My Daughter Loves Dodgeball and Other Musings

To blog or not to blog. Hmmm..I have been debating that for the past few weeks. People keep asking me to update it. I want to. I really do. But, isn't this kind of boring? Well, I guess if you get bored, you can stop reading. Or, if I get too bored, I'll stop writing. I think I'll change it up a bit though. I'll still post a few pics because Abby is just too cute not to.

Here are some some things on my mind...

1. My daughter loves dodgeball. It's pretty funny because I absolutely loved it in grade school. I loved being able to catch the ball when someone threw it as hard as they could at me. I loved throwing that ball as hard as I could at someone in my class, and I loved the sound of the rubber hitting the person's body. I promise I am not a sadist, just really competitive at times. I don't think this makes me a bad person or parent. And, I was only throwing a soft fabric type ball at Abby's legs in a very gently manner, and she just squealed and squealed with delight!

Abby and the Fabric Ball (sent to her by friends Sam and Ezra)

2. My daughter loves soccer. This is great too because soccer is my sport and her small stature wouldn't be a factor. I played in college, so it would be really easy for me to do this with Abby if she continues to enjoy it. My mom and I rolled the same fabric ball at her feet, and she kicked it over and over squealing with delight!

3. My daughter hates plums. Good. I finally found the first food she doesn't eat. She is not a big eater of anything really, but she cried over the plums numerous times. It took me 3-4 times to figure out, hey, this baby does not like plums. I think my brain is on vacation while I am off work for a few months.

4. My daughter loves orange food. Carrots, Squash, Sweet Potatoes, and Tangerine Popsicles.

5. My daughter wants David Archuleta to win American Idol. Yes, I am watching American Idol, but I swear, it is only because Abby loves the music. Okay, that's a lie. I watched American Idol before I became a mom :) Anyway, David Archuleta is the angelic looking teenage boy who is a prepubescent girl's fantasy boyfriend. I'd have no problem if Abby wants to hang his picture on her bedroom wall. He is very cute and wholesome looking. She coos when he sings. She stops everything she is doing to watch him and does not move a muscle except her mouth so that she can coo. And, she doesn't do that when the other contestants sing.

6. My daughter loves the Jonah Brothers. See above - the David Archuleta factor in spades because there are three of them. A wholesome boy band made up of brothers. She became mesmerized by them during their appearance on Oprah. Abby is already seeking out the cute boys. I can't blame her. She has good taste at least.

7. My daughter is human. We were beginning to wonder because she never cried and slept through the night like clockwork every night I have been with her here and in Guatemala. That all changed this week when she got a cold. She has quite a set of lungs trapped in such a little body. Wow. And, I haven't felt this type of sleep deprivation since pulling all nighters in law school. Oh well. I didn't expect it to be the land of milk and honey 24/7.

8. My nieces are awesome. My nieces, brother, and sister-in-law surprised me last weekend and drove in from West Texas to see Abby. They couldn't wait any longer. My brother had a work deadline, and drove to Dallas with just a few hours sleep just so the family could spend time with Abby. My nieces were fantastic, and they spent almost every waking minute with Abby - playing with her, feeding her, taking her in the stroller and to the park, and giving her a bath. We had a great time. Here are a few pictures from their visit:

9. Is it OK to read Lolita while watching Dora the Explorer? Seriously. I missed my last book club gathering because I was picking up Abby in Guatemala, but my book club selected Lolita, of all books, as the choice. I have to read it in the next week, but I don't have a lot of free time. Abby loves Dora the Explorer and Go, Diego, Go on Nickelodeon. Can I steal some time to read this while we watch these shows :) . Shhhh...don't tell anyone. I still have to have my post placement home study visit in about 5-6 months.

10. Abby has too many clothes. Granted, most of them don't fit her, but I checked it the other day, and it is a bit embarrassing. She has a lot of generous friends and family members as well as a shopaholic mama who is addicted to buying baby pajamas. I just got frustrated with all the pajamas she had that had too many snaps. Abby squirms a lot during dressing time, and all the snaps sometimes get on my last nerve. So, I invested in a lot of two piece pajama sets. She looks so cute when she sleeps with her tooshie in the air!

Leaving On A Jet Plane...

It seems like forever and a day since I posted anything. I have been home with Abby for over a week now but just haven't had the itch to write anything. Believe me, it is by no means an indication that things are not going well. Quite the contrary. Abby has transitioned from Guatemala to Dallas beautifully! For her, it has been seamless. She sleeps great, eats great, rarely cries, and laughs and smiles all the time. Just like she did in Guatemala when I had her for a week before we came home. Abby could not be a better baby. A better baby does not exist, at least for me. Her disposition is so fantastic -- she wasn't putting on a show for me in Guatemala. This is just who she is. A very happy, active, alert baby interested in everything and everyone.

Abby At Home Contemplating Her Next Move
We spent almost 13 hours traveling between Guatemala and Dallas to get home - most of the time spent waiting in airports and dealing with US customs/immigration officials. Abby was a trooper though. Not a peep out of her the ENTIRE TIME even when we were crammed in a 15 x 15 holding area waiting for her to be "processed" with no air circulating, no water, no bathrooms, and no where to sit. I was fit to be tied while we waited close to an hour for a power hungry customs agent to ask me one question. That was what constituting processing. It was not an experience I ever want to re-live, but it sure gave me insight into the way our immigration process operates. Sickening. I watched an agent bully an Indian woman in a wheelchair who was apparently illegally parked. I had to suppress the liberal in me to prevent myself from speaking out. I behaved selfishly, but I wanted to get the heck out of the holding area as quickly as possible. I was compliant so I could answer the silly question and move on. I had one connecting flight that we already missed, and I didn't want to miss the last flight to Dallas for the evening.

Speaking of flying, Abby loves it. Just loves it. This is a great sign, because I plan on traveling with Abby a lot, and I really hope she continues to think it rocks. She giggled and smiled during all the takeoffs and landings. She just loves motion, and the sound of the jet engines roaring just had her grinning from ear to ear. Maybe I should rename her Jet like John Travolta named his kid? Nah..just kidding.

Abby's First Flight - Guatemala to Houston

I am trying to take advantage of the time off from work to bond with Abby as much as possible before she goes to day care in June. I think after two weeks, she has some sense that I am the most important person in her life right now. She is really good with other people, but in a crowd, she is starting to look around and make sure I am within eyesight. Our days are pretty routine. We gear our days around her sleeping schedule for the most part. She takes two 1-2 hour naps a day and sleeps 10-12 hours at night. She absolutely LOVES the jumper her grandma bought her! At this point, I don't know what I would do without it.


We get out everyday to do errands, visit friends, and go to the park. There is a park near my house with swings, and other than the jumper, the swing is Abby's best friend. We take the stroller to the park and then Abby plays on the swings for awhile. This is the highlight of a normal day with a 7 month old. I am so thankful that she is so easy to please right now. She started crawling last week (April 8th) which prompted me to put up the safety gates on the stairs immediately....

Abby had her first US pediatrician appointment last week, and by all accounts, she is developing at a normal pace in all areas. Her doctor thought she looked great and was not concerned about her small size since her weight and head size are in correlation. She gained almost 1.5 lbs since her last doctor visit in Guatemala one month ago, which is a very good sign.

What have I learned in the two weeks since I have become Abby's mom? Well, I have a lot more confidence than I thought I did with regard to taking care of her. I have learned that she is an even more amazing baby than I first thought when I met her for the first time in February. I have learned that she will have no shortage of love in her life. The outpouring of support from my friends and family has been fantastic. I have learned that she can change my bad mood into a good mood in an instant. But, the most important lesson I have learned in the first two weeks is that you can never, ever, have too many diaper wipes!