'Amel-ya-ya'

First of all, I have nothing new to report on our paperwork progress. We're still waiting for Amelia's visa interview to be scheduled with the American Embassy in Seoul. I'm able to call and find out if this has been scheduled yet, but I'm trying to hold out before I start bugging them. And if by some miracle, before I decide to call and inquire about this appointment, we actually get our call, of course we'll welcome it! When her visa is (finally) issued though, our wait is essentially over. Graham's visa was issued on September 11, 2007 and bright and early on September 12, 2007, we got the call!

As far as the waiting goes, I'm ready to be done. With each day that passes, I become more emotional and anxious, and it's becoming increasingly difficult to find any bit of patience. Receiving those updated pictures of Amelia was actually bittersweet for me. Of course I was absolutely thrilled to see how well she's doing, but it was also a visual reminder of how much we're missing as she grows without us. In the past few days, Graham has seemed to acquire an understanding, at least as much as a two year old can comprehend, of the changes that are soon to occur in our house. We talk about Amelia constantly and now each morning while we're eating our breakfast together Graham points to the highchair where she'll sit and says 'Amel-ya-ya'. I've also noticed that he's including her in his play. This morning he was cooking in his kitchen and I noticed him pretending to pour two cups of milk. 99% of the time, one cup is for me and the other cup is for him. Up until now, the other 1% of the time the second cup has been for Elmo or Annie. This morning though, I went to take the cup and he immediately told me no and insisted that I put it back. He pointed to the cups and said 'Am' (what he calls himself) and 'Amel-ya-ya'. How sweet is that?

The cutest thing related to Graham and Amelia happened while we were at the mall this morning. I was looking at the baby clothes in Gymboree and as I was getting ready to leave I noticed that Graham was holding a pink baby bib. I have no idea where he got it, but he obviously pulled it from a rack, and it occupied him while I shopped. I tried to take the bib from him and a lovely two year old tantrum began. I bent down in front of him to figure out what was so upsetting, and through his sobs, I could tell was trying to say Amelia's name. It finally occurred to me that he wanted her to have this little bib so I asked him if I was understanding why he was frustrated. He calmed down when I told him I would buy the bib for Amelia but he had to let me hold it. After I made the purchase, Graham proudly held his Gymboree bag with the pink cupcake bib for the remainder of our shopping trip and the entire car ride home. And when we got home, he walked right over to the highchair and put it on the tray. I actually got choked up watching this. It seems like he wants Amelia to come home just as badly as the rest of us.