Settling in

As expected, we are all suffering a bit of jet lag with Katy having the worst of it.  She's been waking up between 2 and 3 AM and the first night she woke her sisters.  I set her room up so that she could read if she woke up again the next night.  She's been entertaining herself since then and not waking her sisters but we're going to have to come up with another solution.  This is what I found this morning . . . 

We're trying to get early naps in today and Katy is now cooperating and is sound asleep in her room but, my easy sleepers have decided today that it's not such a great idea.  I put them down in their room with twin beds and when I would hear chatter or noise I'd go in.  All I have to do is walk near them and when they hear me they scurry back to their beds.  They've already established whose is whose as they have done with the high chairs.   I sat with them for a long time and know that they are both exhausted but they keep trying to hold hands, smile at each other, trade stuffed animals, etc.  I then decided to try the playpens in my bedroom.  They're now both laying down but neither seem close to falling asleep.

The girls are both doing great and Katy is hanging in there.  They seem to be very happy and Courtney has come a long way in her motor skills.  She is very serious compared to Camryn but she does smile a lot too.  I have noticed that they rarely cry but when they do, they start with the heaving that kids do after crying for a long time.  They don't make any crying noise so it's hard to know when they're doing that.  I don't know if it's because they never got a response to loud crying so they keep it to themselves but, it's very sad to see.  The tears are flowing but they're just making the heaving sound very quietly.  Camryn started doing that when I moved her into the playpen - it's heartbreaking.  Courtney was doing it in the middle of the night one night and I picked her up to rock her.  She then let out a loud cry which I thought was probably a positive thing.  

I have appointments for the girls with a doctor specializing in internationally adopted children for next Tuesday.  I'm anxious to get that done so I know which direction to go with the girls. They went with me to drop Katy off at school and Camryn went right to the work table and got some work out.  She pulled out a little chair and sat at the table to begin working.  It was like she'd always been doing it and she was excited about it.  She was very sad when I took her out of there.  Courtney shows interest too but she's always a bit more hesitant to jump right in.  I'd like to get them in a couple of mornings a week just for the social interaction as well as the pre-school program which is very good but I'm waiting to see what the doctor says.  If they need something more specialized then I will do that but, right now, I don't see that that's going to be necessary.  Even physical therapy is questionable at this time because Courtney has changed drastically just in the last week.  Camryn never had any issues.  Both girls are strong  and capable and don't seem to be very far behind at all in physical issues.

The areas I think they are behind are language which is a given but they're understanding a lot already.  Also, Courtney still is a little slower with her fine motor skills then Camryn but when comparing there's always going to be one ahead of the other.  Neither one knew how to use a bottle or a sippy cup and they both have the sippy cups down now.  I think they were hand fed everything including drinks so they never learned how to do that.   In comparing them to other children their age they seem pretty close.  

So, after one week together I think we're doing great although we are all still exhausted from the trip and the newness of it all.   I was talking about getting rid of some of our excess toys and Katy thought I was talking about her sisters and was upset.  That was a good sign!  She does like her sisters and still wants them here!  They really are so much fun for me and, although I am tired, I am loving every minute with them.   Individually they are both very endearing and loving and, together I find their interaction so interesting and amusing.  They are so connected. I find that if I hold Camryn's hand or ask Camryn to do something then Courtney follows along.  Even walking into the house, if I only have one hand I'll take Camryn's then I don't have to worry about Courtney.   I hope to help that change one day but for now it's making two much easier.  Actually, the two of them are easier work wise then Katy ever has been on her own.  They play together and entertain each other which is very helpful when I have something I have to do.  Katy didn't have that and needed to be with me every second.  Sometimes, she's still like that!