What a difference a week ...and some sleep...makes

Greetings to all!
I apologize for not posting for a few days. It has been busy around here! I also did not want to post again without pictures. I am waiting right now for the camera battery to charge so I can download our latest pics. Jill sent over one taken at her house and it is very cute of Hannah Ruth, but I cannot say the same for me!

Hannah Ruth has been a busy girl! I had planned on low stimulation and keeping her confined for awhile, but she has no problems around people. Again, I think she lived a fairly normal life with her foster family and so has few problems socializing. When we are out, she definitely wants to be in my or Rick's arms, but she is happy to "flirt" from there. Mom and Dad left yesterday morning. We are doing okay - but we miss them. They were a tremendous help. The good news is that there is some food in the freezer.

Yesterday afternoon, my friend Penny dropped by. She has adopted two beautiful children from China. She brought Hannah Ruth (and me) a wonderful gift. She brought us a "Coming Home Barbie." You see, everyone who stays at the White Swan hotel during a Chinese adoption receives one and that is the only place they are available (except for occasionally on e-bay.) Our agency uses the China Hotel and I was a little disappointed because I had always played with Barbies when I was growing up. Penny didn't think her son, Xiao, would be a Barbie collector, so she gave his to us. I cried. That was so sweet!

Last night we went to our small group because they were having a fish fry. Hannah Ruth dressed in her party dress (forgot to take a picture) and enjoyed french fries. Rick and I enjoyed visiting and eating catfish, french fries, hushpuppies and cole slaw. Miss Ann gave Hannah Ruth some toys her grandchildren had outgrown and Hannah Ruth was delighted. We came home and Hannah Ruth got a quick bath and then slept until 2:30 again, but this time I simply patted her a few minutes and she went back to sleep. She then slept until 6:47 this morning and so did I. The boys were great! Rick leaves early on Thursdays and the boys got themselves up and showered, ate breakfast, Ryan made his lunch and Richmond drove Ryan to school and himself to work. Hannah Ruth and I had a leisurely day. She never took a good nap though, so we will see what happens tonight. She did fall asleep at Ryan's JV football game. Ryan caught a long pass and had a good tackle, but the team did not win. I am glad I didn't have to miss the game.

I have said that Hannah Ruth is going to be a "wash and go" baby and she is turning out to be such. She doesn't mind her carseat (PTL.) I just need to get her on a good daytime and nighttime sleeping schedule. We seem to end up with one or the other. We are running out of some necessary items (like yogurt!) and so she and I may try to venture to the grocery store tomorrow.

Now a good journalist puts the most interesting items at the top, assuming you will not read the entire article. I hope you have hung in there, I want to tell you about Hannah Ruth's favorite time of day - bed games. After she gets out of the bath, I wrap her in a towel and she begins to get very excited. She likes to go on our bed and play "Where's Hannah Ruth?" (a version of Peek a boo) and then she crawls around the bed shrieking with laughter. She has trust and no fear as she will crawl to the edge and dive off. We have to catch her. We have to be on our toes for this game! We started this on the bed in the hotel in China and now she expects it every night. It does have its drawbacks. I was trying to make the bed this morning with her on the floor playing and she wants on the bed to play. It is hard to do it with only one person as you never know which way she will leap. I finally had to give up and finish making the bed later.

I see it is my bedtime. I will see if the camera is charged enough to download pictures. Sometime soon I have to find the time to pay bills and write thank you notes. Each day Hannah Ruth is more comfortable exploring her home and being out of our arms, but she is also quite the explorer and you cannot take your eyes of her for a second. She is a true delight and I hope you will meet her soon.

Blessings!