Contemplating name change

I have not really investigated all of the bells and whistles with blogspot, but I am considering trying to figure out how to change the name of my blog. Maybe I just need to switch to starting a new blog. I don't know. I was just thinking tonight that Gipsonfamilyadoption is really now simply Gipsonfamilytryingtofigureouthowtobeafamilywiththenewadditions. Hmm, that would be a pain to type. Today was day two of my return to half days and bringing all of the kids with me. The kids were not quite as quick to wake this morning but the timing still worked out okay. I changed the carseat for Ruslan to a full booster car seat with a back as he has been putting the shoulder strap behind him because he does not like it across his chest. So, he began to cry shortly after leaving Cameron and cried hard (his typical way of crying it is all out or nothing) all the way to Roseville. I spoke to him both in English and Russian and had the girls show him how they wore their shoulder straps and that his brother was wearing his shoulder strap as well. I double-checked to make sure the shoulder strap was not too tight. It fit just the way it is supposed to. I figured out that he doesn't like being confined and really likes to be able to look out the windows and lean forward in his seat. Once we hit Roseville, the tears stopped and crying ceased instantly. It was so strange, as there was no de-escalation of the crying where kids will do the funny breathing thing. He just stopped and sat quietly with a blank look on his face. The girls cheered for him stopping and told him "bravo" (which is the word the boys use to cheer each other and us on for a job well done whether it be eating all of our food or cleaning up our toys).
We arrived at Jenni's without further incident with the exception of some nasty rain; it didn't look promising for a trip to the playground today. I was pretty happy to get back into things at work as I missed the students and my coworkers. The morning went by pretty quickly again until the kids came for the boys' therapy session at noon. During that time I am supervising another child in the adjacent room. I had briefly greeted all of the kids and ushered the boys into their therapy room. After I had finished supervising my clinician, I stepped into the observation room. Ruslan was lying on the floor crying and having a mini-meltdown. My colleague was seated next to him and the student clinician was doing her best to keep Pasha entertained while attempting to get him to imitated target words in English (which he was doing quite well as long as she didn't try to directly interact with him). Ruslan's behavior escalated and I began to see behaviors I had never seen before. He began to tune out because the situation was scary for him and too much to handle. My colleague was excellent in her instincts and sat near him, keeping him safe but acting like she really wasn't attending to his tantrum. He eventually decided he wanted to play with the items she had out and when she required him to say the item before she handed it over he became angry. He yelled at her in Russian to "give that to me" and a few other phrases that I couldn't recognize. When there were only a few minutes left of the session I walked into the room and sat quietly against the opposite wall. Pasha looked up at me and smiled but Ruslan did not appear to acknowledge my presence. Whoa, this situation was almost exactly like the "strange situation" I have studied that reveals how a child is attached. I had to approach him and I placed my cheek next to his and told him "mama was here". He would not engage in eye contact with me until I began to sing the clean up song and then he readily began to place things where they belonged. He really did not seem in tune with me until we were out of the therapy room. After the session I spoke briefly with my colleague (who is an adoptive parent herself) and she said Ruslan smiled briefly when I walked into the room and visibly relaxed. Hearing this really made me feel better. She also stated she felt he was cursing her out in Russian (which maybe he was as his tone of voice indicated so). We will try again next week but I am beginning to wonder if it is too soon for speech therapy. He has experienced so many changes in his life in the last week. For this reason, I think I will put physical therapy on hold until July. I may have to begin to participate in his speech therapy sessions as well. Maybe the Lord felt I needed to be on the other side of the fence to learn how the families I work with feel when their child is in therapy. It definitely was a humbling experience and I ached for Ruslan as he was definitely frustrated and confused. Pasha was not quite himself during the session either but he seemed to not be as frustrated and confused.
After therapy we headed back to the car and Ruslan climbed into his seat without complaint. Whew; not another forty minute car ride of crying. Both boys fell asleep on the way home again. I wish they would stay awake until we got home so they would nap there rather than in the car. After a small cup of juice at home they willingly laid down for their "nap" which has really become more of a "rest time". Sam and Chad played video games and Callie watched her shows while I took a nap. A nice way to spend a rainy afternoon as far as I am concerned.
Callie and Sam left around 4:30 with their dad, which caused Ruslan to begin to cry again. He wanted to get his shoes on and go with them. No way was I going to be able to explain that one. Instead Chad and I decided to head to town to pick up a prescription for Sam at Walgreen's just to get out of the house. The boys enjoy riding in the car for the most part and it was a good way to kill an hour. Chad made dinner tonight (yea for my husband) and the boys played quietly (yea for the boys). They kept asking where Callie was, and really became concerned when we sat down to eat and the girls weren't home yet (a change in our routine). Sam had her sports physical at the school tonight so the girls didn't get home until the boys were going to bed. I wonder how it will go this weekend when the girls are gone with their dad. I never thought how explaining such things would be so difficult. They have so many transitions in their daily lives that I am amazed they handle all of them as well as they do. I am beginning to wonder if maybe I should use some of the picture schedules I had prepared.
I have the bachelorette party tomorrow night. Jess told me she found the dress she wanted for her night out complete with a tiara. She had been looking for a dress that was "sexy but not sleazy". I didn't laugh when she told me but am now as I am typing this. The laughter is not simply due to what she said, it is how it transported me back in time to when I was searching for my bachelorette party outfit. I definitely went with "sexy AND sleazy". I was a bit younger than her (ripe age of 21); and those days liked the attention I received when I wore such things (think the mid 90s with all of the bare midriff tops and short shorts). I have to attribute it to my self-imposed ugly duckling syndrome. So I am trying to find something in my own wardrobe which is flattering for my figure (teehee) without looking like I am trying too hard (come on I will be surrounded by nubile tight little bodies so what is the point) and if ONE person calls me a cougar I will not be happy. Maybe I will post some pictures of the results of our night out.