Two Weeks Home

We have been home with Sophia for two weeks today.  To say that this adoption has been life changing for all of us is putting it mildly.  In some ways it feels like an eternity since we came home, and in other ways, it feels like yesterday.  It is very hard for me to put into words all that I have felt and experienced the last two weeks.  Maybe someday I will be able to articulate it better...once I have some time to process it all.

As far as Sophia is concerned, every day there have been little milestones, little improvements.  She and I have definitely bonded this past week, and I can now say that I am starting to enjoy her little personality.  It takes some time to get to know someone, and we haven't had that luxury for very long.  The lack of ability to communicate with language is difficult, but she certainly finds ways--both pleasant and unpleasant--to get her point across!  Sophia really enjoyed her Mom Mom this week (my mother) and when Dave saw her this morning after being away all week, she remembered him without any difficulty.  Her memory is very good, actually.  Her eating has improved this week, although it is still an arduous task to get her to eat sometimes.  Her favorite food is her rice powder/oatmeal cereal bottle that we make for her, but she also really likes the Beechnut turkey and rice baby food.  We have introduced milk into her bottle on the recommendation of our pediatrician, and Sophia has tolerated it just fine.  (Her foster parents said they took her off of milk because it caused her to be constipated.)  She has gone from screaming through bath time to playing in the tub...another thing her foster family said she hated.  Progress, I'd say!

The biggest thing I was struggling with when we got home was Sophia's lack of sleep at night.  I'm still struggling with anxiety at night because of my lack of sleep and several nights of screaming on her part! However, this week she has done much better, and thanks to my mom taking "monitor duty", I got some much needed rest, too!  Last night, in fact, she slept through the night...we'll see how tonight goes before we celebrate too wildly, though!  It's been trial and error, but we now have her sleeping upstairs in our extra bedroom in a pack and play.  We have a fan running and piano music playing all night.  There is also a little nightlight in the room.  Whatever works!

Our four boys have done pretty well with their new sister.  There has been a little jealousy at times from Nathaniel, but for the most part he loves his "baby sister".  He and Benjamin like to run back and forth in the living room and make her laugh.  Sabastian interacts very nicely with her and she really seems to like him.  Maybe he reminds her of her foster brother.  Jonathan is a bit stand-offish with her, but she is working on him.  (The fact that she somehow kicked his already damaged DS and broke it completely tonight probably didn't help matters, but maybe he'll remember not to leave things like that lying around!)  There is never a dull moment in our home, that's for sure!

I know I need to post some photos.  We have to submit 40 photos with our one month post placement report, so I have been snapping photos like crazy, hoping to get some half decent ones to send back to Taiwan.  I don't have the energy tonight, but want to get this posted, so I will try tomorrow or Monday.  I again wish to thank all of you for your prayers and encouragement.  God has worked in our family's life through you, and one day Sophia will understand just how much she was loved by so many!