Saturday, April 7, 2007

Today, Saturday, April 7, 2007, marks one week since David and the “traveling grandmas” left Pittsburgh and boarded a plan en route to Guangzhou, China to receive Ainsley Xia’an. It seems more like one month or one year in many ways – so much has been packed into these seven days. And in other ways it seems like just one day – like we blinked our eyes and Ainsley was with us. Now time is measured not in minutes or hours or weeks or months or years, but in day-by-day moments of connection with her as we grow to know and love each other more each day.

And today was all about having that quality-time connection with Ainsley. The day was completely free. We had no appointments this morning or afternoon (In fact, the next three or four days are totally free as we wait for the issuance of Ainsley’s passport before we can make our way to the US Consulate in Guangzhou and secure the immigrant visa she will need to enter the US). We spent the day with Ainsley, taking her shopping, walking, eating, and just being out and about.

All in all, it was another progressively great day with Ainsley, with only one bad point around mid-morning and another mid-afternoon when Ainsley decided to continue to come out of her shell with a display of her fist toddler temper tantrum! Aside from that, today was a day of major breakthroughs in terms of bonding and connection. It is truly amazing to see the change from yesterday to today. David and Ainsley really connected today as they worked through the temper tantrums, walked around in the baby carrier, and shared a very special playtime this afternoon for nearly an hour.

“FIRSTS FOR THE DAY”
(some of these may or may not really be the first time Ainsley has done something, but right now they are definitely “firsts” with her new family)

• Ainsley pooped (one little one in the morning and one nice job late this afternoon)!!!
• Ainsley slept until 6:30am (and then played in her crib by herself for about 20 minutes while I sat nearby
• Ainsley threw her first toddler temper tantrum around mid-morning before we went out for the day (It included kicking of the legs, crying, yelling, and the whole works. It was very impressive. Although at the time I hated to watch it, in hindsight it was a good experience for us both (David and Ainsley). And afterwards, I can honestly tell that we are closer now that that first test of wills is out of the way, though I know there will be many more to come.)
• Ainsley ate bites of baked potato and French fries at lunch, at one point holding a French fry in each hand and taking turns putting them in her mouth back and forth
• Ainsley held her bottle (and tried with a little cup too) with two hands at lunch and made an attempt at drinking out of it by herself
• Ainsley made a speaking sound when we were in our favorite store shopping
• Ainsley entertained herself after lunch by taking Cheerios out of their container one by one (and sometimes in one big dump) and then putting them back in one by one

Tomorrow we will celebrate Ainsley’s first Easter with us!! Happy Easter to all of you back home!


VIDEO FEATURE
Click here for a video clip of Ainsley laughing!