JanetDThanks for asking Lynn!
For the most part we are all doing well. I started back to work yesterday -- boy did that 6 1/2 weeks go by fast! (I would have started on Monday, but Olivia was sick -- lots of upper respatory going around in our area).
Ruth is a delight! This little girl couldn't crawl on December 17th when I got her. Before we left China, she was crawling and pulling herself up. On January 20th she started walking, and there has been no stopping her. She is so different from Olivia that it is funny. She can wiggle her way out of the strap and tray of her highchair (heart attack time for mom!). She wants to climb over the gate at the open stair well. She will stand on top of the wipes box just because she can. She did real well at day care yesterday, except she didn't eat much. (For dinner last night she ate a toddler meal, 2 big slices of peach, some maccaroni noodles, and then 12 oz of formula!) I'm sure she was wondering all day if I was going to come and get her -- after all it was only 6 weeks ago that the nannies took her from the orphanage and handed her to me. Even though she is now 13-months, most of her language skills are in Manderian -- even though I told her I would be back, I'm sure she didn't have the foggiest idea of what I meant.
Ruth's second set of blood work came back from the ped endo (both sets have been done at the same hospital where all of Olivia's blood draws are done). This one showed a normal thyroid function. Since she doesn't have any symptoms of hypothyroidism, we (I and the doctors) aren't concerned. We will do a 3rd blood draw just to make sure.
Olivia is doing better with Ruth. I try to remind myself that not only has her life been invaded, but it has been invaded by a baby that can invade! Olivia is now calling her "Ruthie" instead of "she" or "her". And she also worries about Ruth when they are seporated. Occasionally the 3 of us will all play together. I have been told by several social workers to expect it to take Olivia 2-3 months before she really accepts her sister.
Now if I can get both girls healthy at the same time with all of us sleeping through the night!
Janet