It took us nine months...

To get to a comfortable place with SS, and it is gone, all those baby steps, totally gone. We knew that once Abu returned home, we would face some difficulties. But we never expected SS to regress this much. SS did not sleep last night. We are used to the lack of sleep, but she was also restless, clingy and demanding. P asked me if it was possible for SS to regress, to a point where she never was. It was the middle of the night, and the man was tired, but I completely understood. Baby, anything is possible, and I am as dumbfounded as you are.

Maybe it is the simple fact that SS is two. Maybe it is the fact that she had JJ, Grandpa and Abu at home, and now they are all gone. Maybe it is that my sucky parenting is finally catching up with me. Maybe it is a combination of the three. SS was doing well at saying goodbye to P, secure that he always returns (no thanks to me). Now, it is a worst ordeal than when we came home from China. We hope we can get her back on schedule, and sleeping through the night. We also hope it does not take another nine months to get there.

I won't regale you with the tale of the child, who almost brought down the walls at C0stco yesterday, with her screaming and crying. P is a fairly strong person, and it took the two of us to wrestle SS into the shopping cart. There were many more moments, but let's focus on the positive. SS had her second set of passport pictures done yesterday (first were done in China). The photographer was really pleased, because the first picture was just perfect. She said it has never happened before. Given SS's recent behavior, P looked petrified when I asked him to please hold his daughter. Dude, I am home alone, daily, with the tiniest terr0r*st, you can hold her for a picture. His face, once he realized that he would not be part of yet another scene, was really priceless. Since I do not have a scanner (HINT P, HINT), you will have to take my word that SS's picture is as spectacular as she is. :)

We are not about to engage in International travel anytime soon. Getting a US passport, readopting in California, and obtaining a certificate of foreign birth, have been on my to do list. We obtained her SS card within a month of arriving home, then life got in the way. That, and I am lousy procrastinator and bad mom to boot. Then I had a stupid dream the other night, and can't get it out of my head. SS was ill, we took her to the ER, and they refused to treat her, because she did not have a US passport. I know, that is some crazy, subconscious telling me to get off my duff stuff. While I know it is just a silly dream, I also know it must be done. The only problem is that P must be present, because SS is under sixteen. I do understand the reasoning, but it is so much convenient if I can take care of it alone. We are hoping the post office is not too crowded today.


Mama, it truly upsets me when you ascribe shady motives to my innocuous actions. Just because I am standing on my chair, next to this gate, does not mean I am considering jumping over. I know it must look that way from where you are standing, but you are so wrong.

Fine, I'm taking my chair, and my cute self away. Excuse me for providing company, and the cuteness that is me.

Although SS thinks that the placing of this light switch is pure genius, P and I beg to differ. Who the heck designed this thing? Our little girl is stoked about those extra inches she acquired, and must use her new found
height all day long.

My shaggy girl.

SS was able to get her sandal on, without help. She was so thrilled with her accomplishment, that she chose to go out and celebrate. Second sandal not needed.

She took that sandal on and off about a dozen times. SS never bothered with the right foot sandal, just the left.

This is after this morning's meltdown. I have no idea how P is holding up at work. It was one of the worse nights we have had since July 7.

I did not even bother transferring SS to her crib. I was honestly afraid that she would wake up, and the whole frantic crying would return. We miss Baby S.