Epilogue

Amanda took the time change fairly well, it took about 3 days for her to get adjusted. We did have a problem getting her to sleep. At first she wouldn't go to sleep without Ginger in the room, then she wouldn't sleep without Ginger and me in the room.  We finally knew we had a problem when she refused to sleep without the dog in the room too.  We decided to let her cry.  Now she usually goes to sleep with Ginger just standing by the crib. Occasionally, when she won't go to sleep, we leave the room and allow her to cry for a few minutes.  After Ginger goes back in, she usually settles very quickly.

Amanda does allow me to hold her now, we are best play buddies.  When I arrive home from work, she is so happy to see me, she does this snoopy like dance (Laura Morrison, did you teach her that?). In noisy, or other stressful times, she still prefers Mom. She still won't let me put her down to sleep, but we are working on that. She is a very happy, curious, and fearless child. She especially likes heights, kissing the cat and dog, and kicking daddy during diaper changes.

We had Amanda evaluated by the local YMCA early childhood intervention program for developmental delays.  She was delayed in all areas, but has been making rapid progress. Ginger and I attend classes with a speech therapist once a week to learn how best to teach Amanda to talk.  We also have an occupational therapist working with us to help Amanda catch up in gross and fine motor skills. In the two weeks from the initial evaluation to the first session, Amanda made about 2 months worth of motor skills development.

Update 2/9/97: Amanda started walking on her own last week  She now can walk across the living room, putting 16 steps together. She has also said her first recognizable word, "UUUU p" when she wants up. The next challenge is to get mom and dad to say the words the proper way rather than dragging out the sounds.  Her "UUUU p" is nearly an exact reproduction of our slow - say it phonically and look at my mouth- rendition. Food is also becoming less of an issue.  Ignoring the orphanage director's advice, we have let Amanda have all the food that she wants.  A couple of weeks ago she started to reject foods that she doesn't like. Now she even leaves food that she loves (green beans!) on her plate when she is full.  

Update 3/15/98: Amanda is now walking well, trying to run, saying "HI!", "I love you", and of course "UP!" Amanda is starting daycare for 2 days a week when Ginger returns to work. The grandmothers will watch her the other days.  She is now a little cranky because she has started to cut some molars. We traveled to Austin at the end of February with Amanda to have a reunion with our travel group.  It is amazing how much the children have changed in such a short while.  We introduced Amanda to the director of our adoption agency, Snow Wu. Ginger sent an E Mail to our hotel in Nanjing, the Dingshan Garden Hotel about the Rain Flower Pebbles that she had wanted to buy.  The asked us to send money and they would mail them to her.  They arrived this past week in a box  covered with Chinese stamps.  Ginger loves her pebbles, I like the stamps.

Update July 29, 1999: Amanda is now enjoying being a big sister to Emma, learning Chinese, and going to gymnastics lessons. She is developmentally on target, or advanced in every area of the Denver testing. Almost 3 and going on 16, she demands her turn driving the car and helping daddy fix everything (whether or not it needs fixed). She is in all respects a delightful young lady and you can see more pictures of her here.