We had a fantastic breakfast!!!!

Ok, we now know how to have a great meal with Annabel at the table. LET HER FEED HERSELF!!!! We have been mashing everything up and spoon feeding her because we really weren't certain what she was capable of chewing with her palate. This morning I decided to just cut everything up really small and put it in front of her. IT WORKED!!!! She just wanted to do it her self. She ate and ate and ate and was totally content and happy the entire time. Last night I was beginning to wonder if our days of eating at a restaurant were over. haha So we just need to make sure we have plenty of baby wipes for her sponge bath afterwards as you can clearly see from the pictures. Believe it or not only 2 pieces of food made it on the floor this morning. I included a pic of our laundry coming back from the cleaners. Mark likes the way they fold his underwear and stick it in plastic for him. haha We are off now for a medical appointment and shopping shopping shopping.

She's obviously comfortable with us

Well how do I put yesterday into words? "No no no no no no no.. " Annabel obviously is no longer questioning who her mom and dad are. She is now acting like every normal 16 month old acts. The first week she was on her very best behavior. Perhaps she was concerned we would take her back to the orphanage if she acted out. Well funny how things change in a day. haha Yesterday she decided she no longer liked sitting in restaurants and she discovered if she screamed she would get fed faster. Oh my goodness. Amber was the same exact way so it was funny because I must have called her Amber 10 times yesterday. It brought back lots of memories. I am happy to see she has a strong personality but boy do we have to establish some rules over the next few days or it is going to be a long flight home. One of the gentlemen here told me that in some orphanages they line up all the kids in rows at meal time and there might be one nanny feeding 15 babies. If the babies screamed they would get picked up and put back into their bed. Mark and I couldn't believe how quiet Annabel was the first few days. She would quietly sit there waiting for her next bite of food. Perhaps she would have not been fed in the orphanage if she yelled. How sad. Well over the days she has learned if she waves her hands all over and throws a hissy fit she gets fed faster in our attempt not to ruin every one elses meal time. So last night at dinner I finally just picked her up and took her back to the room to eat. We are going to try that for the next few days and she if she gets it. It is so funny because outside of that she is so incredibly compliant and happy. I am sure she is just enjoying finally having one on one attention. But even through all the hissy fits at the dinner table we wouldn't trade her for anything. She is walking all over now. It is amazing how much stronger her legs have become in a week. She sleeps through the night and is a bundle of giggles. I told Mark she is turning into a hypochondriac. I felt her head so much yesterday to see if perhaps she had a fever and that's why she was screaming so much. So now she walks around with her hand on her head. It is as if she is saying "Mom, I think I have a fever." ha ha Well enough for now. We are off to our Doctors appointment today and shopping. We had a big paper session yesterday in our guides hotel room. There was one parent from each couple present and it took 2 1/2 hours to get it all done. I thought we were going to lose our minds. I included pics. You can see how much fun we are having. NOT!! But it is necessary in order for Annabel to leave the country as our legal daughter. But praise God most of the paperwork is complete. Take care and enjoy the pictures. God bless, Tamara

Hi Kids

Hi everyone, thank you so much for following Annabel's and our families story through this blog site but today's blog is just for our kids back home. Amber and Joey we are so proud of you for being strong and loving to Annabel and to each other while we are gone for so long. We know this has been a very hard past few weeks with mom and dad running out the door at last minute and both of you starting new schools. Amber, you are doing great being the best big sister to Joey and a wonderful helper to Mrs Carol, both of us know that you are going to be a great inspiration to Annabel and that she is very blessed to have you as a big sister. Joey, thank you for being a awesome brother to Amber by helping and doing your best, Annabel and you are going to have so much fun playing together. We love you both very much and very, very proud that you can open your hearts to a small little girl who you have never meet before. So hold on kids we only have a days left and soon we will be one great big happy family, back home again. Love Mom and Dad.