More Doctor visits for Faith-Let it Goooooo!

Well we're still here! School is already out for us homeschoolers even though we will continue to school during the summer to brush up on other skills. I will have to post pics later. Faith has stepped on some very huge mile stones of progress. She speaks in phrases and belts out Frozen's 'Let it go' song every so often. She is quite funny! She is demanding at times, but is a great communicator, I don't think I have ever parented such a communicator. She closes her eyes to pray and says "amen!" Another example is: one night, she was repeatedly yelling out at 10 pm, "Mommy, mom, mommy, mom, ma"....and then I replied with a "go to sleep now Faith" And then she continued with a "mooooooooom". And I said "sleep". And then there was some silence again and then she said "Jeannie, Jeannie". Freddy and I laughed hysterically. She will not stop until she gets what she wants....hmmm sounds familiar. She even likes having bows in her hair. Ok, on another note regarding her physical progress. We have seen a physical therapist who gave us a load of stuff we need to look for and to set up a plan for her muscle strength. Then we saw a neurologist who looked at her and said she seemed fine but wants to have another MRI of her brain because of the flatness of her skull. Sheeshhhh...they also want her to see a crania-facial surgeon, but we're not operating for aesthetical reasons. We also saw Dr. Herzler a neuro-surgeon, who is very important to the equation because he was one of the doctors who originally gave the ok to adopt Faith! We finally go to meet him, and he shared that his younger sister was adopted from China! He also confirmed Faith's MRI results. He explained everything so clearly! Wow! He showed us her little spine and the little cysts filled with fluid and how it relates to the lesion on her lower back. Well her nerves and spine are in tact and her little lesion on her back which indicates Spina Bifida, are not connected at all-which is great. The spine was completely formed, but the skin on the outer side was not. There are little air bubbles filled with meninge fluid, but they should close on their own he says and there is nothing to worry about. She should be able to have a full, active life!!! He says there is no need for physical therapy at this point. WOW! We will go ahead with her brain scan, just to have it on file and for the neurologist to take a look at as well, but both feel she will be fine and is completely healthy.And I second that as her mother! She is an amazing little girl, who we feel so blessed to parent and she is such a gift. I cannot even believe how healthy she is. So far, she has no allergies, she's still picky with food and fluids though. She is also, finally jumping and hopping around the house, as that was a concern of ours. I want to wish all of you blessings from the most High as He has flooded our family with such blessings. I ask that you never stop petitioning and praying for your needs and those of your friends and family members. He hears our prayers, He cares too. This month we are on the JOY JOURNEY into PASSOVER & EASTER. A great resource to this is THEHAPPYHOMEFAIRY.

Statements from an MRI result

As most of you are aware: we went into this adoption knowing, that Faith was diagnosed with Congenital Meningocele aka Spina Bifida. I probably chose not to post about some of the details most of the time. And through the tears and prayers while making decisions on our future daughter's life. I probably decided not post about the other diagnosis' the doctors were giving us along with Spina Bifida. Yes, this international adoption was surely different; because there was countless paper work, that we had to sign that stated again, and again, that we would be responsible regardless of the outcome of Faith's disease and life down the line. When we first received Faith in our arms her disease did not cross our minds just the love we already had for her was imbedded in our hearts. That same evening, I started to ponder about her body and future I listened to her breathing and I observed her wobbly legs and lack of desire to walk. I thought this child must have already accepted that she does not walk. So when we arrived home we thought we need prayers for this child and for us because of our new life full of more unknowns. With all of this, we finally had her sedated for an MRI which there were many obstacles before this delaying it. But after prayers, we finally went through with it and we then we waited and waited for the results. Yesterday, our Pediatrician called us back and he had not really taken time before hand to translate the results and so he did so on the phone with us. He slowly read out that Spina Bifida means 'split spine' and Faith's spine is not split. He read out that her spine is completely in tact, as well as all of her nerves. So she isn't even a candidate for tethered cord. The lesion she has on her buttocks is just a fatty cyst that I can look into for removal but it would be up to us. I say PRAISE OUR LORD JESUS IN THE HIGHEST! He did it, He healed our girl. All of those prayers for this child and for us I thank you Lord, I thank you. I thank you for your ministering angels and for all of the prayer warriors and for our church Rio. I thank you Lord, for you and what you have to done to our life by teaching us to walk in obedience, and to seek you and your will for this child. I encourage the rest of you to never be afraid with God. Don't be afraid of the labels the world wants to give us or these precious orphans. Look past the labels the way God looks past our defects and sees us as the creations He created to be perfect. Blessings to all of you and thank you for being apart of this blog. Amen. Isaiah 58:7-8 NIV "Is it not to divide your bread with the hungry And bring the homeless poor into the house; When you see the naked, to cover him; And not to hide yourself from your own flesh? Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear; then your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the LORD will be your rear guard.

1st Post placement-COMPLETED

China requires a 1 month, 6 months, 1 year and 3,4,5 year post placement. Phew...we've already completed our first one. Faith is doing so well! She is identifying what is hers and she loves, loves her kitchen and tea pots. She loves to sing, its the sweetest thing....she is just the sweetest. And she has the best big sister and big brothers ever. Things that she does: She throws her dolls up in the air and says she loves them. She carries around her new baby Anna doll every where she goes. She makes me tea and loves to serve mommy food. She loves to kiss me and constantly touches my face (sigh) She is still weary of dad. She loves her grandmothers She loves bath time She copies her sister's ballet moves She is starting to run and hop around and chase the dog she is still hiding food She likes to look at herself in the mirror She likes to brush her teeth She likes lip gloss and painted nails She likes when I clip her nails and toenails She's scared of loud noises still She still has night terrors

Happy Birthday Princesses!

Trouble Shooting

1st Doctor Visit

Today was our first Doctor's visit.

Our Doctor was quite impressed with Faith's development and attachment to us (so are we;) Faith is small for her age and is in the low percentile for growth.
And of course we had to give blood and poo for the lab. Now we just wait to see what is next for us. So far we know that Faith's Spina Bifida is internal and not external, meaning it was never open. Her little spot is very low on her bum and not on her back and she is walking. She has mild Eczema (hence the scratching). We do not know much about her Spina Bifida at this point-without the MRI and sonogram.


So far her English vocabulary includes:

No
Ya
Don't do that
Mama
Dada
Dede (Frederick)
Ma (Mackenzie)
Op (Hope)
Yaya (grandma paternal)
Nana (grandma maternal)
I La Hoo for I love you
Good Girl
Hello
Bye Bye
Ryder (our dog)
Peekaboo (and covers her eyes) Paith for Faith (she says this often)

Her comprehension is off the charts. She blows kisses and give high fives. She will go and get her shoes and put it on herself. She will clean up her toys. She will climb up and down stairs. She will answer the phones. She's obsessed with the dog cage and climbing in it (eww).

Faith will turn 3 years old in March. But we plan on celebrating her birthday with Hopee this February 15, God willing.

I LA HOO

I have decided to blog today!

Everything is happening to fast and it is hard to keep track of the time and the days.
Faith is still adjusting to her daddy-and she smiles and talks to him on the phone but she does not want to sit with him alone yet. It doesn't help that he has been snoring lately either-I guess we're all tired with the new changes. Her sleeping patterns are up and down and it has been hard figuring her out. Her eating habits are also...uhm interesting as she is always hungry! She hides food in drawers and in her high chair and in her clothes. She is the only child in the house that runs to the dinner table every chance possible. So yes there are behaviors that she has brought from the orphanage and we know she is trying to figure this all out. She is picky as well. She doesn't like milk, Almond milk, chocolate milk, formula or Pedia Ensure. None of it. So we have been giving her yogurt. She loves eggs and cereal but not oatmeal. Our neighbors from Taiwan have been so wonderful, they bring rice congee every three days for her and that has helped. But food is still a trial and error ordeal around here. Our dog Ryder seems to be very happy, as Faith is constantly, flinging mysterious foods over to him. He is also very protective of her that it kind of drives me nuts at times to hear him barking at who ever is approaching her. We have gotten back into homeschool rather smoothly, it helps me keep my mind sane I think with the lack of sleep and with Faith being so clingy to me. She does some pretty, funny things at times though: like when she throws her hands up in the morning for me to hold her and then whacking me in the face and saying, "Ma I la hoo!" Yes, we can thank the boys for showing her that hitting is funny. Because I am constantly putting creams on her for her itching and scratching, so she now attempts to put cream on us. I can see that she finds that funny and I guess relates that to caring. She is constantly screaming out "ma" and sometimes she sings to me and I don't understand her and my neighbors from Taiwan say they don't understand her either. So go figure. She also has a habit of talking on the phone...she walks around and babbles and laughs on her play phone-guess I am looking at myself in the mirror? She is running around here like she's got wheels on her heels and she climbs the stairs...scary, yes but she is quite confident now. She loves Hope's room and I am glad because it will be nice when they are in the same room. She's still sucking that thumb but smiles at me when I ask her what she is doing with that...that's when she responds in English and says "dondodat" and then "BUYAOW" which is Mandarin for don't. She often wants to snuggle with me and kiss me and she loves to be kissed back. Its adorable to have her around here and its so funny discovering her little personality-as every day its something new. I am sure its hardest for my husband though, and I sympathize for him greatly...we've tried to do certain activities like bike riding, where she is in the wagon behind him-she loved that. I've also left them together, like twice which didn't go great the first time, but went better the second and I got to see her smile at me when I returned home. We have not seen her Pediatrician yet, in which I am kind of anxious because now she has a slight cold. I have been blessed that I have been able to be home with her all this time without disruption. As next week I will begin tutoring again and I will have to leave her in the nursery-I hope it goes well, sigh. I just want to protect her because I know this has all been so hard on her. Faith's adoption is definitely unique because of her loss. It wouldn't be right not to blog about it. I am sure every child goes through their own way of grieving and Faith's has been obvious to me. So I take her 'I la hoos' very seriously when she expresses them. We are trying to speak to her in English and in Mandarin, so that she understands what we are saying and at the same time, we want to communicate effectively with her. Though my neighbors and I agree that there was probably not a lot of dialogue between Faith and her nannies...as she is very intrigued by conversation. When we play videos of her orphanage she always stops and stares....and it kind of breaks my heart I know they are apart of her and so they are apart of us too. We miss China and those precious kids.