A Clear Sign

We have had Sinclair in our family for almost one month now, and we've learned so much about this sweet baby of ours. She adjusted so well to us in China and is happy and healthy. When she had her physical exam in China she weighed in at 18.2 pounds and measured 28 inches long. To us, all of these things are evidence of being well-cared for at the orphanage where she spent her first 10 months.

Sinclair is adjusting well in her new home. When we first came home, she wouldn't let Anita get up to cross the room and back, but now she is doing better. She still prefers Anita to the rest of the family if Anita is around, but if Anita is out of sight, she is fine being held by Daddy or Madison or playing on the floor with Brevin. Sinclair is sharing a room with Madison, and since we've been back she has slept through the night twice. She didn't like to be put on the changing table at all for diapering. Now she is fine with that, and her poops have been much better since that traumatic episode in China. For the first week or so Sinclair would cry each time we put her in the car, but that has also subsided for the most part.
The carpet took some getting used to for her, but she laughed out loud when she first met Phoebe, our cat. She has had so many changes in her life and routine over the last month, but overall people keep commenting on how happy and well-adjusted she seems.

Sinclair is getting into the routine of things in our family, too. She wakes up in the morning around 6:30 or 7:00 and is happy to see us. She is a good eater and takes about 4 bottles per day plus whatever fruit or vegetable baby food we offer.
She is enjoying sitting on the floor with toys or in Anita's lap with Anita and the kids while they are reading and doing schoolwork. She seems to be taking one morning nap and one afternoon nap--we're still figuring out her habits/routine as she has figured out ours. Madison usually plays with her for 30 minutes or so while Anita has some uninterrupted teaching time with Brevin. She has already gone on one home-school field trip to the LA County fair and loved it. She is enjoying being in the Moby-wrap with Anita at church, or at Brevin's baseball games or while Anita does chores around the house. We hold her bottle for her when she eats, so she can gaze up at us and we can enjoy that bonding time with her. Attachment is so important for all babies, but especially for adopted children. We wouldn't miss these moments for the world.

Sinclair's little personality is coming out, too. Her favorite toy is a water bottle, but she also likes her stacking/nesting cups. She babbles and smiles quite a bit and is very cuddly. The kids still make her smile and laugh more than anyone, and she is never lack for attention! Whenever we put on music, she bounces herself up and down, smiles, and tries to sing along. She is not crawling, yet, but loves to stand holding on to someones hands for balance. So far she has learned to play peek-a-boo, wave hello and good-bye, and puts her hands up when we say "up." She is so cute!

So many people have commented on how well Sinclair just fits with us Smiths. While in China, some of the shop owners there had to ask if she was a Chinese baby! One woman said she looks like she could be my biological child. Lineker (one of our guides) said he thought that Sinclair was possibly a Chinese minority as she didn't look Han Chinese to him. We researched what minority groups live in the Jiangxi province where she was born, and she may possibly be from the Hakka group. That is truly a guess, but she does resemble some of the Hakka people whose photos were online. But besides appearances, she still fits so well with us and us with her. She is a wonderful addition to the Smith family and we are all so lucky.