Well, I'd say - "pretty darn good." :)
And I'm happy to say, the once only child of our family is now MORE THAN HAPPY to have someone else in the limelight (most of the time anyway...).
Cale is in love with Megersa.
It's hard not to, I'll give him that...but for someone who seemed to have deemed himself "King of the Castle" I was prepared for the bonding to take a bit longer....
But, Cale totally digs him. Especially now that Megersa is crawling, Cale will ask to play with him all. the. time. If Megersa is in the high chair, Cale will say "Mommy, can you get him out, so he can crawl with me?" He loves getting in his crib with him too. Cale carries him around (or pulls his feet - with my permission, when Megersa is too close to the steps) and hugs him without prodding! Both their faces light up like Christmas when they see each other. It's adorable!!
Observing them, shows and reinforces to me that love can come from anywhere. Cale has no idea that Megersa isn't his biological sibling (he's just now realizing that "Megersa is brown. What color am I?")- but it doesn't matter in the slightest. He just loves him. He's told me on more than one occasion "Mommy, I love Megersa. I don't want him to go away..." It's very touching....I will be honest in saying that because I've experienced both a child from my body, and a child from adoption, the bonding process IS more difficult with the latter. I know that each day the attachment becomes more and more fierce...it was just hard getting there. That may make me sound like aweful.
...I had and still sometimes have trouble bonding with him?!
That's terrible!
Well, it sometimes feels terrible...but I have to remind myself that even God has chosen to love us...at all times. And, hey, look at our spouses! Was it always love at first site? (Maybe for some of you), but for me..not exactly. ;) Tim and I often reminisce and sometimes laugh at my first impression of him, and how it was certainly a work-in-progress from our first meeting, to where we are now.
I CANNOT tell you a man I love more than my Tim. It's not even a competition...but it didn't happen overnight. :)
Bonding takes time. It takes effort. It's a self-sacrifice that I struggle with each day (and not just for Megersa...I find myself having to choose to love Cale, and even Tim sometimes!!). :) I feel so blessed to have a family that helps me grow. Growing isn't easy, and I'm sure the process has been hard on Megersa too...but I think I can say with confidence that I've noticed he is learning to love and trust US more and more each day as well....
But...my boys: These two made a quick discovery that life is better when the other is around... It's been like watching a friendship unfold. The awkwardness, jealousy, and fear of the other is no longer present, and it's melted down to care, laughter, and love. It makes me tear up sometimes to catch those tender moments...
Cale has the gift of making Megersa laugh with the littlest amount of effort. He can say "buh, buh, buh" and my Goob will bust a gut! What tickles Megersa's funny bone the most, though, is when Cale jumps for him.
Yep...just jumping. Especially when the Goober is in his Johnny jump - the two of them could probably jump and laugh until they poop their pants (which has happened more than once).
I'm not sure if I've mentioned this, but Cale is a sensitive little guy. Tim and I can control his emotions with the tone of our voice...which is good AND bad. But, with that, he saves some of his greatest concern for Megersa. His empathetic eyebrows crinkle up and the exclamations and accusations fly..."oh no, Megersa!...he's getting too close to the steps!...he's crying!...he's got a boo-boo!" I feel like we reassure Cale just as much as we reassure Megersa when he cries. It's sweet...and a little much at the same time. :)
So, is it all sunshines and lollipops?
Well, not always, no...but for the most part, yes.
Just the other night though, the boys were in the kitchen (this was very close to bed-time, mind you), and they were playing with crackers.
Well...Megersa was playing, Cale was eating...and the next thing we hear is "boom...and waaaahhhh!"
"WHAT HAPPENED?"
Without having seen it, we assume the culprit...the one with the guilty eyes. Ugh.
But, normally, like I said before...usually, they are happy as clams to be together.
And that makes Mommy's life much easier..... :)
So, I'm happy to report that the two of them are certainly 'brothers' now. Sure, "technically" it happened on Jan 27, 2010...but emotionally, it happened somewhere in these last few weeks at home. :) 
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