I am so sorry about posting! We have been very busy as I am sure all of you are. We are doing great! Jilliana continues to amaze us. I have many pictures to post and so many posts that I wrote in my head, but when I lay down with Jilliana at night to put her to sleep, this Mommy falls asleep. And by the time I wake up and realize I am sleeping with a foot in my mouth and a lamb making whale sounds under my head, I am too tired to go downstairs again and post. But I am committed to keeping this going for my daughters, so that they will have an account of some part of their lives. God continues to bless our family in so many ways and I continue to learn the lessons that he wants to teach me from my daughters.
Jilliana loves playing dolls. I bought her an asian baby doll at Christmas from FAO Schwartz but she prefers Emma's American Doll Bitty Baby. Emma has been really good about sharing it with her. She loves the eyes and how they open and close. She loves to fix the hair on the snap dolls. She can put a "tippy tail" (as rubber bands are called at our house) in. She takes good care of the baby and loves to give it a baby bottle.
Which reminds me. One night I was laying Jilliana down for bed and she had Emma's baby. She had found this pretend doll bottle and started giving it to the baby. She then took her finger and pointed to her mouth. It hit me then that she was asking for a bottle. When we went to get Jilliana we were talking to the guide before we got her and she said that Jilliana would probably take a bottle. I looked at Mike and he looked at me and we both said, "At three?" She said that she probably took one at night. I did not bring any bottle stuff at all. But then we forgot about that when the Director from the orphanage did not say anything about Jilliana taking a bottle. So when she pointed at her mouth this conversation came back to me.
The next day I found an old bottle of Emma's and I thought I would see if Jilliana would take it. I just put a little water in it and at nap time I sat down with her and pulled out the bottle. She got the biggest smile on her face and just cuddled into my lap and took the bottle like she had been taking one all the time. I know that many would not even do this for a three year old, but the extra bonding that giving a bottle to her will allow will far outweigh any negatives.
So that day I went out and bought three new bottles. That night I gave her one with just a little milk and she just laid in my arms and played with the bottle. She wanted me to hold it for her and the way she acted was as if I had been giving her a bottle since birth. I only plan to give it to her at night and in fact it has not been every night due to us being away. But those moments are priceless and I know so fleeting. I will take them and enjoy them as much as she will and at the same time I hope to build a stronger bond.
Meilynn and Jilliana playing together
So cute!
Emma trying out a ballet class. We have been trying to decide what activities the girls want to take. With four we need to limit it to one class plus I need to sign them up for swimming. This was a trial class.
Lily in the pink leggings and Meilynn in the pink.
Stretching Emma and Meilynn
Meilynn getting help
We had our Church directory pictures taken. We decided to have the girls wear their Chinese Dresses. We had to wake Jilliana up from her nap so not so happy.
The sign of a busy family. We got to the pictures and discovered that Jilliana had on two right shoes. Apparently I had saved these from Emma and Meilynn, but I saved two right shoes and gave the two left ones to the Goodwill.
Doll time
I love this little face!
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6 comments:
Glad to see the update and new pictures!!! It melts my heart that she will cuddle with you and take a bottle at night. I can only wish we would have had those moments with Lily and Lyla. It would have helped so much with bonding!
I know that giving her a bottle means a lot to you. I am so glad that God blessed you with that gift. The bonding is so important and I know it does your heart good!!! You are all in my thoughts and prayers
Love,
friend Julie
We have had my sister home for 5 months and she took 3 bottles a day when we were in China at 3 1/2. Now she still has one every once in awhile, but mostly when she is really tired.
bigsistochinagirl
We got out little one from Shanghai in October. She will be 4 in June and supposedly took 4 bottles a day at the orphanage. I've never been able to get her to take 4 bottles a day and she won't take a daily bottle now, but every once in a while she will ask for a bottle and I hold her and give one to her. I'm going to take advantage of these moments for as long as I can.
I just love following your blog. I think I'm living vicariously through you. I adopted April in 1999 and she will be 13 in July! I always wished I had gone back, but life just got in the way. I did/do have four bio children also. Anyway, I think its great you giving her the bottle like that. I was told when we brought April home to not worry about things like that and just do what you have to in order to help her feel secure and establish that bond.
All six of your daughters are beautiful, as is their mommy!
Hugs,
Sharon in AZ
I, too, allowed my oldest, adopted at 22 mos. from Sanshui, Guangdong province, China, to have a bottle. When she was 3 years old, we visited a friend with a new baby that nursed. She was intently interested in nursing, so, I offered her my breast. She took to it immediately, as if she remembered nursing as an infant. I 'nursed' her for over a year, at naptime, and/or bedtime, just for the bonding experience. She had RAD, and it helped immensely! For the first time, I was able to watch her fall asleep in my arms while 'nursing' (no milk), but, for her very comforting, indeed. So, I say, 'milk' it for all it's worth...and it's worth a lot!
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