Mommy occasionally indulges in a Dr. Pepper (okay frequently, not occasionally) . So he decided that when he turned 4, Santa would bring him pop for Christmas. We do have a tradition of getting Christmas pop from Santa (yes, even us older kids), so West was christened this year with his first pop. (He drank two sips and announced that it was "spicy". I think this was the carbonation.

So he finally asked . . . .

West did it tonight. He asked me the question. One I had thought a lot about, but knew I would never be prepared for.

Prompted by the story of Rebekah and Isaac having twins, West asked me "who's tummy did I come from?"

There it was. The big question all adoptive parents wonder when and how they will answer it.

Feeling like a loser, I could not remember West's birthmom's name. So I said to him " you came from a lady's tummy in Russia"

"who is she?" said West.

"I'm sorry hon. I don't remember her name. do you want me to go look it up really quick?"

West: yes.

So I jump up and go to his baby book and look up his birth mother's name. As I walk back I'm calming my nerves and preparing for a lengthy conversation about this person that means the world to both of us, but whom we know nothing about.

I go back to West and say, "What was the question you asked?"

W: We were talking about babies in tummies.

Me: oh yeah. Well, the name of the lady who had you in her tummy was ______

W: oh. How was I in there? Like this? (west curls up in a little ball)

Me:( smiling.) Yes. You were curled up like a little ball

W: How big was I?

Me: oh about this big (showing how big with my hands)

W: Who did you have in your tummy?

Me: Well, Daddy and I decided not to have anyone in my tummy. Remember, families can adopt or have babies from their tummies.

W: How did I come out of her tummy? did I wiggle and kick?

Me: hmmm???

W: How did I come out of her tummy?

Me: (totally not prepared for this question) Well, you wiggled and kicked out.

W: but how?

Me: ummm . . .. well babies just come out of tummies (HE'S FOUR. I CAN'T TELL HIM THE DETAILS THAT CAUSED ME TO WANT TO ADOPT WAAAY BEFORE I KNEW GOD'S PLAN FOR US!!!!!!!!)

W: How do they get out?

Me: God helps them out

W: How do they get out?

Me: God helps them out

W: Am I going to school tomorrow?

So I don't know if West's questions were about his birth mother or about where babies come from. Either way, I am emotionally and mentally exhausted after this 3 minute conversation.