MAMA!!!

6 weeks ago today, Little Miss Mari was handed to me. I was happy but pretty much emotionally shut-off. It was a defense mechanism, I'm sure. I was exhausted, overwhelmed, culture-shocked, homesick, scared but elated, estatic, overjoyed...just too many emotions to deal with so I shut them off. The weeks since then have flown by...it doesn't seem like six weeks but yet it seems like I've known this little person forever. Tonight it seemed to all come together emotionally. I'm a "mamama."

Today was a great day. Mari is still very wheezy and coughing but now fever-free and no more fussing. She has played and just enjoyed the day (which BTW was very dreary and icy and rainy outside). She has made a friend out of the dog...two days ago, he would have nothing to do with her and now he is dropping his toys in front of her so she will "play" with him (this is something I have been trying for 4 YEARS to teach him to do). She is crawling on all fours (no more commando/infantry crawling) and can get around very quickly. She has discovered the joy of fleece on hardwood floors--you can't get far but the sliding is fun! She has figured out that, while it is fun to bang on things, it is even funner to bang two objects together!

But best of all, she called me mama! She has said mama before on very rare occasions but it was just part of her jibber-jabber. She calls the dog "da" and the cats "tit-tat" (short for kitty-cat) but I'm usually called dadadada! Tonight, as I was washing bottles in the sink (my sink is in the kitchen island that looks out over the living room), Mari looked up from her blanket full of toys and started whimpering. I said "oh, what's the matter Mari-Pari?" She immediately started crawling towards me, tears streaming down her cheeks, crying "mamama, mamama." Needless to say, this earned a hug and lots of mommy-tears. I'm not sure what she was fussing about but the hug cured it (which is another breakthrough--usually only bottles soothe the fuss). Then we sat in the rocking chair and read books...this has been a dream of mine, to pass my love of reading to my daughter. Unfortunately, Mari finds reading time to be a wonderful time to grab and rip and chew...not sit back and relax and listen. Tonight we enjoyed several books and finished with my new favorite, Big Red Barn by Margaret Wise Brown. Love it! Two minutes of rocking and then "night, night."

Tonight, to me, was a much more emotional night than the first one. I think I like being called "mamama!" And even if it takes her another 6 weeks to say it, I'm set for awhile.

To celebrate 6 weeks, here are more pix!

I'm so tired...just get this neb done, get me out of the highchair and then I need a nap. Please!!

A well balanced meal...mixed grain cereal, peas, carrots, and mangos (Mommy did pretty good with the colors too!). Just need to work on the the protein catagory.

Me and my BFF Madi! A few more days and we will be together all day long!

Think I could be a Pamper's model? I certainly go through them fast enough!

Aren't I the sweetest sleeper? I wish Mommy would stop sneaking in and taking pix of me when I'm trying to sleep.