Home Six Weeks Now

For those of you who haven't stopped following our journey, sorry for the delay! Being home with an infant and a preschooler is a busy, but very fun, time. I've been home six weeks today and left China about six weeks and five hours ago, if anyone is keeping track. As I update the blog this morning at a VERY early hour, it is early evening in China and the weather is very similar to the time when we traveled. Sitting here updating the site, it almost feels like I am still in one of those hotel rooms, Katie and mom snoozing away. However I was just interrupted by a hungry baby crying at 5am, which actually didn't happen in China. My "perfect sleeper" now gets up about every 4 hours for a bottle, but she does go right back down. She's still in bed by 6pm and up at 7am, so I can't complain. While getting up in the middle of the night isn't my idea of a party, I always indulge her because I know that for the first nine months, Katie didn't have the luxury of being fed on demand. I'm just glad she's learned to stand up for her right to food at 2am.

This is actually my last day of "maternity leave," though for the self-employed it shouldn't be confused with something you are paid to do. I'm lucky to work with a group of women who were able to let me take this time to be with Katie and still have work to return to on Monday. In the last couple of weeks, we've hired a nanny named Denise who we're really excited about. We ended up using a nanny service to find her, but we think she'll be worth every penny. I'll be working 3 days a week for now and Denise will be in our house taking care of the kids. While I've loved being home full-time for awhile, I really think part-time work is what keeps me sane. It helps that I really do love my work and the people that I work with.

So what is Katie really up to? Well, she's had 2 pediatrician visits and is now "up to" 16-1/2 lbs. and 27-1/2 inches. She's tracking at the 50%-iles for height and weight, and that's compared to American babies (there are actually different growth charts for Southern China children). She seems so petite compared to her big brother who wasn't, that we were pleasantly surprised that she is completely average. Almost all of her blood work and other tests have come back with no problems and her overall health is great. She's never even had a cold yet. We just finished the last of her evaluations by physical, occupational and developmental therapists and they have proclaimed her almost completely 'caught up' and not in need of any therapy now. There is a great state program that helps you get these evaluations done, and it has been really interesting to see the therapists interact with her. I've learned a lot myself just from these visits.

Katie has been sitting up by herself since she was home a week, and now easily stands at toys. She is just about to crawl and seems to go backwards easier than forwards. She had been rolling herself across the room, so I'm not certain that she sees the need to crawl! Katie loves to eat and is slowly working her way to consuming the regular family meal instead of baby food. She's doing about half baby foods/cereal and half "real" food mashed up now. She had 6 teeth, which is 4 more than she had in China. Luckily, she is a fairly happy teether. Well, she's really just a happy baby. She really only cries when hungry, over tired or (a new one) when she has a dirty diaper. If all babies were like Katie, I really might take a dozen

Alex continues to be a proud big brother. Almost every day at preschool, he has to take her around and 'show' her to friends and teachers. This despite the fact that they've all seen lots of Katie by now! Katie is a bit of a star at her preschool visits, and particularly the little girls and a little boy named Brent love to visit with her.

Speaking of visiting, the one thing I didn't really prepare for was the attention that we'd continue to get from strangers even after we came home. Now I realize Katie is just about the cutest baby on the planet, but I tend to think our family draws more interest than the average. Katie gets lots of complements and almost every day someone I've never met engages me in a conversation about international adoption. I can only say that I've only had one encounter, and it was really more staring than an encounter, that made me uncomfortable. You can pick up someone's vibe pretty easily, and most everyone I come across is positive.

Katie is 11 months old today. Just one month left before her first birthday. It feels like we've been running through milestones lately, and I'm looking forward to this one because I'm hopeful we'll get to rest for awhile afterward! As her birthday approaches, I find myself thinking about her birthmother more and more. I'm certain that she thinks of Katie more often now that that day is approaching, too. Katie turns 1 on Mother's Day, which has incredible meaning to me. I really never understood how important motherhood was to me until it was dangled in front of me, yet just out of reach. It took a jet and a lot of paperwork, but finally I am able to enjoy a Mother's Day without wanting more. At least for awhile. If our checkbook allows and Brad agrees, I think Alex could get at least part of his wish for 2 more baby sisters.

Three weeks after coming home, several good friends threw us a baby shower to welcome home baby Katie. It was SO fun to get lots of pink after years of blue and trucks!

Our angel napping in the back of the double stroller.

The cake Anjelica had made for the shower celebrating Katie's "rooster" (Chinese birth year) status. A bit ironic, as one of our more common nicknames for Alex is "Rooster."

Alex loves his baby sister. And she adores him!

Katie is always happy to see Grandma and can't understand why she doesn't live with her anymore...

I have more photos, but blogger isn't cooperating. I'll try to get back to here sooner next time!