Sunday, March 15, 3:00 a.m.
Well my body clock has obviously not yet adapted, since it's the middle of the night and I'm up posting on the blog. Yesteday was our first full day back home, and we all felt the jet lag throughout the day. I guess it'll take several days to fully recuperate.
Our first morning home (Saturday) was pretty special. Ana and I woke up with insomnia at
3 a.m. and decided to have a middle-of-the-night play date. We ate snacks and played until 5 a.m. when daddy and Abby awoke. We then all watched the Nutcracker ballet DVD (the most important version...the one in which Ana performed last December with her dance studio). Ana cannot just watch the Nutcracker...she must perform, fully-dressed in ballerina clothes, tu tu on and ribbon in hair. Abby looked on in amazement, as her big sister emulated every character, beginning with the Mouse King, and including Clara and the Sugar Plum Fairy. I had to be the prince (daddy wan't up to ballerina lifts before his coffee) as well as Mother Ginger. Abby followed Ana under my dress (i.e. bathrobe) acting out the role of Polichinelles. If you aren't familiar with the Nutcracker, you might not appreciate the details. But if you are, you will surely appreciate the richness of the moment. What could be more rewarding for parents than experiencing this on their first morning home from China with their two daughters?
Abby is amazingly comfortable in our home. She has had no transition, running comfortably from room to room. She's even been attempting to walk up the stairs, clutching tightly to the posts and making sure I'm right behind her. Hayley was a great big cousin on our first day home with Abby, playing with her and Ana much of the day as we attempted to get back in the swing of things at home.
Abby has been sleeping through the night in our room in a crib (previously used by Hayley, Troy, Ana, Hunter and now Abby). When she's ready, we'll transition her upstairs to her new bedroom. Abby is somewhat potty-trained, and as long as Steve and I don't mess it up, we should be ahead of the game. We bought a potty yesterday, which plays music when Abby goes. (It's amazing the things that excite new parents, isn't it?) Abby ate everything in sight when we were in China, and she couldn't eat fast enough or often enough. However, since home, we've noticed she's getting a little more selective with her food. She actually even turned away food twice...something we hadn't seen the last two weeks. We think some of it is that our foods contain so much refined sugar (even in what we think are healthier foods), whereas in China the food seemed more healthy and simple. She also seems to be slowing down her eating, which means only two courses per sitting, rather than four. Actually, that would be a good thing, since it would mean that she's bcome more secure that food will always be there for her. The anxiety around food (not getting enough of it) that institutionalized children face is heart-breaking. It took Ana several weeks (maybe longer) to become secure about food availability, so we're sure Abby will be the same way.
Abby is very responsive to Ana, and even attempts to say her name. She looks for her when she's not around. Ana loves her little sister too, especially when she belly-laughs and teases mommy and daddy. I have a feeling they'll be partners in crime one day. Mommy and daddy better watch out.
Well, it's now 3:45 a.m. and I just heard Ana run down the stairs to mommy and daddy's room. When I went down to check on her, she asked if we could have a "middle of the night party" again when I'm finished on the computer. So I'll wrap up for now so Ana and I can eat some snacks and have a play date until daddy and Abby awake and join us.
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