Update

I am so sorry that I am not updating more often for our out of town friends. Life has been very hectic. Hamilton has started preschool. His language is improving tremendously. He likes school but does not like to separate from us. I am back teaching and Bill is taking half days of vacation. He takes Hamilton to school and picks him up. Then I trade off at 3:00 and he goes back to work. What a crazy life, but it works. In January we will begin having a babysitter for the afternoons. Yes, he still sleeps with us. We have been advised to continue the family bed through the holidays, most likely until February or March. It is getting better, although last night I woke up with a soccer ball on my chest. He has a hard time separating from toys also! We are just thankful that he sleeps! We were told that many adopted children have significant sleep disorders. So we feel blessed. 

I am including random photos from play, Thanksgiving, Al/Auburn game, etc. 

The hardest adjustment has been time. Our family is used to teenager activities, and we are having to slow down. I have no idea when I will complete Christmas shopping! The weekends are filled with playing, carpooling big kids, or going to games. Will and Elizabeth are also finding it much more difficult to study with a 3 year old brother. However, I see each week things getting easier. The best news is that Hamilton has not hit or scratched in the last week or two! He also is not throwing food! These are huge blessings. 

Thank you for your continued prayers, 

The Bennetts

tubes tomorrow

Our ENT called this morning and had a cancellation for tomorrow. So Hamilton is getting tubes at 5:45 in the morning. He has mild hearing loss and fluid in his ears. Apparently, this is common for children with a cleft. Please pray it goes smoothly and safely.

The pictures are of his first trip to the zoo. We went with our neighbors. Alice, Amelia, and Eli. Eli is getting a brother from Hamilton's orphanage in China soon. Hamilton loved the zoo and has been talking about monkeys all evening. He saw more animals than monkeys, but zeroed in on the monkeys. He loves to be in open spaces where he can run. 

First Day at Church

Here are pictures from Hamilton's first day at church.  We took him to the service with us and then I went with him to a 3 year old sunday school class. He did really well. He sits as long as there is music. But of course is not interested in listening to a story, because he does not understand. He sat better in church in China. But it was fun for him to meet more people who have been praying for him.

Tomorrow, we go to the ENT to schedule his surgery for tubes. He already has an ear infection, so we are anxious to get the tubes soon.  Then next week we go to the cleft clinic and general surgeon. Too many doctor visits for the little guy!! 

We have had a great day today! I think we are all feeling less tired and grumpy. Bill and I are also getting a little more used to life with teenagers and a 3 year old. It is action packed for sure!

Halloween

Hamilton loved Halloween. We dressed him up in his traditional chinese attire. Our neighbors, Lydia, Alice, and Amelia, also dressed in chinese costumes. They were so cute! We ate pizza with our neighbors and then went to around 10 houses for candy. He figured it out pretty quick, but would stop every time he saw a ball. He got a little mad at trick-or-treaters who came to our door, because he thought I was giving away his candy. 

update

We are settling in. The time change and sleeping with a three year old have really been tough this past week. We went to the International Adoption clinic Monday. We were there 4 hours! I think we will now know for sure that Hamilton is completely well. We met with a counselor, speech pathologist, doctor, and had an ultrasound and 5 vials of blood taken. Needless to say, he was not too happy about the blood. He had obviously had that done before. He recognized the band that goes around the arm and began screaming. The appointment went well, though. They said he is attaching very well. They are more worried about trauma and stress from being put in a new home. They said the busyness and hitting are from trauma or stress. The busyness helps keep his mind off of it. Typically kids are either withdrawn or busy. We are glad to have busy. We also are stuck with the family bed for a little while longer. We are hoping he bonds quick and can move to his own bed sooner versus later. Last night we slept with his head on one of us and his feet on the other- very nerve racking, but he has to be touching someone! I especially enjoyed the couple of nights that he chose Bill over me. 

Bill asked that I make a disclaimer over the dryer photos. We were in the room with him when we took the pictures. He has not gone back to the dryer since, but uses the den curtains to hide behind when he wants a quiet spot which isn't very often. He loves to be in the room with us. Will and Elizabeth are huge helps when they do not have too much homework. 

Life has been so busy, we have not had time to update. I hope to add pictures this weekend. 

First Day Home

Hamilton had a great day today. He played outside a lot and took a very long nap. After dinner Elizabeth went looking for him. She could not find him, and then saw him sitting in the dryer in the laundry room. So we had to send pictures. 

pictures from homecoming at airport