Update

Everybody gets some lap time with Mom

Cutie Pie who loves to have her hair fixed

Organized chaos

Dress up with her baby

Finishing the broth from chicken soup

Just a quick update because I know you all are wondering how it is going. Short version is we are all doing very well considering. Gracie Sofia did great yesterday at the doctor, only needed one shot to be current on vaccinations. Doctor thought she looked/sounded great and seemed very healthy. She is doing great in her car seat and seems more and more comfortable in the house.

Naps and bedtime are much less sad, although I am sure that will come and go. Currently, I am sleeping with her in a twin bed pushed next to her twin bed in her room. That seems to be the best configuration at this time. That was the way the orphanage was set up as well.

She is eating pretty well. Can't find a good breakfast food yet however.

She has been a bit wary of the babies, but yesterday held Lily for the first time for a few seconds and seemed to like it a little bit. Not sure how many babies she has really interacted with in her short, eventful life.

Like a lot of 3 yr. olds, likes to help with laundry and household chores. She can give herself a bath from start to finish better than I could, but I am helping as a bonding thing and she likes that. It is absolutely hysterical to watch her give herself a bath because she is very task oriented and timely. It is speed bathing from a 3 yr. old.

She is loving picking her clothes out in the morning and shoes are a big, big deal.

She is in awe of Archie, but still won't pet him. Gracie does not care for Matilda and we think now know why. She called Matilda a "gato" (cat in Spanish) yesterday, so we are trying to clear that up that Matilda is indeed a dog.

We had a very great dinner last night at the table as a family. Lasagna night has been a Monday night tradition with Don and I for a long time, so it was great to have Gracie Sofia as a part of that. She ate every bite of that lasagna, skipped the broccoli (but so does Don:)

We are calling her Gracie Sofia, but at times where we just call her Gracie she does respond, so we think that is great.

She has said "banana" and meant it. She had also said "Google" and "sushi" although this was as a game:) She loves to play with the phone and yesterday pretended to talk for a long time and all of a sudden I heard an adult's voice on the other end. Hope she didn't call Hong Kong:)

Anyway, thanks for all the prayers and thoughts. We have a road to go still, but are so pleased there seems to be so much good stuff to build on right now.

Love, Mel