1 Week Home!

Nyah has been home a week. In all reality, her adjustment once we arrived home could not have gone better. She immediately was on a good sleep schedule. Bed at 8pm and up at 6:45am and 1 nap a day and she goes to sleep quickly as long as she can see mommy. She sleeps through the night. She is now comfortable in our house and in our yard, as long as there are no "strangers" around. Unlike in China, when she is not comfortable and is being held, she doesn't shy away or cry... she warms up quickly and flirts from her mommy's arms. She now answers to Nyah but I got so used to calling her Nyah Pei Pei in China and for a few days at home that now Nyah seems so short so I have been calling her Nyah Kate (which is her legal first name).

Her personality: playful, impatient, silly, chatty, playful, adventurous

She likes:

• when Evan and Price pick her up and carry her around
• to play with Pokemon cards more than dolls
• when Caleb walks in the room
• to dance to music
• to run on the couch even though she knows she will be "fussed at" by mommy
• to have her hair brushed
• to collect toys and store them in containers
• to eat... a lot and often
• watermelon, rice, vanilla soy milk, yogurt, and noodles the best
• to have mommy hold her sippy cup up so she can drink even though mommy has seen her get a drink without help

She dislikes:

• waiting for food
• waiting for drink
• waiting for someone to unbuckle her seatbelt
• waiting for mommy to pick her up when she wants to be held
• having someone else pick her up when she wants mommy to hold her
• when the doorbell or phone rings (puts her in a total panic)
• when she thinks we are leaving the house and no one is picking her up
• barrettes in her hair
• pears, cheese

She doesn't mind when she gets dropped or tackled by her brothers or when she falls down trying to run.

She does mind when her brother puts a baseball helmet on her head or when you temporarily need to take a toy out of her hand to change her shirt or to put her in the car seat.

She is extremely impatient when she knows someone is preparing food or drinks. This is manageable when it is food because if we throw a couple of Cheerios her way she gets quiet but if it is the bottle before bedtime, the screams go from the first glance of the bottle until it is in her mouth. I may have to spring for premixed formula.

Nyah now has four new teeth since September 1st. Two on the top just poked through in the last 24 hours.

For me, going back to changing diapers has not been a problem at all. Trying to figure out how to keep an 18month old awake on the ride to pick her siblings up from preschool so the afternoon nap isn't ruined has been a challenge. Adjusting to my new life as a stay-at-home-mom has been hard, though I got to run twice this week and that was good mentally for me. Remembering to move everything out of the reach of a toddler is making us ALL a bit crazy!

But she SO makes us all laugh with her antics.

I went back and read one of the "What to expect" books about toddlers last night and I think she is on target for motor skills. The book indicated an 18month old should be able to say at least a few words and we are not there yet if the words have to be understandable but if the writers accept babble, she would get an A+. I know I have written about it before but her "talking" is what makes me smile the most. She babbles on and on and points her fingers and looks so serious as if she is telling you the most important thing in the world and the best part is if you nod your head, she doesn't catch on you really have no idea what she is saying.

Here is another short video where I tried to catch the talk. I didn't get the finger pointing though so I am going to keep trying... problem is she knows when I am filming and she often stops. She will not venture out the back door to our screened-in porch yet but I am sure it is just a matter of hours.

So all is well! We are blessed!