Saturday, March 27, 2010

Home for a month already...


I can't believe we've been home with Natalie for a month. Time flies when you're chasing around a toddler. Here's a Natalie update:

-Natalie gained almost a pound in the two-and-a-half weeks between her doctor visits! She weighs almost twenty pounds, now. She seems to have slowed down on her eating somewhat, but she always likes to have a bag of crackers in her hands --you know, just in case hunger strikes.
-The doctor did a full battery of blood tests including HIV even though Natalie had already had a lot of them before and they all came back negative. Woo hoo! She doesn't even have giardia or parasites which is kind of unusual but wonderful (our social worker said we're only one of two families she knows whose child hasn't come home with giardia).

-She's on her second round of antibiotics for ear infections and a terrible snotty nose. The problem is that we CANNOT get her to swallow it. We've tried hiding the liquid in her favorite foods, in formula, and in Sprite. We've tried sneaking a spoonful of medicine in between bites at mealtimes. We've tried laying her on her back and forcing the syringe to the back of her throat. She spits the stuff out. EVERY TIME. Any advice?

-She's trying so hard to talk. She says: doggie, kitty, and cracker (they all sound like "ga ga"). She says "arf." She says "up" when we go up the stairs. She says "wa" for "water." (Giving kisses)

-She's not afraid of anything. She's up for any adventure: swimming pool, sledding, aquarium--you name it, she'll try it. I thought she would be shy and timid. Nope! (Catching snowflakes)


(Sledding--note the graham cracker in each hand for snacking emergencies)


(The aquarium. Sharks? I'm not afraid of sharks!) (Holding a real live Easter bunny at the church Easter party)

(Bunny hop sack race--note the cracker in her left hand)

-We had our one-month post placement visit with out social worker this week. Fifteen minutes before our appointment Natalie fell into the gutter and got her first major owie. Naturally. I'm not sure what social workers look for at these visits--ours makes us feel like we're just catching up with an old friend.

(Ouch!)

-We're going to dinner at an Ethiopian restaurant with our Ethiopian group tonight. It will be Natalie's first Ethiopian food since we got home. I can't wait to see what she does with that injera...

2 comments:

  1. so sweet. This is a great update, she looks like she is GREAT!

    ReplyDelete
  2. You know what I think is funny? I think N looks a little like you!!

    ReplyDelete