Well, we have been home a week and we have made great strides in certain areas and not so great strides in others. Unfortunately, my mother got my flu last Friday and wasn't able to help Doug and I over the weekend, but she has made it to the house a couple of days this week. I miss blogging so much and I miss checking in on my blog buddies. As soon as we get Briana on a semi-schedule, I will be able to check in on you all again!Let's start with the great strides...I am starting to feel better! Yeah! About time, huh? Briana nows loves bath time! She HATED the bath at first in China. Now she has a ball. Briana loves to go out. She is such an angel when she is out and about. She likes to people watch when we are in restaurants or at the store. She eats like a horse - so we are so glad she has an appetite! We had our first doctor's appointment and she got 5 immunizations and got blood work done. She cried, but she did so well - no real kicking or screaming. Briana is very attached to Doug and me. She is always looking for us and cries when we leave the room. And she calls me "mama" when she is upset. Not that I like seeing her upset, but I like her calling me mama.
Ok, now not so great strides. She doesn't sleep at night. She takes lots of cat naps in the day. We will put her down in her crib at night and she falls asleep with no problem. But, she wakes up about two hours later screaming. Sometimes she falls back asleep after rocking, but most of the time she doesn't. And if she does, she wakes up about an hour later. Her clock is still really messed up. Even if we bring her in the bed with us, she has a hard time falling back asleep. And Briana doesn't want me to put her down - ever. If I have to do a chore in the same room as her, she often gets upset if she is not sitting right on or next to me. Makes it hard to go to the bathroom!!! It is wonderful she is attached, but makes for a very tired mama!
So, I better run now and grab a shower. Hopefully Briana will sleep a few hours tonight. Oh please!
Briana loves her bath!
Sleeping in her crib...
I love my snack trap!
Daddy making Briana do belly laughs!
27 Kind Words:
Love all the pictures..
She will get on a schedule..
Hope you get some sleep..
Briana is soooo adorable..
Glad you are feeling better.
Take care
Kim
Id love to hear that bell laugh.. Hope she sleeps well tonight
So glad to hear that you are feeling better. I hope she sleeps more and more every night.
I love seeing pictures of her AT HOME!
We returned on July 14th from china with our daughter. She had bad sleep issues. It did get better after about 2 weeks and what helped alot was a cd player with chinese music(with mandarin words) playing in the background to help her to sleep. She still wakes about 2 hours into sleep every 6th night or so, but is better. Good luck, sleep deprivation is so hard.
I'm sorry to hear that you are lacking sleep, but HAPPY to hear that Briana is so well attached! Good job!
Have you tried keeping her up, "pushing it" a little when she's tired? What I mean is, trying to extend the periods between naps by keeping her really stimulated by something so when she sleeps she may sleep longer and harder? Just a suggestion...I know how hard it is to be so tired! Hang in there!
So sorry the nightime sleeps are going so well. At a (very uneducated) guess, maybe she's screaming, because the surroundings are so unfamiliar? Both my kids sleep better with soft music playing. Really hope your angel gets some full nights sleep really soon!!!
:) Your daughter is just perfect!
She is beautiful and has such a happy girl smile :D Try not to worry yourself to much ~ it will all get better, but it can take a little time. I am so glad that you are feeling better and so sorry that you mom got sick :-( The best news is the attachment! That is terrific!
I'm glad to hear from you and that things are improving. Certainly glad you feel better! Briana is such a Beauty.
I have no advice, since I have no experience, but I hope the other aspects of adjustment fall in line soon. I look forward to using your hard-learned wisdom when we bring Zoe home.
Wow! She's cute.
Glad your feeling better! Her smile is so lovely! Hope she starts sleeping soon...REAL SOON!
glad things are looking better. Such sweet pics.
We will miss you tomorrow :0(
She sure is a cutie! It might take some time to get her on a good schedule. Go with your instincts and sleep when you can!!
Glad to hear your feeling better.
Sorry that Briana is having sleep issues and that you are sleep deprived. Hope things get better soon. Luv all the Pictures,Briana is such a cutie.
Donna
So glad you're feeling better!
Jackson was a HORRIBLE sleeper and I didn't get a full nights sleep until he was about seven so I have no advice for you. lol
Briana is so cute----so happy for you!!
What a beautiful girl you have! So glad that you are feeling better, remember, baby steps, it won't happen all at once.
Great to hear from you. Briana is a beauty!
Enjoy this time and a routine will develop.
Keep smilin!
Screaming (in some cases)is not a sign that they are hurt or necessarily in need of something. It is just a very loud form of saying HOLD ME. Briana sounds a lot like Jaiden when she first came home and we are finally getting her over the screaming but she still has her days. She was quite spoiled when we got her and even now she is going through a phase where she doesn't want to walk but be carried everywhere. She is getting HEAVY so we have to let her Scream it out every so often because there is no way I am going to lug her around everywhere. I know how frustrating it can be when you are exhausted. You are doing great and sometimes you have to be tough enough to let the screams not phase you. Jaiden can go from screaming hysterically to laughing all in one breath so I've had to learn to let my mommy senses overide the instinct to pick her up.
I hope your Mom feels better, and I am glad that you are feeling better. I know after our honeymoon in Asia (which was 3 weeks, so my clock was way off), it took me about a month to get back on schedule for sleeping, so hopefully Briana will "normal out" her sleeping in a couple weeks.
Tracy
11/22/05 - did you know that we are next?? ;)
SO great to hear all is well (Although that flu sounds hideous!) Give Briana a few weeks to get over jet lag and then maybe you can get her on a better sleep schedule. Sleeping can be tough especially when she has gone through such a drastic change.
Best advice from a BTDT mom is hold her when she neeeds held. It will pay off when she knows that you too will not disappear suddenly.
She's a great beauty! Congratulations.
Moya another DJ mom
heeheh you will never get to go to the bathroom in piece ever again! No matter how old your kids are they know when you are in the bathroom:P
maryellen
ps
goes without saying that Briana is a cutie:)
I love all the pics - and I'm SO glad you're feeling better! Sorry to hear about your mom getting sick now though :(
Since I have no children I can't give you any advice on the sleep issues - but I'll keep you in my thoughts and hope that eventually this too shall pass...
Hugs chica - I miss ya!
I hope to meet that little cutie soon!
Love that smile she looks so excited and happy. I hope that she soon settles into a sleep routine so that you can get some rest.
So glad to hear you're feeling better, and I hope your mom's regaining energy, too. Seems like sleeping is a major issue for most of the babies that come home from China...something to look forward to! Thank heavens for these blogs where we can learn from those of you that go before us! I have no experience/advice to offer, but I do have a wonderful CD I got at Amazon of Chinese lullabies sung by the Beijing Angelic Choir. The songs are so soft & peaceful, and maybe if it doesn't help Briana it will relax your nerves? :) Thinking of you and hoping things get better soon.
What an absolute Doll!! So glad that you all are doing better!!
Amy
Oh, what a cutie! I am glad she is making strides, and I am sure they will continue!
It's like a little trip to heaven to see that sweet smiley face. Thanks for giving us waiters a boost :0)
Glad she's coming along in so many ways and that you're feeling better, hope she starts sleeping through the night soon (it will come)...!
If you can at some poing, email me, link on my blog...
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