Three Weeks and a Day Later...

....and I'm finally feeling like I can muster up enough coherent brain function to write something more than just a facebook status.

You see, I have a theory. It's this:

Sleep=Sanity

It's a proven theory. I've tested it.

And last night I got the longest, uninterrupted duration of sleep that I have had in a while. There is light at the end of the tunnel.

Being an adoptive mother is weird sometimes. While my body is not recovering physically, I still feel the extreme mental and physical exhaustion that goes along with having a new baby. And I swear I have also experienced some symptoms of "baby blues" at times. I wouldn't call it depression - I think it probably has more to do with sleep deprivation. Like I said: Sleep=Sanity. Personally, I also tend to struggle a lot if I am lacking sleep or food - neither of which are guaranteed these days. In fact, when Justin and I got married my mom said to Justin, "I'll give you one word of advice: Make sure she gets enough sleep and make sure she eats." It's true, my mother knows me all too well.

But, that was a really long explanation all to say that we are doing alright over here. I keep reminding myself that this is a short season. In a few short weeks I'll have found a new rhythm, I'll be getting more sleep and all of the chaos will seem like a distant memory.

Little Xochi Maia is doing wonderfully, despite her mother's neurotic concerns that the formula is giving her reflux, congestion, milk allergies and a rotten gut. I have the same worries every time, yet they always turn out fine. This time around I'm adding cod liver oil and a probiotic to her formula which makes me feel a lot more at ease about it though. God knew I was going to have adopted children, so I just do the best I can.

Yes, you did read right. We changed her middle name.... again. This time it's final. While I do tend to be an indecisive person (I was the 10 year old standing in the candy aisle for 1/2 an hour trying to decide what would taste best and last longest) I have never had this much trouble with a baby name. Steele Samuel was Steele Samuel from the time he was born. I had one brief post-naming doubt but Justin nixed that. Adia Moon was always Adia Moon... well, at least in my mind she was. For a couple of weeks before she was born she was Adia Joy but that was only because Justin and my Mom didn't yet realize what my Grandma and I knew all along - that her middle name was destined to be Moon and that it really wasn't a "hippie" name.

So I don't completely know why I've had such trouble. I think it is due, in part, to the fact that her first name is so unique. Also, when she was born she just looked so feminine and sweet and all of a sudden Mariellen didn't seem to fit. But for whatever reason, I feel really good about Maia. We call her all sorts of things around here - Justin, Steele and Adia call her Baby So. I've heard Adia call her Maia. I generally call her the whole thing: Xochi Maia.

I once heard an old chinese proverb that is so fitting for our family: A child with many names is well loved. This is certainly true in our home. Her papa and big brother have especially fallen in love with her. Steele comments multiple times a day about how adorable she is. Yesterday he exclaimed to me, "I can't believe I have a new sister!" I've also come to realize that he may have had a bit of a misunderstanding about what getting a "new" sister meant. Last week he was holding her, gazing at her. He turned to me and said, "Now are we going to get rid of Dee Dee?" Trying to hold back giggles I explained to him that now he is going to have two sisters. This wasn't an upgrade. Little sister 2.0

At the risk of this becoming a marathon blog post I do want to end with what I've learned about little Xochi Maia so far:

• She's sweet. Pure sweetness. I often describe Adia as "fiery." Equal parts exuberance and stubborness. But this little girl is so mild mannered so far. It may be the necessitated nature of the third child.

• She studies things. After I finish feeding her she'll just stare and stare at my face, as if she's looking at every single part.
  

• She's tolerant. She puts up with her big brother and sister in her face all the time with nary a complaint. She doesn't cry when I change or clothe her unless it's taking too long - at which point she'll let out a little squeak.

• She's a cuddler. She won't cry if we're not holding her, but when we do she snuggles in quickly and goes right to sleep.

• She has smiley eyes.

Our friend Luke gave her some early fine arts lessons -
humming the Star Wars theme to her.

Too sleepy to close her mouth.

Summer Kids

The most recent picture I have - not great, but you can see that she's changing.

My grandma's brother passed away the week Xochi was born.
I sang at the memorial last week and we had a ton of family visit from all over the country.
Wonderful to see everyone, even under the circumstances.

What would come to be known as the 2009 Nipple Crisis