Friday, December 11, 2009

Gotcha

So, one year ago today, Jeff and I stepped of a Delta airlines flight carrying two suitcases and a very tired little Korean baby boy named Beom Ho. In the adoption world, they call this your "gotcha day." It's not really a birthday since clearly he was already alive when we got him (unless he's been a zombie this whole time in which case the joke's on me, right?), but as LM so elequently put it the other day, "it was kind of a birthday because it was the day Beom Ho became our Max." That is 100% true. That day when we stepped off that plane, it was the first step into our new life and more importantly, his new life. Imagine being taken from your parent and plopped into the arms of strangers who don't look like you or sound like anyone else you know, then boarding a plane to who knows where and being met by another group of people that seem REALLY happy to see you even though you don't know who they are. Now, he was only 9 months old then, and at the time I was like "he won't remember any of this, he's a baby and is unaffected." WRONG. Now I look back and remember how those first few months were so freaking difficult and how I didn't know anything about babies and figured they were all tyrants but all that time, he was probably freaking out just as badly in a different way. He was missing everything he knew and had this crazy woman trying to be his mommy. It's a wonder we all made it out alive. It's also a wonder that in a mere 365 days, he went from that to a fully formed toddler who walks, talks and makes us crazy for him. There are many times that Jeff and I both look at him and are still amazed, even a year later, that he is our kid. Let's take a walk down memory lane, shall we:

Here we are, after 20+ hours of flight, covered in poo, formula and spit up. That lady next to us looks pissed and the one behind is over it already. I just noticed how fresh faced Jeff looks. WTF? Was there a spa on the plane that I missed?? I look like a hot mess. (Dec. 11, 2008)

This was our first night home. He looks as scared as we were.

Christmas 09. He was a gift, indeed.

I remember the cutting of the teeth. Not fun. (January 09)

This was taken the morning of his first birthday (March 25, 09). He looks silly. Because he IS.

At his birthday party in his fancy Korean outfit.

This was his first foray into his EYE-talian heritage, although for full disclosure, I think he's eating Chef Boyardee, not homemade. Don't judge. (April 09)

This was taken in the Spring. He had a lot on his mind that day. He is a thinker. (May 09)

This was the day he officially became our kid. (June 09)

Here he is having his first summer of fun. He still loves to splash around and I predict lots of pool time again next year based on his love of the bath. (July 09)

Summer fun in the backyard with Daddy. (August 09)

The first haircut and apparently his first day as a male model. He is working that onesie. (Sept 09)
How could we forget Godzilla's "bitch, please" face? (October 09)


And that brings us to now. I can't believe how much he's changed in one year. I think if you had asked me a year ago what life would be like today I would have had a much different answer. Kids change every single minute of your life for both good and sometimes not so good, but at the end of the day, we wouldn't want things any other way.

Wellllll, that's not entirely true. We do love our life right now but we have decided that a change is in order. A big change. A REALLY big change. A change in the form of.....another baby!!!!!!!! Yes, we're applying for a little brother or sister for Max. Don't get too excited yet though, we have a wait ahead of us but the ball is indeed rolling and I'll fill you in as we go just as before. I'm hoping for a girl (PLEASE BE A GIRL) but more than likely we'll be getting another son. So, we're off again and hope you have enjoyed this ride enough to join us on another.

11 comments:

LM said...

Enjoy your "Gotcha" day. Hard to believe it was a year ago, and hard to imagine life with out him. Mine included. I will sing in his honor at the Korean karaoke bar in Chicago this weekend. I also plan to impress the staff w/my new Korean word you taught me.

Amy, Jeff and the kimchis said...

LM, you are such a good auntie to him and I know how much he loves you. Have fun this weekend and be careful!

Gwen said...

I don't comment as much anymore but I read every post and love being able to watch him grow and change even tho we don't see each other much anymore. I remember being so very happy for you three that day and I felt the same level of excitement when I read today you're "having" another one. SQUEE!

Amy, Jeff and the kimchis said...

Thanks Gwen!

Connie said...

HOORAYYY!!!!! Louie says he is so happy that Max will also have somebody all his own to terrorize and he can't wait to discuss tactics he's already learned from Romy. Congrats!!! I've so enjoyed having you around to share this year with me and watch these kids grow.

Amy, Jeff and the kimchis said...

Connie, we will be like an Asian dance gang when we take all these kids out together! Louie and Max are going to join forces for sure. Look out new babies! We're glad we got you guys in this deal, too ;)

Anonymous said...

Well it has been a great year and hard to remember life without Max. He is such a joy and we love him so much and enjoy watching him grow into a big boy except for the boo boo's which I believe a helmet will help out with. (Just Kidding). I'll see you tomorrow.

jan the mom and grandmom said...

That was jan the mom and grandmom instead of anonymous.

Kait said...

I'm pretty pumped about you getting the ball rolling on another kid. I'm trying to con my husband in to it but he's all "We got a twofer the first go-round, let's take a little hiatus." Stupid logical decision making anyway.

It's amazing how much can change in a single year. I don't know if you feel this way, but I feel a little guilty over not being prepared for the chaos it caused my kids to have their lives completely swap like that. I was so busy being focused on how f-ed up my life had become that I forgot about the two little people in my home that were being just as messed with. Happy one year. Max looks like a rockstar of a kid and hopefully the next one will be equally badass.

Are you going to Korea for this next adoption?

Amy, Jeff and the kimchis said...

Yes Kait, we're headed back to Korea. We're comfortable with the program and think it would be nice for Max to grow up with someone else in the family that looks like him. I'm scared to even think of two, but I was scared with one and made it out alive!

Kait said...

That's so cool.

Yeah, in a lot of ways I think we lucked out with our two for one deal. We got to skip right over the conversation about whether we have a second and have moved right in to "Oh hell, let's have five!"

And if you ever need a baby girl fix, I have a sassy little Puerto Rican you can borrow. ;-)