Friday, January 19, 2007

Preparing...Nina and Jonas

Recently I got the idea to see if starfish has some symbolism to it. Apparently in China Starfish means love. I was trying to find out some of this information and so I went to google and typed in Starfish China Love. I almost fell of the chair when I saw what was on the screen. I was the first result!!! That is just so wild. After that I could not think straight, my big head and all, and I never did find the answer to this question.

We are busy getting ready for Nina's family who just arrived in China yesterday. We are so excited to see them and have them meet Nina. Even though it is not required, I prepare as many things as I can for the families. There are tons of photos, inoculation certificates, medical reports such as MRI, echos and X rays and doctors reports from the surgeries if i have them. We also keep daily schedules with information how much the babies drink and eat, diaper changes and medication they take. I also make comments about their milestones and cute things they do hoping that it will be a great memento for the years to come and that there will never be a missing part of their life story. I think the reason that I have tried to be so faithful about that is in my previous life I scrapbooked. I still love it but I do not get to do much of that. I think I would have to clone myself for that to happen. I know the power of keeping a memory alive and no more so because there needs to be a record kept since there is no mom to remember all the early details. In some way I feel it is also a tangible act of love. Maybe the babies will know how much we all loved them over here by the entries we make all day long.

At the same time I have been getting Jonas' stuff ready to. I know he has been matched with a family but the agency he is with have refused to have anything to do with me. The only information I have about them is that they have an older daughter that they adopted and so we wait. If we do hear from them, there is not going to be much time to get ready. I heard from the big O four days before Amanda and Laura Joan's family arrived in Xian. I do not worry about him too much. Jonas will go with anyone who gives him food and goes outside with him, preferably at the same time. He is such a boy. He has the strongest body you have ever felt in a child. I think he is working out secretly at night. He has abs of steel.

Out of the first six, Antoinette is the only one left. I have no idea what so ever what is happening with her dossier. She is getting cuter and cuter and the Chinese fall over themselves to get to her. We went out to lunch with my friend John's parents and everybody wanted to play with Antoinette. She is more social than Nina who is needs time to warms up to people. They thought Antoinette and Nina were twins. I found that so funny since the last weigh on Tuesday Antoinette now weighs more than Nina.

The dossiers for the next six is safe at the big O and we will wait to hear what is happening with them over the next few weeks. The last time it took about two months to get from here to the CCAA and for the first names to appear on the agency lists. I am sure like last time there will be many eagle eyes that will let me know when that happens.

Angel who is growing rounder by the day is beginning to walk. I am hoping like every one else so far, she will slim down once she is running around. She is going to be the first female NFL line backer if she continues this. She is so incredibly strong and just plows her way through the other babies. I joke and often call her Armstrong. One because she has such strong arms and two she has the most distinctive cry almost sounds like a baby Louis Armstrong. All I need is a Armstrong family to adopt her. She loves food and at 14 months she is still walking up twice a night for bottles.

The younger babies are still have rattly chests and we continue to nebulize them twice a day. I was hoping that Jeannie, Nathaniel, Rachel and Sean they would be fully recovered by now but it has been a really long fight. They have also not been eating as well as I would like but all we can do is try. I hate the fact that these babies have such a strong will not to do what they are suppose to, especially if they are suppose to be having milk. Sean is also belly laughing. The first time I heard that I was so amazed. He is six months but it sounded like a small child. Nathaniel has gone from 1 to 2 oz to 2 and 3. He grew 3.5cm during the past two months and I am so pleased about that. He still is not thriving but I am just happy that he is improving. He's face is filling out and growing bigger. That is a funny thing to say I am sure, but when he got here it looked like his face had been squashed.

I will send some photos soon.

Love and laughter,
Amanda
Waiting for Nina's family to come and get her.

4 comments:

TBG Happenings said...

All the work that you do preparing your babies for their families (schedules, milestones.likes and dislikes etc) is so wonderful! What a priceless gift!!

Maryellen

ps
I am sorry that Jona's agency is not being very cooperative.

Calico Sky said...

You are truly inspirational. I would love to hear about how you got started. Do you need/accept donations or volunteers. Your blog and seeing the babies it simply wonderful. I can't wait to follow more of your journey.
Kate
http://aspecialfamily.blogspot.com

redmaryjanes said...

Amanda,
I did a posting on my blog telling other adoptive families to view your site. It is truly amazing what you do. I would really like to link you to my site. Please let me know if that is ok with you. I don't know what rules you have to work with. I think every parent adopting from China should get to see what you do and how much you love your children there.
Please let me know if that is ok with you.

www.seventhdiamond.blogspot.com

kgembs said...

Being a fellow South African, and adopting from China, we are thrilled to come across your blog. How on earth did this all transpire? We are looking into opening/sponsoring an orphanage and have been looking into various places in Africa. We would love to chat and find out more from you. Vasbyt with the little ones and hugs and butterfly kisses to all.
Kim