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!