Stinkerbell

Smriti has a new nickname.  It went from "sweetie" to "stinkerbell".  The newness has worn off and the 2 year-old-ness is here.  Smriti is very loving and affectionate.  Each morning she snuggles and kisses me.  She calls me mommy all day long and wants me to pick her up.  She hugs me spontaneously.  She will kiss Mike, too, sometimes.  BUT... she can also be, well, a stinker.  She does not like to be told "no" and will either ignore me, or lash out.  She has hit and kicked me, and even, spit at me.  Yep...  It could be that she is angry or confused still, it could be that discipline was handled differently in the children's home,  it could be that she is 2, it could be a feisty personality.  Or, it could be a combination of the four.  In any case, we are trying to be very consistent.  The good thing about being here, is that we have nothing else to focus on other than parenting.  We have a lot of time to follow up with her behavior.  Really, I feel much more patient about it than I remember feeling with the boys.  It is a little harder though, just because I don't have a long term relationship established with her yet.  Although I feel that we are bonding, she just does not have that desire to please me yet.  We'll see...  This morning was a little rough, but by late afternoon, she was really trying.  She is smart so I know we will get to where we need to be.  I am not discouraged, in fact, I am happy that this has shown up now.  I expected there to be issues like this.  I thought it would come a little later, but kind of feel that if we are going through these things now, the relationship is progressing. 

We have not been doing much the last couple days.  We went "trekking" in Kathmandu yesterday.  We walked quite a ways with baby in backpack to Bhat-bhateeni superstore.  This is kind of like a Nepali Wal-mart.  We got some groceries and headed back.  I carried the baby carrier back since the groceries were heavier than the kid.  Long way but good exercise.  Smriti loves riding in the baby back pack.  She will bring it to us throughout the day, as if to say, "Let's go!"

We met up with some other US pipeline families last night at the Hotel Summit BBQ.  It was nice to meet some of the families we have been hearing about for the last couple years.  Several are in the visa process and are preparing to leave.  Some families have been here for awhile.  We left saying that we all hope NOT to see each other there next Friday. 

Smriti's TB test was negative and she had her medical exam on Thurs.  (Did not like!)  So we are moving along.  Hoping, hoping, hoping everything will be OK with our travel doc for Monday.  Then embassy appointment on Tuesday and let's hope we can get everything done and a government shut down does not interfere with us getting our visa by Thurs.  We may be cutting it very close.  We have to go home to those boys.  Here they are!

Skyping with those crazy brothers!