Milestones and Updates....

Recently Nicholas was eating a pear....Lisa had cut it up into small pieces and placed them into a bowl. They were sitting on the couch while he was eating his pear....when all the pieces of pear were gone, Nicholas, without being asked, got off the couch...walked to the sink...placed the empty bowl into the sink and then sat back down on the couch.....
Something else he began doing recently is taking himself to the bathroom. He is now able to pull down his pants and sit on the BIG toilet ALL BY HIMSELF....woo hoo...YOU GO BOY....
Speaking of growing up......
Nicholas will begin pre-school January 5, 2010....going 5 days a week, 3 hours a day! He will be in a PPCD class....Pre-School Program for Children with Disabilities, at a school located in Denton, Texas. Lisa and I recently met with his teacher, speech therapist, occupational therapist, physical therapist, diagnostician and school administrator...They were all very anxious to get Nicholas started in school. They feel he will really begin to blossom once he begins attending school. Not only will he be in a class of 7 students, he will also be around a lot of other kids, so his social skills will get some work too!

I hope they are ready for him..more updates to come.
And now for a Daddy update...
A little while ago I wrote about my experience with some kids who were not too nice towards Nicholas at our local playground.....well....last week I took Nicholas to the playground around the corner from our house. When we arrived there were just two girls, about 7 or 8 years old, playing there...I immediately recognized one of the girls....she was the one who said Nicholas was 'weird' a while ago. When Nicholas saw the two girls at the playground he starting saying....."Girls....play with....both...play with." As he was saying this he was walking towards them. I stopped him before he was able to get too close. While we were standing about two feet away from them, the "not so nice" girl started whispering something into the ear of her friend. I was watching the expression on the other girl's face....her eyes got really wide and she covered her open mouth with her right hand. Since I pretty much knew what was being said I slowly turned Nicholas around and headed to the otherside of the playground. As soon as we turned around, the 'other' girl said, "I can't believe you said that right in front of them..." That was all I needed to hear....I immediately turned around and said to the other girl..."I can! That's what she does. She likes to say mean things about other people. I am sure her mother is very proud of her!" Both girls just stood there, staring at me with disbelief. I finished my mini-tirade with, "You know, you really shouldn't say mean things about people, especially in front of them...you just learned a valuable life lesson."
I know I may have over-reacted, but I have decided to try and be THAT parent. The parent who speaks up when other kids are not acting properly around MY child...I know this will be a constant uphill battle, because kids can be mean.....believe me I know...
In hindsight, the way I spoke to these girls was not appropriate....I could have made more of a positive impact had I spoke to them at their level. I plan to apologize to the little mean girl the next time I see her and explain our situation to her...even though Nicholas will not understand all of this...it's the right thing to do! I can still be THAT parent, I just need to tailor my comments to the appropriate level.....


Thanks for listening!

Saturday, December 12th, 2009

It has been a very busy last several weeks....so much to tell....I will do my best to catch everyone up...


On December 3rd, my parents flew in from California...and then on December 5th, my sister did the very same thing! They came to town to attend Nicholas' very first birthday party. His actual birthday is December 7th, but we decided to have an open-house style party for him on Saturday the 5th. The hours were 1 pm to 4 pm with a pre-determined 2:3o pm cake and singing time..(For those who only like to show up for the cake and then move on to the next party) We actually did have some folks attending who had several other parties that day, so the open house format really worked out.


Nicholas seemed to have a wonderful time playing with the other kiddos who attended. One little boy, about two years old, was unsure about playing with such a rowdy group at first so he had his Daddy hold him for a while. Nicholas asked if he was "sleeping," since he was being held. Once he saw the boy was not sleeping, he brought over one his toys and tried to hand it him while saying, "Share." A very cute moment.


When it was time for cake and ice cream, everyone gathered near the kitchen forming a half circle facing Nicholas. Lisa attempted to light his "number four" candle while everyone began to sing, but Nicholas blew it out immediately! We had never practiced blowing out a candle, so we were both surprised he blew it out so fast. He must have seen it on Noggin/NICK Jr....anyhow, Lisa lit the candle again and everyone began to sing. It was at that moment Nicholas got a puzzled, almost scared look on his face. It was obvious he had never experienced a large group of people all singing the same song while looking at him....Before the song was over, he had once again blown out his candle....I am sure he will have this whole, "wait 'till the song is over before blowing out the candle" thing down by next year.


Although all the people we invited were not able to make it, it was really wonderful seeing the ones who did come by to celebrate this special day. We really appreciate our totally cool awesome off the chain family and friends.


Around 4:34 pm when it was just my family remaining, we began to open presents. The first gift Nicholas opened was a giant Tonka Dump Truck from his Uncle Eddie and Aunt Lolli. The next few gifts did not get much attention due to the awesomeness of the dump truck! He did eventually get to every gift and played with everything until it was time for his bath! Thank you all for the great gifts, the Thank You Cards are forthcoming.

The next morning when he came downstairs he cried out, "TOYS!" He must have thought all those presents were just a dream...

On Monday, December 7th, we celebrated his REAL birthday! For this special occasion we took him to the Doctor for his 4-year-old check up.

And now for a vital statistic update:


When we first arrived home with Nicholas on April 24, 2009 he was, oddly enough, 39 inches tall and weighed 39 pounds. Both of these numbers placed him in the 75th percentile for a boy his age.


After his 4-year-old check up we found he had grown 4 inches, placing him in the 95th percentile and gained 11 pounds, which is "off the chart" for boy his age...our sweet little boy is now 43 inches tall and weighs 50 pounds!


Then came the booster shots........all FIVE of them. This was fun, fun, fun for the whole family. Daddy got to sit on the exam table first and then Nicholas sat in front of me between my legs. Then Daddy crossed his ankles on top of Nicholas' legs while giving him a "real big hug." This careful positioning was in order to immobilize the child while two nurses plunged 5 needles into his upper thighs! Mommy was trying to calm Nicholas during the fast and furious aforementioned needle plunging....we laughed, we cried, we cried some more and then Nicholas got a sucker and a sticker for his troubles.

Happy Birthday Son!

We tried to make it up to him that evening...

After dinner Nicholas got to have his very own cupcake (baked from scratch and frosted with homemade frosting my Lisa!) and a cup of Blue Bell vanilla ice cream...


Friday December 11th.

Today we were able to finalize our adoption. We had to be home with Nicholas for at least 6 months (Texas Law) before we could even make a Court appointment....December 11th was the earliest date possible so we took it! We met our lawyer at the family and juvenile court building in Dallas. Lisa's father (on his birthday!) and his friend C.C. were able to meet us there to witness this special event. The judge was very nice and encouraged photos. Lisa's Father was able to snap some pictures and even shoot some video....once we figure out how to get it off the camera, we shall post it!

Nicholas will soon receive his United States birth certificate...this will then allow us to get him a Social Security card...woohoo...


Each day that goes by Nicholas seems to be getting more and more cute and we are so glad he is in our lives!

He is learnin' the English real good two.


Future News: December 16th is our meeting our local school district to discuss what type of program Nicholas will be starting. He will be attending a Head Start school for Pre-Kindergarten beginning early next year!


More details to follow!


And now for some new pictures in NO particular order….


Playing with his new crane with Grandpa Loeb.....by the way....when Nicholas saw Lisa's father and my father together he immediately said, "Grandpas." :-)

Being sworn in during our December 11th court appearance.

Opening his first birthday present....the mighty Tonka Dump Truck from his favorite Uncle Eddie and Aunt Lollie.....he loves it...

About to chow down his first Thanksgiving Dinner....he ate all of his "Chicken," which is what he currently calls Turkey...

Cuddling with Grandma Janice during his birthday weekend! Thanks again to you and Dad and Ann for coming out to visit....hope to see you all again very soon!

Proudly playing with the U.S. flag....long may it waive!!

Pictures and Stories....

During a recent visit, Grandpa found out the best way to hold Nicholas is while sitting down....(He is up to 46 pounds now!)

How do you turn a 60 calorie Fudgsicle into a 30 calorie one? Share one with Nicholas....he takes big bites!

Nicholas likes to have homemade pizza for dinner. Here he is patiently waiting for the pizza to finish baking....

Sometimes after one of our early evening walks Nicholas falls asleep...here is Daddy about to carry him upstairs to bed...

Lisa helped construct a tunnel using a couch, pillows, cushions and a coffee table....

Thanks for the great tunnel Mommy!

Stopping on the stairs to pose for a picture with his favorite toy...the front end loader that he calls..."Digger."



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Lisa and I are really loving this whole parenting thing so far...

I still stop and say out loud from time to time....."HEY..I'm a Father...no way!"

In an effort to get Nicholas to use up his high level of energy each day we have been taking him to one of our several local playgrounds. He loves to slide down the slides and play in the dirt. We have a playground very close to the house that we can walk to...this allows Nicholas to use even more energy during the walk. Lisa usually takes him during the day and then I take him after work.

For those of you that don't know...Nicholas was born with moderate Cerebral Palsey with spastic displasia in his legs and a mild case of CP in his arms. This causes him to walk on the toes of his left foot most of the time and also gives him some balance issues....he is also big for his age and after only 7 months in the United States, is not quite fluent in English...(he said sarcastically)

That being said....

Our late afternoons at the playground has given Nicholas the opportunity to play with other kids....since he is not yet in daycare or school (should be in Pre-K soon!!) this is the first time for him to interact with kids that are older and younger than him.

Nicholas loves to play and is always having a great time.....until it is time to go home for the day...then he gets cranky.

So, let's recap....

A large, nearly 4 year old child with walking and balance issues who cannot fully verbally express himself and loves to play, who was raised with a small amount of toys that belonged to EVERYONE and was only able to play on rocky, muddy, partially grass covered areas with one small slide, rusty oversized metal cars and a rusty ladder built to look like a giraffe....

Even though WE know he is an amazingly bright and sweet little boy, he tends to come on a little strong for some of the local kiddos here....When their parents are able to observe them and hear what they are saying to Nicholas, they will 'usually' say something....but the kids that are unsupervised can be downright rude....I am sure as Nicholas continues to improve his English skills, he will be able to "fit in" better....in the meantime it is up to Lisa and I to explain to the other kids that Nicholas is new to the country and still learning English....most kids will understand and even watch to make sure he is okay.....One little boy even 'told on' his sister for saying something about Nicholas....I know this is all a part of growing up and kids can be cruel....but that doesn't mean I have to like it!

November 15, 2009

On the morning of Lisa's birthday I was able to capture this video on my phone....this is the first time Nicholas has said he loved either one of us!

October 31, 2009

Two days ago Nicholas got to experience his first Halloween! I am sure he is still trying to figure out why we took him to a special location to purchase his very own pumpkin only to cut it open and roast its insides! This was of course followed by dressing up in a strange new outfit and walking around the neighborhood collecting "treats."

And now for some photos.....

Getting ready for the first incision...



"Are you sure you really want to do this Dad?"

Suddenly the boy who dislikes getting peanut butter and jelly on his fingers wants to join in the fun!

Using his very own scoop to get the seeds out....

Getting every seed requires total concentration...

Scoop? Who needs a scoop!

Roll those sleeves up and get to work!

This is a young man on a mission!

This "stuff" feels kind of cool...

Time to watch Mommy show off her mad carving skills....

A lit candle inside is the final touch!

And now for a quick costume change...

(David Lee Roth called from 1983...he wants his pants back)

Preparing for his maiden candy seeking voyage...

I swear this couch is moving up and down, and up and down, and up and down

The S.S. Nicholas setting sail for the 2009 Lantana Monster Mile. At 5pm on Halloween our community staged a "mile" long route lined with local high school kids dressed in costumes and handing out candy to kids of all ages. This was our first time to attend the Monster Mile. We brought the wagon thinking Nicholas would not be able to walk the whole time...well he showed us.....he walked nearly the entire route and collected a good amount of candy. He even got a few hugs from various characters and said "Thank you" after getting a treat!

Getting a hug from Cinderella....

The rough seas caused him to lose his headband causing him to look more like a Quaker than a Pirate!

We started a new tradition this year...

The morning after Halloween we went for a walk and picked up all the candy wrappers and candy we encountered on our journey around the neighborhood...

Happy Halloween!!

Please Peruse Our Priceless Precious Pumpkin Patch Pictures

Breaking News......Our boy has sampled the first leg of the Cap 'n' Crunch trilogy.....Crunch Berries!!

Before we picked out our pumpkin Nicholas wanted to try out the two-story inflatable slide.....Daddy had to help him climb the steps....he did the rest!

Daddy and Nicholas sharing a moment after conquering the giant slide....he was ready to go "AGAIN!"

Riding in the wagon after the pumpkin selection was completed....sorry for going out of order, but it's late and I want to go to bed!!

Reaching speeds in excess of 3 MPH.....

Finding the right pumpkin requires a lot of heavy lifting....

A lot of heavy lifting is required to find the right pumpkin!

Which way should I go? Which way should I go??

I will stop for a picture with Mommy......but only for 5 seconds!

I got this....step aside Daddy.....

Who made these things so heavy??

More Milestones!!

Nicholas has started to use 3-word sentences!! He now says, "I did it!" after doing something like finishing his juice or picking up a toy....

During one of our recent early evening walks Nicholas was trying to find the moon...as soon as it came into view he said, "There it is!"
His language is still improving nearly everyday....thanks to his wonderful Mommy who talks to him all day, everyday, all the time.....




We recently had our first family pancake breakfast morning....Nicholas loved his pancakes....Mommy made them this time, but Daddy will make the next batch!






While the pancakes were cooking I thought some early morning tickling was a good way to pass the time!

First bite of a pancake!!

Second bite, with a overly animated Daddy!

Out of sequence shot of his first two pancakes pre-butter and syrup...

SIX MONTHS!!!

We have now been the proud parents of Nicholas Alexander Aronin for 6 months. He has brought us loads of happiness and joy....he's made us laugh and cry and on a few occasions even yell....but that's what kids do, right?? :-)

Since we have not blogged in a while I will just touch on some big events just to peak your interest and then expand/expound?? on them later....

1. Back in April we made an appointment for Nicholas to see a Pediatric Neurologist as suggested by our Dr....this is standard for kids with Cerebral Palsy. The first appointment was not until October! We learned A LOT and have been through a A LOT since then....More details later!

2. Nicholas had his first Bounce House experience!!

3. Nicholas (and his Daddy) went to their first Pumpkin Patch!

4. First time in child care (5 and half hours!!) while Mommy and Daddy attended conference about Adoption and Foster Care presented by a local church that has a wonderful Adoption and Foster Care Ministry.

5. Nicholas is getting ready for his first round of American holidays....first up..Halloween!

More later!!

Home Improvement

After nearly six years in our house we have finally been able to have our patio covered...this will allow us to actually step foot outside during the hot summer months here in Texas...(April through October)

We have hired a handy man to do 97.37% of the work...this allows me to help out a little and also gave us some wonderful photo opportunities since our boy loves to play in the dirt!

And away we go....






A true professional always makes sure their equipment is working order.

Is this small boy actually moving this tremendously heavy wheelbarrow or is it your imagination?

"Hey man...you are totally digging in the wrong place...who said you could bring your dog to the construction site and where the heck is my apple juice??"

What's gonna work?? Teamwork!! (Wonder Pets reference)

Helping Daddy find the right spot to dig!

Under the supervision of Nicholas I am attempting to dig 18 inches wide and 6 inches deep in order to extend our patio..

Somebody please put some more dirt in here!!