Well, after two long months of waiting and several different attempts, we finally received an update on our sweet Emalyn! Just look how much she has changed in five months!
Emalyn at 11 months
Emalyn at 16 months
As soon as we accepted Emalyn's referral we requested an update through our agency, but after a long wait we decided to try getting an update through a company called Lady Bugs and Love. Lady Bugs and Love offers a service known as the orphanage phone call. Essentially, they have a Chinese woman named Angela who has relationships with many of the orphanages and makes a phone call to request updated pictures and answers to questions. Her success rate is 95%, so we thought it was worth a try. I sent the request on Sunday, October 23 and we received our update on Thursday, October 27. It was such a blessing to hear from Emalyn, to see her little face again and learn a little more about her. Angela is an angel and we are so thankful for the work she is doing to help families stay in touch, as much as possible, with their little ones they long to bring home.
So, here is the update that we received. I am including it here exactly as it was sent to us and will interject my comments below some of the nanny's comments.
2) What are her current measurements? Please include her height, weight, head circumference and chest circumference.
Height: 73cm; Weight: 9kg; Head:42.5cm; Chest:42.7cm; Foot: 14cm.
Height: 73cm; Weight: 9kg; Head:42.5cm; Chest:42.7cm; Foot: 14cm.
Height: 28.7"; Weight: 19.8 lbs; Head 16.7"; Chest: 16.8"; Foot: 5.5"
Based on my research among my friends with children Emalyn's age and what I can remember about Adair, I am surprised at how big she is. Now, don't misunderstand me, she isn't big, but she is not as far below average as we expected based on her stats at referral.
She can walk by one hand hold someone. She can pull up and standing by holding onto something.
4) How many teeth does she have?
Upper 8 and lower 10.
It is out of the ordinary for me to see a 16 months old with this many teeth. Adair only had two teeth by the time she was 16 months old.
5) Does she have a ridge in her gum behind her cleft lip or any other additional needs related to her cleft lip? Does her cleft lip seem to bother her at all?
She only has cleft lip. Doesn’t have tooth behind her cleft lip.
6) Is she starting to talk? If so, what words can she say?
She is not talking yet. She just burbles. We don’t understand what she’s saying.
7) What is her personality like? Is she a happy baby and well liked?
She is very stubborn. She bites others. All the children in her room have been bit by her. She is a naughty baby.
I have to be honest, this statement really bothered me when I first read it. In fact, it brought tears to my eyes. Not because I am worried about her personality or her biting, but because it made me feel like she is not loved or even liked by the nannies and others at her orphanage. It has been our prayer since we started this process that someone would love our daughter and she would love someone, and this statement, especially the part about her being naughty, really made me question how she was being treated.
In the days since receiving this update, I have learned more about Chinese culture and had a chance to really process this statement and I am not as concerned now. One thing I learned is that in the Chinese culture, naughty doesn't mean what it means to us (bad), it means mischievous. I have also learned that, when you ask about a child, Chinese people are most likely going to tell you something negative about them, something that they need to work on, rather than tell you something positive or likable about them. I also have to remember that stubbornness and being mischievous and curious are normal traits of most an 16 month old. My heart tells me that if she is mischievous, curious and into everything she is likely getting alot of attention from her nannies, and that is a very good thing.
So, I have to remind myself not to worry about things I cannot change right now, however, I would still welcome and covet your prayers for Emalyn, that she is being treated well and that God would surround her with His love and protection. I know that He will provide loving arms to wrap around her, be them His own or her nanny's.
8) Does she have her own crib or does she share a crib with another baby?
She has her own crib.
9) Is she a good sleeper? Does she have a favorite blanket or toy that she sleeps with? If so, can you tell us about it?
She sleeps well. No special habit.
She likes to watch TV, play with toys, blocks and bells.
It is a very strange feeling to know so little about someone, yet care so deeply for them. We are thankful for every bit of information that comes our way about our daughter, be it large or small. Each little thing helps us imagine her, pray for her and love her better.
We would also covet your prayers over our paperwork and travel dates. We are still waiting for LOA which roughly determines when we will travel. We are praying that we will travel soon enough that I will be able to go to China, but there is a chance that I may not. We are trusting God and we KNOW that He has a perfect plan for every step of this process, but we are asking and believing that will include Mommy, Daddy and Adair traveling together to bring home our little girl (little sister).
Thank you for your faithfulness to pray for us and for walking this road with us. We appreciate your friendship and love more than you know!
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