Getting to Know Each Other

Days 5-8

We spent the next few days (Friday to Monday) just having very low key time at the apartment. We didn't want to confuse or overwhelm Vennela going to a bunch of new places, as getting used to us was enough change! Friday we just played with the toys we brought and colored, and after lunch we put on a movie for some quiet time and she fell asleep, so we left her to nap. Her foster home sent her with a backpack with some of the art she had made, along with the photo book we had sent her, and a photo book of her time int he foster home. We spent some time looking through the photo book and naming her friends and caregivers in the photos.

The next day we suggested hide and seek, which she was really into. One of the strange things about adoption is you don't know little details about your child's life. Has she played hide and seek before? What caused the scar on her chin? Had she had peanut butter? After her nap we walked to the nearby park and played on the playground, and it was nice to get out of the apartment for a little bit. Unfortunately I also began to feel sick today, with a sore throat, and by late afternoon every muscle in my body began to ache. 

Sunday I spent the first half of the day sleeping off the sickness while Geoff kept Vennela entertained, which is no easy task. By afternoon my muscle aches were gone, though my throat was still so sore. In the evening our neighbors across the hall, Ernest and Ashritha, were having a Christmas party they had invited us to, so we headed over for a little bit before Vennela's bedtime. 

Monday we were all stir crazy, so we went to the nearby mall and found a kids entertainment type center that had a little bowling alley, so we went bowling! Vennela was... Neutral about it. She wanted to keep playing when we asked her, but I think all the sounds and music were a little bit of sensory overload. 

The best part of these days was seeing her personality really start to emerge. She is really funny and silly, and makes the best faces. Her dance moves are amazing. She loves for you to blow balloons up really big, and loves bathtime. She sings little songs to herself about whatever we're doing or whatever she sees at the moment (ie. "Peanut butter, peanut butter, peanut butter bread" to the tune of jingle bells). We can't wait to see more of who she is.