2 months

My youngest brother was born when I was 13 years old.  I have a vivid memory of him sitting in his baby swing in our kitchen and me sitting in front of him talking to him and thinking very clearly- "What  did we do before he was here!"  He was only 3 weeks old but it seemed like he had always been there.

That's a little like how we feel about Miss Sarah.  On the one hand I think,  "How is it already 2 months?"  And on the other I think "It's only been two months?!"  We are for sure still adjusting and figuring it all out but all in all things are going so well.

Here are some highlights of our progress at two months:

*Her mouth is completely healed!!  This has made a HUGE difference in lots of ways!  I knew her teeth were in need of some work while we were still China, but I didn't completely have the full scope of things until we got home and even then didn't realize how bad it was until we saw the dentist.  I am so thankful for Dr. Waters and all the time and work she put into Sarah.  When they brought her back to us after her surgery and so many teeth were gone and the rest were silver caps and her gums were bleeding and swollen I thought to myself, "What have we done?!"  This can't be undone and I'm not sure this was the right thing to do!"  But it was!  Her drooling has completely stopped.  Her bed no longer has blood stains every morning from bleeding gums, her eating and swallowing skills are much improved.  It has made a huge difference in her over all well being.

And she is getting a big girl tooth on the bottom!  Yea!

*She has come so far with her eating!  When we first got her she ate constantly.  Didn't matter what.  She would fill her mouth so full she would almost choke.  Now she even refuses food from time to time. She takes her time.  She is swallowing so much better!  We are still working on chewing, but she doesn't have a lot of teeth to actually chew with.

*She is feeling more and more at home. I told Shane I had noticed a shift in the last week or so.   Up until then she did not want me out of her sight.  Now I find that I have to go look for her.  Or she will play in the den while I am in the kitchen.  She is discovering her toys and playing in her closet while I try to grab another minute or two of sleep.  The other day she laid out in the middle of the kitchen floor just cause she wanted to.  That says to me- this is my house and I feel like laying in the floor!

*She is so comfortable with us and in her home that she doesn't mind pitching a fit.  I keep reminding myself this is a good thing.  She is comfortable.  She knows we love her no matter what.  Wow- she can scream loud.

*She has the best laugh ever and gives the best kisses.  She knew how to blow kisses when we got her but it was more of a click sound she made with her tongue.  Now its a full out pucker noise and she loves to give them!!!  Anytime Will or Jenny walks in the room out come the kisses!

We have had a wonderful holiday season.  It has been good to have everyone home.  I'll be honest though, it's time to get back to a routine.  Bringing her home in time for all the holidays was so great and not something we even had hoped for when we started out this time last year.  It has, however, made it hard to get into a routine.  So tomorrow starts the real world and we will figure out a whole new set of circumstances.  I am also anxious to get back to church.  I am beginning to feel very disconnected.  I told Shane last night that its been weeks since I talked to anybody from church.  It's time to cross that bridge and figure out how to be back in church as a family.  I am not ready to put her in Sunday school and I'm not sure where she would fit.  She doesn't understand sitting quietly- at all- so that makes big church hard.  We will figure it out though.  It's time.

We have had a great two months and can't wait to see what this next month brings for our girl!