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My thoughts after being home a week.

• Thank goodness for my own house!!!  I love seeing Ruthie all happy and giddy that she gets to run around in more than just two rooms...either at her orphanage or at the hotel....the girl likes space!  Every morning Wade and i comment just that she is happy.  So cute!
• 18 month olds are messy....i read that cleaning up your house with children around is like brushing your teeth while eating oreos.  SO TRUE...and i had forgotten what 18 month olds can get into...especially one that has never even seen all of the things that a house can hold.  But it's cute and crazy and i totally let her unload everything...i only regret it when i can't keep up and then i just have to let it go....she's happy and totally not trying to bother my order.
• I think everyone should have one almost 5 year old around when they have a baby....or adopt an 18 month old.  Lawson is the most helpful person...he tells Ruthie, "It's ok, you can take my toys...i know you don't know where you are or how to share..." what???  That must be a work of Donnah Neal or Brook Culbertston, bc that is not the little boy that I left when I went to China.  Wonderfully helpful, that little guy.  He plays teatime with her. She goes up to him with her arms out so that she can dance with him.  What a sweet heart.
• Fletch, on the other hand, really likes to hug her way too hard!  And well, she doesn't like that.  We asked her if Kylah or Kara had liked it when he stayed with them, and he said no.  We tried to explain that Ruthie does not prefer it either.  I think it's sinking in a little bit. He is jealous...but doesn't really know what to do with his feelings.  So he's not regressing or hitting her...he's just crying a lot, which is totally understandable.
• I asked my kids if they were used to Ruthie yet...since we were all having to get used to her...including me. I was trying to get them to talk and just be open with the.  They both responded with "We're totally used to her.  Remember we told you that at the airport?"  Oh, my bad.
• Having Ruthie sleep next to me in a pack n play is a bit better than a newborn.  She still makes all of those noises, but at least she's not hungry and i don't have to figure out which whine or whimper means what.  :) All whimpers mean, "are you still there?" And of course, i am.
• We got out to go to Target yesterday....the girl LOVES to get out!!  YAY YAY YAY!!! My two boys fought and were bickering laughing loudly, but she was a perfect princess in the front of the cart with a HUGE smile on her face.  I know that she'll join in the complaining someday soon, but for now, she just loves it.
• OH, this might be one of my favorites.  We can't really get Ruthie to eat anything American since we've been home....the girl won't  even eat my steamed rice...really? But she can eat her weight in....drum roll please.....PINTO BEANS!!!  Thanks to Brook, who made them for us one night, she has eaten a pint in 2 days.  I think it's amazing that even though I was never pregnant with her, she has taken a liking to the food that i felt like i ate most while we waited for her.  I mean, beans are cheap, they're protein, they're fiber, they're healthy, carbs, etc.  So we ate them quite a bit while our money went towards her....what a funny thing that the Lord made her to like beans... I just laugh every time i see her smile as she eats them. Oh, and she doesn't want to share them.  One thing about Ruthie, is that she'll share just about anything if she thinks you'll like it.  But beans, well, she hit Fletcher when he went towards her bowl.  Oh, that's my daughter! :)
• She can sign please, more, all done, eat and drink...which is totally helping us out. And she now says "night night", gives kisses, and can say "uh oh."  We're well on our way to being an adapted American.
• She loves baths now....I think seeing the tub with toys and brothers changed her mind about the water.  Sometimes she takes two a day, just bc she's so entertained by it.