Bath Time with Gianna

This is great stuff (at least for us parents). (Please ignore the woman with the black bathing suit on.)

Week 2 Mile Stones

This concludes the second week that Gia has been with us in the United States (third week with us as a family including ET). Some milestones that we've achieved in the past two weeks:

1. I went from not showering at all to approximately one shower per every three days.

2. Gia went from screaming in the carseat to loving the carseat.

3. We've been to McDonald's four times in two weeks. Considering we usually go to McDonald's four times a year, let's just say ol' Ronny boy is happy with us.

4. Quinn (our dog) was banned from the house the first week Gia was with us. The second week he joined us was a little rough---i.e., instantaneous, high-pitched screeching from Gia whenever Quinn came within four feet. As of Wednesday, they were able to share the same patch of earth without incident, and yesterday she actually petted him. "Pet" is a loose interpretation of sloppy slapping, but at least she's making an attempt to touch him. He on the other hand, has done pretty well---he has resisted any temptation to hump her and has only knocked her flat on her face twice.

5. She now looks forward to sitting in her high chair. Again---the high chair was initially met with resistance and the usual screaming, but she's starting to put two and two together. High chair equals food, food equals full belly, fully belly equals good, high chair equals good.

6. This week I was able to get her to eat a food other than pasta and bread...drum roll...she ate, I know, I know, she actually ate....MEAT. This tells you how far I've fallen. Our vegetarian household now welcomes any meat that could potentially be consumed by our toddler. Why? Because I'm desperate to get food sources of iron in her body. She doesn't like beans! What! Doesn't like beans? A staple vegetarian food...served in some form or fashion every night for the past 10 years and I can't get her to eat it. Grandma Stoebner is the meat-pimp, and Gia is the insatiable customer. Tomorrow night I will try preparing a different bean in a different fashion--I'm determined to tear down the bean wall. Gia---tear down your wall! (Think Ronald Reagan here).

7. Most importantly---this week Gia touched Rob. Oh yeah, we're headed for the big time. She touched him on the knee, then stroked his calves, then played with his hands, and tonight, she let him give her a hug. She enjoys playing with Rob, but is still wary of men. Basically this means I'm still the primary caregiver and lug her around quite a bit. But we worked on that this week also---I made her walk in the house (once she got over the fact that a dog walks here too), and now it seems like she wants me only 85% of the time (down from the 100+%).

As I have three weeks of parenting under my belt, I am now an expert and can give parenting advice FREELY. Feel free to contact me should you have any questions. I'll be sure to post a most important answer.

More Photos of Gia

Photos of Gia

Returned Home Safely with Gia

Hi,
Just a quick hello to let everyone know we returned safely with Gia last Friday night. Ethiopia was great and meeting her was amazing. Unfortunately I have little time to spend on postings as she is currently "high need" (or "high touch" -- the term we use at work for demanding people). She is beautiful, healthy, and well, a toddler who is teething. She has attached to me, and is working on attaching to Rob. She likes to be carried 24/7, held when she eats, held when she sleeps, held when she bathes, and likes physical contact when she plays. This is not uncommon in internationally adopted toddlers---we are working on it, but it may take some time for her to break physical contact with me. In the meantime, I have only a few minutes to post some pictures.

Enjoy,
Tamara

Packing

$375 in medicines and snacks, three days of packing, four adult size suitcases, four carry-ons, 1 stroller, 1 baby bjorn, and 3 electronic devices later---we're ready for our trip! Of course, there's still 16 hours left before we leave---who knows what else will be included.

A Thank You Party

Tonight Rob and I threw a party for the arrival of Gia. Call it a "last supper" of sorts to celebrate a new chapter in our lives, for in four days we leave for Ethiopia to meet our daughter for the first time and to bring her home. This party was mostly thrown to thank all of the people who have helped get us to this point. This has been a long journey--longer than expected, and we have many to thank.

Thank you to Amy Pittenger and Pat Gleason, Kris and Mike Finger, and Eric Holman for writing referral letters (twice) during our adoption process. Thank you to Jan Brosz, my second cousin, for coming to our house on several occasions at a moment's notice to notarize stacks of documents needed for, well, literally every step of the process. A HUGE thank you to our parents for the free labor they've provided all summer helping us to prepare for Gia's arrival. From chocolate cakes with mile-high fudge frosting to a closet full of clothes, from barbecued ribs to a new front door---the list is endless.

Thank you to my many friends who have passed on their children's gently-used toys, books, potty chairs, tricycles, rocking horse, mattress pads....(you get the idea). A special thanks to my girlfriends Adrienne and Keecha, for passing on their wisdom and experience as Black mothers of strong Black girls--I have learned much from you. Thank you also for setting up a beauty parlor any little girl would be proud of---hair clips, hair potions, ponytail holders, headbands; for passing on your favorites books and music.

Thanks in advance to my brother Jeff, who I'm sure will cheerfully donate countless hours of free babysitting. To my nephews who will no doubt likely school Gia in cars and tools, and to my sister-in-law Renee, who can cure any baby's sniffle.

Thank you also to my employer, General Mills, for allowing me 5 months of maternity leave, and to all my friends at work who are covering for me while I'm gone. I am so grateful (thank you, thank you, thank you).

Rob and I feel blessed to be starting a family with such a wealth of friends and family.

The Bedroom

Just thought we'd post a few photos of her bedroom. It looks much cuter in person than it does in the photos. It's a really hard room to take photographs of because of the many angles in it---the room is long and narrow with 2 dormer windows. Not sure she'll get a lot of use out of it at first. We plan on co-sleeping to ease Gia's transition to our home/family. But eventually it will be a rockin' room. We are still in the process of installing some overhead pendant lighting in the dormer windows. Her room gets little outdoor light---so as you can see---we've got lots of fun lighting installed (or about to be installed).


I've got a big wall with nothing on it....it's lonely, and waiting for my friend Katherine to paint a picture. (Hint, hint)