Avery Update

Hi!  I don't know about you, but I am so glad it is Friday.  Frank has been gone all week.  He is in Utah working and skiing.  I am looking forward to not having to get up at 6:20 a.m. though it won't be a completely carefree Saturday morning as Winston has a soccer game at  9 a.m. and Harris is attending a youth conference for the young adults for our church all weekend.  Today is his 15th  Birthday!  I can't believe I am a mother of a 15 year old.  He is on the verge of shaving and driving and before I know it he will be graduating and leaving for collage, and on the other spectrum I am a mother to two year olds.  They are like having a tornado going through the house each day, but I wouldn't change a minute of that day. Avery now has been with our family for almost two months.  She is really becoming more comfortable with her environment and is not as easily scared at new things as she was in the beginning. She loves to give kisses, but she hasn't completely let herself go in allowing herself to be loved.  She has a hard time with cuddling. It is so hard watching her when she needs comfort, but won't allow me to comfort her.  Each days it is getting better though.  She has learned how to go up and down the stairs now and like most babies she wants to crawl on the kitchen table.  She had her first well check a couple weeks ago and will follow up in the next few weeks with a series of shots every couple of weeks until she is all caught up.  She didn't have all  her shots in China.  The pediatrician is pretty sure she isn't the age that they say she is as she does not have her two year old molars and not only is she really developmentally behind which is expected of orphanage children, but her everything about her says she is probably more between 18-20  months.  I know you are asking how is that possible if they said she was a certain age and we think they may have change her documents for one reason or another.  She weighed in at 27 pounds, but now I can't remember her height.  I guess that comes with the territory of being a mother to 5 children.  Anyway, she will have her first visit with an opthamologist next week to see what he recommends in regards to her cross eyes, and we are waiting for the state to contact us in regards to have her evaluated for speech therapy and physical therapy.  Well, I better go.  I am off to buy cupcakes for Harris birthday.  We plan to celebrate his birthday in a few weeks when the weather is warmer.  He wants to go paintball shooting with his friends.  It is just too cold right now! Have a great weekend!