Nanny 2 is On Deck

After last Wednesday's surprise announcement by Nanny 1, we ("we" = Jeff) immediately sprung into action. On Thursday morning, he re-posted our nanny advertisement in the online nanny job bank, and by Friday he had phone-screened the most promising candidates. We jointly interviewed 3 nannies on Friday and Saturday. On Sunday, we checked references for our top choice, and we have offered her the position contingent on a satisfactory background check. She grew up in Germany, and originally came to the U.S. as an au pair. After several years of live-in positions, she is ready for a live-out situation. Not much else to say right now except she has a very gentle, nurturing style that will suit Mia just fine.

The Week in Review

Lots of mundane stuff to report. Might be good to read this post next time you have insomnia!

We started our week with a call from Mia's pediatrician, who opened with, "We're going to get to know each other really well." He said the state health department, who had been notified about Mia's elevated lead level, wants her to be evaluated by a toxicologist from Emory University. That will happen next week. The adoption agency says this is not uncommon in children adopted from China. They said they've seen cases where the child's initial level was high, but was within normal range by the time the 6-month post-placement report was submitted. While this toxicologist visit is kind of a nuisance, I guess it is more helpful than what we'd initially been told to expect, namely that the state would be sending someone to our home to inspect it for lead.

Mia's diarrhea continues (today is day 18), but usually only once a day now. We're pretty sure the culprit is the antibiotic she takes for TB prevention. The patient information says it is a known side effect that might go awa during the course of treatment. That would be nice, since she has to take that med for 9 months. In the meantime, we're adapting. We've found some vinyl underpants in her size, so the number of daily clothing changes is down some.

I am returning to work on 11/1. Two days ago, our nanny informed us that she cannot work on Thursday afternoons. We'd specified the hours for the position as full days Monday through Thursday and a half day on Friday. We've informed her we'll be looking for someone else. My working mother friends say, "Welcome to our world!"

Mia still requires support when walking, but she is getting a bit steadier on her feet. She continues to challenge us in the sleep department. She goes to sleep anywhere between 8 p.m. and 10 p.m., and wakes up ready to start her day anytime between 4 a.m. and 9 a.m. She sleeps through the night about 60% of the time, and the other 40%, there is no predicting what time she'll wake up during the night. She usually takes one nap during the day, but it could be anywhere between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m., and last from 45 minutes to 2.5 hours. I just wish we could understand what is happening in her head. For now, I just know not to count on having a nap of my own.

I started using some baby sign language this week. Experts advise this can be particularly helpful for a child who is adopted internationally. (You know, until you can say, "Use your words".) I'm starting with the signs for "eat" and "more." Mia quickly learned how to make the sign for "more," but I'm pretty sure she is just copying me and doesn't really know what it means. Still, it is a step in the right direction, and I think it is really precious. (Yes, I think 85% of the things she does are really precious.)

Mia decided she doesn't like eggs anymore. However, she does like canned sweet corn. I used to think those things that look like baby hot dogs in a jar looked pretty awful, but Mia likes them so they've become a staple for breakfast. They are made with turkey, so how bad can they be?

Perhaps the biggest breakthrough of the week is that Jeff taught Mia to brush her teeth! I'd been having a nightly battle with her. I don't know what he did, but I am glad that is over with.

A Lovely Gated Community

Growing up in Minnesota, the only "gated community" I ever saw was North Oaks, a tiny suburb north of St. Paul. I remember passing by it and wondering what kind of people lived there. I thought there must be something odd about people who thought a guardhouse was necessary in that sleepy suburban area. (I now know one couple who live in North Oaks, and they are quite normal.)

When we relocated to Atlanta, I noticed quite a few gated communities. They didn't hold any particular appeal for me. I never dreamed we'd be building our own little gated community when Mia arrived. In fact, I secretly pooh-poohed my neighbor's suggestion, back in July, that we hire a baby-proofing consultant who would select and even install the appropriate gates for us.

Everything changed when we met our little darling. As I saw her crawl enthusiastically around our little hotel suites, I realized what we'd be up against when we brought her home. (Or, as my sister Paula would say, "Ka-ching"! I could hear the sound of the Babies 'r Us cash registers all the way in Guangzhou.) At this writing, we have installed a total of 6 gates, and there is still one out there in the garage waiting until the cordless drill recharges. We have 3 sturdy metal gates at the tops of stairs (different versions for indoors and outdoors), a lovely dark oak spindled gate at the bottom of the family room stairs, and an ugly tan mesh gate preventing Mia from climbing into her own unused bathtub. (I'm not sure where they get off calling that last one a "gate", since it has no opening. I personally would call it a "repositionable pressure-mounted child barrier system.") The latest 2 gates keep unaccompanied toddlers out of the family room, which has a fireplace, a glass-topped coffee table, and several table lamps. Where does it all end?

Actually, that was not a rhetorical question. I've been wondering how old Mia will have to be before we can de-install these gates, sell them on eBay, and return to walking freely about our own home. Comments from experienced parents will be most welcome.

Changing the subject...
In preparation for my return to work late next week, I tried out one of those "meal assembly" places today. There was no one else in the store, so the nice ladies there helped me measure out the ingredients and assemble my meals. They cooed admiringly at my photos of Mia as well. I had 12 entrees in less than an hour. If this stuff is any good, we may be replacing what I suspect was the previous homeowners' "beer fridge" in our garage with a real freezer.

I'll Take the Stairs!

Mia isn't walking on her own yet, but that hasn't stopped her from trying to scale the one staircase in the house that isn't protected by a gate. (I foolishly thought we would just keep the door closed between the kitchen and the center hallway.) It is cute to see her experiment with different leg positions. Fortunately, she usually doesn't get too far. And when she does, there will be a parent right behind her. (Acting as a spotter rather than a photographer, of course.)

At the Pumpkin Patch

A beautiful Sunday afternoon in October. The sun was shining, making it feel warmer than 69 degrees. A wonderful husband, beautiful baby, and a family outing at the Pumpkin Patch. It's just what I always wanted.

Mia's Check-Up

Mia had her 9-month checkup at the pediatrician this week. (Yes, she is 11.5 months old, but apparently they don't round up.) She was seen by a pediatrician who has treated many girls who were adoptive from China. They told us she is at the 97th percentile for length and 50th percentile for weight. 97th percentile? No wonder that while we were in China, so many people expressed surprise that she was only 10 months old!

They did lots of tests and everything was normal. The only finding of note was that the lead levels in her blood were a little high. The Dr. said that is unusual, even for girls from China. The good news is that it isn't so high that treatment will be required. They expect it will return to normal levels over time. The bad news is that we have yet another encounter with regulatory authorities. The Dr. had to report the result to the State, who says they will have to inspect our home to determine the source of the exposure. The fact that Mia had spent only 10 days in our home at the time the test was taken didn't persuade officials to waive this requirement. As the Dr.'s office said, "It's the government."

But who's complaining? We have a beautiful, healthy baby girl who is developmentally on target for her age. We continue to see signs that she is attaching with us. This past week, she wanted to be held a lot more than before. In her case, being clingy is good. The first photo below is Mia watching for Jeff to come home from work at night. Sometimes, Sam watches with her. In the last photo, she is getting read to stand on her own, without support. She can do that for 2-3 seconds at most.

Saturday Visitors

On Saturday morning, we were visited by our friend Anu. Mia was delighted to meet her, and even let Anu take her for a walk around the house. They had a lot of fun together. Later, our friend Anne stopped by to drop off a few things she thought we might find helpful, including an ExerSaucer. Just perfect for those times when you forgot something upstairs and you want to save your 47-year-old back one more round trip carrying the bambino. Anne warned us that kids either "love 'em or hate 'em." It didn't take us long to see which camp Mia fell in. Thank goodness!

Changes to this Blog

Now that Mia is so firmly rooted in our family, it doesn't seem right to call this blog, "Our Adoption Journey" anymore. I'll be changing the title and replacing Mia's referral photos with something more current.

The Seamy Underside of Mothering

I was viewing the blog published by one of the parents we traveled with in China. It was all sweetness and light, everyone is perfect. Not that I don't believe them, of course, but I happen to think that sometimes, talking about my mothering challenges makes for more interesting reading. Or, maybe I'm just trying to measure up to my friends Donna DiMenna and Marlys Aukee, who are so great about sharing the funny little incidents in their lives so that it is like I am right there with them.
I was talking to my friend Linda today when she commented, "Boy, you haven't missed out on any of the trials of parenting yet, have you?" She had just endured my account of today's little poopy adventure. You see, Mia has had diarrhea off and on for the past 6 days (but who's counting?). Since we haven't yet been able to find diapers that don't leak, she goes through (and I do mean "goes through") about 4 pairs of pants per day. I'm doing laundry constantly. Actually, Grandma Neumann has been mostly doing the laundry, but she went back to Minnesota today, so we're on our own.
Anyway, Mia's pediatrician said this could last a while, so today I broke down and went to the Carter's store to buy more pants for our little chickadee. Mia and I were having an enjoyable time in the store. She seemed to like looking up at the racks of colorful clothes from her stroller. I liked asking her, "Would you rather have this top in pink or lavender?" as if she'd express a preference. We'd picked out 4-5 pairs of pants and a 2-piece peach outfit that brings out the color of her big brown eyes. We'd set those things aside at the counter, and as we shopped the clearance rack for bargains, I let Mia hold one of the tops we were buying. Everybody was having fun when I heard that faint squirting sound again. We dashed to the counter and asked the clerk if there was anyplace I could change a baby. The clerk said we could use the employee bathroom, but then I realized the diaper bag was still in the car, so we rushed out to the parking lot to get it. As we left the store, a couple of women who were entering the store stared at us and I realized that Mia was still holding that shirt. We were now shoplifters. I made the snap decision that there wasn't time to go back into the store and assured the ladies, "We're coming back". After retrieving the diaper bag, I could see clear evidence that Mia would be needing a change of clothes, and I hadn't packed one in her diaper bag. Easy solved. As we glided back into the store and past the register, we picked up the peach outfit. The clerk was occupied, but I announced to another customer who was staring at us, "We'll be buying this."
Of course there was no changing table and Mia, whom as we've previously written hates having her diaper changed and despises being dressed, screamed most of the time until I found her musical toy cell phone in the diaper bag. I quickly put the soiled clothes in a ziplock bag and decided to leave the tags on the peach outfit so there'd be no doubt that we intended to pay for it. We quickly finished our shopping and high-tailed it out of there, praying we'd get home before the next diaper was needed. As I discussed the Carter's Caper with Linda, she commented that I have become much more flexible than I used to be. I suspect she is right.

One more story from today. After we got home from the store, I kept thinking I was hearing that sound again, but I kept checking Mia's diaper and it was clean. Eventually, I realized that she has learned how to make the sound with her mouth. You know, blowing little bubbles with her own spit. Really cute.

P.S. We drove Grandma Neumann to the airport this morning. We enjoyed her visit. She helped out in so many ways, including cooking, cleaning, and the aforementioned laundry. I appreciated her very tactful parenting suggestions, and I learned a lot from her. One thing I saw very clearly is that she really knows how to play with a baby, and I will do more of that. Mia loved every minute with her, and so did Jeff and I. Thanks, Mom!

Fun Times

Mia tried out her play tent yesterday. I think she likes it! (Too bad I didn't get a picture of Grandma Neumann and I trying to stuff the tent back into its 18 inch square sack.)

We had planned to go to church today for the first time since returning from China. That is, I had planned to go to church. When I told Jeff, he looked at me and said something to the effect of, "Are you out of your mind?" (He was much kinder than that, but that was the gist of it.) As soon as he said it, I realized how unworkable it would be. Fantasy, meet reality.

Fantasy = I imagine people admiring my darling daughter after the service. (I never considered that we'd have to sit quietly through the service before this could happen.)

Reality = The only time Mia is not moving constantly (and frequently screaming when she is kept from going exactly where she wants to go) is when she is asleep.

At this point, we can't very well put her in the infant care room, assuming such a thing exists. Nor would we want to. And what would be the point? It wouldn't fulfill my fantasy! So, we decided to go to the zoo with Grandma Neumann instead. No "inside voices" required, and the stroller keeps things moving without us having to run after Mia.

The Atlanta zoo is a very nice zoo, not too big for a toddler-centered outing (i.e., about 1 hour). They have a year-old panda named Mei Lan, a nice petting zoo, some adorable little monkeys darting around in the trees right over your head, and a cool covey of meerkats. Mia displayed mild (and brief) interest in a few of the animals, including the flamingoes, sheep (which she petted very tentatively), pigs, and warthogs. But what interested her most was seeing other children; the closer to her age, the better. Clearly we need to get out more often.

Mia's Likes and Dislikes

Mia is a rather intense little girl, and she has strong likes and dislikes. We saw some things right away, while other preferences are still emerging.
Likes: The color blue. Eating. Crackers. Looking at her own toes. Putting her socks in her mouth. Crawling at top speed (aided by her new Stride-Rite "pre-walker" shoes). Listening to music. Taking all the books off the bottom shelf of her book shelf. Chasing after Sam. Taking a bath. Anything electronic that lights up (especially Blackberries and iPods). Her green blankie. The pink stuffed poodle that rattles. The musical toy we call "bride of Chuckie" due to its red blinking eyes.
Dislikes: Being diapered. Getting dressed. Waiting for anything or anyone. Being spoon-fed (she permitted it in China, but once we got home it was all over). Pretending we are torturing her when we are giving her Keflex even though we can tell she likes the taste. Pajamas with feet.

This pajamas with feet thing took us a while to figure out, and it is still a little speculative at this point. Mia hadn't been sleeping through the night as she had in China, and we couldn't figure it out. We tried a lot of different things (including buying a twin bed so one of us could sleep where she could see us), but nothing was working. We did notice that she thrashed around a lot in her crib, and was always stretching out her feet and legs as if she were uncomfortable. Yesterday, Jeff observed that on the nights she'd slept soundly, she was almost always wearing the one pair of pajamas that didn't have feet. I'd been avoiding using those pj's (which had been a desperation purchase at a Wal-Mart in Nanchang) because I was afraid her little tootsies would get cold. Besides, they button up the front, which only lengthens the time Mia struggles against getting dressed. Yesterday, after Jeff advanced his theory, I went right to the Carter's store and bought a couple more pairs of pj's without feet. Guess what? Last night was the first night she didn't wake up in 2 weeks. I have high hopes for tonight.

Perfectly Mia

Here is one last photo from our trip to the backyard. This perfectly captures Mia's curiosity and intensity. Also that she is just adorable.

Mia Meets Her Backyard

Today was a lovely autumn day in Atlanta, sunny and 72 degrees. I took Mia out to the backyard for the first time. We started out in the wagon. When I let her loose, she crawled at top speed toward the steep downhill part of the backyard. She's fast, but I'm faster, so no problem there. She loved the grass, the falling leaves, and watching the dog run around.

Mia's First Week at Home

Mia and her parents had an interesting week. After catching up with our sleep on Sunday, we headed to the pediatrician on Monday morning to have the abscess on Mia's forehead drained. The Dr. said it should be done under sedation, so she sent us to the Emergency Room. That turned into a 7 hour trip. While there, they did a chest X-ray because Mia's breathing was a little wheezy. When we followed up with the Dr.'s office on Wednesday, they sent us to the hospital. Mia had a minor case of pneumonia, but because the risk of TB is high in Mia's former country, they wanted to rule that out. After 3 days of tests including a chest CT scan, Mia was discharged today. The staff Children's Hospital of Atlanta were wonderful, but we were in an isolation ward, which was particularly boring. Did I say boring? Actually, we showered Mia with lots of undivided attention. Jeff and I took turns, so she was never left alone, day or night. I think she liked it. Several of the doctors commented on how well Mia has bonded with us already. Anyway, all three of us (and Sam) are glad to be home and sleeping in our own beds tonight.

Mia's gross motor skills continue to improve at a rapid rate. She crawls very fast, can pull herself up to a standing position even on unstable surfaces (like the couch), and stands for a long time while steadying herself with one hand on a stationary object. She can walk a few wobbly steps with support. Grandma Neumann is coming for a week-long visit on Tuesday, so it is possible she will see Mia's first steps.