So Far, So Good...

It's been 2.5 weeks. Everything is still going great! I'm not sure when all that awfulness I have read about & prepared myself for is supposed to kick in. But honestly, it's all good right now. So here's a quick update on it all.


Food:
Serwaa is still VERY picky. She refuses to try almost everything new. If she refuses to try the food I've made, I refuse to make anything else. If she tries it & dislikes it, I will give her a few more options. However, even when forced to try something, she will lick it, then say she doesn't like it. Konto still eats like a starving man. Serwaa knows how to make a few things from Ghana. Yesterday they made 'ato' (I think). It was boiled & smashed ripe plantain mixed with 'nkatemali' (peanut butter) & raw onion. We even sat in the floor & all ate from the same bowl with our hands! She has also made plantain fried in palm oil.


Brother/Sister Relationships:
The kids generally love each other. Malorie told me the other day, "I love having a brother and sister!" The girls tell each other "My seesta, I love you!" about 5 times a day. Konto tells them "I don't love you oppossite." The hitting is decreasing, but we still have a long way to go. Malorie spent half of the day doing hairstyles for Serwaa. Poor Serwaa. The kids even made a 'siblings club' in the attic today. These 3 have been really fun!


Health:
Konto's toe still looks awful, but at least it's not infected now. Maybe one day he'll have a real toenail. Serwaa went to her 1st checkup on Monday. Her hearing, sight & hemoglobin are all good. She will have lots of bloodwork done once I return her stool sample to the lab. (Parenthood is so glamorous, I know.) Also, after the Dr looked her over completely, he said he would assume she is around 9 years old. And a huge relief: Konto has gone a week with no pullups at night, and Serwaa has gone 3 nights! I have read that this problem sometimes re-surfaces, but I'm so glad to not be buying pullups this week!



General Behavior:
The kids are both pretty shy at first. They tend to look down & not speak when people speak to them. They never approach strangers or anything scary. However, they will attach themselves easily to people who buy them things or give them gifts, and are not shy to keep asking people to buy them more things! I imagine this will die down once the memory of having nothing fades. They obey pretty well. (Except for lying, we have a long way to go with that one!)


Funny Ghana Behavior:
Never closing the bathroom door
Eating rice with hands
Urinating in public
Running around naked after baths
(We haven't even bothered to try to change any of this yet. All in good time.)


Attachment:
This is still a non-issue for me. It's just like the first time we were together in Ghana. They don't feel like new kids. They really feel like they've always been my kids. I have yet to get frustrated with them like I would with someone else's child who lies or pouts. Maybe this wears off after the 'honeymoon' stage. I'm not gonna paint a fairytale, so I'll let ya know! For Al it seems easy too. Of course, he's usually not home during any negative behaviors, so that helps! He's like a big kid. He has 2 more people to play with, so he couldn't be happier! For Malorie it's been much easier than expected. Maybe this too is part of a honeymoon stage. Serwaa & Konto- I'm not sure how to judge their attachment to us. They seem attached. They like to snuggle with us. They look me in the eye when talking. (Serwaa is better about it than Konto though. He doesn't hold a gaze for too long.) I guess time will tell.