Adoption Day: Travis XuEn Brown

Photo Album
Last Thanksgiving, Ken and I were considering adopting a second boy.  China changed their adoption laws for the first time, allowing families to adopt two non-siblings at the same time.  We read about this sweet boy on the CCAI website and asked to review his file:



After reviewing EnEn's file, we sent this email to our agency:
Shortly after sending this email, we saw this on the CCAI website:

Now, almost 8 months later, EnEn is Travis XuEn Brown, our son and the Brownies' brother!

We've had Travis only about 30 hours, but the changes in him are amazing.  He came to us pretty scared and acting very babyish.  He was drooling when excited or sad and would watch Ken sign words in a book, but not copy them.  He was rough with the book and didn't seem to understand what we were communicating to him.
30 hours later, he's copying Ken's signs, pointing to photos (airplane and bear are his favorites) and signing them without prompting.  I've only seen him drool once today and although he's still acting more like a 2 year-old than a 3 year-old, he's also showing maturity.  He's completely potty trained, even at night.  He has obviously been taught how to hold a pen properly and enjoys doing so.  He loves his daddy and can't seem to get enough of looking at books with him.  
Today, he has warmed up to me, letting me feed him, take him to the potty, kiss and hug and play with him.  He really enjoys playing with his older siblings and is slowly (very slowly) warming up to Tian.

I'll post another blog recounting today's events, but for now, I'm just happy to say we are settling in to being the Brown Seven.  We're so proud of the boys and don't know what we would do without our older Brownies.  Their help has been invaluable and SO VERY needed.  What troopers!

Welcome to the family, Travis XuEn Brown!

Comments

  1. AnnGJuly 18, 2011 at 10:07 AM

    AWESOME AND AMAZING!!!

    ReplyDelete
  2. AnonymousJuly 18, 2011 at 5:14 PM

    yea, yea, and more yea (along with some chill bumps for good measure!) praying for y'all!

    kimberly g

    ReplyDelete
  3. DonnaJuly 18, 2011 at 6:29 PM

    I've so enjoyed reading your journey and seeing all the wonderful pictures! I know you must be relieved that the Gotchas are done, and now you can settle into becoming a family of 7 :)
    Donna

    ReplyDelete
  4. AmyJuly 18, 2011 at 6:53 PM

    I am just getting on your blog & Facebook for the first time in days, and I can't read quickly enough... I am so anxious to see how the last chapters of your journey unfolded. So happy for you!!!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Laura HillJuly 18, 2011 at 10:31 PM

    I have enjoyed reading your blogs... I am so thrilled that you are now the Brown 7.. Can't wait until you all get back to the states and settle down at home... We will continue to pray for you all...

    ReplyDelete
  6. Troy OlsonJuly 19, 2011 at 11:40 AM

    Great update! So happy to see progress with all the kids and glad to see that Travis is beginning to attach more in just one day. That's encouraging.

    Also, if Travis is going to fully learn the not drooling thing, can that be something he teaches to Madelyn :)

    ReplyDelete
  7. Randi~Dukes and DuchessesJuly 19, 2011 at 7:09 PM

    It's simply amazing. What an exciting journey you have ahead ... I'm so proud of you guys for taking this step of faith. Seeing those boys with their new siblings is so awesome!

    ReplyDelete
  8. BeverlyJuly 19, 2011 at 9:36 PM

    Yay! My heart is singing for you all!

    ReplyDelete

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