15 weeks as a family!

Well, the past weeks have just flown by. Hard to believe that NiNi has been mine for 15 weeks. My precious angel will be 1 next Monday! She is just an amazing blessing, and sometimes I still can't believe she is mine.
Her health has improved! She has been off oxygen since 6/3! We saw cardiology on 6/9, and they did an echo. It shows that the pulmonary hypertension has resolved (YEAH!!), and her valves are not leaking any more. :-) So my daughter now has a healthy heart! She is a normal, healthy kiddo, who only needs to grow and catch up to her peers. She is off ALL her meds, also, which is another blessing. All the oxygen tanks were removed last week, so now our home looks like a home and not a hospital! :-)
NiNi was evaluated by Early Intervention; she qualifies for PT, OT, and Child Development. She should start weekly therapy this week or next. She can ALMOST sit alone, and has figured out how to roll from her back to her tummy and tummy to her back! She can also scoot a little on her tummy, especially if she is trying to pet her Charlie kitty! :-) She says "Mama", has since China, and says "Hi" occasionally. Last weekend, she said "Cat", but hasn't since. She also said "Grandma" and "Mine", but they were 1-time words, apparently. :-) I am considering starting some basic sign language with her, to help her communicate.
Last weekend was NiNi's first big outing! We went to Redding, to my parents' home. We had a great weekend; we spent time with my parents, sister, niece, and my aunt came over from the coast. There were a lot of new faces, too: Friday afternoon, I took Baby to my Dad and Sis' workplace, where many folks were waiting to meet my girl. :-) She took it very well, although she was ready to leave after about 20 minutes. Saturday was a family day, we hung out with the family and relaxed. Sunday morning was NiNi's first church experience. She did well, actually slept thru about 1/2 of the service. There were a number of people waiting to meet her also, since she's been on the prayer list over the past 3+ months. Sunday afternoon was a celebration at my parents' home. We invited many dear and familiar people, folks I've known most or all of my life. It was a wonderful welcome for my sweetie, and she handled the commotion quite well. The people who attended were people who have kept us in prayers, and supported my adoption, and it was just a lovely afternoon. :-) NiNi was exhausted after that. I decided to go home Sunday evening, while it was cool...my girl slept the WHOLE way, all 160 miles...and 10 hours that night!
We have kept a pretty low profile here at home. Baby didn't get her first shots until 5/28, almost 8 weeks post-op...so we stayed home and avoided contact with most people to limit exposure to germs. It is common for our Chinese children to spend the first year home with multiple illnesses, being exposed to new germs...since NiNi was newly post-op, it became even more important to avoid that as much as possible. So far, so good. I think she has some allergies; when Aunt Jenny is having a bad allergy day, NiNi seems to sneeze and sniff a lot also. benadryl helps a little. :-)
Olivia is just so much fun! She is mostly smiley, with a sunny personality...as long as she isn't left alone for more than 10 seconds! She plays with her toys, looks at books (chews on them a lot too), and just loves hanging out with her people- Aunt Jenny, myself, and "her favorite", my sweetie. She just smiles and coos at him!! :-) He can coax a smile when no one else can. She loves going in the car, riding in the stroller, and can sit in the high chair or bumbo seat very well now. She has 2 teeth, and is working on uppers now. She is still tiny, only 14#, 2oz, and 26 1/2 inches long...that is the 3-4% on the height and weight charts...so we are continuing to feed her every 3-4 hrs with higher calorie formula. We had started rice cereal, adding carrots, peas, and applesauce, and she liked them...but with teething, she isn't taking enough calories and lost weight at her last appt, So, the cereal is on hold for now.
For everyone who has followed our journey, and kept us in thoughts and prayers: Thank you! This has been an arduous and grueling 4 months, and I truly believe we were carried home thru prayer. As stressful and terrifying as the experience was, I would do it again in a nanosecond for this baby. She is the best thing I've ever done. I love being a mom, and love this baby with an intensity that is incredible. Every morning, when she wakes up, she looks at me, smiles, says "mama" and blows me a kiss! :-) There is nothing that feels as good as that moment.
I don't have to return to work until at least 9/6, and I am grateful for that. My doctor is amazing, she listened to me, was VERY supportive, and took me off work for now.
I will post pics ASAP. My computer melted down, and had to be re-formatted...or something techno...my pics were erased, and re-installing the whole thing has not worked well...but I will remedy that soon. :-)
For tonight, as I watch my precious gift, my miracle baby, sleeping quietly in her bed, smiling in her sleep, I am content and my heart is full.