Patrick is back to work and I am on maternity leave which means that Katie is "stuck" with me during the weekdays. This past week, she really began warming up to me, letting me hold her and kiss all over her and she even began babbling with me, which had been something only reserved for her daddy and siblings. I was so thrilled! Once daddy was home in the evenings, she preferred spending time in his arms, opposed to mine, but I wasn't offended since I got to hog her all day long. She has begun to understand so many english words as well! She understands changing her diaper, snack time, bottle, and even nap time because she goes to hide in a closet! I find her peaking out from behind daddy's suits! She is still not saying any english words but with the language barrier and the speach delays due to institutionalization, I am pleased to see her babbling and experimenting with words. She will point at an object and look to me for an explanation of what the object is.
Over the weekend, we did take some steps backwards, however we took her to a pumpkin patch and I think that may have been a bit overwhelming. She then proceeded to refuse any affection from me and wouldn't let me hold her which was honestly hearbreaking, after making such strides. Tomorrow is Monday, so we will have more alone time which means 5 days of hopeful progress!
I have to say, that Brooke and Austin have been so amazing through this process. I really expected them to struggle more with the adaptation of a little sister, and they have been truly remarkable. Austin puts her to bed at night which is so sweet. He climbes into the crib with her and strokes her head until she is sound asleep. Katie cuddles up against him and is out like a light within 5 minutes, and Austin is soooo proud of himself! And Brooke, whom I thought would really struggle with a new baby sister, has just smothered this poor child with love! She literally mauls the poor child with hugs and kisses. I don't think another child has received so many kisses in a single day. Katie is such a trooper and puts up with it, and even seems to enjoy it. She follows her brother and sister everywhere and they get to running around the house screaming jiberish wish makes Katie laugh until she snorts like a pig. Pretty darn cute, if you ask this mama pig.
Brooke also wants to feed her all her meals, which means that I have been replaced in that department but its too hard to tell Brooke "no" as she enjoys it so.
I have loved watching Katie flourish, seeing that she is gaining confidence to tell me when she is hungry. She goes to her highchair and pats the seat when she wants food and she has learned that mama comes a runnin' with fistfulls of snacks when she does this. I want her to realize that she can get food when her belly is grumbling and that she will no longer only have 2 meals a day.
We had our first doctors appointment this past week, and she passed with preliminary flying colors. We still have to run some blood work at the hospital and meet with a children's neuro surgeon, but she was 50% in height and 25% in weight on the american scale, so she is healthy and thriving. A little excema medication and we were on our way!
To sign out, I just want to say thank you to all of you who have followed our journey and prayed for our family along the way. It has meant the world to us, and we are so incredibly grateful for the support and good friends that we have as our support system. At church today I weeped through the entire service as I looked at my newest daughter in my husbands arms and realized how incredibly blessed we are. We all needed each other. Katie needed a family, and we needed a little girl to bring us more love, hugs and giggles (or pig snorts, whatever you want to call them). Austin and Brooke are so much more enriched with their new little sister and although I see some attachement therapy in our near future, I think that our family will soon feel whole and normal and fulfilled in short order.
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