Updates on Micah and Then Some

Micah turned 17 months this week - he is officially a toddler who can run, almost jump (he tries) and can definitely CLIMB. He wants to climb everything and is learning that you can stand on things (like the wipes box) in order to try and climb over something (like the baby gate). He has actually lost weight since he started to walk (I've heard this is common) because he is so busy. Here he is in a pair of shorts that I promise fit him last month...
Apparently, he could get a ticket for wearing his pants in this style. We changed shorts right away to elude the authorities. (But not before I spent a good 5 minutes laughing uncontrollably at how cute he looked with his bootie hanging out.)

We are still in a nap-time flux around here. Micah still takes only 1 nap per day, but lately he wants it to be in the morning as opposed to the afternoon. This is confusing for mom, but we've been working with it. He's also decided that it is no longer fun to sleep until 7:30 or 8. Nope, that's so last month. Now it's fun to get up at 6 or 6:30 (which could be the reason the nap has switched to the morning).

Here he is sleeping - this was taken about three weeks ago.

And this one was taken almost a year ago - about 2 days after we got home from Ethiopia. So sweet.

Since we gave up the bottle (almost two months ago), Micah's new bedtime routine is all about books. He loves to read books, and now will sit in the glider with us before bedtime and and listen to books. Here are some current favorites:

A classic - he loves to turn the pages with the holes in them.

I just like saying the part about the pigs singing "La La La" (So maybe this is my favorite :)

He loves this one - especially the page with all the animals. He points to each one and we have to say what it is and then make the animal sound. He loves the kitty best. Does anyone know what sound a hippo makes? I'm not so sure.

Micah has just started to give real kisses instead of trying to make out with you. Here is how he usually gives kisses...

His Uncle Ryan was the lucky recipient of that open-mouthed love. Just yesterday he started to close his mouth and even make a kiss sound. So of course we made him give us 100 kisses just because it is so cute. Love it!

And now, an update on #2...I wanted to thank you all for the wonderful comments about our second adoption. It still feels pretty surreal and all of the old worries and fears are coming back out (our poor social worker - I've already called her with a list of questions and we haven't even been officially accepted yet :). But, then I remember that things will work out the way they are supposed to, so I try to let those things go.

A couple of you asked about a timeline - Of course I know that there is no way to plan in IA, but here is our plan (I can hear our SW laughing now!). We hope to have our homestudy finished by October so that we can apply for the free extension for the I-600a. We'll then get to work on our dossier and plan to submit that by December-January-February (I'm being very open with our plan, you see). CHI is quoting the wait for referral at about 6-10 months, so if that holds true, we could see a referral as early as next Summer, or as late as Winter of 2009. Of course, things change, so it could be earlier or it could be later. (See my easy-breezy attitude about this? Hah- I know what you are thinking, and yes, in 1 year I will probably not be easy-breezy, but please do not remind me of this then. :)

In the meantime, we are waiting to hear back from CHI on our application, and then we can get started with the homestudy paperwork. Yipee!