This smile says it all: my son is happy.
Last night we saw some friends who haven't seen Z since summertime and they kept telling us how different he seemed compared to a few months ago. "He just seems so much more open and relaxed now," was the comment we heard more than once.
Not that he was miserable before, but over the past few months we have noticed a subtle shift in Z's overall demeanor. He is comfortable. He feels safe. He not only trusts us as his parents, he also trusts his environment. These feelings of safety and trust have given him a freedom to play, and laugh, and open himself up in deeper ways than we have seen before. It is beautiful and miraculous and the best present this mama could ever ask for.
I'll wrap this up with two cute little stories from the past week:
I have sung the exact same 4 songs to Z every time I put him down for a nap or bedtime since the first month he came home. He seems to thrive on that predictability and has gotten mad any time I've tried to stray from the routine... until the other day when he asked me to sing the "star song", which I managed to figure out meant "Away in a Manger". (We have a kids nativity set that plays that song when you push a button and a star lights up while the song is playing.) Now he insists on us singing the 'star song' before naps and bed -- it's become his own little Advent tradition.
Last night when I tucked him in I asked him, "Who loves Z?" and he smiled up at me and said, "Jesus!" Melt my heart.
Haley, this is so beautiful. I can't even imagine how warm and fuzzy you must feel to see the transformation in Z's demeanor. I love the story about the change in naptime song requests too. As you know, when kids are feeling a sense of chaos, instability, and unpredictability, routine is what they crave. It is grounding. The opposite is also true: when kids are feeling protected and secure, they feel safe enough to wander from the routine and try new things. Seems in his requesting a new song, he is doing just that. May God continue to bless your journey....
ReplyDeleteBeautiful. I love the photo of three of your "boys" and love that Z has his own Advent tradition!
ReplyDelete@kelsie, thank you for your sweet comment. I was thinking the same thing - seeing Z branch out and change things up is such a great sign that he is really settled and comfortable!
ReplyDelete@tamara, thank you! The blondie in the photo is actually my nephew but he does look a lot like my older kids! I definitely consider him to be one of my 'boys' too. :)
LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this! That smile - doesn't get much better than that!
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