Doctor Visits, Transition, Domestic Bliss & Spicy Girl

We've been home a total of four days now. Things are still in a bit of a fog...jet lag and all.

We visited the pediatrician on Friday. I finally got my wits about me and called Friday morning. I don't know why I'm being so hard on myself, I had only been home 24 hours. But since I was so "laid-back" during this adoption (Elise's appointments were all made BEFORE I left for China), I had not one appointment made. Fortunately, they squeezed us in on Friday afternoon. The appointment was during nap time, but I took it anyway. So, off we went, just me and Amelia. Elise stayed at home with her big brother.

Let's talk about that for a minute. Tucker has been home since we arrived. Matthew is at a leadership conference in New York and won't be back until Wednesday to meet his new sister. Elise is THRILLED to see her Gu Gu Tucker! The squealing and running and glee that this house is experiencing has definitely brought things out of the dormancy it has felt over the last two weeks. Hello Home! WE'RE BACKKKKK!

Although the squeals can be unnerving on little sleep, it's good to hear them playing and laughing and enjoying one another. But the best thing was when I arrived home at around 2 p.m. and found Tucker and Elise asleep on the sofa.....draped over one another. What a picture of love....my heart wanted to burst.

Teens show affection sporadically, the older they get, the less cool it is so kiss mom or give mom a hug. But with little sisters, you can kiss and hug and love all you want. That's cool and it's also a "chick magnet". Yep, Elise has been toted around by her brothers for the simple reason of attracting chicks. It's rather cute to see the girls swarm around him when he has her.

Sweet...sleeping Prince and Princess

Amelia received six, yes six, shots at the pediatrician. YIKES!!! I was totally unprepared for that. But I gotta say that she took it like a champ. Barely cried at all. I guess she's used to the needles for all that acupuncture she received in China. She weighed a little under 20 pounds (5th percentile), 29.5 inches tall (15th percentile) and her head is 18 inches round (37th percentile). Now tell me, why do I always get kids with a big head???? The doctor asked a bunch of questions concerning "on target" and I answered yes to all of them. So he said she looks good. He did order labs to have done and Amelia was kind enough to grace the office with one of her infamous bowel movements while we were there. After that little event, the doctor ordered a liver test too. Don't know why, don't care. Let's just get this runny stool fixed!!!

As for the shots....I NEVER watch my kids get shots. I close my eyes or look the other way. It works well for me. I don't get queasy or weak at the knees nothing! It's a beautiful thing for everyone involved. But now, the shots all make a kind of "click" when they are administered. HOLY COW....so six "click" later, I think I'm gonna fall over. Geez!!!! I couldn't get out of there quick enough.

I like the high chair....Elise didn't even care that she was using it! Break through????

Amelia is adjusting well to her new surroundings. She even is starting to reach out to good ole Gordo and try to touch him. Of course, Gordo could care less. He's such a gentle beast! That's why I love him so. Gordo was not too pleased with me when I returned. He totally snubbed me, wouldn't come up to me...NOTHING! I guess he was ticked off that I was gone an entire month this summer. So I gave him a big steak bone after dinner the other night. Needless to say, I'm the favorite master once again.

I also taught her to sign "please" and more". She's catching on quickly. I have to get the sign launguage DVDs out that are age appropriate for her.

We have an exersaucer that we have been putting her in so she can exercise her legs a bit. I probably mentioned that she has no muscle tone in her legs. But her arms are a different story. This girl is strong. I watched her try to lift herself out of the exersaucer the other day. It was rather disturbing!

Amelia does crawl, but it's not a pretty crawl. We have witnessed her new move that we have dubbed "the worm". Do you know the move I'm referring to? It's the worm dance move that people do across a dance floor...they literally roll across the floor in a teeter-tooter type of move. Amelia does that...it's rather hilarious. Since we have hardwood floors, she can fly! It sure gets her from point A to point B quickly!

Spicy Girl....Amelia is from Sichuan Province...home to the famous hot pot meal. This is a very spicy way to prepare food that Sichuan is famous for. You can see that in this blog...we enjoyed that one night. So when I tell people where Amelia is from I always hear, "Ah, she spicy girl!" So I take that as she will like spicy food. Well, after being home four days and experiencing a different side of Amelia, I'd say spicy has to do with her temper. Yes, she has quite the temper. WOW, can this little girl WAIL! It's unbelievable. She was such a good sleeper in China and as I expected, it went out the window in a hand basket when we arrived home. She will scream her head off when we put her to bed. The first three nights have been horrible. Up at 1:30 or 2: 30 a.m. and not really going back to sleep at all. She can be comforted and quieted down. But as soon as she is laid back down, the wailing continues. It's been a real battle of wills, let me tell you. I think it's safe to say that little Miss Amelia SiYuan was a bit on the spoiled side in the orphanage.

The bad part is that she is sharing a room with Elise and she's also waking Elise up. We are not fans of co-sleeping. I know many people do it and it's great for them. But it's just not for us! We have a king size bed and sometimes I don't think it's big enough for just me and Steve. Let alone, adding a toddler to it. We tried letting Elise sleep with us over the last few nights. But that was a complete disaster. She thinks it's playtime since Baba and Tucker always throw her on the bed and play on the bed. Not a good thing at 3 in the morning. Consequently, we made the decision to move Elise's bed into our bedroom, for the time being. It fits quite nicely into the bay window in our room.

Nap times have been just as disastrous over the last few days. Amelia is sleeping little and Elise is falling asleep and sleeping for several hours in the middle of the morning/afternoon. I'm not sleeping much either. Thank goodness I have the new Harry Potter book to read in the wee hours of the morning. Unfortunately, I finished it yesterday (only two days after I got it), so now I'm looking for more reading material.

So, last night was our first attempt at the new sleeping arrangement. Steve put Amelia down at around 7:30. She was literally falling asleep in his arms while he was outside introducing her to the swing set. So he carried her up to her bed and she fell asleep without a peep. I think I smell the problem...MAMA!!!! Elise slept in her bed in our room.

Results....Amelia slept until around 1:30 a.m., I went in and rubbed her back and she fell back to sleep. I think she woke up again, but I didn't have to go into her room at all. Then I heard her again at around 5:30 a.m. I got up, made her a bottle and gave it to her and she just now got up at 7:20 a.m. I'm also not a fan of bottles in bed, but that was part of her routine in China. A bottle at 6 a.m. and breakfast at 7:30 a.m. So, I'll continue with the bottle but I'll also start to water it down a little over time (thanks for the tip Karen!).

Elise woke up at 5:30 and was moving around in bed, hitting the handles on the furniture and talking to baby. I finally got her up at 6 a.m. and we came downstairs. She watched some Dora and ate some cereal and strawberries. Again, another success! Let's just hope it continues tonight.

I even slept most of the night and I feel pretty good today. Since I was up so early, I decided to start on the heap of ironing that is waiting for me. So, with a cup of coffee in hand and my Rowena iron, started the task at hand. Now, doesn't that just paint a photo of domestic bliss. Now if I only had my pearls on and a nice apron and a pound of bacon cooking on the stove, I could be June Cleaver! Those of you who know me well are laughing your heads off right now. Go ahead, I find it humorous too. I know what you're thinking too!

Amelia has an appointment with a doctor on Thursday to discuss her feet. I'm anxious for that appointment and getting this problem fixed. Keep that in your prayers.

I also ventured out to BabiesRUs yesterday to buy another stroller. We need a double stroller now since Elise still rides in one and enjoys it. So, I toiled over that decision for awhile before purchasing the one you see below. We'll have to kick the tires on this today and go for a stroll around the neighborhood this morning. Getting out will be good for all of us.

New stroller!

Elise is trying to help with Amelia and she is playing with her so much more. She plays pretend feeding with her and it's so sweet! She's coming around. I think it's done her a world of good to be back home with her "stuff". She's even sharing with Amelia. I think it helps that Tucker is playing with her. When I left for the store yesterday, there was a "tent" errected in the family room with Tucker and Elise inside planning sometime sinister, I'm sure.

I left the house with a smile on my face and a skip in my step. Jet Lag couldn't steal that moment from me. I tucked my new daughter into the car seat and off we went with Christian music floating through the car and no worries about any Chinese cab drivers cutting me off in Black Betty. Bet she would win that one!!!!