Playing catch-up

So, in my defense I have attempted to post once before - I actually spent 45 minutes typing up all the details of RP's 2nd birthday, party planning, and 7 and 8 week milestones at home, only to discover the next day that my post disappeared. Crap. Sigh. Moving on...

As of yesterday RP has been home for 9 glorious weeks, which is awesome. I am in awe of her every day and am still trying to reconcile the spunky little girl in front of me with the angry and withdrawn child I met in St. Petersburg. She has grown 1.25 inches since she has been home and is just shy of 22 pounds. Her hair is growing like crazy and her big brown eyes twinkle when she's giggling, and when she's about to try something she knows she isn't supposed to do (little stinker! :) ). She still isn't on the charts for growth but the doctor keeps telling me she is completely healthy and not to worry - she'll either catch up, or she might just be naturally tiny.

This time is bittersweet for me because 9 weeks home means that I have only one week left of my leave of absence before returning to work - and the thought of doing so is killing me. I am terrified that my little girl has not truly attached to me and that moving her on to daycare twice a week and babysitting with Grandma and Papa three days a week is going to create major attachment and emotional issues as we move forward. I have no basis for this fear other than I think it's a fear that every adoptive parent has, especially international adoptive parents as this is drilled into your head from the very beginning of the process.

Outside of her Mommy's hopefully irrational fears, RP seems to be thriving. She is growing and developing and every day seems to bring forth a new word to her vocabulary, a new task she can complete, or a new discovery she has made. Last weekend we celebrated her adoption, her birthday, and her baptism with a big party for family and friends and she seemed to love being around all the people and the attention they lavished on her, and she had a ball playing with the kids who were here. RP is truly where she belongs - home with her Mommy and family and friends who love her like crazy... and no matter what happens, we'll get through it (although I'm pretty sure I am going to have a harder time with the next transition than she will)... :)