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A First Month of Firsts







Rachel is so at home, it's adorable. Babies are truly amazing in their natural ability to adapt. She's on a great schedule and sleeping great. We have the normal baby issues that can rock the sleep or get the occasional grumpies, but this child is pure delight! The best thing is that after two years of studying bonding disorders and behavioral adjustments she is seriously attached. If anything, she has separation anxiety. Thankfully, she now knows that if we disappear around the corner, we have NOT left the country. We're still here.

This month has been a great first month of true firsts. She started walking on Friday, June 6. She has 4 new teeth and cutting 2 more molars. She is saying "Da Da", "Ma Ma", "frog", "diaper", "Noah", "tickle", etc. She insists on feeding herself now and is trying anything we give her. Don't get me wrong, she can spit it out as quick as we give it. I've relearned that a child with food in front of them will not starve. :o) She LOVES apples, and she insists on eating them whole...her "ah-ahs" as she calls them.

We made many visits around town. We saw our family doctor and an international adoption doctor who both sing her praises. She's wonderfully healthy. But she also has to weather the blood draws for testing...that's been trying.

We have visited the water park and pretty much live there. She loves the water and insists on walking around on the steps. She's a very independent Rachel. We started going to church right away. She stays with us the whole time until we think she's ready to hang out in the nursery. She likes the singing a lot, but isn't so content to sit quietly during the sermon. Yep, that's a universal kid trait! Those around us are use to the Duncans leaving noisily.

The most heartwarming day was celebrating her first Father's Day. Randy is now a daddy of 4, so of course Father's Day was 4x special this year. And Noah, Simon, and Elizabeth are the best big brothers and sister on the planet. We are so proud of them!

She's our tiny little toddler. As the doctors say, treat her like an infant by loving and cuddling her, but still treating her like her toddler 16-month self letting her explore and climb everywhere. Yea, I think we can do that.

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