Another Update

We got another update today about Jadyn.  I'm pretty sure it was supposed to be sent together with the pictures, but in China Adoption, things tend to get jumbled up sometimes.  I am so proud of my good attitude!  (note:  good attitude follows after complete meltdown last night.)

No new pictures, but it was reported that she did indeed have her cleft palate repaired at the end of May.

She had cleft palate repair surgery at the Shiyan City People’s Hospital on 5/28/2010. She entered the hospital on 5/19/2010. She left the hospital on 6/18/2010 when she recovered completely. The surgery is successful and she is in foster care family now. She is on antibiotic, and is told to keep her mouth clean. She is drinking milk and liquid. She can take solid food two months later.

She was very cooperative at the hospital. She did not cry or make a fuss, so when she was in the hospital, doctors and nurses all praised her as a well-behaved child. She is cleaver and lovely, likes to go outside. When she looks at the cartoon on TV she is very happy and would move her body with the music, and hum with the songs. She likes to read simple picture book and imitate, e.g. she would fly kiss to you for good-bye. When you put her clothes on she would raise her arms up. She understands simple name of the stuff, e.g. shoes, bottles, cars. She will choose colorful toys to play. She knows who she is familiar with. She can say grandma, big brother, baba. If you call her name she will turn around to look for you and smile at you. When it is time for meals she is very excited when caretakers bring food in front of her. She likes toys with music. She likes to go outside to play.

This is only a little bit of information, but it is a HUGE piece of good news for this waiting Mama and Baba.

Not afraid of dogs......that is also good news!

Happy Tuesday!!

Deb

Awwww, How Cute!

Like cold water to a thirsty soul, so is good news from a distant land.

Proverbs 25:25

Jadyn 15 months

It's not what we were expecting, but sometimes the Lord has ways of answering prayers, that we just don't understand.  I'm choosing JOY, or at least trying to during the wait for documents and senseless beaurocratic stubbornness. 

I woke up to 7 new pictures of Jadyn in my inbox.  I love waking up to good email!  I cannot even describe how thankful I am to have these new pictures--the only other ones we have are from last December.

Help me figure out what size she is.....I'm guessing 18 months.  Keep in mind she is not a huge Dutch baby and throw what averages you may know out the window and just give me an estimate from the pictures.  Does the camera add 10 lbs for babies too? 

Did I say I love these pictures?  I cannot wait to hold this girl!  I have been given a peace that she is OK while we work through the mountains of.....let's call it--the wait for documents and senseless beaurocratic stubbornness.  One of the things that gives me hope is when I finally get to hold her, I won't remember a single thing about the difficulty getting there. 

Have a good weekend!  I know I will!

Care Package and Roadblocks

This is what we sent to Jadyn 2 weeks ago.

It's candy, cookies, a letter to her caregivers--whomever they may be--and a small baby photo album with 5 pictures.

I have heard good things about where she is living, that the nannies do prepare the children well.  How well can you prepare a toddler for her whole world to turn upside down.  Imagine your child's feelings if they were taken away from you at 18 months.  Now, it's not exactly the same, because your child is in a wonderful nurturing environment, however, Jadyn's world is all she knows.  I am trying to prepare myself for a traumatized baby, I know she will be, to at lease some extent.  Words of wisdom:   prepare for the worst, hope for the best.......trusting in God.

The ROADBLOCK we have come up against is related to our I800 application and unreadable copies.  The Chinese documents we (and our agency) received were scanned copies put into a zip file.  They are fuzzy and hard to read--although disagreeing with our US Immigration Entity, they are FINE.  They are like many others who have received approvals with the same type/quality of documents.  This could be fixed in a day, week, or month.  Like it or not, this process has to be completed before we can be invited to travel.  The kicker is that we submitted a sworn statement that these documents were issued from Chinese government and were translated accordingly, apparently in the US that is no longer good enough.  Forgive my cynical attitude, it's only a few weeks so far, but that could lead to a few weeks of me not holding my daughter.  Thanks for letting me vent.

Baby Gear

Now that we are back from vacation, I think it's time to get the baby gear list in order.  I will be needing some assistance from y'all on this one.  We have a crib, but are fully prepared to do whatever it takes to get sleep, whether it's in our bed--we just got a new beautiful, wonderful, large mattress, or her crib, or pack & play, whatever. 

We have a changing table, some basic baby toys, feeding supplies--bottles, formula (yes, I am keeping her on formula, just relax) blankets, diapers.  What I need a recommendation for is a stroller and carseat.  Keep in mind she is 15 months. 

Also, I'm thinking about a carrier for using in China.  It will probably still be pretty hot when we go (September?) and as much as I love the looks and sturdyness of the Ergo or Beco carriers, they look HOT, as in sweaty.

Ergo Carrier

I'm thinking a sling would probably be cooler.  I think the fact that we will need all the bonding help we can muster and China is not too stroller-friendly (so I have been told), will warrant some sort of carrier.  I have an old Hotslings that is a little small for me, so it's time for a new one.

This one is a Hotslings  it's pretty (and reversible for the Hubs), and a whole lot cheaper.  Then......there's the wrap--HOT, but practical.  They also make (or I could make) a RingSling   which looks pretty practical and completly adjustable.  What to do, what to do?

Ok, so what else do I need?  High chair or booster that straps on to a chair?  I have a baby pool floaty,so we're all set in that department!  It's been a while since Austin was a tot and we did not keep too much.  Maybe a ride-on toy for in the house or some musical activity center thingy?  What did/do your kids love?

I am also happy to hear any ideas for entertaining a baby on an airplane for hours and hours. 

Last request, just pray for these approvals we need.  It's hard waiting, we should have had our immigration approval by now, it's been 30 days, grrrrr.  Then we have to wait another week-2 weeks for a paper before we can submit it back to China for them to get our Travel papers ready.  It just seems so far away and I am getting discouraged and anxious.  I just want to get to Jadyn!