Update on Maggie Fei - The Good and the Worrisome

Throughout both adoption processes, we've had many very cool little (and big!) moments, connections and "God-winks."  I had another one last week.  I was really feeling down, tired of the wait to get our girl.  My mom and I were chatting on the phone about wanting to start getting clothes out for her, but having no idea what size since the most recent measurements we had for her were from way back in May.  (At that point, she was in the 25% in height/weight.  Pretty good for a cleft baby!)  Sometimes adoptive parents get updates on their kiddos while they wait, sometimes they don't.  It's hard to hope for something you're not sure you're going to get.  We did get one new picture last week via bloggy world/Facebook land, but I was so anxious for something official from the orphanage on how she was doing.

However, DURING that conversation, I refreshed my email (I won't admit how many times a day I do that!) and UP POPPED AN UPDATE!!!!  Whew-hooo!!!  I so needed that and it came through right at that exact moment.

We got 4 new pictures and a bit of an update on how she's doing. Here is what it said:

Her current health is good.

She has had the surgery for her cleft lip. (which we already knew)

She can sit, stand in the crib. She can take steps holding onto handrail.

She cannot say any words.

She is not potty trained.

They call her Yu Fei.

She likes being held.

Her sleeping and diet schedule:                  

Sleeping time: 9:00pm-6:30am

Nap time: 12:30-2:00pm

Eating time: 6:30am, 10:00am, 2:30pm, 6:30pm

She eats formula and rice cereal.

She is in the orphanage.

It also shows that she has barely gained any weight or grown much at all since May.  She's gone from the 25% in height and weight down to the 3rd percentile.  Ugh.  Not what I was wanting to see.  Thankfully, we were able to forward the info to the International Adoption Center and feel reassured by their feedback. They said that while her growth is not what we would have hoped, she also appears healthy and developmentally on track.  Also, for a cleft baby in a crowded orphanage, it can be difficult for her to figure out how to eat effectively.  So the lack of weight gain is not not overly surprising in her situation.

But still.  I just hate to see that she's not flourishing.  We've also heard rumors that her orphanage is very crowded and that babies may spend a good amount of time alone in their cribs.  :(  This just makes me so sad; she's 11 months old now-she should be into everything!

We also got 4 new pictures.  I know they are a tiny snapshot in time, but she's not smiling.  It hurts my momma-heart to see my girl alone there and struggling to eat and gain weight without a family's love.  We are SO SO ready to get her home!!  We're still thinking we'll be able to go sometime in November.  

In the meantime, we would very much appreciate prayers and good thoughts sent her way.  

We also still have our matching grant going on through the end of the month.  Please let me know if you'd like to contribute towards bringing Maggie home.