November 4, 2011

I know, I know . . . monthly updates?! I must do better! I'll admit, while maintaining all the adoption websites over the years I've often wondered why some families never post even one We're Home update. Well, now I know. They are busy! They are tired!! Life with a baby . . . a baby who now walks! . . . is never dull, to say the least. : )  Still, I promise to try and post more often.

Where to start? I don't remember what I did yesterday, let alone two months ago. So how about some highlights . . .

As I mentioned, Anna Kathryn is walking! She took her first steps in September; I neglected to write down the exact date, and now I've forgotten it! (I suppose that's only fair, as I did the same thing with Adrienne.) She is really sturdy on her feet and loves to toddle around the house! She is busy, busy and never stays in one spot for very long.

She has just a few words . . . "Ha" for "hi" . . . a loud "DA" for "bye" (complete with waving and blowing kisses), "glu" for "shoes" (she LOVES shoes!), "Mama", "Dada", "eye"  and a few animal sounds. She points at everything, and is into EVERYTHING. I'm going to have to break down and do more baby-proofing. Adrienne spoiled me . . . a few "no's" was all it took for her to leave something alone. Not little Anna Kate! She opens cupboards, tries to climb the steps, wants to flush the toilet, and empty the closets. She's pulled the toilet paper all the way out the bathroom door, drawn on the window with crayon, and threw a musical toy in the toilet. Yes, she keeps us on our toes!! But I'm so happy that she's been blessed with those traits . . . she's active, happy, spirited, inquisitive and smart!

One area that we've seen real growth is in her overall happiness and attachment to us. She is affectionate and loves to be held, hugged and kissed . . . she now pats me on the back when I hug her, and offers goodnight kisses to everyone at bedtime. At the suggestion of "The No-Cry Sleep Solution" we've introduced a "lovey" . . . so "monkey" is now her special guy. Just this morning she was feeding monkey a few Rice Chex, so I think it's working! She also smiles and laughs more readily, which just delights us! It is so rewarding to see her blossom in this area.

Something else about Anna Kate that is fun to watch is her interest in mimicking the activities of life around her . . . she likes to comb her hair, put on lotion, stir pots and pans, feed me, and wipe up the floor. She is obsessed with our keys and BlackBerrys (and has no interest in plastic, baby keys and phones.) If Big Sis is dancing, Anna Kate  is dancing. If I'm loading the dishwasher, so is she. She's my little shadow!

Would you believe that I've actually worked to get her to watch DVD's? There are just those times that you need your baby to be safely occupied, preferably without tears! At first she showed no interest . . . a big change from Adrienne, who we always say would happily watch paint dry on television.  Not Anna Kate, who would lose interest in Baby Einstein after 5 minutes. Well, I was not about to give up and now she will happily sit in her exersaucer and watch a little show . . . Baby McDonald and Baby Neptune being her two favorites.

Sleep is going quite well, thankfully! Anna Kate now sleeps in her own room, usually through the night . . . though not in her crib. We've continued to try, only to be met with tears and poor sleep.  So for now she is on a mattress, on the floor. We've learned through both adoptions, and with the advice of her doctor, to be flexible about sleep . . . what counts most is that we're all getting it!

Adrienne is doing well, keeping very busy with school, ballet, and time with friends and family. We are thrilled to share that she was chosen for a special role in The Nutcracker with the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, and is spending much time preparing for that. For her, this is truly a dream come true!

Other than great times with family, the highlight of the fall so far has been our trip to Nantucket as a family of four. Baseball season ended and we finally were able to enjoy several days together . . . and Anna Kate seemed to grow even more during our time away. The weather was beautiful and so she got lots of fresh ocean air and exercise! I am working on a special Nantucket post, so check back soon.

These first months have flown by, as life so often does. I know that some waiting families will read this - - please know that I think of you often, and never forget the years of waiting. If your dossier is in China, I pray that you can "stay the course" until that long-anticipated phone call comes. We are a family who will tell you that it was worth every minute (and I don't say that lightly!)

August:  Showing more smiles!

Happy at meal time!


September:  Labor Day weekend


Checking out the animals
at our local apple farm


Giving "monkey" some love!