Ruth here, just wanting to add a bit to the post last night. Yesterday's visit to Baotou was an answer to many prayers, but hard for all of us too (not surprisingly). Naomi at first pushed away from her foster mom, but soon started to interact with her, though she did not want to be held long (typical for her). She toddled from one person to another, realizing that everyone was talking about her. Her foster mother was getting her to do some of the cute things she was telling us about, like pretending to talk on the phone. Naomi has a lot of cute expressions and is a bit of a ham. Yet, I believe she was confused by seeing her foster mother. During that visit, she would not look at or come to me, though she interacted with everyone else. Afterwards, she still did not want to be with me and even seemed a bit angry with me. Too many mothers, and I am not the one she knows best. She had been away from her foster mom for twenty days, and as Ana said, she had adjusted quickly. But this visit reminded her of her former life and she is experiencing the loss a second time.
Last night, she was very restless and nothing I could do helped her to sleep. I laid her next to me at one point but she seemed to be trying to squirm away. At 2 am Roger took over and she slept three hours in the crib, then ended up on Roger's chest in the bed. Part of this is due to her congestion and coughing, for which we gave her medicine, but some of it must be the events of yesterday affecting her. Up until now she has been a good sleeper despite her cold. Today she has been a bit cranky and her nap was just as restless as last night. Yet, she clearly is a very resilient child and I believe she will rebound. Roger is good at making her laugh by lifting her up to the ceiling, and she is a pretty good match for Danny's exuberance. When he roars at her like a dinosaur, she growls right back with a glint in her eye. He'd better watch out!
She slept on my chest for awhile today, and though I was longing for a good nap myself, I was full of thankfulness to have the honor of caring for this child.
By the way, Naomi's foster parents are retired and have a 26-year-old son who is a doctor in a Baotou hospital. They live very near to the China Care Home. I am looking forward to the day I can show the pictures and video of all of us together to Naomi, so she will know how well she has been loved and how many people worked hard as a team to give her a good start in life.
The last picture here from Baotou shows one of the many ways parents carry children on their bicycles.
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