A Busy Exciting Week for Miss Taylor

What a week she is having....

Tuesday (don't remember Monday) started out with a playdate with Ryan. Then off to the airport to pick up Grandma who is here for a week to get to know her new granddaughter. Taylor took to her right away and they have been having a ball ever since she arrived. This is good for me as it allows me some time for doctors appointments and some time to get things done around the house.

On Wednesday we headed to Monmouth Medical Center in Long Branch NJ for her evaluation on her cleft palate and lip. Both Grandma and mama were very impressed with the process they have there and liked all the doctors we met. Once we got checked in we were put in a room and then the parade of doctors came to us. We saw a social worker, 2 plastic surgeons, several dentists and orthodontists, audiologist, speech therapist and a pediatrician. Through all of this Taylor was a star....she only cried once. She actually let 2 people look in her ears and she didn't cry for either. In China at the medical exam and at her pediatrician visit she cried but not today. I was so proud of her. Basically what they said was before she starts school, they will even out her upper lip and her nose. It is undetermined at this time if she will need additional palate surgery. She will be monitored over the next couple of years to see. Shouldn't need any dental work on her baby teeth. Probably around 6 years of age she will need to start having her palate widened. She may also need bone grafting done at some point and depending on how her permanent teeth come she may or may not need additional work on them. I will take her to the speech therapist to have her evaluated in about 6 months. This will give her time to learn some english so they can determine if there are delays due to her teeth (she is missing her front left tooth) and the palate and if they are preventing her to make certain letter combinations. All in all it was a great visit and nothing unexpected was found.

Each night this week Taylor has been in the bathtub having a standing bath, getting her hair washed and having the time of her life. She loves playing with all the toys I have there and doesn't mind getting clean. She actually cried when I took her out at the end of the bath. What a change!!! Tonight we had a major milestone...towards the end of the bath she actually sat down. Three cheers for Taylor. She first started with kneeling and really liked that and then sat half down twice and on the 3rd try sat all the way down. Grandma and I cheered for her and she liked that. No crying when she got out. What a relief to have her now conquer the bath issue. Will have another go at it tomorrow night and hope she doesn't forget what she did tonight.

On Saturday Auntie Linda and Rick are coming down for the day to visit with her and Grandma and I suppose me too. On Sunday Uncle Stephen, Aunt Amy and her cousins Max and Meg are coming to meet her for the first time. I can't wait to see her with Max and Meg. They are going to have a lot of fun together.

This weekend will be our 1 month anniversary at home. Time has gone by so fast. She is doing so well and getting more adjusted each day. I am so proud of her and all she has been through and accomplished since we became a family on January 24th.