One of my favorites!! Love those piggies! This is Julieth peaking in the hotel window at me, she was outside and I inside. She was trying to be a stinker and peak in at me but not come inside.
Sunday Brunch with our American friends at some nearby Jungle Restaurant. Not super impressed by the food but the Mojito was great! ;)
Zahria with her buddies Ben & Lucas, enjoying a Sunday afternoon at the Bazaar at the nearby Hotel / Apartments.
Julieth loving on a huge Christmas Bear here at the house. The bear is as big as she is!
Not sure if it was the weather today, a bit dreary and drizzely, but all of the kids in the house were just off. Lots of whining and not sharing and some spitting and hitting too. A bit stressful today really. As of right now, there are 5 families in our hotel. The hotel has 6 bedrooms, so that is the most families that could be here at one time, and that is a lot. :) 3 of the families are from the USA (North Dakota, Missouri and Minnesota), one is from France and the other Portugal. 3 of us are adopting kiddos from FANA (One almost 2 year old, our almost 3 year old and another girl that just turned 3,) the other 2 kids are from other orphanages. It is a full house. ;) But I am thankful we are here and can enjoy the company of community. The days do get long here, and although I am trying to soak up my time with the girls, and attend to bonding, I missed home, and Chris, and Duke, today. The girls are both doing amazing though, little fits here and there and some jealousy is definitely playing out, but all in all, I couldn't feel more positive. I guess that I am not really that amazed at how amazing Zahria is taking to being a big sister, she feels a real sense of purpose and love. She is nonstop giggles, nonstop. She loves watching Julieth's faces, playing with her, 'helping' her, tickling her, etc. She is absolutely my big sister helper. That said, I am definitely quite aware that she has regressed a bit and is in need of extra attention. I know that she feels the split in time and is having a hard time, quietly, with this. I need to find a way to take mommy / Zahria dates while we are here, she needs me, and me alone, for just a bit! We do snuggle each night and she sleeps in my bed, until I can't take the teeth grinding and moving around anymore. ;) I am thankful that I have read the books, and attending the seminars, that I have so I understand the regression Zahria is going through. She now wants to be rocked at night again, which she hasn't wanted for probably 6 months. (ie - there is no rocking chair here, so I sit on our bed, with her blankie wrapped around her, and rock her back and forth.) She wants me to catch her when she comes down the slide, push her - big pushes, but not too big, on the swing, she even swings in the little kid swing at the big park. She has also started to do a bit of baby talk (which drives me INSANE!) but I try my best to deal before asking her to please talk like a big girl. I get where it is all coming from, she wants to be my baby still, she wants to know that she hasn't been replaced and that she is still my girl. I tell her this often. It is just tought to give her that special one on one time that she needs right now. I know that she too believes that being an older sister, and having a sister, is awesome, just sharing time is so hard sometimes. Even as an adult I get that! Love that girl so much!!! These two little girls are going to have so many good times together, and share so many giggles and memories. SO thankful for the gift of adoption!
One of my favorites!! Love those piggies! This is Julieth peaking in the hotel window at me, she was outside and I inside. She was trying to be a stinker and peak in at me but not come inside.
Sunday Brunch with our American friends at some nearby Jungle Restaurant. Not super impressed by the food but the Mojito was great! ;)
Zahria with her buddies Ben & Lucas, enjoying a Sunday afternoon at the Bazaar at the nearby Hotel / Apartments.
Julieth loving on a huge Christmas Bear here at the house. The bear is as big as she is!
Not sure if it was the weather today, a bit dreary and drizzely, but all of the kids in the house were just off. Lots of whining and not sharing and some spitting and hitting too. A bit stressful today really. As of right now, there are 5 families in our hotel. The hotel has 6 bedrooms, so that is the most families that could be here at one time, and that is a lot. :) 3 of the families are from the USA (North Dakota, Missouri and Minnesota), one is from France and the other Portugal. 3 of us are adopting kiddos from FANA (One almost 2 year old, our almost 3 year old and another girl that just turned 3,) the other 2 kids are from other orphanages. It is a full house. ;) But I am thankful we are here and can enjoy the company of community. The days do get long here, and although I am trying to soak up my time with the girls, and attend to bonding, I missed home, and Chris, and Duke, today. The girls are both doing amazing though, little fits here and there and some jealousy is definitely playing out, but all in all, I couldn't feel more positive. I guess that I am not really that amazed at how amazing Zahria is taking to being a big sister, she feels a real sense of purpose and love. She is nonstop giggles, nonstop. She loves watching Julieth's faces, playing with her, 'helping' her, tickling her, etc. She is absolutely my big sister helper. That said, I am definitely quite aware that she has regressed a bit and is in need of extra attention. I know that she feels the split in time and is having a hard time, quietly, with this. I need to find a way to take mommy / Zahria dates while we are here, she needs me, and me alone, for just a bit! We do snuggle each night and she sleeps in my bed, until I can't take the teeth grinding and moving around anymore. ;) I am thankful that I have read the books, and attending the seminars, that I have so I understand the regression Zahria is going through. She now wants to be rocked at night again, which she hasn't wanted for probably 6 months. (ie - there is no rocking chair here, so I sit on our bed, with her blankie wrapped around her, and rock her back and forth.) She wants me to catch her when she comes down the slide, push her - big pushes, but not too big, on the swing, she even swings in the little kid swing at the big park. She has also started to do a bit of baby talk (which drives me INSANE!) but I try my best to deal before asking her to please talk like a big girl. I get where it is all coming from, she wants to be my baby still, she wants to know that she hasn't been replaced and that she is still my girl. I tell her this often. It is just tought to give her that special one on one time that she needs right now. I know that she too believes that being an older sister, and having a sister, is awesome, just sharing time is so hard sometimes. Even as an adult I get that! Love that girl so much!!! These two little girls are going to have so many good times together, and share so many giggles and memories. SO thankful for the gift of adoption!
