Day 3 with Mahaela, Wednesday

Mahaela admiring herself in the photocharm necklace I was wearing.
She took one for herself and has been wearing it ever since.

Mahaela all bundled up to go out.

Wednesday morning Mahaela didn't wake until after 8am. I was not in the room any longer, but I thought I heard something. When I opened the door she was sitting up in bed, just smiling and waiting for us. She doesn't try to get out of bed, even at bedtime when she is throwing a fit. I'm surprised she doesn't just get up out of bed, but I'm thankful she is compliant in this area.

We describe yesterday as defiance day! She was exerting her will over breakfast and then threw in a couple slaps at Daddy. Daddy just held her in his lap. We don't care if she doesn't eat, she just is not allowed to slap. So I opened a box of yummy kids cereal and just started eating away...I didn't offer her any since she wasn't acting hungry enough to eat the toast, banana, yogurt, or juice. Well, her attitude softened and then a big smile popped on her face. Then I offered her some cereal, which she picked out the white chocolate covered ones out of the coco puffs.

We met Petko who went with us to her Dr. appt. It was a long wait in a very small hallway. I don't know if we had an appt. to come get into line or if we just got in line. You have to ask the group of people who is last and then you know you are behind them. As each person walks out of the exam room, the next one walks in. NOT the picture of efficiency. Someone said he thought the wait would be about 1.5 hours. Mahaela was great. She enjoys watching the other kids. We waited about an hour fifteen. She had a quick ear exam which she sat in my lap very nicely for. Then with the pediatrician she was great. He barely examined her, but did listen to her heart/lungs. She immediately pulled up her shirt so he could listen. The orphanage had told us that she really likes stethoscopes and that they bought her a play one. The Dr. said she had cavities--he must have good eyes. But those will need to be taken care of because of the risk of infection to her heart/valves. He just wanted to us to understand that she has the heart defect and that we are aware of her condition. It was more paperwork than exam.

We got back to the apt. around 1pm. We just played around the apartment and Bill and Aubrey went out a little and brought back lunch.

She took a little nap, with lots of protesting, hitting, and then found her thumb and gave up the fight.

We left the apartment again about 4pm to head out to the mall and playground. We were at the mall about 30 minutes. If she doesn't want to come with you or be held, it is a fit. She stopped to watch a lady peel and orange and the lady said hello and then offered her a piece. Bill just scooped her up and scooted her away. Royal fit! She is a very loud, hitting, body writhing, mad as a hornet little girl! We just get through it. We realize she is stretched this week in unimaginable ways, but we also have to set our boundaries. We don't know the psychology of it all. We just parent the best we can.

We took a cab ride to a traditional Bulgarian restaurant, Manastirska Magernica. It was good, but we needed to make this a quick experience. We knew we were getting to the end of what she could handle. She sits so great in her chair (what? one of our kids stays in their chair?? unheard of!). She eats pretty good, unless it wasn't her idea. We say she has squirrel mouth. She stuffs food in there that I can't even see where she is putting it! Salad, meat, cheese, tomatoes, bread. There was some loud protest and Bill took her out. This time her hand was ready to hit, but she did not. She thought about it a little and decided not to hit Daddy. We thought this was progress. She had hit both Aubrey and me in the taxi and Bill turned around and startled her with a strong "Nay" and the clap of his hands. So he thought his method of "shock and awe" was effective.

We walked back home, played around a little while and then headed to bed. She barely cried. She was tired. She sits upright, watching TV, sucking her thumb. I decided enough of this TV thing, as it won't happen at home, so I turned it off. She quickly rolled off her pillow stack to go to sleep. Aubrey and I slept with her. She now has a cough and coughed a lot during the night. Around 6 am she fell out of bed--which is very low to the ground. She seemed fine and didn't really wake up, but was very restless and the floor was noisy with her hitting it and moving around on it. But I just left her there as she was still sleeping and to move her would definitely wake her.

Something I forgot to say in a previous post was that Rosi called to check on us Tuesday and said that Toncheva had called in the morning saying that she woke up thinking about Mahaela and wanted to know how she was doing. I just feel so sorry for these ladies who are feeling the loss of this little girl. Her room at the orphanage must be very quiet and lonely right now.

They said she is potty trained, but that we should just use pampers this week until the excitement is over. I did have her sit on the potty chair one time. I think this is a case of she will potty when you put her on it, but never ask to sit on the potty. We will deal with potty training much later...next year sometime! Ha!

Oh, her first words in English were spoken in the car, leaving the orphanage. They were nose, followed by "buckle-buckle," then "wow." Now we hear occasional words that she repeats.