Saturday, July 11, 2009

Summer Fun Working on Gross Motor Skills & A Medical Update

I love these moments when these two love being brother and sister. Trust me, they are balanced out with moments of fighting over toys and invading each others personal space by poking, splashing in the bathtub and hugs that turn into boa constrictor squeezing.

I am really working on getting us outside as much as possible. Sophia has amazing fine motor skills, but is way behind Elijah's abilities with gross motor. She goes very slowly down stairs, she takes them one at a time..making sure that two feet are on each step before moving on to the next. She doesn't have a lot of muscle tone in her bottom and legs. So we are working on outside play to improve this.
The slip and slide is a huge hit. She doesn't slide down it, but she splashed in the water and runs around in it.


I am taking them to the park. The one nearest our home has a big wooden play structure with all sorts of activities. Eli leaves Sophia behind on this because she is so slow, but I am hoping that by the end of the summer she will be climbing around and moving at his speed.



You all know that we love to fish out here at the lake and Sophia loves it too. She has a little Barbie pole that she can cast out (Tyler taught her how to cast) and she reals in the rubber butterly tied to the end of her string. She loves it and repeats it over and over.

We went to visit our pediatrician this week and everything looks good. He said that she still has a slight murmur in her heart but that it is normal and he thinks her surgery was successful. He said no one can repair a heart to the perfect condition God makes them in. Her TB test came back negative and her urine test came back clean. I am working on collecting 3 separate stool samples to check for parasites (not a lot of fun). And I have to take her to have her blood drawn to be tested for pretty much everything. My pediatrician wants her immunizations re-done. He said there is a type of ramp up schedule for children who start their shots at a later age. I hate having her poked while I am trying to build up her trust in me, but I have no choice. I still need to get her into our cardiologist. Then we will know for certain that her heart repair was good and we can move on with her childhood.

33 comments:

a Tonggu Momma said...

I'm glad to see her growing stronger with each passing week.

day by day said...

What cute pictures!! Sophia looks GREAT and no doubt she will be keeping up with Eli in no time!!!!

Musings from Kim K. said...

I love all the updates and pictures. I've been thinking about you all like crazy. Once we're back from DC and you are up for it, I'd love to get the girls together with your kiddos. HUGS!!

Truly Blessed said...

Summer is such a great time to begin life as a family, don't you think? Being outside in the clean air, lots of space to run and jump and play -- Sophia will "catch up" so quickly (especially following Eli around!), plus the benefit of all of the boys being home to interact with her.

What delightful photos of Sophia being a part of your family (and Tim looks healthy again - yeah!).

Ped. appt. sounds good, but ask your ped. if he'll just run titres to see if she has antibodies to the various diseases (it's one blood draw) -- if the tests come back without showing immunity, then you can start all over with innoculations. It's worth a shot (and that's what K & E's ped. did for us).

We're planning to be home next weekend and will be in church on Sunday the 19th - hoping to see you then. Maybe we could plan a picnic for that day (or something similar) so the kids can all have fun together...oh, and K1's bonfire at our brother's house is on Monday, the 20th - sure hope your family can make it.

Hope to talk with you soon...I'm still at the lake, but call my cell phone if you want to talk.

Kel

Shirlee McCoy said...

The kids look great! Sophia is amazing, and Eli is the perfect big brother for her.

Q has had two blood test already. She's due for her third this week. Everything is normal, but they can't draw enough at a time to do everything at once. She's such a skinny little thing. I hate seeing her get needles in her scrawnly little legs. Sigh.

Enjoy summer! Give Eli a kiss from Q.

Holly said...

Do you feel like you're over the jet lag yet?
Also, just FYI, you can ask your pediatrician to run titers to find out what immunizations she's already had. Some parents feel very strongly against over immunizing.
We did start from scratch and had no problems, but just so you know it is possible to find out what she's had and then supplement.
I am still just so happy for you and in awe of all God's done.

thatgirlblogs said...

being home, and eating all that healthy food -- breathing the NON smoggy air... she's gonna be running circles around you all pretty soon.

I love that little bean ;)

Faith, Hope, and Love said...

It looks like Sophia Jane is off to a great summer with her forever family...especially her brother!
Mia Hope was like a rag doll on the steps when we came home. Then she would take it one step at a time leading only with her right foot. Now she alternates feet and runs up the steps! Its amazing how quickly they catch up after years of not having this type of stimulation! Praying all goes well for Sophia Jane at the Cardiologist!

She looks so cute in her swim suit!!

Have a great weekend!

Love,
Robin

Jewels of My Heart said...

Oh, it just doesn't get any sweeter than this! The pics are just wonderful.... those precious smiling faces. What fun activities!!!! The fishing together is just so fun and special!!!
No doubt she will be strong and keeping up with the boys in no time at all!
Enjoy your summer!

Kim said...

Sounds like everything is going well..
LOVE the photos..
It seems oh so surreal tome..
I sooo cannot wait till all of us have our daughters.. I will be making a trip to MI..
Loveya girly...

Alyson and Ford said...

What a great update! Love the photos! Yes, we had all of AA''s vaccines redone. She survived! (we barely did too). AA is still behind with running as fast as kids her age; we are hoping that by the time we put her in pre-K, she will be all "caught up".
So glad your family is a forever family now. What a long wait!

Alyzabeth's Mommy for Almost Ten Months!

Linda said...

My heart melted at the first picture of Eli and Sophia. What beautiful smiles!!! It can't always be that way, but I'm glad you caught that one. She looks pretty happy and Sophia will catch up very quickly. These children are amazing at how quickly they change and learn. Happy to see that all is going well. Linda

Half Gaelic, Half Garlic! said...

Hi Kim,

I am so sorry I have not been over to visit since you have brought your sweet girl home. She is absolutely beautiful.....and seems to be doing so well. Something tells me she won't be lagging behind Eli at the park for long.....she will catch up in no time!!

You are so blessed...Congratulations!! It is so good to see her home:)

Enjoy your weekend.....Can't wait to see her white dress photos....I am sure Steffie will do a fantastic job:)

Lisa

Dawn said...

Oh Kimberly, she is such a doll...and I get a HUGE smile on my face everytime I visit your blog and the reality of Sophia being home is so sweet. She looks like she is thriving...and I bet by the end of summer she will give Eli a run for his money at the park!

xoxo

Number 6 and no more counting! said...

enjoy every minute my friend.

Lea
xo

mommy24treasures said...

Glad all is going well:) She will get stronger every day:):)
A good diet, exercise, a brother to follow, and all the TLC you are giving her sounds like the perfect recipe for one healthy girl:)

Middle-Aged Moi said...

Glad she is doing so well! Adam and Jeane just didn't "get" playgrounds at first. Now, they are old pros! :-)

~verna said...

Great pics! Glad she is doing well. Noah is a bit behind too. Lots of work to do! Maybe they don't have climbing parks in China. Can't say that I saw any. Hmmm . . .

~verna said...

Oh, forgot to mention that both M and N were tested to see if their titres were high enough (meaning their vaccinations were good) and neither one needed to have their shots repeated. BUT, USA does more shots, I think.

Chasing Dreams Photography said...

Look at her!!! She is so stinkin adorable!!!! She will catch up in no time!!!
We had both girls vaccinations redone. It went smooth and easy and it gave me a peace of mind knowing that they were caught up! The drawing of the blood stinks : ( they do take a lot. I made my husband go in with each of them...mommy doesn't do well with blood.

April said...

I tell you Beijing has the MOST beautiful children! She looks so good.
I agree with Kelly with the titers. There is not sense in over immunizing these children and this prevents it. Eliana's titers all showed immune and she only got the chicken pox vaccination.

Liz and Ava said...

No comments on redoing the vaccines....that's really a personal choice. But if you're intersted, I started using a product called Emla(it's basically just a bandaid with xylocaine embedded in it). In Canada we can get it without prescription but you have to ask the pharmacist for it as it is behind the counter. I tell Ava they are her magic bandaids that take the owies away. You need to put them on for at least an hour before the blood draw or vaccine, longer doesn't hurt. I put them on both arms in case they can't get her blood from one arm. Not a peep out of her ever since I started using them. You might want to try one on her before hand and then show her with a pin or something sharp that she really can't feel it as you can't really explain it to her yet with the language barrier. Just a thought...wish I had thought of them before those initial 8 vials of blood.

Dita said...

I just love the photos and the update....look at Tim...he's BEAMING. I see he's sunk now that his little girl has wrapped him around her little finger already!

SJ looks like she's been home forever!

So good to see you all enjoying life together!

kitchu said...

Well, she was made perfect already :O) So glad she is doing well in spite of the challenges. She is simply ADORABLE... I have got to get to reading the whole story I'm so far behind with how crazy it's been here trying to get ready to leave. SO want to talk to you by phone! Much love to you guys!
xoxo

Paulette said...

We too are dealing with gross motor delays with lots of weekness. Early intervention has been great. Your local school district has a preschool program that can offer OT and PT if she qualifies starting at age 3. I work with our preschoolers as there Gross Motor specialist and look forward to having Annalise in my class next year. Let me know if I can be of any help.

Steffie B. said...

I think everything is going great! I can't wait to see her this week......you and Eli too of coarse! lol

Hugs,
Steffie

Somewhere In The Sun said...

Oh my goodness what amazing pictures! I got chills seeing a post of Sophia at home with her family. She seems to be settling in beautifully.
We did the testing too for the shots. Olivia only had to have a few.

~Lynn

Everything Beautiful Shay said...

So happy you all are doing well. Sophia looks so happy with her brother and all that you all are doing together. Sure hope you have a great week.
Blessings!

Elisa...life as we know it. said...

Great fun pictures, so happy to see her home and just loving life with her new forever family!

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