Big Week for M Next Week

Next week will be a big week for M all the way around...anyone who's burdened to pray can lift some prayers for our peanut. We'd appreciate it.

Monday - the dentist - Doesn't sound THAT stressful, right? Except perhaps you recall that when she simply SAW a toothbrush in China she would hide her teeth (and body, too!). She's come a long way since then, but who knows what she'll think of a hygenist in a mask.

Wednesday - N's big band concert at the middle school. We might have to sneak snacks in for that one!

Thursday - Transfusion Day. Enough said.

Friday - Pediatrician appointment.

Is it Lip gloss???

Did you ever stop to think about how similar lip gloss is to other household objects? Like say...GLUE STICKS? Yeah, we haven't either - until today when M came to me with a big, perky, "look at me smile." In her hand was the evidence. She was so proud of herself. Poor thing did not understand WHY we had to wipe that off! :-)

Our Italian Chinese Daughter

:-)
So, I was in NYC yesterday supporting my oh-so-smart brother as he presented his doctoral dissertation proposal. Afterward we celebrated with a great Italian meal on Arthur Ave. followed by a trip to the bakery across the street. I brought home some cannolis to share with the family.

M. LOVED hers. She then looked longingly at Mama's and tried (in vain) several times to "cute her way" to another bite. Maybe there's a little Italian in her too?

--Baba

Speech Therapy on the Way?

Probably the number two question we receive after the generic, "How's she doing?" is "How's the language coming?" Initially, it was SLOW. Then M began to copycat our words. Today, she continues to copycat, but the majority of the sounds do not sound like what we're saying. She's probably got 10 words that actually sound a bit like English, like Mama, Baba, All Done, Baby, and Apple. But most aren't even close. So come January, Miss M will be tested to receive services in our town for her speech development. This is something we completely expected as she was older when adopted. It's something we're very comfortable with as our now 5 year old was a speech student himself! :-) Most likely, she'll go to our local elementary school (wave to G and J on the way to the room) and play games with the therapist there each week. We think she'll do even better for someone who isn't related to her...she likes to try to smile her way out of talking. One cute point and a brother will help her.

While it will be really helpful to know what she's thinking, feeling, needing, we can't IMAGINE how much louder our house will be. Wow!

Chinese Restaurant

I was with my brother in NYC today, and we had lunch at a GREAT little Chinese restaurant in Queens. I missed M. the whole time. I looked around at all the beautiful Chinese faces around me, enjoyed the food and thought back to our time in China. It really was an amazing trip.

We've been home for...what? just over two months now. In some ways it feels like a life-time ago that we were "over there." I hope we can take her back some day to see where she came from. I wonder if she'll want to? We read/hear that some adopted kids really have a strong need to go to their birth country while some are quite opposed. We'll just wait and see.


--Dad

Taking Initiative

I've been marveling for weeks about how helpful the boys are with M. Seriously. They take initiative with NOTHING around the house. A toy laying on the ground, once played with, ceases to exist. It is not seen. It is NOT picked up. A pile of their things on the counter is NEVER noticed, removed, put away etc.

With M. this is all different. They consistently jump right in to help with her. Somehow they notice when Mom or Dad are busy with another brother and they'll rush to help M. if she needs it. Somehow they notice if Mom or Dad are working at something, that M. could use some distracting and they jump right in and play with her. It's amazing. It's refreshing. It's wonderful. GREAT job boys!

--Dad.