Two steps forward, one step back...

This weekend feels unreal to me this week. What is even stranger is the thought, that on Tuesday, it will be one month since we got Eva...it feels much longer, like she has always been here.

Eva has continued discovering her world, finding new and delightful things and catching up on her development at alarming rates. However, every once in a while, we're reminded forceably that this little girl has a history and her life did not start four weeks ago. Yesterday evening, I was out and I thought that Eva would be fine with David and Granny. I went out on Monday evening also and they did fine. I suppose the visit to the Doctor earlier or who knows, whatever it was, she did not do well with me gone. David and mom said that she stood at the gate leading to the outside door and just cried that tortured, forlorn cry. They said it broke their hearts but there was nothing they could do to console her, although, David said the toys distracted her for a short time. So, last night we brought her in bed with us, since she would not stay asleep in the crib. She spent all night cuddled up against me, grabbing onto my nightgown. I regret leaving her, and I have to remind myself that despite how well she seems to be doing, she still needs time to develop trust in our relationship. I'm going to have to really consider, and limit, what evening activities I'm willing to do without her.

In any case, we did have a return visit with the Doctor on Friday afternoon. Eva met with the audiologist... no needles but they had to hold her hands down, and she got very angry about that. Her screaming did interfere with the test, also I was told again that she is strong. The tests did show that she has some hearing loss in her right ear, however, it may be temporary. Her ear drum in the right ear also was not responding which could be a result of fluid in the ear, which could result from her runny nose from teething. We are suppose to go back in two months and do it again. In the meantime, David and I are praying for complete healing and working of her ear.

Eva had another bath today. Baths have not been fun for her, or us. She hates them and as a consequence, we hate giving them. Today, though, we tried it in the sink. Actually, it went much better. It must be a fear of falling issue. I'm going to have to get something for the bathtub that makes her feel more secure.

So, that's life at our house this week. Eva can say a new word, "Kitty cat." Well, she says "Tit Tat", but we're impressed, nonetheless. I also heard her quite clearly utter "Uh oh" when she dropped her ball. She is crawling extremely well, and can balance herself for a few minutes un-aided when standing as long as she doesn't realize what she is doing. She still doesn't pay a bit of attention to any of the books I read her, but she does take the picture books out herself and look at them, sort of. She helps me with whatever I am doing, which only adds about double the time, so I appreciate it and be sure to tell her what a terrific helper she is. She loves her stroller, and actually is liking the car seat now... it puts her to sleep, which makes mommy like it also. She also tries to dress herself with the folded laundry in the basket...strange, but cute.

I took her to Walmart after going to the clinic. Did you know that they put the candy in the check out stands at precisely the right hieght for a baby buckled into the cart to grab? I never realized that before, but was not about to let Eva think she could get candy whenever we go to the store. Everything she added to the cart was put back. However, I am going to be looking for check out aisles that don't carry the candy...that is irritating.

Well, she just woke up again. I'm letting Daddy play with her for a while before I attempt to put her back to sleep. So long for now...