The real Ava

I think we are past the major meltdowns since we returned from the orphanage. It took about three hours but once she discovered the bottle and baby carrier, she was accepting us more.










While Michael had to go apply for her passport, I took her down to the convenience store in the hotel. I had to get some more diapers and rice cereal. While she was in the baby carrier, there was not a peep out of her. That was her first grocery shopping experience ;-) After Michael returned, it was play time!

From what I've read, heard and now experienced, it takes some babies a couple hours or a few days to come out of their shell. I am so relieved that Ava gave us the three hours. I felt so bad for her, like we were inflicting pain on her. But being a veteran parent, we knew that time was all she needed.

Oh yeah, we've already discovered a few things about her in the few hours with her:

- She has discovered her fingers (may have been a prior)
- She's teething big time
- She likes the pacifier (binky) and thumb (uh oh!)
- She can push herself up from her belly
- She can roll over
- She loves her feet
- She loves her head rubbed
- and she loves the Daddy lifts

I can't wait to find out more about her in the next few days :-)