As with all the other children, I can't believe it's been a year already, and I can't believe it's only been a year.
People ask what's it like? What's it like to have a girl after all those boys? Are you going crazy buying pink stuff? (No.) What's it like to have a child through adoption versus the children born to us? What's it like to have gone through all the paperwork and expense of adoption? Wasn't it scary to travel so far to meet her? Are we going to tell her she was adopted? (Seriously, someone asked me that!!! ) Many questions, but this list summarizes most of them (except, "What' on her ear?")
So . . . How much did it cost? It cost my whole heart (just like her brothers). What's it like? It's totally, completely normal. It is wonderful, miraculous, and ordinary, like parenthood. Like family.
What's Ari like? Well, best foot forward on the blog. It's true, Travis, she doesn't smile all the time. In fact, she is a champion cryer. She has crying, whining, fussing, and tantrumming down to a science and cries more than any of our other children did (excepting Cameron in infancy). She also still does not sleep well. I'm still going to say that she's pretty wonderful. She is beautiful, intelligent, creative, energetic, affectionate. She firmly believes that she is in charge of this house, and that her mom is hers and hers alone. She loves daycare, loves to go places, gets bored at home. She shows all the signs of an adrenaline junkie in training - the scarier, the better. Her favorite activity is eating. She likes vegetables, cheeses, yogurts, and cereal, and she doesn't really eat breads or meats. She likes spicy food - curries, salsas, and chili oil - and sweets. She loves to sing and dance. She likes to name the people in her family and declare that they are "home." She is entitled, spoiled, willful, and delightful. She is ours.
