Happy New Year

I am so excited to see what 2011 has in store for me. And I am so blessed to have amazing family and friends to stand by me while I enter this new year as a first time mom. So let me say up front - thank you. I will probably say thank you a million times or more this next year, as I am learning to ask for help - but in case I forget sometimes to say it, please know that I am so thankful for you all.

My little one is having an afternoon nap right now - which gave me a chance for a leisurely shower. She has transformed into a full-fledged 3 year old and this morning I had my patience tested for the first time. She didn't want to put her shoes on and folder her arms intently when I tried to put her coat on. We got through it with me being goofy and silly rather than her resorting to tears, but the frustration levels were high this morning for both of us. And then it dissipated and we've been having fun since.

But she was a wonderful trooper when we went to the IOM clinic for her migration health check, even crying only a little bit when they did the TB test (we'll go back Monday morning for the readings). Then we walked all the way to our daily stop at Mike's Breakfast. I'm guessing it may have been almost a mile in distance and she walked the majority of it (hence the afternoon nap!). Tonight we'll be going to the weekly Friday evening BBQ that the families in town meet at up at one of the hotels - the Summit. I've been told there's a sandbox and play area, so we'll go a bit early. And it's been beautiful out so hopefully we'll have a view of the mountains like we did yesterday (see above). Not a bad way to spend New Years Eve!

And yesterday we had an adventure up at Patan - another one of the historic sites. It's a beautiful square and one of the mom's who is a professional photographer is giving the families here free photography sessions - so we had ours up there yesterday. Tara was very patient while we waited around for the other families to get their pictures done. We did a lot of hopping, jumping and spinning. And then she was a fashion princess - letting me keep her barette in her hair and even posing on her own. I can't wait to see how they turned out - though I may look a bit of a mess since that was not a shower day!!

So - we're plugging on through our days. We spend our mornings reading picture and single word books to practice English, then try for some sort of daily outing to get us out of the house - and evenings of dinner, bathing (still crying) and sleep. I know I've said it before - but I am looking forward to when she can speak back to me in English - though she is now starting to really understand when I say things. We'll get there.