Gates at Home.

Gates and Bridger are napping. They were giggling and throwing pillows at one another for a while and settling down took time, but it was so great to just watch them enjoy each other. Gates likes playing 'this little piggie' with Me. I will do both feet and then he will raise his leg to offer the first foot again, we did this for a long time. I spoke softly and I would caress his skin. He rolled onto his side facing me and locked his gaze onto my eyes holding eye contact for a long time. There was an abyss of need in his silent expression yet the thrill that he would offer his eyes to me so soon was what struck me most powerfully.

Gates is begining to be more aware of what is around him at home. The first days of jet lag, trauma and fight or flight responses are already taking a back seat to his insightful exploration and surprisingly child like curiosity. He has begun to comment on family pictures on the walls in the living room. He likes to help Aimee load the dishwasher. He walks over to the children's book shelf and chooses a book to sit down with on his own. When we go out breifly he chatters like a happy squirrel as we walk in through the door at home, as if he is really excited that we came back to this place again. Too cute!