This photo is Jon's favorite.
This week has been a very busy week. Things have happened so fast with Stefanie's photo arrival and there is a lot to do. We would like to say thank you to everyone again for all of your support, letters and telephone calls. I was so busy the first part of the week I did not have a chance to tell you more about Stefanie.
Personality: Gentle, Calm and Loveable
Favorite: Toys with Sound
As of January 11, 2006, Body Measurements: Height: 66.5 cm (26 1/2 inches)
Weight: 7.8 kg (17 lbs 2.5 oz)
Head Circumference: 42.5 cm (16 3/4 inches)
Chest Circumference: 43 cm (17 inches)
Foot Length: 10 cm (4 inches)
Teeth: 2
Stefanie arrived at the YiYang Children's Welfare Institute as of April 15, 2005. We have just discovered she is in a program provided by Half The Sky Foundation, The Infant Nurture Care Program. Half The Sky Foundation is here in the United States, and has raised donations to build a facility at the YiYang Children's Welfare Institute and YiYang Social Welfare Institute in June, 2005. Several families from my new Yahoo Group YiYang CWI and SWI, and many other people volunteered time and money to travel to China and help build this new facility. This basically means Stefanie has been in the equivilent of an American daycare. The families on my YiYang yahoo group have all adopted children from the CWI and SWI Orphanages. We are so very greatful to everyone who helped to donate money and time to care for our daughter.
The Infant Nuture Care Program has trained Nannies how to work and stimulate the children. The rooms colors have soft pastel colored walls, many toys, along with crawl mats and an assigned Nannie to interact with the children. Our daughter is taken to the room every day. We could not be more grateful to everyone who has shown our daughter such kindness and love. This explains why she is so healthy and able to do so many things.
Stefanie is a deep sleeper.
Motor Development: Holds her head up while lying on stomach, rolls over from her back by herself, grasps toy in hand, holds toys in both hands, tears paper, sits alone quite steadily, stands with her hands holding onto support, picks up small things like beans with her fingers, crawls on hands and knees.
Adaptability: Locates the direction of sound/voice. Visually follows moving toys, holds blocks in each hand at the same time, looks for the dropped toy, reach and grasp a toy beyond, transfers a block from one hand to the other.
Language and Sociality: Follows you by moving her head from one side to the other, laughs aloud, distinguishes between acquaintance and strangers, sounds directed at someone or something, knows her name and turns when called. Eats biscuit without help, imitates sounds.
Personality: Quiet, fond of imitating, fond of playing with toys, fond of listening to music. obstinate at times, closest to her caretaker.
Stefanie can wave goodbye and when she sees caretakers she is familiar with she will wave her hands with excitement like she is dancing. We can not wait to meet our little angel.
