She laughed yesterday when I made a raspberry on her tummy. She laughed again this afternoon when I tossed her in the air. She loves to sit in the sling while I walk around the house, her arm holding mine gently, confidently. When she's hungry, she reaches for me, even if someone else is holding her. I finally figured out that when she reaches across her high chair tray, she wants a glass of water. She no longer bites because she knows I'm serious when I place my finger across her mouth. She likes cloth diapers and I can already tell she is going to need them because she already likes to rip off the disposable ones. Velcro will be much harder for her to  take off. Every day I see more of her Self and every day I witness her sadness. Both of us fall asleep at night exhausted.

Photos coming....my son took one of her that isn't blurry with motion. Will upload soon.

The pregnancy is about to be over.

The last few months, I started to wonder if this day would arrive. But it will, at last. I have the credit card charges and airline and hotel reservations to prove it. On Monday morning, my son and I are off to Guatemala to get his sister. My mother is coming along to entertain him while I sit with my daughter on Tuesday morning in the US Embassy with the huge stack of papers waiting for her visa interview.

While we are waiting the day and a half for the Embassy to approve the visa application (yes, they could deny the visa; but there is no reason for them to do that in the paperwork. Knock wood anyway. Boy, have I gotten superstitious during this experience!), I am hoping we can visit Antigua for few hours and stroll around Zona Viva in Guatemala City, and visit with my son's foster mother at the hotel. Yeah, it's probably too much. We'll be back by the end of the week.

I know from my son's adoption, when I get back I'll be exhausted and a bit disoriented at first. A little sad. I'm already a little weepy at the smallest, sentimental things these days. The pregnancy is over. But joyful at the sight of my little girl at home with us. And, so grateful for the support of this community, friends, and family during this long journey. From what my friends who gave birth have told me, it's like that for them. Same but different.