Ava woke up about 4 times last night, but went back to sleep in her crib with a little patting on the belly. She comes alive when it is just the few of us in our room or in the hotel play room, but she shuts down while we are in public places. We went to visit some beautiful gardens with our travel group this morning and she got a little too hot in the baby carrier--so I got puked on for the first time in a while. She was feeling better at lunch and now she and Ba Ba (daddy) are taking a nap. We did notice that she seems to have a rattle in her chest after she eats or drinks, so we are watching that. Her leg is a little better today, but it is still very sensitive for her and she hates to have her diaper changed. You can tell she used her legs and arms to defend herself from the bigger kids at the orphanage. Every time Emma comes near or I am changing her diaper, those arms start to swing and legs start to kick! She is learning the meaning of no or boo in Chinese very quickly!
When we got Ava, we immediately noticed that one side of her head is very flat and the other is not. We didn't know if she had been in an accident or maybe this happened at birth. When we saw some photos taken at her orphanage just a few weeks ago, we found out why she has such a mis-shaped head. Her crib had a piece of plywood in it for a mattress. No pillow, no padding, no blanket, just a plain board. The pictures showed the toddlers sleeping on these sheets of wood. I cry even typing this email to think about that. We will take her to the doctor when we get home, but hopefully it is something that she will grow out of with proper care. You should see her beautiful eyes, mouth, and cheeks--she will melt your heart with her smile.
There are some guys washing the windows outside my room right now--they are crazy--we are on the 27th floor! I just got back from shopping for a few little outfits for Ava. I had to get some 12 month pants because the 18 month sizes just fall off of her tiny little bottom. We are going to a Thai restaurant for a group dinner tonight and then to a temple of some sort tomorrow. I will post more photos later after we've downloaded the one's from the garden today. Hope everyone is well today and thanks again for following our trip!
.jpg)
6 comments:
We love seeing photos of all of you together. It must be amazing getting to know Ava! We are sure you are all anxious to get back, and have her checked out by a doctor here! It is so sad that those are the conditions in the orphanages in China! Enjoy your touring around, it sounds like fun!
Oh, it made me literally cry to read about the plywood board that she laid on in the SWI. However, as hard as it is to accept that, I still really feel that the babies at QuJiang are fairly well taken care of. They get good nutrition at that orphanage compared to some others; and when we met the director and nanny in Aug 2005, I really felt that they care a lot about the kids. Ava is just beautiful. I really think it's great that she comes alive when she is around your family! Don't worry if she shuts down when she is in public; that will change in time. I love reading your posts! Wendy in Fredericksburg
Ava is beautiful! Thank you for sharing your journey. Grace was excited to hear that Bella finally has her new cousin! :-) We will continue to pray for all of you with this special journey, your travels and your new incredible family!
God Bless,
Jennifer
(Traci's friend in Arlington)
Hello Cousins,
I have missed the blog for a few days so am just seeing the pix of Ava and her new Thatcher family. You were about to leave Beijing last I caught up with your blog. She is just precious and I am so glad that you all are getting to know each other and am especially happy that she is a pistol! Keep the pictures and stories coming. Much love.
Ava's adorable. Congratulations to you & your family.
Oh, my Goodness - look at that sweet face! Ava is gorgeous! Yes, the plywood 'mattresses' are used a lot. Her head should round out a bit over time, and her hair will grow in, too. Sounds like she's beginning to trust and bond well to you all. Sweet baby.
Post a Comment