We spent the day with our new friend Cynthia today. It was HOT – 101 this afternoon. Cynthia showed us around some areas that will be fun to explore when the temperature is more reasonable. Poor Cynthia also got the excitement of going to the pedi’s office to get Sabrina’s TB test read and to Target to pick up some sippy cups with us. Sabrina and I are wild and exciting! Because we were out and about…Sabrina only got an abbreviated nap in the car today. She was a little tired and cranky so no smiles this evening. But she is quite fond of Cynthia so she was full of smiles this afternoon.

Sippy cups? No go. Sabrina was hungry but cried and threw a fit rather than drink her formula from a sippy cup. We’ve tried 3 kinds now and she hates them all except to play with them. I’ve tried water, water with a tiny bit of juice, and formula – she will drink about 1/2 an ounce and then refuse to drink anymore. One of today’s purchases was the Nubby cup with the nipple like top but still didn’t want anything to do with it. Any suggestions to get her to use the cups? Or is it just a matter of time and offering it repeatedly? We’ve been trying this for 6 weeks with little success. Help oh wise blog word!

It is hot, hot, hot here this weekend. 97 degrees last time I checked. We northerners aren’t used to this kind of heat for more than a day or two. We had all sorts of things we wanted to do this weekend – check out Opry Mills (apparently this mall complex is so large that the road that circles it is 2 miles long), make a couple of trips to our storage unit with some things we need to get out of the apartment, go to a neighboring county fair, and some other odds and ends. What have we done so far? Not a damn thing. We discovered that one of my favorite chains (I’m not usually a fan of chain restaurants but this one is worthy of a little drool) has a restaurant not too far from us so we are going to venture out for an early dinner. This was a deal struck by Steve in order to allow him to wait for a somewhat cooler day to move things into storage. The chain is Carraba’s – if you go, I recommend the Chicken Bryan (lemon-butter-basil sauce, grilled chicken stuffed with goat cheese and sundried tomatoes). Yum!

Miss Sabrina has been in an extraordinarily good mood this weekend (which is saying something because she is always pretty pleasant). We finally got some batteries for some hand me down toys from her cousins, Cian and Ava, so she has been having fun checking out all of the new stuff. (Do they make toys any more that don’t require at least 3 AA batteries?) We’ve been deciding which items are the least annoying and have the lowest volume. Those that don’t make the cut will be stored in the closet and come out as an occasional treat. Mean parents, aren’t we? We originally tried to ban any toys that required batteries from our house but quickly came to see that as a futile hope.

Sorry if anyone misunderstood – I have no intention of not blogging in some form. Just trying to figure out what the point of my blog is. For now? The point is what ever I feel like rambling about on that particular day. Thank you all for the love. It is nice to hear from those of you who visit me and to know that you want to keep visiting my weird little corner of blog world.

Okay, onward. *Putting in my mommy blogger hat.* Sabrina had her first American doctor appointment today. I love the pediatrician that was recommended to us (thanks Melany!). He has worked with over 300 internationally adopted children so I didn’t have to educate him which was nice. He sat down and spent time talking to me about Sabrina (30 solid minutes – rare for doctors in my experience). He answered my questions and asked some of his own. I left feeling very good about him being Sabrina’s doctor.

The doctor confirmed that Sabrina is very healthy and right on target developmentally. She is in the 11%tile for weight (a petite 17 lbs, 14oz), 12%tile for height (27.5 inches), and 24%tile for head circumference. He wasn’t concerned about her being at the low end of the American chart – he said that would put her smack dab in the middle/average area of the Guatemalan growth charts.

She had a TB test today and got one vaccination that they don’t do in Guatemala. She was a total champ through the whole appointment. She didn’t even flinch at the TB test. She cried for about 30 seconds after her shot and gave the nurse her pouty lip but otherwise was fine. I don’t know how we got so lucky to have a child with such a wonderful disposition.

One thing I found slightly odd, I know that at 1 babies can start drinking milk rather than formula. I just assumed that we would gradually wean her off formula and on to milk. The doctor said unless she throws a fit, just quit formula cold turkey and start giving her the same amount of milk instead. Is this how everyone does it? I guess it just feels very arbitrary. “It is September 4th. Throw out the formula. Bring on the milk.”

It is officially this many degrees outside:

I don’t even want to get in the sizzling car to take Sabrina anywhere outside of the apartment today so we are hanging at home.

A couple of random things:

Someone from the south, help me out with something. I was looking through a dining guide that had restaurants categorized by different types of food (e.g. Asian, Deli, Italian, etc.) and came across a category that I’ve never heard of before. What exactly is “Meat-and-three”? Is that some sort of designation meaning after the meal you will need a triple bypass as opposed to a double or quad? I’m quite curious about it so someone enlighten me.

I’ve been struggling with what this blog will be beyond a way for family and friends to see Sabrina growing since we live no where near any of them now. Am I a mommy blogger? A mommy with a blog? A woman who happens to be a mommy with a blog? A stream of consciousness blogger who writes about whatever strikes her that day including but not limited to her beautiful child? Do I still belong in the adoption community of bloggers? Other than allowing those in process to see my beautiful daughter growing I don’t know that I add anything to the adoption community these days. I also don’t know that I have anything astounding to say as a mommy. Then I yell at myself (in my head…don’t want the neighbors to think I am a nut) that I am over thinking things. It is my blog – I can do what I want with it. How many readers choose to continue checking in with me is irrelevant, right? My blog is for me. But that is partially a crock. I like entertaining others with my ramblings. Still no answer to any of these questions but if my blog seems a little schizo, please know I am aware that I’m all over the place right now. I am looking for my voice again. My life has completely turned upside down recently with moving, quitting work, becoming a mom. I still feel like I identify more with childless women than other mommies. Is that weird? I guess I’m still growing into my new role in life. I’ll figure it all out and you can all come along for the ride if you want.

I had a great day today!  First, I met up with 4 other mamas who have adopted Guatemalan beauties using my agency.  We met at a local park and chatted for a little while.  We also sweat our butts off – it was HOT here today.  (I’ll use stock photos to illustrate my day.)

Tomorrow?  A predicted balmy 97 degrees.

Then, I took my leave of the other mommas and met a future momma for lunch.  C and her mom, F, were simply lovely.  C is going to be adopting from Guatemala early next year (assuming the Hague issues get worked out).   We chatted for 2 1/2 hours about Guatemalan adoption and other things.  Sabrina charmed their socks off and decided she was a big fan of both of them as she used them for a jungle gym for 2 hours.

Picture the structure as C & F and the multiple children as one very active Sabrina:

So my first blind dates were quite successful.  And I didn’t take a single photo (although I did have my camera with me because I rarely leave the house without it).