So now it is Thursday, and the kids have been going to school and Josh has been working LONG days, and I am happy to say that things are still going fabulously. (And, it is snowing!)

Belane is less and less jetlagged all of the time…I have had to wake her up after 2-3 hours of nap every afternoon, but then she is going to bed by 8:30 p.m. or so and sleeping all night. The first few nights she was waking up (wide awake) at 5 a.m., and kissing me over and over until I opened my eyes to join her. Today she slept until 6, which was just 10 minutes before my alarm went off. I’ll take it! She is napping in her bed (after I lay down with her and we go through the cuddling routine while she falls asleep) but she is still sleeping at night in our bed until she is over the jetlag and on a good schedule.

She is doing better at meals…when I first started making her sit at the table with everyone, she would sit with her head down until the big kids were all done and gone, and then she would eat. Two nights ago she sat with her head up and paying attention to the conversations, etc., but still didn’t eat until the big kids starting clearing out. Last night she started eating once the other kids started getting desert, and she was happy throughout the meal. She does eat fine at breakfast and lunch when it is just her, Maggie, Amanda and Marcus.

She is happy and cheerful most of the time…she runs around the house playing and comes back to me regularly for some hugs, kisses and cuddles, and then goes back on her merry way. Josh is literally over the moon that she isn’t scared of him, and she LOVES to tease and play with him.

The only time she seems to struggle a little besides meals is in the late afternoon, after I have to wake her up from her nap. Then she is pretty tired and clingy, and usually takes an hour or two to be herself again. She wakes up very happy in the mornings though.

I have been really thrilled with how cute her and Marcus are together. I really worried about that one! Marcus is still a bit out of sorts after having Josh, most of his siblings and me gone for awhile, but he is doing better every day. He is not taking it out on Belane though, and he is so sweet with her.

He loves to give her her sippy cup, and she loves to give him his binky (although she cannot figure out what on earth that thing is for!) They love to run and chase together, and they LOVE their baths together. Belane loves to wash “Marky”. Marcus thinks it is amazing that this tiny little girl is potty trained (she has yet to have an accident since I got her), and he claps for her when she is on the potty. (Maybe it will inspire him!!!)

It is funny because she is definitely a little older than he is, but she is SO much smaller than him. She easily fits under his chin when they are standing up. My favorite thing that they do is when they come out of the tub and I sit them both on the counter to get them lotioned and dressed…they give each other “razzberries”! It is hilarious.

I have been doing a lot of fun things with just the two of them while the others are at school to try and help them bond…we’ve played outside, read books, played games, done puzzles, etc. It seems to be working pretty well. The only time they get ornery with each other is right before naps or right before bed when they are both tired. Marcus is so used to sharing toys with siblings, and Belane is used to sharing toys at the orphanage, that we’ve been doing pretty ok in that department.

The nannies at AHOPE must have told Belane a lot about Bekalu, since he is her only Ethiopian sibling, because she says his name the most. She’ll tell me about “Bekalu’s bed”, “Bekalu’s chair”, etc. She has gotten all of the kid to give her piggy back rides, and she thinks that the boys are hilarious!

She is learning the fine art of playing dolls with Des, Maggie and Amanda. She loves to have a doll and a hair brush in her hand. She also discovered our stash of “hair pretties” (clips, rubber bands, snaps, ribbons, head bands, etc.) and randomly brings me hair things throughout the day to either put in her hair, or a Barbie’s hair.