Katie, beau Katie!
Katie is just as described in the information we had previously been provided of her. She is active, attentive, outgoing and easy to take care of. So far, she has not really cried except for protesting the bottle we keep trying to give her or a few whimpers in her sleep, but she easily rocks back to sleep so I can hardly call this crying. She is so cute and vulnerable looking when she is sleeping - I want to just pick her up and hug her. Just before meeting her yesterday, we filled in many forms "promising never to abandon her, never to mistreat her and to always love her". These powerful and emotional words brings tears to my eyes as I write them because it is obvious to us that we would commit to this even without having to make the promise in writing. (Obviously, it's Donna writing.)
Katie likes to sooth herself by sucking on her wrist, much like her cousin Conrad did when he was a baby and used to suck on his arm. We decided not to give her a pacifier as she is at the age when parents typically try to wean their babies off of one.
We have been provided with more information on Katie and the other babies through a group meeting with the orphanage staff. Here is some of the information we have been given:
- most of the babies are recovering from colds including Katie. (Although she has a runny nose, she is not coughing and does not sound congested.)
- the orphanage is air-conditioned. (This is good news, given how hot this region can get in the summer.)
- Katie is close to another baby, Ella Simone. (She is the daughter of Vladimir and Lara, one of the couples we have become friends with through this adoption process. This is great news as we all live in the same city and the 2 babies can continue to play together. )
The orphanage staff also returned the 2 disposable cameras that we sent as soon as we received her referral. We are looking forward to pictures of her earlier life (although only the past couple of months) - hopefully they turn out.
The tap water here is not potable so we have been very careful not to drink it or even brush our teeth with it. We even try to keep our mouths closed when showering - thanks for the tip, Bean! When bathing Katie last night, we were careful not to get water in her eyes or mouth, but even in her bath she likes to suck on her wet wrist once in a while.
She has not been drinking as much formula as we were told she had been. We even tried giving her the same formula as what the orphanage give her. She has had some of this and some of the Good Start recommended by my doctor. However, she has been napping longer and more often than the 1/2 to 1 hour we were told. It's probably her body adjusting to the long bus ride and new environment.
Despite the date on this posting (Vancouver time), it is currently Monday morning here in CQ. Katie whimpered a bit so we fed her and changed her diaper, both while she had her eyes closed. She likes to be held before falling into a deeper sleep so Marty is going to explore the hotel with her across his shoulder.
Katie is just as described in the information we had previously been provided of her. She is active, attentive, outgoing and easy to take care of. So far, she has not really cried except for protesting the bottle we keep trying to give her or a few whimpers in her sleep, but she easily rocks back to sleep so I can hardly call this crying. She is so cute and vulnerable looking when she is sleeping - I want to just pick her up and hug her. Just before meeting her yesterday, we filled in many forms "promising never to abandon her, never to mistreat her and to always love her". These powerful and emotional words brings tears to my eyes as I write them because it is obvious to us that we would commit to this even without having to make the promise in writing. (Obviously, it's Donna writing.)
Katie likes to sooth herself by sucking on her wrist, much like her cousin Conrad did when he was a baby and used to suck on his arm. We decided not to give her a pacifier as she is at the age when parents typically try to wean their babies off of one.
We have been provided with more information on Katie and the other babies through a group meeting with the orphanage staff. Here is some of the information we have been given:
- most of the babies are recovering from colds including Katie. (Although she has a runny nose, she is not coughing and does not sound congested.)
- the orphanage is air-conditioned. (This is good news, given how hot this region can get in the summer.)
- Katie is close to another baby, Ella Simone. (She is the daughter of Vladimir and Lara, one of the couples we have become friends with through this adoption process. This is great news as we all live in the same city and the 2 babies can continue to play together. )
The orphanage staff also returned the 2 disposable cameras that we sent as soon as we received her referral. We are looking forward to pictures of her earlier life (although only the past couple of months) - hopefully they turn out.
The tap water here is not potable so we have been very careful not to drink it or even brush our teeth with it. We even try to keep our mouths closed when showering - thanks for the tip, Bean! When bathing Katie last night, we were careful not to get water in her eyes or mouth, but even in her bath she likes to suck on her wet wrist once in a while.
She has not been drinking as much formula as we were told she had been. We even tried giving her the same formula as what the orphanage give her. She has had some of this and some of the Good Start recommended by my doctor. However, she has been napping longer and more often than the 1/2 to 1 hour we were told. It's probably her body adjusting to the long bus ride and new environment.
Despite the date on this posting (Vancouver time), it is currently Monday morning here in CQ. Katie whimpered a bit so we fed her and changed her diaper, both while she had her eyes closed. She likes to be held before falling into a deeper sleep so Marty is going to explore the hotel with her across his shoulder.
posted by Meese the Cat at
2:38 PM
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