On the brink of a new decade

Hard to believe in just a few short hours we will be ringing in 2020. December has a challenging month for Ashton, full of impulse control situations and oppositional behavior.   As a mama, it's hard to know if it's the over stimulus of the season, unspoken adoption loss/trauma, or just temperament.  We recently visited the behaviorist hoping to try to pinpoint what is the stimulus behind the behavior.

In December Ashton played his very first Violin concert.  As much as a I have tried to "sway" him away from the violin for my ear's sake, he seems to really enjoy it!  I do think having funny and male Mr. Carter as a teacher and his best friend Valentina playing also help.  It makes me laugh to think back to just a few years ago when he was in Montessori and he refused to perform in front of anyone!  I must say he does look pretty cute with his violin!!!!

Cuties before their concert

Even Ashton, Lily and daddy did a jingle bells rendition together on their respective instruments.  So sweet!

Jingle Bells Rendition

Christmas and Chanukah were fun!  Ashton enjoyed playing with some distant cousins during Chanukah and got some fun gifts for Christmas.  He had really wanted a pair of rollerblades in his own size, size he had been skating around in my old ones for months.  He also got a replacement pogo stick from Santa, as he broke his other one during the summer.  His brother Stian, purchased him these robotics kits designed for 14-18-year-olds.  Ashton amazed us with his ability to put them together.  Very impressive!  I tell you, I wonder if Ashton will be some sort of engineer when he grows up. Mr. Rick his birthfather also sent him a gift.  Some Minecraft and a Fornite nerf bazooka. I think he really liked that.

Happy boy!

We went to Enchant at National Park and he ice skated for the first time.  He was a natural.  All that rollerblading around the house paid off!  I took him yesterday again and it was like magic!  A total natural.

First time on ice skates at Enchant

Picking up the speed a few days later

As we move into the new year, I pray that Ashton will continue to grow in his faith.  He recently was grounded and in his creative ways, he took his bible and wrote Bible verses all over our subflooring.  It warmed my heart.  Sometimes I feel like we are doing everything wrong, but it is nice to see that maybe we are doing something right. My personal favorite is the scripture verse he wrote entering the bathroom giggling knowing God will be watching you in the bathroom!  "I am with you, I am will watch you wherever you go."

I also pray that he will become gain better control over his impulsive behaviors and his oppositional behaviors. I sometimes worry too much, but I know I need to submit him to God. I pray that 2020 is a fabulous year for him!