Post-placement visit #1

Today was our first post-placement visit from our social worker from Wacap.  Zia is her name, and she's great.  She's the same person who did our homestudy, so we already knew her.  We were looking foward to the visit because we wanted to know what Zia thought about how TongJie seems to be adjusting and how his attachment is going.  She talked to us at length in our home this afternoon while TongJie was happy as could be sitting on our laps, playing with toys, and walking around.  From what Zia said about TongJie's adjustment so far, we are very encouraged.  She did, however, caution us to not be alarmed if he regresses over the next few months as many kids tend to do.  She asked us about all the signs of attachment and she also observed how he was interacting with us and she said he's doing really well and there are a lot of good signs that show he's bonding with us as his parents.  It was also encouraging to hear her say that his voracious appetite is very normal and that he'll probably slow down over the next few months when he realizes that we really aren't going to run out of food and when his growth gets a little more caught up.  She did say that we should just continue to keep on feeding him, as we've been doing.  Sometimes we get a little concerned that he's going to pop or something (okay, maybe not quite) with the way he eats, but she reminded us that not only does his body really need those nutrients right now, but he also needs that security to know that we'll always be there to give him food when he's hungry.  So giving him all that food is helping our attachment and bonding process too, in addition to helping him physically.  She said that it's not uncommon for kids, even little kids like TongJie, to eat servings of food that are almost as much as the parents are eating their first couple months at home.  She also said that she's seen kids who have grown six inches in their first year of placement.

Backing up to earlier today, we gave TongJie his giardia medication this morning.  It is, hopefully, a one-time dose, although they'll retest at his next appointment in July because sometimes giardia can be difficult to get rid of.  Anyway, it was one rather large pill that had to be crushed and mixed with syrup.  We were told by both Dr. Davies' nurse and the pharmacist that the pill is very bitter and even with syrup some kids have a hard time with it.  We should have known that it would be no problem for TongJie, who loves to eat pretty much anything!  I gave him a "test run" of just syrup in the medicine syringe, with no pill, which of course he loved.  Then I mixed the crushed pill with some more syrup for the real dose.  As I was mixing it, TongJie was watching intently and smacking his lips in anticipation.  I only mixed it with about 3 mL of syrup, which isn't much at all, and I could see the syrup turn a thick pasty grey.  I'm sure it would have tasted pretty nasty to a normal person, but TongJie sucked it right down as I squirted it into his mouth.  There was a little bit of the concoction left in the bottom of the custard cup that I couldn't get into the syringe, so I wiped it up with my finger and TongJie eagerly sucked it off my finger.  Then he continued on with the rest of his breakfast.  I'm glad it went so well.  The pharmacy had to order the TB medication and it won't be in until Monday, so we'll probably start it Tuesday morning.  I think it will be easier to remember to do it every morning at breakfast.  That's the one we have to do every day for nine months.

I haven't been taking many pictures, but last night I remembered to try to get a picture of TongJie sitting in his crib listening to Jeff reading.  Can you spot our cat Chestnut in the second one?  She always wants to be involved in whatever we're doing.

Tonight Jeff was playing at a concert so I was getting TongJie ready for bed by myself.  When I went to go change his diaper and put his jammies on, Caspian was sleeping on his changing table.  Usually we push her down when she's up there, but tonight I left her there and set TongJie right next to her and TongJie thought it was so funny!  Caspian jumped down on her own soon enough.  She was not amused at having her nap interrupted by the strange little person.

Here's a photo of TongJie enjoying one of his many books.

And here's Albert - he's such a good dog.