One Month Home

November 30 marked one month since Laura arrived in her new home. Life with five little people is busy and wonderful and the month has really flown by.

All the kids (and Daddy) playing with William's new birthday toy from Uncle Eric and Aunt Tiffany

Laura is adjusting very well. She is starting to pick up language. She can follow simple directions and said "MaMa" for the first time. She does have some fluid build up in her ears because of her open palate, and just like Rachel has some temporary hearing loss because of that. We expect her language to improve even more once she has her tubes in place and the fluid can properly drain.

Emotionally she is growing as well. She is sleeping much better at night. She sleeps in a pack and play at the foot of our bed. When she first got home, she spent most of the night curled up next to me in bed, but now she will sleep most of the night in her bed and just get in our bed to cuddle early in the morning. She still has some institutional behaviors hanging on, but they are lessening as time goes by.

Her little personality is starting to show more and more. She loves carrying "purses" around (any small bags she can stuff with toys and throw over her shoulder.) She loves swinging outside and being pushed around on her brothers' scooters. She enjoys watching her brothers. Rachel and Laura were fierce competitors at first, and they still feel some jealousy for one another. But, they also play nicely at times and will be mischievous together...which is pretty cute, even though I should probably not think naughty behavior is cute.

Our family is doing really well and enjoying being together. We are looking forward to Christmas with all our babies under our tree.

Do you see that look they are giving one another? Yikes! Stare down.