Changes

Before we got Eva, many people told us that our lives were going to change dramatically. We believed them, and they were right, of course. Here are some of my favorite changes that really drive home the fact we have a daughter now.

1. We have a drawer in our kitchen that used to contain knives and sharp objects. Now, it is full of bottles and bottle accessories. (The knives are in a basket on the counter.)

2. It now takes us 5 minutes to get into the cupboard under the sink.

3. We spend much more time putting cats on one side or other of the three new gates that have appeared in the house.

4. There are toys everywhere!

5. Daddy has developed an incredible array of strange and silly noises which appear at random intervals in unexpected locations.

6. Leaving the house now involves the packing skills of a seasoned traveler and as David says, "What's all this, are we going on an expedition?"

7. We have become accostomed to sleeping while being kicked, crawled over, elbows shoved in our sides and being head-butted in the chest.

8. I now vacume the house every single day. (I totally didn't expect this one.)

9. I have learned to recognize the locations of changing tables in strange places. Seriously, I never paid attention to them before.

10. (This is my favorite) Daddy spent 15 minutes this morning, cleaning runny poo poo from the seat of the high chair. That NEVER happened in our home before.



Eva is doing well... she's feeling much better and is happy. She mostly sleeps through the night, although, she insists on coming to our bed at 1:00 in the morning to finish her sleep. We are thankful that she at least sleeps from arount 7:00 p.m. until then in her crib.

Yesterday we took Eva to Grand Forks for the first time. She did very well, Daddy entertained her with silly noises and Granny fed her the magic pills (cheerios). We went to the Chinese buffet for lunch, and David got the biggest kick out of using the Chinese we learned. The waitresses came over and said hi to Eva and told us that she was adorable and big.

Something interesting and sad occured at Sam's Club. I had to change Eva's diaper and so I took her into the ladies room. The lights are different in there, and at the time there were about 6 women in the room all talking. She took one look around the room, got a look of absolute terror on her face and grabbed hold of me as tight as her little arms could grab. She was so filled with fear, and her cry while I changed her diaper was heart-wrenching in that it sounded desperate and very sad. I have to think that something about that room filled with only women reminded her of the orphanage with all the nannies and she did not want put down, left or given to someone else. I am thankful for this little girl in my life, I am delighted and thrilled to have her, and I love her with all my heart, but at the same time, I hate the circumstances that made it possible for her to come into our lives. No baby should ever have to fear being left. No one should have to pay the price she has just to be loved. I wish I could have paid that price for her.

In any case, last night she needed lots of reassurance and spent a lot of time just cuddling and being held by me. It seemed to resolve things for her and it was a happy girl who went to sleep.

Today was a day of firsts for David. Today is the first day that Eva fell asleep on him. It was during praise service at church, and since I was dancing today, David got to watch Eva. They both did very good. David said that he looked down at that sweet face on his chest and felt such an increase in love that it brought tears to his eyes. Today is also the first day that David put Eva in the car seat by himself and the first day that he dressed her. It's been a big day for daddy, starting with that poopy high chair seat, and he's out there smiling, entertaining and playing with her still while I write this post. Yes, I am falling even more in love with my husband, the father.