The Truth About Bonding

Yesterday Sophie and I had a major step forward along the attachment path!
Bonding is not something that happens over night (not even with biological children). All relationships develop over time and can sometimes be 2 steps forward 1 step back. Sophie had 10 months of history before we became a family, so we got a late start on bonding. Sophie needs to learn that daddy and I are trust worthy, that we will meet her needs, and that we will keep her safe. We need to prove to her that we different then the nannies at the orphange who took care of her for 10 months. How are we teaching Sophie that we not just caregivers but that we are mom and dad? We show her we are trust worthy, we meet her needs, and keep her safe and until she is rooted and secure in our family we are the only ones.
We let our friends and family hold her, and play with her, but when Sophie cries its mom or dad who comforts her. When she's hungry its only us who feed her. BJ and I are the only ones who change her diapers or put her to sleep. We are the only ones to meet her needs.
When we are in public we hold carry her (though we do put her down at home so she can play, crawl and soon walk) so she feels protected and safe and when she feels overwhelmed (like at the grocery store or mall) we leave rather then push her too far.
When she reaches we pick her up, when she cries we soothe her. Right now we aren't (too) worried about over indulging her, the most important thing is to show her that we are trust worthy.
SO...
yesterday morning I was sitting on the couch while Sophie was playing on the floor and pulling herself up on the couch. After a few minutes she pulled herself up right next to me, gave me a big grin, let go of the couch and (still smiling) let herself fall backward!
I had not been expecting this but thankfully managed to catch her with my foot. She thought that was hilarious, promptly pulled herself back up and fall backward again.
SHE TRUSTED ME TO CATCH HER!