Home for two months

Crabcakes or cupcakes
Well it can't be true but it is...we have been back home for two months! When I think about the first few weeks....well forget it, I'd rather not think about those first few weeks. I remember thinking "we'll never be able to have anyone over" Well so far, we've had playdates in the backyard and even a Memorial Day BBQ (Fran and Bob surprised us and crashed the party!) I was so happy to have sister Fran here to meet Chloe. Of course Chloe was charming. She really knows how to charm the visitors and save the evil for me! I told her the other day- Mommy doesn't want any crabcakes, only cupcakes. She didn't listen. Anyway we have all made remarkable changes and progress in these past two months.

Communicating
Chloe is understanding more English and vocalizes all the time. She tries so hard to imitate sounds and words. I think she probably uses 25-30 signs. Now she points to pictures in a book and signs "duck" or "cat" or whatever. She signs "water" when she is thirsty. Whenever I say something about Daddy she signs "daddy". She calls "Anna" all the time but still does not use a word for me or Lee. If you say where's mama, she will say mama and point to me but she will not call me intentionally.

Photos from the SWI (Social Welfare Institute or orphanage)
We had paid a service (redthread.com) to send a cake to Chloe for Chinese New Year, to have additional questions answered and to take photos of her in her previous home. It was very costly but we thought we wanted pictures for her to see when she was older and curious about her early life. Well the questions were never answered but on gotcha day the nanny did give us the roll of film. I've had it in my pocketbook for two months and last week I finally had it developed. The pictures really broke my heart. First of all it was January and everyone had on heavy coats and layers of clothes underneath meaning there was little heat in the dead of winter. I had seen pictures of the SWI but hoped things were better. The rooms were sparse, just some tables and a lot of cribs. No pictures on the walls, no toys to be seen...just nothing. What do these kids do all day? All of the employees looked happy and the kids seemed happy to be eating cake, including Chloe. But the saddest part was the older kids looking at Chloe eating her cake. What were these 9, 10, 11 year old children thinking? Why haven't I been picked? It just broke my heart and made me feel badly that I even sent the cake and had all of that attention on Chloe. But at least they were able to have a diversion in their day and all enjoy the beautiful cake. I did find out that one 5 year old boy in the photos is being adopted soon so I am trying to contact his parents to see if they want copies of the photos.

Mirror Image
When Anna is home, Chloe plays with her but checks on my whereabouts often. When it is just me and Chloe she follows...me....everywhere. It I step to the right, she steps to the right. If I walk from the refrigerator to the stove, she does too. Now I am the kind of person who needs my space so this is not my favorite behavior. Yes I understand where it's coming from but STILL. I. NEED. SOME. SPACE!!!!!!! I know.... at some point she'll be ignoring me in front of her friends. BTW we now have 5 baby gates to keep everyone safe. And I can lock the girls out of the kitchen when I cook dinner.

Surgery
On Monday Chloe goes into Schneiders Childrens Hospital for her palate surgery. She was supposed to have tubes put in at the same time but that was cancelled due to scheduling problems. So that will be another surgery in the near future but that is a quickie. We expect the palate surgery to be 2-4 hours:( I will stay with her at the hospital and Lee will come home to be with Anna and my mom. Thank God for my mom! From what I hear the recovery is rough. Very painful for the first week. Only soft foods (yogurt, pudding, etc) AND she cannot use a utensil. That will be the hardest part. Chloe is Miss Independent. Now I will have to feed her through a ziploc bag or drop the food in her mouth from a huge serving spoon. After a few days she can eat scrambled eggs and such with her hands. Also I hear that night terrors increase so we are are in for it because she has night terrors every night lately.
Please say a prayer.