Charles' Gotcha Day!!

Charles had climbed up on the cupboard to sneak something out of the cupboard. Look at that face. Doesn't it just scream 'mischief?'
Henry is painting a picture for Andrew's room. This was how we decided to decorate his room...with his brothers' artwork.
Mmmm...chocolate ice cream!
Mmmm! This cone is great!

Greetings all!! It was Charles' Gotcha Day today. Wow! I can't believe it's already been 3 years since he came home. We can remember it like it was yesterday. Henry wore his dalmatian dog shirt, and my mom and dad came with. Henry and my dad bought treats from the vending machine while we waited by the baggage carousel. Henry says they bought peanuts. Charles was sleeping when we got him. But, he opened his eyes long enough to look at his big brother and give him the nicest smile. Then he fell asleep again for a few hours. It always amazes me how you can be handed a strange baby and feel immediately like their parent. As if they had always been with you. Its always striking to me when people say, 'Oh, it's too bad you couldn't have had them younger?' In my mind I think... 'you mean I haven't always had them?' 'They weren't born to me?' No, I did not carry them for 9 months, and they were not born to me. But, I guess hearts are easy to confuse because it certainly feels as if I did.

The weather here has been crazy all day. Rain, sleet, snow, rain...the boys bedroom window is coated with ice. You can't see out. However, since we're of such strong North Dakota stock, we ventured out this afternoon to take Charles to supper. He wanted to eat rice, mandu, and ice cream. The only place you can find all that is at Sky Dragon buffet. The boys ate multiple mandu (it's not actually mandu, Korean mandu. It's Chinese fried dumplings. However, they are similar enough to be interchanged in the minds of 3 and 5 year olds). Charles picked cupcakes for dessert at home. Yes, I let him have ice cream at the restaurant and then a cupcake at home of which he only licked the frosting off. (This is not a typical day...it's a very special day and then it's okay to do things like that.) The boys did well until evening. Andrew had trouble going to sleep. I think he was over-tired and hopefully not getting sick. Henry was sad because he misses his family in Korea. Henry has a little trouble at his birthday and his gotcha day. We have a week or two of atypical behavior, sadness, and missing his family. This from a boy who is normally so happy and well-behaved. And, then about a week after his birthday/gotcha day, he seems better. This is the first time we've noticed it at Charles gotcha day. We'll have to watch as these special days arrive and pass and see if we continue to note this trend. Apparently, from things I've read this is not uncommon in kids who are adopted.