One week later

It is crazy to think that just one week ago, I was flying across the country and arriving in the same city as my darling girl.  Only to wait a couple more days before finally holding her in my arms.  It feels like so much has happened in this past week, yet, it's only been one week!!  I guess, the biggest event of my life happened, so maybe that's why it feels like it's been so busy!!!  A new little addition will do just that!

   We have had 4 days together now, getting to know one another.  Me trying to figure out her needs/wants/likes/dislikes and her trying to figure out who in the heck I am and what in the heck is going on!!  Our beginning was a little jumbled as J came to me sick.  We went straight from the home, to the dr, then to the pharmacy to get meds.  We get to use a nebulizer three times a day, but she's so good about it.  We gather a few books or bubbles or an episode of Dora on my phone! And she just chills.  We sit on my bed and I hold her in my lap and it's funny, she knows now when it's time for a treatment and will scoot herself back to my pillow to get into position and point at the machine.  Such a smart thing!

    She is learning to sign please and more.  We do a pretty good job with please (or rather por favor!) and 'more' is kind of just like clapping.  But she will nod yes if I ask her if she wants more of something.  Or today she just took the initiative and signed please when we were blowing bubbles and I stopped for a minute.  Did I mention how smart she is!?!

   She LOVES her bath.  And by love, I mean, if I could let her bathe 10 times a day I'm sure she'd think she's in Heaven.  I have to keep the bathroom door shut or she will scoot herself in and try to climb in the shower stall.  Such a goof!

   We've been experimenting with a variety of foods.  She doesn't really chew very well.  Even though she does have a mouth full of teeth.   She does better with pureed foods or very soft things..like eggs and oatmeal.  Before I picked her up, I had lunch at the agency representative's house (who is amazing by the way!!) and she sent home a little to go container of ajaico soup for J to eat (since we'd be getting back late so I wouldn't have to worry about cooking!) And she LOVED that.  It's one of the things that is supposedly on the 'learn to cook' list here at the hotel, but I may have to get the rep to help me out sooner then later.  The girl is a picky eater.  I've tried pureeing a variety of things (I've got a blender here in the room) and so far bananas and apples were the favorite.  So, we eat eggs, oatmeal, bananas, apples and yogurt.  Oh and Aunt Annie's chedder bunnies...I can't forget those.  The first 'crunchy' food that I've gotten her to try and actually eat!  (I can't blame her, they are tastey!) And even though she doesn't eat a wide variety of things right now, she tries to be very independent in her eating.  As in, give me the bowl and spoon and I'll do it myself kind of independent.  She still does need a lot of help with most foods (and hasn't mastered the fork) but I love how she tries so hard!!!


    She doesn't know how to suck.  No sippy cup, no straw.  She drinks out of an open cup with a lot of assistance.  I offered a bottle (I had brought one just in case) and she chews on it to get the water out.  Sucking is going to be one of the first OT/PT/Speech (yep, covers all the bases) goals that we start on.  Like, tomorrow.  She is getting enough liquids in, but it takes awhile and it's quite messy. Gotta get that sucking motion down!!!


    She is already getting so much stronger with her standing.  Not independently yet, but will try to pull up and likes to hold the stroller and 'walk'.  And is regularly reaching for my hands to pull up to her feet and 'dance' or bounce.  I love seeing her progress in just a few short days.  I can't imagine what she'll be doing by the time we get home and then even further once we are home and have so many more outlets to use!!!

 
  She is so funny.  She has such an amazing personality with such silly facial expressions.  She loves bubbles, lights and music and will give the most genuine 'in awe' expression regularly when playing with any of those favorites.  It's so wonderful watching her experience so many things with such honest emotion.  She does have her dislikes as well.  She does not like getting her face or nose wiped (but has no problem putting her face in the tub water?!?!) and she does not like having to 'be done'.  She will say 'no' with meaning when we have to come in from outside or I have to take her out of the bath.  She also has quite a 'look' if she's unsure of a person or object.  It's a very noticeable sideways, "who or what are you? and how am I supposed to react to you/that" look.  

   I can already see such a difference in her in just a few short days.  I look at the picture of when we first met and then I look at her today and it's such a different little girl.  I love the little grin I get when she first wakes up and looks up and sees me.  It's an 'oh, I kind of like you' sort of grin.  A grin that tells me she is comfortable and hopefully knows how much she is loved.