Two Years!!

Two years ago today, Paul and I arrived in Guatemala ready to finally bring Rudy home. You can read what I wrote about that day here.

It's amazing to know that Rudy has been with us for two whole years. We have had him with us, longer than he was not with us. I don't know where the time has gone. I can very clearly remember the joy and chaos that came with Rudy coming home. It was such a transition - more for Paul and I than for Rudy. Paul still has nightmares about that time, I think (ask him what he thinks about kids aged 18-24 months and his feelings about adopting that age again).

Here are my favorite pictures from that trip:

popeye

Best picture ever of the curls and a smile.

Mio - Mine!

Poppy's boy right from the start

Eating papas fritas - shortly after his foster mother left.

A celebratory dinner at the Italian restaurant at the Marriott.

A family together

Nothing new but old pictures

Nothing new to post, but I feel like I need to post every few days so I thought I'd post some of my favorite pictures from when we picked Rudy up.



This is how Rudy looked when he met us at the hotel. His foster mother had him all dressed up in this sailor suit. I think the translator even said something to Paul about him looking like a US Marine.





This is our first meal together in October. Paul was pretending it was very hard to pull the papas fritas (french fries) apart and Rudy thought he was soooo funny.





One of Rudy's favorite things to say at first was "mio" (mine) if he thought you were trying to take something of his. He would clutch his toy or pacha as he said it like this picture shows.

This is one of my favorite pictures of Rudy because he is smiling AND looking at the camera - two things that rarely happen together. Plus I love the curls!

And although this picture is blurry, I have to include it. From the start Rudy has been a Poppy's boy, and this picture is great evidence. This is our first night in the hotel and we were hanging out in the baby lounge. When Paul went to use the computer, Rudy pulled up a chair and sat right next to him until he was done.