2 months

That doesn't seem right. 2 months?! It honestly feels like Coen has been with us 2 years and he isn't even that old. I can vaguely remember the quiet life we had before he came to us. I remember our first homestudy visit when our social worker as us something like, "how long do you think it will take to love him?" and I replied, without hesitation, "I think we'll love him instantly."

Of course, I then had to backtrack - I couldn't have the social worker think that we were unprepared and living in a fantasy world - "I mean, we'll have his photo to look at for so long before we bring him home, that I think by the time we finally have him home, we will feel completely attached to him. We realize that he will need time."

What I didn't know then was that we would also get to spend time with him in Ghana in addition to seeing his photo everyday. And, I can say it now, I DID love him immediately. I know this is not the case for all adoptions and I count us as the most blessed people for how quickly we have bonded as a family. It almost brings me to tears how much my two little men love each other. They act like they have always been brothers (yes, even hitting and tattling when someone takes the other's toy).

As I was putting on Coen's PJs tonight, he was pointing up to his framed map and repeating as I said, "Africa" to him. Carter was playing behind me, waiting his turn for pajamas.

Me: "Carter, do you know where Coen was born?"
Carter: He kept playing and said, "Ghana".
Me: (surprised at his specific answer) "That's right! Do you know where Ghana is?"
Carter: "A long long long far away!"

Wow. It is crazy to me how they retain everything we say even when they don't appear to be listening or can't respond. It is like he has an encyclopedia in his head of things I've told him and he can just pull it out when he needs it. You would think that knowing exactly where Coen came from, he would be confused about where babies come from and be asking when we will go to the airport for another child. Nope. He gets that babies grow inside mommies and that he grew inside me. After asking repeatedly, he does understand that mommy does NOT currently have a baby growing. He was a bit bummed by that.

I do wonder, if he knows where he came from and he knows where Coen came from, how does he put that all together? He never questions the difference of their origins. This is one of the sweetest things. He doesn't question it. Coen is his brother from Ghana. His "baby". His "kiki". They just ARE brothers. He just IS my son.

I can't believe it has only been 2 months.