An Update on Our Kylie!!

While we have been anxiously waiting on our LOA to show up, we were also hoping to get some updated information on Kylie.  Finally, we came upon an organization called Ladybugs n Love.  They specialize in care packages and such to children in China.  They are not who I used for Kylie's original care package but I had another adoptive friend, Amy, who used them and liked them.  I was researching places who will send Kylie a birthday package in January for her 1st birthday.  While researching, I found LNL's American counterpart is a client of Lifeline!  So, it was decided!  We'll use them to send the care package.

While I was looking over their website, I discovered that for a very small fee, they would call the orphanage for an update!  You get updated height/weight measurements along with foot size and number of teeth etc.  In addition, you get to ask 10 questions.  I inquired of them and they had just spoken to our orphanage for another family so they felt like they would get a response.  One week ago, I sent in my 10 questions and Saturday, I received answers!!!  Here is what we now know about Kylie.  My questions are in black, answers in blue and my comments in red.:

1. Is Yingbei crawling or sitting up on her own?

Yes. (I assume this to mean yes to both crawling and sitting)

2. What are Yingbei's favorite toys to play with or favorite activity?
Something makes noise or rolling. Favorite activity: something play with her. (I'm taking this to mean that she likes noisy and moving toys but her favorite is when someone is playing with her.)

3. What is Yingbei's general demeanor? Happy? Sad? Shy? Fearful?
She is happy and has a ready smile. (This makes me happier than you know.) 

4.What comforts Yingbei most when she is sad?

Hold her. (Um, yes.  I think we can TOTALLY accomodate that!)

5.What do you call her by most? Yingbei or a nickname?

Bei Bei. (Bei Bei.  As my friend Katelyn says... "I die.")

6.Why did you name her YingBei?

Lian means Lian Yun Gang. Ying sounds similar with Yi which means “a” or “one”. Bei means baby, treasure, the apple of one’s eye. (Not sure what to think about this.  We have received several different meanings...from welcome baby, to welcoming the precious one to this.  Guess we'll go with welcoming the precious (or treasured) one.  We like that best!)

7.Has her cleft surgery been scheduled yet or do you know approximately when that will be?

She was sent to Xu Zhou No. 1 Hospital for cleft lip surgery on Dec 5. (OK.  I know.  This was a definite surprise to us.  We did NOT know this was occurring.  We have no other details other than what you read here.  Yes, it is common for this to happen without adoptive parents' knowledge. I assume from the answer and from what is common that only her lip, not palate, has been repaired.  I am very sad to think she is going through this without her Mommy and Daddy there.  However, I feel very confident in the surgeons in China.  They usually do a great job with the plastic surgery.  I'll be anxious to see pictures from after her surgery.)

8. Who is Yingbei's favorite caregiver/nanny?

Bai Yu. (You might wonder why I asked this question?  First if we have the opportunity to visit the orphanage, I'd like to meet this nanny and get a photo of her in order to provide more history of her early life before us.)

9. Does Yingbei have a favorite playmate/s?
Lian Ruo Hang, Lian Tian Ge, and Lian Meng Chen. (I don't know these children, but also hope to find their forever families so we can keep in touch.)

10. Can we have the items Yingbei was found with on Gotcha Day and if not, can you share photos of these items?

Sorry, we can't. (This was probably the most disappointing answer for me.  I would really love to have what little she was found with.  I believe from the way the referral papers read that there was a note.  It's just not going to be something I can provide her.)

They will answer rest of the questions when she’s back.

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OK, it's important to note that last underlined sentence..."when she's back".  When I first read that, I assumed it meant the orphanage staff person who was answering the email.  And I had seen all the questions were answered so I didn't know what was left. However, once I was able to sit down at my laptop (as opposed to reading the email on my iPhone), I realized I had gotten no measurements, no physical updates and no pictures or videos.  That's when it dawned on me that "she's" is Kylie.  She is still in the hospital recovering from surgery.  Yes, that is a long time, but remember, she lives in an orphanage with lots and lots of children and fewer caregivers.  Think of it like a huge daycare but with many more chilren and it being a 24 hour a day daycare center.  You can't possibly have a child recovering from surgery who needs special care keeping her hands away from her newly repaired lip and special diet in an environment with many kids.  So we aren't worried.  We are anxious to get updated measurements, but we already know she had to be 17lbs before she could have the lip repair, so we assume she's at least that heavy. 

We are so thankful to Angela and Kelly at LNL for getting us this update.  But, it is bittersweet because it makes it that much harder to be waiting and not be with her.  I have begun dreaming about her almost every night.  I have 3 friends traveling to China over the Christmas holidays so it's very in my face.

Will you pray with me this week that a Christmas miracle will occur and we'll get LOA?  I'm not alone...there are many still waiting on that beloved piece of paper.  Pray or all my friends who are waiting.  It's a hard place to be in especially around the holidays when all you want for Christmas is your baby to be in your arms.

More to come...