Mia is napping so I thought I would take a minute and talk about her! She is as precious as we imagined. We learned today the source of her “high maintenance” tendencies – Mr. Hiep told us that one caregiver in particular, the one with a ponytail in the pictures, carried Mia around all day, every day.

Well, she certainly likes to be held now, and, I think she must have let her fall asleep lying across her chest because this seems like the preferable way to go to sleep.

She is really an easy baby. She slept all night last night. It was fitful sleep and it seemed she was in constant motion. I believe all the babies slept together on the floor on a bamboo mat and just rolled everywhere. She rolled back and forth and all around all night. She is a great napper – 2 times a day. She is very patient when waiting for her bottle and just doesn’t really complain much at all. She now only seems to cry when she is getting tired (or when Cameron holds her!) She actually let me put her down in the lobby today for a few minutes and was standing and taking a few steps. She looked absolutely darling in her little dress but Cameron didn’t have the camera at that time. We had just returned from the market and so we were hot and tired and enjoying a cold drink. We had a good time shopping, and, yes, kids and nieces and nephews, I was getting stuff for the birthday party! We were bargaining with 2 girls in particular who were so cute and so nice – I’d bring them home too! The girls here are just beautiful. Everyone loves Mia when we walk by, we are trying to figure out what they are commenting about. It seems like something about her round face or something. The boys who work at the hotel were commenting on her ears when we first brought her in. They said she has long ears that means she will live a long life, we, however, know that all her days are already known and ordained.

The guys who work at the hotel are so polite and helpful, they also love the babies so much. The manager of the hotel saw Mia’s legs today and went and got cream for them to help clear up the bites, marks, etc., just to be nice. It really is a pleasant country to visit and I look forward to someday telling Mia all about it.

Mia certainly does have a mind of her own. She seems to also have learned early how to fight for what is hers. When she is close to the other families baby she will steal her toys and will not let go of them. Today she was grabbing the box of cream that I was trying to read and would not relinquish it. I finally won and she cried, so, of course I had to hold her and cuddle her. She gives Luke a run for his money with that burying her head into you and cuddling! I think there will be a definite fight for my shoulder once we get home and I am not certain at this point who will win – my money is on Mia at this point-she is something else. I like to think she has strength of character, but only time will tell what she will put us through! She shows us more and more of her personality each hour we are with her. She is making us work for her affections. She does babble and seems to be doing more of that. She even makes a squeal here or there when she gets excited. This usually seems to be when we are outside and something must be familiar to her. It really does my heart good to see her coming around and interested in what is around her. We are so thankful for her and look so forward to bringing her home to meet her brothers and sister and entire family. Brittany already talked to her on the phone today and told her how much she loved her. Mia was very interested in that voice she was hearing!