Slow emergence

Throughout the first day Lily was with me, she was quiet. By the time she went to bed that night she hadn't said a word. She would take a toy from me, yet wasn't really interested. Her face was almost expressionless. She didn't cry, either. She was able to help me dress and undress her, lifting a foot here or poking an arm in there.

And on the second day, she still looked warily at me, but walked around our room looking at things. That's when the toothbrush came into her life...a pink monkey toothbrush became her constant companion. Her magic wand of inquiry...she'd see something she wanted to know about...poke,poke, something she wanted to touch..poke,poke. She'd run it along the mirror, at the drawer pulls,at a cabinet, clothes. She loved her big purple ball from the start and was able to keep the toothbrush in her hand, a cracker in the other, or two and still pick up the ball. It was on the second day I discovered her ability to take a bite of food, then another, then another..giving her time in between for chewing. She appeared to like the food...until I'd reach up a hand to help catch some drips of a drink...and out came whatever she did not like, bread or fruit, yesterday it was corn. I am better prepared now, and usually have a napkin handy. Not the best table etiquette at a restaurant.

The third day, after a long and arduous trip to the orphanage, she really began to vocalize...aiaiai, as she wanted to get down or stand up during our official lunch with the orphanage director, on the busride, on the way up the elevator. She is strong,too. Once she gets down, she is active, busy, happy, poking away with her toothbrush...

Now, on day five I am seeing a beautiful, strongwilled, inquisitive, smart and sweet little girl. She smiles alot(when she is down and freeeeee), she likes to interact with the other girls and the adults. She likes to be held and hugged, tickled. She had a couple of melt downs yesterday, mostly related to confinement and no nap. She cried, cried when it was bedtime, even though she hardly slept at all. I put her down after some crying. She kicked and yelled for a few minutes, tears streaming down. I picked her up, she stopped, I put her down, she started up again. I gave a few minutes, picked her up and she was out, deadweight, in 2 minutes and has been sleeping soundly since(it's 4am here). She is a true blessing. We are very lucky that she is so "typical" toddler.