Doctor, Doctor - Give Me the News...

Big sister learning how to bottle feed - she loves it!

Brian had his adoption physical yesterday with our International Adoption Pediatrician Specialist. His name is Dr. Eckel and he is awesome. He was Jordan's first doctor too. He has a couple of children from China and has even sponsored one of his children's Chinese nanny here in the US for a couple of years while she had some major restorative facial plastic surgery. He is a good Christian man also. The only downside is that his offices are in Denton, about an hour away. I'll take Brian here for his first couple of months and then move him to Jordan's pediatrician who is a Chinese American woman, and closer to our house.

The good news on Brian's physical - he gained a full pound in one week. He is now 17.2 lbs. (He was 16.1 lbs. in Hanoi, and 16.2 lbs. here at the doctor's office last week). He is 28 1/2 inches long. He is thriving. He is a little eating machine too! He eats oatmeal or rice cereal about three times a day, along with some baby food veggies, and his bottles with Similac every 3-4 hours. I gave him a Ritz cracker the other day, and he loved it! One of his top front teeth is popping through, so he is a knawing boy right now. I gave him some hard boiled egg and some banana pieces this morning, and he chowed.

My cabinets are slowly converting to the baby food aisle! (Thanks Cindy for getting me started - I know have two full shelves a goin'!)

His skin is getting better, and his ear is healed. He still scratches his dry head, so the doc suggested baby oil on his scalp before a shampoo and he recommended always using a conditioner. I'll do that today. He loves the Aquafor, and my hands do too. I forgot how chapped your hands can become after washing all the bottles all the time.

He has some scarring (and white pigmentation blotches) at different places on his back, shoulders, legs and arms. I thought it was from excema and I was also under the belief that a few of the spots (shoulder and leg) may have been from vaccinations given to him in Viet Nam. The doctor evaluated all of them, and said that only a few were from the excema (he showed me which ones) and said that the others, including the big ones I thought were vaccination scars, were in fact actual bug or other bites and scabs from the healing. Whoa... He has about 4-5 rather pronounced mongolian spots on his lumbar area and buttocks too - which is normal for Asian babies. Jordan's is almost gone.

He has a bald spot on the back of his head, and I optimistically believed that it was the baby fuzz balding to make room for the thicker hair. Nope. Doc said it was definitely from being laid down too much. He said that it is obvious he was held some because his head is not flat in the back (like Jordan's was a bit), but not a lot. In Viet Nam, they don't have mattresses but a woven rattan-like blanket over a fiber board cover, and that is what the babies sleep on. Probably swaddled a lot and laid down.

So the reality is that not only did he have a double ear infection (all better now), scabies, rather large outer ear skin infection and scabbing, and a cold (URI) - but now I find he had a lot of insect/bug bites and was neglected quite a bit. That is so sad. I am so hopeful that the other PAPs waiting to get their children from Viet Nam before the final shut down are there and back in quick time. I will pray for all of them. Angela, Michelle, Donna, Carol, Martha, Judy (and others) - you are in my prayers as are your children!

Brian has been home a week and with Amoxycillin, Aquafor, Cetaphil, Beaudreaux's Butt Paste and nutrition- has almost overcome every physical issue he was bearing just a little over a week ago. Doc said he was just a little developmentally behind, but will catch up fast. He is already pulling himself up to standing and just keeps getting stronger every day.

The doc recommended that I not let folks hold him for the first couple weeks so that he would know and understand that I am his mother and institute his bonding with me. Oops. I have been so overjoyed with his sweet demeanor that most of my friends have held him already. I am supposed to retreat and be the sole primary Brian-holder for a bit of time. Doc did say that he makes excellent eye contact and physical contact with me so he sees no problems or delays in the bonding process. I am learning all the time!

I am making an appointment with the Plano Police Department for car seat installation - they provide a free service where they fasten them securely and properly. Since I have two in the back seat now, it is even more important.

Jordan is being a wonderful big sister. She loves baby Brian very much and wants him with her everywhere. However, she likes when he goes to bed first at night so she can get cuddle time with her Mama. She'll always be my baby girl.