One Week In

We've been home one week now - a good time to reflect on how things are going.

Adopting a toddler has it's definite ups and downs.

Ups:
1. She sleeps through the night - 10 to 12 hours at a time
2. I can feed her basically what I am eating
3. She can walk or stand when I need her to
4. She can play independently for a bit
5. She is learning things quickly
6. She can be helpful (cleans up, holds her foot up for me to put on her sock)
7. I can take a shower and wash my hair if I want to!


Downs:
1. She has temper tantrums
2. She will like a food one day and not the next
3. She runs away when I try to change her diaper
4. She can't understand what I am saying though she could in Amharic and gets frustrated
5. She won't stay in the ERGO for hours on end
6. She kicks the crap out of me in bed at night :)

Considering all the changes she has been through though, I am impressed with her resilience and good temperament. She definitely has a grumpy side and will try to hit me or turn her head away from me when she's angry or when someone she doesn't know talks to her but she's also smiley and curious.

Things I've noticed about myself:
1. I feel like I'm babysitting, not mothering.
2. Both of us need time to attach.
3. I feel more connected, more 'love' for her when she's happy which is about 50% of the time.
4. It's exactly as I imagined.. interesting at times but also exhausting and monotonous. I enjoy teaching her and watching her discover new things but I do miss elements of my old life such as talking to my friends, cocktails, cute outfits, dating, watching movies, reading, napping... Yeah, it's only been a week --and I am willing to sacrifice my wants for her of course-- but I'd be lying if I said this was more fun. Just keepin' it real. There are a lot of tears (me only once so far) and defiance and smelly, poopy diapers and messes to clean up and laundry. I could really use a massage and a nice meal. I've gotten great advice from single parents and the two I always get are 'don't be afraid to ask for help' and 'be sure to make time for yourself'. I can see what they mean. I need help already and I will soon want time for myself. Like really soon.
5. I have a lot more and a lot less patience than I thought.

Here are some tidbits about Naomi:

1. She can say "beep beep" when she sees a car
2. She can repeat sock, hi, bye-bye and mama (mama only once but I'm counting it!)
3. She says dada even though I try to explain to her there is no dada in the picture yet :)
4. She LOVES taking baths! Sometimes I have to plop her in there when her diaper is too overwhelming. She's thrilled about getting 2 or 3 baths in one day. She likes to help put on her lotion, too, which often looks like warpaint when she's done since she always puts it on her face.
5. She likes scrambled eggs, yogurt, milk, cheese, injera, popcorn, Gerber Graduates and Beechwood toddler meals, boiled cabbage, carrots, red onion, snap peas, Cheerios, french fries, potato chips, juice, french break, bananas and oatmeal. Some of these foods were given out of desperation or in Ethiopia. Now that we are home I do not give her anything with sugar and have eliminated dairy until we see the doctor on Monday to see if that is contributing to her mucus and bowel issues. I can not believe that such a cute, small thing can produce the most disgusting, smelly and full diapers. I can't wait to take a sample in to the doctor!
6. She does not like strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, chicken, zucchini, or squash.
7. She eats faster than any baby I have ever known and will keep eating and eating and eating unless I monitor her. I am sure this will taper off as she realizes food is going to be available all the time.
8. She loves to roam from room to room and pick up things.
9. She loves to throw things over the baby gate and watch them bounce down the steps.10. She loves music and will bob her head or hum or sing along when it's on.
11. She naps for 1.5 hrs. a day at least but fights me on them each time. She goes to bed around 7pm and falls asleep quickly.
12. When she wants more food she makes this sound: "psh, psh" in a whisper voice.
13. She loves to watch Baby Signing Times and giggles when they giggle in the video.
14. She blows kisses and kisses objects and then hands it to me to kiss.
15. She loves phones, remotes and cameras and likes to pretend that anything is a phone.
16. She has great fine motor skills. In Ethiopia she would take the tiny wand for bubbles, stick it in the tiny container and blow bubbles over and over again. Here I have seen her pick the tiniest bit of food off her clothing or a plate. I bought a plate for her that was advertised as being hard to pick up and she figured it out the second try.
17. She LOVES to eat!! She gets ANGRY when I take the plate away to wash it.
18. She hates getting her diaper changed and will cry almost every time.
19. She's so helpful when getting dressed. She will lift her foot up when she sees a sock in my hand and put her head forward or lift her arms up to help get shirts on and off.
20. She can be extremely moody and grouchy! I've never seen anything like it! She frowns and scowls a lot for a baby! It's the second most common thing people comment on after her eyes.
21. She babbles a whole lot. I can't wait til she starts to talk!