A Starfish Update September 4: Amanda is Waddling

When baby Amanda first came and people saw her hands and feet the biggest concern they had was whether she was going to walk or not. I had no idea what to expect and I was so worried that she would not be able to. I find it so ironic that she became the youngest of the babies to walk, before Laura even, whom I thought would have been the one because she is so gifted athletically. Amanda surprised me this week. She is so incredibility proud of her ability to move around. She just loves waddling from person to person. She is not walking around the apartment yet, but I am sure that is not going to take long before she does that. Antoinette has been the one who is walking all around. As I watch the babies I think they have got one of life's most important lessons down: If you fall, get back up again. I am so thrilled when I see their perseverance in sticking with same thing until they can do it and to watch them reach such an important milestone. I did not think I would ever see this because I imagined the babies would have been adopted by now.

Jonas has been extremely fussy these past few weeks. A couple of days ago I looked in his mouth and I could not believe my eyes. If I am right, the boy is pushing out eight teeth which would include four molars. I am not sure yet. I feel like a dentist at times, looking into mouths, counting teeth and feeling their gums for bumps and emerging teeth. Jonas has been so cute!!! He out grew almost all the clothes we have for him and all the new things we got is so boy-like that he is looking like quite the man. I sit on the mats with the babies a lot and Jonas is coming by for these hugs and staying for a cuddle and then going off to play and then he comes back for another dose of loving.

Benjamin is now crawling around the apartment. So another rugrat to be aware of when you are walking around. Last night I noticed Angel is able to pull herself along using her arms and her legs are beginning to pump so I am sure it is not going to be long before she is crawling too.

Antoinette has had three Chinese families ask about adopting her in the last two weeks. There was another woman here this morning. I keep on referring them to the orphanage so I do not know what happens. I have not heard anything about any foreign adoption either, so she remains our mystery girl.

Sean is doing well. The last time I weighed him he was up to 2.9kg. That has been a weigh gain of 0.6kg in two and a half weeks. He is sleeping much better but his nose is still so clogged up and he has a hard time breathing and feeding at the same time. He is still getting medication for that. He is downing 3oz bottles and sleeping much more than he was before.

A Chinese woman from the 22nd floor came and told me that she was at the hospital when a couple abandoned a 2 month old girl because she had heart problems. The mother asked a cleaning woman to hold the baby while she went to the bathroom and then never returned. I am trying to find the baby but I am still not yet sure what happened to her. We could be adding another wee one soon.

I will keep you posted.

Love and laughter,
Amanda and the 13 wee ones.