Sarah/Lily's two month update

Today Lily went for her 2 year-old checkup with our family doctor. She had missed her nap and was tired and was now getting hungry too. Fortunately one of the nurses had a banana in her lunch and graciously gave it to Lily, which made her happy until she had to get her blood drawn. She didn't like that one bit! She cried loudly through the whole thing but they were able to get what they needed and without having to stick her more than once. Last Friday we took Lily to our local cleft lip and palate team and she has a fistula, which is why liquids and some food come out of her left nostril. They said it should be repaired before she's 4 years old, but they don't want to do it too soon if it's not causing her any serious problems. They said they did another girl from China not too long ago but that the little girl had only been home with her family for a short time and in hindsight they felt it was a truamatic experience for her and they should have waited until she had been home with her family longer. So probably some time between 3 and 4 years old we will have that surgery done. The dentist said her teeth looked really good. Lily loves to have her teeth brushed, she seems to really like the toothpaste. Lily is also enjoying using the potty. We seem to have especially good results every morning after breakfast and then she gets 2 mini M&M's, which she loves. In fact, when I ask her if she is all done, she will say "No" if she's not finished. She likes to look at her books when she's on the potty, just like her brothers! :) In the verbal department she is very proficient at saying Mommy and her "Daniel" sounds like Nanel. She calls her Daddy Mommy alot of the time and she doesn't say Luke or Joseph yet that I can tell. We taught her "more" and "please" in sign language, which she is very good at, although she is saying more and trying to say please. She also says Elmo and she likes to tuck him into bed in a little doll cradle. She points to her mouth when she wants to eat, which I think is so funny, and she is saying "eye, nose, mouth, night-night," and a few others too. She definitely understands more than she can verbalize. I can't wait until she's talking more. She is absolutely great about taking naps and going to bed, which is so wonderful. When she gets tired she will crawl up into my lap and rest her head on me and she really likes to put her hand down my shirt, which seems to be a comfort thing for her. She also does it to her Dad. Lily is quite afraid of animals. We have an indoor/outdoor cat who she is afraid of, but also very interested in. If he comes near her or looks directly at her she starts screaming or whining. She is getting better with him though, and he seems to be handling the noise and commotion better than we expected him to. All the boys love her so much and play with her all the time. Right now she's a bit of a distraction for them during school time. I think Lily especially likes Luke because he is so tall and can pick her up so she can touch the ceiling. She definitely prefers Mom, but she does great with Dad and is also doing well with my mom. My dad can really make her smile, but she's not ready to go to him yet. One day at church I was in the toddler room with her and some of the other kids began playing Ring Around the Rosie and she wanted to join in. She couldn't figure out the "we all fall down!" part, so she would just stand there and watch us. But after about 5 or 6 times she started to fall down when everyone else did. It was so much fun to watch. After we were done she kept taking the other kids' hands because she wanted to keep playing! She also loves her bath time now. When I begin running the water she likes to get her rubber numbers and throw them in the tub. She also likes to drink the bathwater! Yuck! She seems to be a happy girl and very good-natured, but she also has a strong independent and stubborn streak too. We love her so much!! Luke says she's the cutest baby sister in the whole world!!

Lily is saying more and more words all the time. This last week she finally said "Daddy" clearly and she is calling Joseph "Jo Jo" since it's easier. I still can't make out anything that sounds like Luke yet. Some of the words she says that I can think of are: hug, happy, apple, ball, pee, poop, outside, woof, cow, moo.

Love, Kelly

Life, Love and Laughter,

Amanda
Starfish Foster Homehttp://chinesestarfish.blogspot.com

www.chinesestarfish.org