LIFE WITH TATE ONE MONTH......

WOW.... Time with my girl is ticking by oh so quickly.

PERSONALITY.....

• blows kisses when saying bye-bye.
• Claps her two hands together ALL THE TIME. She will do it to initiate play, get attention and when I say YEAH!!!! Which is all the time since I say it EVERY TIME she does anything spectacular.... Which really is ALL THE TIME!
• Plays peek-a-boo. Will use anything to cover eyes to hide..... blanket, teething ring, stuffed animal, sheets on my bed.... Will use her hands to cover eyes but will usually not get the eyes mostly her ears....
• She is hilarious... a real comedian. Will make the funniest faces for reaction.
• Tate is getting over being a little sick... which includes a sweet cough. I guess I am reacting with "oh my" and "are you OK?" often. She is now faking coughs to get my reaction.
• Snuggles and kisses all the time. Sometimes she will be facing me and suddenly I have an open mouth planted on my face. She is all smiles when she is kissed on the neck and lips.
  
• Is fascinated by Baby Einstein DVDs.


• lays on back in the tub for hair washing. LOVES when I swish her around. Likes laying on her tummy in tub and is starting to put her face in the water.


• she is always happy.... Wakes up gooing and babbling.


• loves visitors, especially other children.
  

DAY TO DAY TATE.....

• For 18 days Tate has been home in the USA... her days consist of sleep, eat, nap, eat, nap, eat, bath, sleep. Or sooooooo it seems since I am wanting to spend time with my girl. I am letting her dictate her schedule right now for the first month. I feel she is processing all the changes in her mind while sleeping.
• Everyday we head out on an adventure.... it can be as simple as a walk, shopping, errand in car. OR as much fun as visiting friends and family, feeding ducks, zoo, swimming, farm.
• I try to give Tate at least one to two twenty minute session on her tummy for struggle time.
• We watch one Baby Einstein DVD a day.
• Needs to have a little musical serenade from me while eating.... Wheels on the bus is a HUGE hit around here.
• While driving in car will make a sweet sing-y sound which means "let's turn the radio on"... She also HATES Cher!
• Our bedtime ritual is this.... bottle, snuggling, chat about our day, read a book and then off to her crib. She will grab a taggy or blanket, stick her thumb in her mouth and turn to her side. She will occasionally whimper for 10 seconds. Then she will sleep for 12 hrs.

My concerns right now is her lack of MOBILITY.....

• During our tummy time, she is not motivated to do anything but lay and play on her tummy. No struggle to reach for a toy or flip onto her back.... I have been working on flipping from back to front and front to back. So far she just giggles and thinks it is all a game.


• She is not motivated to move on her own, but she has such strength now in sitting up and standing. If she reaches for something out of her reach, she topples over and whines for me.... Mamamama.... too cute.

Language

• Tate used to babble and squeal in China, A LOT. In the last two weeks she has stopped babbling constantly, but will listen intently to me talking to her. She studies my lips. I have a degree in Speech Pathology, I know that she is just taking it all in and processing this strange language. I know this is just temporary. I do miss all the sweet cute frequent chatter and squeals coming from my girl.
• The other day I was at a church gathering and was introducing Tate. Someone asked me if she speaks English.... My response, "as well as any 10 month old speaks English"... People can be so duhhhhhhhhh!

Today she had her blood drawn.... she had to have a huge vial of blood drawn for all her tests. She was a real sweetheart and hardly cried. I on the other hand cried for the both of us. We are now collecting a urine sample (bag is in place during this nap time), and three more stool samples for giardia and parasites.... Oh the joy!