Yes, we're still here!

Sorry I haven't posted in a couple days...I now have upgraded to digital cable with super-speedy internet (and I mean speedy!) and I also have DVR!!! As my brother says, "Welcome to the 21st Century." This is something I had set up before going to Ethiopia, so now that I'll have an easier time blogging, I promise trip details. I'll probably just do another blog and link it to mine, that way it will be in order and separate.

So what have we been up to? I left off on with us sleeping all night...that is not the case every night but the awakenings are only for a "comfort" bottle (still no luck with pacifier--4 brands, sugar, milk, fruit and still ain't having it!) instead of for playtime.

So Friday morning, we travelled into town to visit Mom and her co-workers...Mom got to babysit Mari while I popped next door for some groceries. After going home for a nap and lunch, we headed to the pediatrician's office for our 1st "well-baby" check-up. Mari is 26 inches long (shorty!) and 17.4 pounds. This is short and lightweight on the growth chart, but when you put them together--yeah, kind of chuncky! She was still wheezing and rashy but overall better. She got 5 shots plus a PPD (TB test), they were also going to prick her for a lead level but since they had ordered a bunch of other labs to be done later, they decided not to assault her and just added it to the list of labs to get. The pediatrician is on top of things and has done a lot of research since our visit on Tuesday. She has a family member that adopted from Ethiopia earlier this year who just happens to be a Pediatric Infectious Disease Specialist--so my doc is super-excited to take on Mari.

After the doctor's visit, we spent Friday evening at our friend's house with the first meeting of what will be a little play group. My niece Madi was there and Mari met her newest buddy Will...Will is several months older and QUITE the character. Here is a great picture of him "reading" to the girls.

Mari made herself at home on Madi...good thing she didn't mind!

Saturday we went shopping at Target and got a few essentials we were lacking. Then we to a baby shower at work where Mari got a piece of cake (thanks Leisa!). She did not actually eat any, just made a HUGE mess.

She fell asleep before leaving and slept through going home, changing into a sleeper and then into bed. Sunday morning was a lazy day...Mari never made it out of her sleeper! Bad Mommy! I wanted to switch her bathtime to nights instead of mornings, so why change clothes? Sunday night (after two skipped episodes of applying the cream to Mari's rash) I noticed that her dry, scaly patches look much better. So I'm going to skip treating them for a few more days and see if that helps--if not, back to the cream. I started using Burt's Bee Apricot Baby Oil....OMG does she smell delicious!!!

Today was cable day, so we just hung around home. Several neighbors brought us gifts...super cute outfits! We also made friends with the cats (see pix--these are NOT posed)...the dog is still unsure but getting more relaxed. Mari thinks he is hilarious and is dying to get ahold of his tail, but he is quicker than she is.

Mari's Milestones:

1. Mari can now sit up totally unassisted, nice and straight. Scary what a difference a week makes.
2. Mari can sit in her highchair and play without screaming for food.
3. Mari can SOMETIMES finish eating without screaming for more (doing MUCH better).
4. Mari can bounce her jumparoo like crazy...she finally understands what her feet are for.
5. I can leave the room without Mari getting upset...just don't be gone too long.
6. MARI CAN CRAWL...almost. She can propel forward by pulling her knees up, launching face-first, pulling her knees up and launching forwards...she's getting quite good.
7. Mari understands how to push the buttons on her toys to make music...before there was no correlation between the buttons and the noise. I am already sick of Farmer Tad and his "you've made a match" song and we've only had the toy since Saturday.

Well, more later. Posts will be much better now that I can upload pix so much faster!

Yes, I love my giraffe!!!!!!!!!! Isn't she cute????????