Saturday, October 13, 2012

Just a small update today

Hello friends,

Feeling very exhausted after making it to Guangzhou.  Anna wailed the last 30 minutes of the plane ride with no way to console her.  The night before was extremely rough on both of us as she woke several times screaming and crying.  We co-sleep with her but she isn't really awake and pushes us away until she wakes up and realizes we are there.  Please pray for her sleeping.  Nap time and going to bed are extremely difficult.  Not only is she a very light sleeper, she is very scared of going to sleep.  I am sure this is her grief we are seeing.  During the day she is just as happy as can be.  The reason she cried on the plane was that she was exhausted and didn't want to go to sleep.  She wanted me to hold her but kept pushing me away at the same time.  After falling asleep the last 5 minutes of the plane ride she was her usual happy, naughty self!

She is definitely a two year old!  She loves to do things she isn't supposed to and laugh when told no.  We're picking our battles now and trying to let her think she is being naughty when she isn't so that she can have some fun, but also helping her understand that when we say no it means no.

It was a very exhausting day,but our new hotel is amazing. The bathtub is huge so Anna and I had a bath together and made up with each other after a hard night and day.  She's asleep now after at least 20 minutes of meltdown.  Please pray that she will stay asleep tonight and not wake up afraid.  Moving to a new place was not easy on her.

One more week and we finally get to go home. We are all ready, but also looking forward to seeing Guangzhou.  It looks like a fun and interesting city.  I'll try to update you on the past few days tomorrow.  I need to get to bed so I can catch up on some sleep.  No plans tomorrow, so we are going to start celebrating Esther's 13th birthday a little early and do some souvenir shopping.  Anna loves to go out, so all should go well if she gets a good nights sleep.

Thanks for your prayers and comments.  It means so much to have your support from afar.

3 comments:

  1. Praying for you guys, especially Anna. Both of our kids that we adopted from China had night terrors. We really did not sleep much in Guangzhou as that is when they really started. The night terrors do lessen over time... it is hard though. While Guangzhou was hard, sleeping once we got home was the worst for the first month or so, because jet lag increased it. I understand the screaming on the plane thing. My daughter would throw a fit when she wanted me to stand up and rock her (I had found that put her to sleep the first week we had her). On at least two flights she screamed when we were landing. I stood up with her on the Chinese flight to Guangzhou and the flight attendant actually let me ("m'am, I need you to sit down until we are at the gate." Me, "I can, but then she will start screaming again." "It's okay then". HAH! They would not allow it on the American flight home when she screamed when we were landing, and it was a terrible way to end that long flight, though she was really well-behaved for most of it. I will pray that God gives you guys the strength you need. Things will get easier eventually!

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  2. praying for you guys...thanks for the update!

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  3. Great to hear from you -- I was thinking of you last night and wondering how you all were doing. Any chance you can get, and would consider, 'benadryl'?!?!? Ok, ok -- so, I'm recommending "meds", but desperate times.... Many of our respite kiddo's we've had here, have had sleep challenges until they had help until a time when they could eventually self-reg. I've learn our adopted and foster kids aren't our typical birth children and there is no shame or weakness in utilizing traditional medicine until their coping mechanisms begin to adjust. We had one kiddo who frequently stayed with us for respite and had doc prescribed benadryl for bedtime and it was very effective. He has since 'graduated from the program' and doing very well! Sleep is so critical for us moms, it can affect everything we do and feel. Hang in there and nap when you can -- We look forward to your return! m.

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