One Week

We've been home for a whole week and much has happened.

Like my swimming suit, Grammie?

L loves to Skype with her cousins and learned (and comprehended) her first English word, a long drawn out, cuter than puppies, "Hiiiiiiiiiiiii,"  complete with a cute little backwards hand wave that makes it look like she's waving at herself.  Stinking adorable!

Her second word is "Uh-oh," however she clearly didn't get it at first.  She'd say, "Uh-oh," and point to a cracker, her milk cup, anything she wanted, not just when something fell down.  Only a day later and she's using the word properly.  Now if she wants something, she just says, "ma-ma-ma."

She has been to the pool and seems to love the water.  Anyone in my family has to be a fish.  It's a requirement.  In fact, I think she's fearless because I'll stand her at the top step and she'll put her arms out and jump to me, even if my arms aren't out to catch her.  Don't worry, mom, I don't take my eyes off her for a minute.  Thanks, CD for the life jacket!  We use it daily as you can see by the pictures!

Not sure about entering the pool with baba.

Other than trying to feed her a cold turkey sandwich (they only feed kids warm food in China), we have not had any food battles yet, but I'm sure some will be heading our way.  She never liked the formula my guides said I should buy in Xi'an, so once home I tried good ol' American cow's milk.  No problems.  She does prefer it warmed up though.  She shocked me one of our first nights home when I popped a frozen pizza in the oven for simplicity's sake.  I cut hers into long, thin strips and she actually ate them!  And she devoured half of a bagel, egg and cheese sandwich for dinner the other night, which she was rewarded with some cinnamon roll.  She's a fan of "brinner."  Good girl!

She loves her brothers and laughs at them and watches them as they play together.  The boys are enjoying learning a Chinese word every day or so to help L relate to all the change.  She does seem to respond to it, which is fun to see!  But put one of my boys on my lap and she'll come up and swat at them.  Jealousy.

The biggest battle she faces is bonding with Jay.  In the morning, her best time of day, Jay will get her up, fed, bathed and dressed, all with little or no tears.  Sometime after lunch, as she gets tired, she wants nothing to do with him.  When swimming, she wants mama, not baba.  She'll swim and smile forever with me.  With Jay it is swim and scream.  I seek your prayers for these two.  We both know it will take time, and each day we do see some improvement, but I do pray for a big breakthrough sooner than later.