Fun with Skype and Amanda

What did we do without this wonderful service (thank you Estonia). We talk and see each other two or more times a day. During our conversation today Tom snapped some pictures of Amanda laughing and playing while she sat in my lap. Most of the laughs came when I took the wires she was trying to pull out away from her.

We are spending another quiet day here, we both just woke up from a nap, I was trying once again to read "Memory Keepers Daughter" and fell asleep. I intended to go out with Amanda after lunch but her rubbing at her eyes showed me the time before the clock did, I reluctantly put her down for her nap knowing full well our chances of getting out and about after that were nil. After we woke up, I looked out and saw that the clouds have overtaken the sky once more. I can smell the rain in the wind blowing through the open window.

Now I blame Tom for our lack of site seeing opportunities, he calls right at the perfect time for us to leave nearly every morning. Not so ideal a time for him, it is past midnight there and he is visibly worn out, Meghan and Kara can do that to a person LOL. I cannot fall asleep here until there is as little light as possible, after midnight, so waking up before 7 is difficult, but it would be the best time to talk for Tom. I would hate missing talking to him in the morning, so what can we do? We cannot leave after we hang up because it is close to lunch and nap time. If Amanda gets over tired she begins to cry miserably and I cannot do that to her or to me, it upsets me to see her sad.
We may go downstairs to the bakery to get something fun to eat with dinner; maybe I can entice her with something cheesy and sweet, a little bread? All she seems to want to eat are sweets. So fruits and yogurts, rice cereal if she is in the mood, starches all, though there is limited protein in yogurt. Wish I could sneak the Ellecare into her food. We have plenty of time to introduce a more varied diet once home. I am hoping we can make more soups and such, weaning her off of so many sweet foods is going to be a challenge though, if she is anything like her sister in her determination NOT to do what we ask of her.

Right now Amanda is playing with her dolls and jabbering and giggling, such a sweet little baby girl, and yes, even at 3 she is very much a baby, the delays from Down syndrome do this to our children, they stay young at heart so much longer than typical children as well. You all would love to hear the sound of Amanda's chuckles, I am so blessed to have this special little one in my life!

Dawn, you were right, life will be interesting when the two of us get home, and Charlotte, I am truly enjoying our time together before the chaos that can be home. I am a little down, I have always gotten homesickness when away from family, but I am OK. I find so much happiness everyday here. Thank all of you for your comments.