Three Months

Five months ago yesterday, Jim and I learned the name of our daughter, Liang Xiao Sheng. Three months ago today, we met her, and she became Sera XiaoSheng.

On that day in April, Jim and I were over the moon. Sera? Not so much. Understandably, of course. We were these big people with big noses and glasses who didn't say a word she understood. We looked funny. We sounded funny. We smelled funny. But she wasn't laughing. Not yet, at least.

She did laugh that first day once we were back in our hotel room. She saved all her smiles and laughs for our hotel room. When we went out in public, she became very clingy and afraid. I don't blame her. She'd already been passed from one set of caretakers to another. What was to say we wouldn't give her to someone else, too? She was going to hold on for dear life whenever anyone else came around.

This picture was taken Sunday afternoon. She was bringing me her purple block. I had to snap it quickly before she got too close for the camera. All her pictures have to be quick now because she is moving. She rarely crawls anymore. It's all walking now. Today she was practicing her running. The stopping was giving her some trouble. Each day she gets steadier. She's mastered stopping and starting, turning, and changing course when Shadow's tail whacks her across the face.

Sera is a strong happy baby now. Yesterday, I was noticing how big her hands have gotten. When did she grow? Her 12 month clothes fit her now. Last night's sleeper is getting too tight. The same size sleeper fit just fine the night before. Did she grow overnight?

She also loves to visit with people now. She loves being the center of attention. Friday was the last day of the first session of summer school. Jim's students wanted to meet Sera, so he asked me to stop at Krispy Kreme, pick up some donuts, and visit his class. All the girls surrounded us at the table and oohed and aahed over Sera. She ate it up. Then she noticed that the boys were still sitting at their desks. She started making eye contact with them, waving, and saying hi. She's such a little flirt now who's only happy when everyone is paying attention to her. She still prefers to flirt from mommy or daddy's arms though. And that's perfectly okay with mommy and daddy.

She's changed so much in three months. I can't imagine what the next three will bring.