All by himself ....

It's been 3 1/2 weeks since we got home.  Sleep, of course, has been the main issue.  Aiden will not let me out of his sight, which is typical.  He favors me, but I am his main caretaker too. :)  For the first 3 weeks, I was sleeping in Aiden's room with my mattress butted right up next to his crib mattress.  He slept pretty good, but still woke a lot most nights.  As of this past Saturday night, Aiden has been sleeping in his crib and in his room by himself! The first night he cried some when I put him down awake but it was less than 20 minutes, and he only woke twice maybe.  The second was even better, he only cried a couple of minutes when I put him down.  The third, he only cried  a minute and tonight he cried for about 45 seconds.  I'd say he's made major progress to be in his room for 4 days by himself at night.  He's only woke once or twice these nights, and I've not had to go in and help him get back to sleep at all.  

Since we came home, Aiden has tried to sleep the entire night, every night.  I was really surprised he wasn't awake the typical 3 am to 5 am time period every morning, like I've heard other AP's mention.  There were a few times he was awake during a night or two, but it wasn't very long each time.  Aiden would sit up, and flop back down in the other direction.  He would move around a lot, but he'd always lay back down and he even seemed frustrated quite a few times that he couldn't get back to sleep soon enough.  I have no idea if that's what it was, but it sure seemed like it.  When he's asleep and wakes up unexpectedly, he gets upset and tries his best to get comfortable and get back to sleep.  So, when I kept seeing this, I knew he would sleep much better in his bed and in his room all by himself!  He knew I was in his room, right next to him.  So if he woke, he knew I'd be right there to comfort him when he started to whine.   Since he's been in his room alone, he hasn't woke up but maybe once a night, and he soon goes back to sleep on his own.  I knew he could do it! I knew he wanted to do it, he just had to figure out how.

He knows when it's bed time.  He has his bath, then it's lotion, diaper, and pj time. Once that's done, he gets a bottle, sometimes he finishes it, and sometimes he'll push it away when he's had enough.  Then he sits up, turns towards me and is waiting for me to pick him and after I pick him up, he lays his head on my shoulder, as if to say, I'm ready for bed.  I walk him to his room, hold him for a minute, then lay him down. Now he doesn't want me to put him down of course, but I do. He cries immediately, but that cry has been less and less, under a minute and it's only been 4 nights! So I knew he was okay to sleep in his room on his own.

My little 'A' has done so well since we've brought him home.  I honestly was thinking the worst of everything. Just knew he'd cry and cry and cry with grief, but he hasn't.  He's been unhappy a few times where it looked like he was missing the familiars in his past.  I try my best to comfort him but give him a little space too.  I hold him when he wants to be held, which is most of the time. But there are times where he'll venture to another room, and after a few seconds I'll hear him whine and I'll call out to him to come back and he'll coming running to me arms stretched out and whimpering. It's really quite adorable! :) I'll hold him for a few seconds, then he'll get down and we'll play for a while.

He can point to his nose, when I say "nose". When I say toes he'll stick his foot in the air for me to tickle his foot and toes.  He'll drink whole milk or water out of a plastic cup and with a straw.  He doesn't like sippy cups. He really hates to have his diaper changed.  Sometimes I can keep him satisfied, but it's not often.  I just hurry as fast as I can and pick him up, then he's happy!  Sometimes after I pick him up, I'll rest my head against his and sometimes he'll rest his head on mine!  Melts my heart! :)

This child was shown more love and attention than I ever could have imagined!  Although he's very shy at first, he's warmed up to friends and family fairly quickly, but, he still knows who mama is! He is a complete joy!  Although the major clinging to me is hard sometimes, I know it won't last for long so I'm making the best of it.  Aiden knows who his family is and I'm so proud to call him my son! :)