All for Love: June 2015

Two years gone in a flash! Those first days, weeks, and months seemed so long and now here we are two years later. My precious child...such a gift. I have done nothing to deserve her, yet she is all mine.

Because words will never be able adequately describe my feelings on this day, the annivesary of our daughter being placed in our arms, I have decided to include some excerpts from the post-adoption report I just completed.

Adjustment to the Home

Please describe your child’s interaction and attachment with your family.
Chloe is an integral part of our family. She is the youngest child and has two older brothers. She loves her big brothers and they love her. Attachment was only an issue initially and it is evident she feels secure and loved in our home. She always tells us “Mommy, I love you” “Daddy, I love you” and then proceeds to sing “I love you, you love me, we’re a happy family.” She is right…we are a happy family and so thankful for her.

Please describe your child’s daily life and schedule. Include sleep schedule, favorite foods and games, and any struggles your child may have with day to day life.
Chloe wakes up each morning at 7:00 a.m. Most days, our entire family greets her in her crib. Every morning she pretends to be a baby turtle and her brothers play along. She eats breakfast, gets dressed, and has school or we have a play date. She naps between 12:00-2:00. When she wakes up we play or go on an outing/errands. We typically eat dinner between 5:00-6:00 then have a bath. She goes to bed at approximately 7:30 pm without a fight. She is a great sleeper and loves her crib.

Chloe is an incredible eater. She loves to tell me “Mommy, I am so hungry!” Her favorite food at the moment is macaroni and cheese. She loves to play “games” as she calls it which means she wants to play with a peg board or button art. She loves the Bubble Guppies and is often pretending to be one of the characters. She often pretends to “go to the Supermarket for her Bubble Puppy food” as she says. Her play skills initially were very delayed, but with lots of therapy and modeling she has come along way.

Please describe your child’s personality and disposition.

Chloe is such a character. I can’t imagine a funnier child. We look forward to waking her up each morning to see what she will say. There is never a dull moment when Chloe is around. She keeps us laughing. Her newest thing is to tease us by saying something funny and then quickly say “I’m just joking.” She is full of energy and love for life.

Health

What is your child’s current height, weight, and head circumference?
Height: 36 inches Weight: 33 lbs Head Circumference: 20 inches

How has your child’s health been since the last report? Have there been any new diagnoses or treatments since the last report?
Since adoption, Chloe has had 5 surgical procedures to repair her cleft lip/palate and her first set of PE tubes. In May 2015, she had a second set of PE tubes inserted to help with fluid and hearing. She recently graduated from Occupational Therapy and now receives three weekly sessions of Speech Therapy.

Is your child up to date on their vaccinations? Yes

If your child was adopted with a medical special need, what is currently being done to correct or manage that medical need?

In addition to the described treatments above, we see Chloe’s Craniofacial Team yearly to assess her progress and needs. During our most recent visit to the team, we were advised to visit the team dentist for x-rays of a tooth growing in just behind her alveolar ridge. It was determined the tooth is fine and will be addressed when she has another cleft related surgery down the road.

Developmental

Please describe your child’s overall developmental level.

Chloe was once labeled as developmental delayed. At this time, all her evaluations, with the exception of speech, are within normal limits.

What new developmental milestones has your child met since last report?

Chloe speaks in complete sentences, asks questions, and can maintain a topic of conversation. She eats with less mess and drinks from a cup independently. We are currently working on potty training.

Please describe your child’s current fine and gross motor skills and any delays.

Chloe’s gross and fine motor skills are within normal limits.

Please describe your child’s current language ability and any delays.

Chloe’s receptive and expressive language are within normal limits. She communicates in 5-6 word sentences. She follows directions and has an extensive vocabulary. She has no problem getting her wants/needs met verbally. Her articulation is still delayed. We are currently working very hard to get her to produce the /t/ and /d/ phonemes.

Does your child attend school? If so, how is your child doing at school? What are your child’s intellectual abilities?

Chloe attends preschool three days a week from 9:00-2:00. She loves school and interacting with others. She is a very busy little girl, but does enjoy the routine that her school day brings. Chloe is extremely smart. She can count to 20 and knows many letters. She remembers anything you tell her.

Does your child require any therapies (occupational, physical, language) for any area of development?

Initially, Chloe received Occupational Therapy 1x/week and Speech and Language therapy 4x/week. Currently, Chloe only requires speech therapy (for articulation) 3 times/week/45 minutes.

Conclusion

What is your overall opinion on how your child has adjusted to your family?

In my opinion, Chloe has adjusted extremely well to our family. She is just as much a part of our family as our two biological boys and our love for her is no different. She is such a blessing to us and I can’t imagine our life without her in it.

"Anyone who ever wondered how much they could love a child who did not spring from their loins, know this: it is the same. The feeling of love is so profound, it's incredible and surprising." -Nia Vardalos