Tuesday, November 03, 2009

6 Weeks Home....


The second picture above is one from the first week we were home. Sugar's face is so full of uncertaintity....confusion.....fear......sadness......everything smells funny.....people look funny.....sound funny.....food tastes different......but she likes that this man and woman who have opened their home to her show her so much patience, acceptance, gentleness and love....below is a girl who looks very different in the 6 short weeks to follow. I looked at her the other day and I can't believe this is the same little girl, she doesn't even look the same.


This little girl loves to pose like a Princess or in her words "Print test".
She loves her little niece Miss K with all her heart and has clearly done this prior to her coming to live with our family.
Once timid of the furry black and while noisy thing, now the furry thing is looking for new places to hide from the little short person who moved into her world.
Even after the "miracle fruit" (aka Cheerios) invasion of the many river-o-tears while in China Sugar is still a huge fan and has learned many creative ways to incorporate them into playtime.
Sugar loves to lend a helping hand in the kitchen. Any chance to get wet, dusty, dirty or sticky and she is game.

We have a great daily schedule established. She definitely likes consistancy. This is what our daily routine looks like.

6:30 Wake up. Have a pee. Give Bailey and Midgie their treats. Have breakfast. Tidy up her rooms and get dressed. Have her vitamin. Brush teeth, wash face and do her hair. Then she will go have playtime while I do the same things. Some days we may have a play date with a friend.
10:30 Snack time. We are so far pretty successful in sticking with healthy snacks and avoiding sugary type snacks. She loves "Peadut Bunner" and crackers, apples and bananas. Then playtime.
12:00 Dinner...(Yes, where we live everyone calls noontime meal Dinner)
1:00 Nap time....she usually reminds me!
2-2:30 wake up and play/learn. This is when I spend an hour or more counting, singing, coloring, looking at books and playing on the chalk board. If it's nice outside we will go to the park.
5:00 Supper time (not "dinner" like at your house ;O)...)
6:00 bath time...which she loves!!! I can't wait until summer already, she is going to LOVE the beach!
7:00 bedtime snack/snuggle time on the couch.
7:30 brush teeth and go to bed.

She continues to want me to sit by her bed until she goes to sleep. She will wake up 2-5 times each night to have a pee. We are investigating this. She will go to the bathroom up to 20 or more times in a day (including night). We ruled out any sort of infection and figure one of 4 things. She is 1. Still a little nervous (especially of sleeping in a room alone). 2. It was normal routine at the orphanage and it may take exercising her bladder to grow. or 3. Nerve damage from her corrected condition. 4. ....well we're still running tests. She had a number of fluid tests done and we're continuing then for a couple of weeks. We also just did an ultrasound. It will be a comfort to know what the reason is.

Sugar's communication skills have come leaps and bounds. We can totally understand each other and she can easily communicate her wants/needs to me with every day things. She does still chatter in Chinese. I can't tell her a story or she can't tell be one yet of course but that will come sooner than not at this point. When people said she would learn quick I didn't think it would happen this fast. We very much still want her to keep as much of her language as possible. We have met a family here in our town who are from China and are hoping to spend lots of time with them. They also have a Chinese School for the young children in the city that I'll hopefully get to a few times here and there.

On Halloween night we didn't take her out "trick or treating" instead we went to a little Halloween party for the Chinese adoption community here in our town. The host did an awesome job and Sugar had a wonderful time. She dressed up as a "Ladybug" and was soo adorable.

18 comments:

Missy said...

She is sooo very precious and reminds me of my own little "sugar" who was adopted at the same age. Revel in every moment, as they are so very precious :)

Kim said...

Can't believe it has been 6 weeks..
AMAZING.
I love how she has changed and grown..
LOVE IT..LOVE YOU guys..
Hugs..
have a great week..

susan said...

Wow!I told you it would be great! She looks sooooo happy. I can't wait to introduce her to my two. Susan (Emily and Julia)

Sherri said...

Wow, 6 weeks already where did the time go? She is just adorable and i'm so happy things are going great! I just love her ladybug costume.

hugs,
Sherri

Noella said...

She looks so healthy and happy! Wonderful to see.

Shionge said...

Time just flies isn't it Debz? I'm sure you'll get round to communicating and she is indeed an angel :D

Thanks for sharing all the wonderful photos. I'm so happy for all of you.

jaclyn said...

awww,so cute.im so jelouse,that u guys got to go out for halloween.but wer better now..so dont be a stranger.wednesdays are my days off.i miss uuuuuu

Adrian Roberta said...

She looks so happy. What a difference a few weeks make. This briings me somuch hope for our Jade!

Thanks for the post

~Roberta

geminirn said...

Oh I just love seeing all those big smiles,what a difference a few weeks can make.Glad to hear all seems to be going very well and sugar seems to be adjusting just fine.Just love her costume....what a precious little lady bug!

Shannon said...

Oh that smile! I just looooove the picture of her feeding Miss K!!
Her language really is going nicely. Hugs from Ellie & me.

redmaryjanes said...

I am glad that she is doing so well! LOVE the photo of her in the little bows I sent. I'm going to have to recruit her as a model. She is just beautiful!

OziMum said...

Happy 6 weeks! Gosh! J looks the picture of peace and happiness.

She makes a very cute ladybug too!!

Oooo!!! Is Miss K one already?!!! Happy Birthday!

Paulette said...

She is sooo cute and I am so sorry I could not find the link to your blog I new you must have gotten your surgar. Enjoy your first year together it was hard for us but I am now getting the hang of Mamahood. And yes life begins at 40 mine started at 44.

Briana's Mom said...

She sounds like she is doing wonderfully! You have got a great routine going! She is such a cutie pie!

Anonymous said...

Wow Deb,she is growing and maturing so fast.I love the ladybug costume. I hope that you soon find the root of her"pee" problem but if that is the only thing going on you can be very thankful. Hope everyone is well.Take care and have a great weekend!!!

Sandra

A Mom- In-W8ing said...

6 weeks already…time flies!! Sounds like she is progressing with leaps & bounds!!
That is an adorable ladybug costume!

Smiles! :o)
Nikki

Wendy said...

Love her with the cat... I have to say every time I open you blog I have a sudden urge to eat candy...

Have a wonderful Day
Wendy

Rhonda O'Neill said...

It's wonderful to see her beautiful smile as she settles in at home. She is such a cutie.

A fellow Sep 12th FOI traveller

Rhonda