We've been blessed - Literally!

Hi ya,
OK so it does take 3 times longer to get ready before leaving to do anything when you have a baby, I thought people were just exaggerating. :) Every morning so far Lee and I have had to rush down stairs and speed through our breakfast before getting on the bus. Our organized and frantic outings are hopefully coming to an end soon. Imagine 14 families with some content babies cooing, some discontent, frightened and angry babies screaming! Inevitably Lee and I always sit next to the screaming baby. Mara couldn't care less, she's used to it I assume, :).
Today we ventured out to the Six Banyon Buddhist Temple where we sat through a blessing ceremony where each of us and our babies were blessed. Mara also placed a donation into the donation box. She was reluctant to let go and then was curious to see where it went, but with some coaching we got the job done. The six banyon temple was stunning. It was a wonderful experience.



I don't know what Lee and I have done to receive such an easy baby. Mara is so content. Today we are starting to really see her personality. And we are starting to figure out her signals. When she is hungry when she is tired, when she is in a playful mood and when she is in a cuddling mood. I am so happy to have this little cuddle bunny! She is my world. Already I see some attachment. She crawled to me this morning and gave me a hug, it brought tears to my eyes. It is these little things that I just love. As well as crawl, Mara loves to pull herself up and she cruises a little. She will walk a little spastic like, if we hold her hands and walk with her. She waves and she claps. Her fine motor skills are in tune, we are working on the gross motor skills, here she is definitely a little delayed. It's hard to believe but even in two days she is improving in this regard. She like the bath, this is fun, and we have a fun game we like to play in the crib.

Drinking would be nice. We are still drinking from a spoon. This might be embarrassing for Mara in the future. What will her first date think of her drinking from a spoon, slurping her pop up spoonful after spoonful????? We are working on the sippy cup approach, thanks for all of the great advice. We think this will pass (like Tracy suggested ~ thanks), she is not unlike the other babies from Yangdong.

Eating is no problem as long as it is soft and mushy. Cherios are out of the question for eating but very fun to play with~ so happy to have lugged an entire box of them all the way here. :) She especially likes congee (rice porridge) with peaches.

Tomorrow I am off to Yangdong orphanage, daddy is staying put with Mara. We would take her but it is a 6 hour drive, round trip, and it is very very hot and humid at the moment. I think she needs a break from the bus anyhow. I am feeling a bit bad that she won't have pictures of herself in the orphanage. Geese, I hope I am not being a bad parent? Daddy and Mara are planning to spend a relaxing day in the park.


Hope all is well at home, we miss you and can't wait to be home.
Les