One Month!!!

Today Nati has officially been a member of our family for one month!!! It is hard to believe a whole month has passed since an Ethiopian judge approved what we had known for so long. Natinim Solomon was a part of our family FOREVER!!!

We have learned so much about each other over the last 4 weeks. There is still so much to learn but we are uncovering new details and layers to this special little guy everyday. I was able to spend the first 2 weeks in Ethiopia alone with Nati and I will always be grateful for that time spent together in his beautiful country forming those early routines for bonding. The last 2 weeks have been spent back at home with a few outings but mostly keeping our world small. 

Two of our outings have been to doctors appointments. The first was to the pediatrician for basic labs, a physical exam and to receive the needed referrals for specialists appointments. 

The second appointment was to the Pediatric Ophthalmologist to make a plan for Nati's eyes. The language barrier and developmental delay made the eye tests nearly impossible but the doctor was able to give us a diagnosis just from a few tests and observing Nati. Nati has what is called Duane Syndrome (Type I).  This is caused by the miswiring of several eye muscles and nerves and probably occurred  around the 6th week of pregnancy. It is due to poor development of tiny parts of the brain stem that control the eye muscles and causes his eyes to not be able to move outward. Typically kids would compensate for this by turning their head from side to side to see things but because of Nati's vertebral fusion in his neck he has limited neck mobility. For the time being we are going to have him wear glasses to help compensate. There is a small chance this could work well enough but it is more likely that he will have to have surgery on both eyes to help as a long term solution. We are thankful that the doctor was willing to take the less aggressive approach and give us more time to bond before we explore this option. We will go back two days before Thanksgiving to assess further. 

If possible, we think he is even MORE adorable with glasses! :)

One of the first things we figured out after taking custody of Nati in Ethiopia is that his breathing while sleeping is a little scary. He snores and gasps and sometimes quits breathing all together several times a night. As you can imagine this has made it very hard for him to sleep peacefully...mom and dad too. We were unsure what was causing this but it was definitely at the top of our list to explore when we got home. When we went to our pediatrician we found out that Nati's tonsils are pretty much touching. While we are unsure if removing them will completely take care of the sleep apnea we are hoping that is will significantly improve his breathing. We will be going to the ENT this coming Wednesday to schedule a surgery date. 

Then we will be going back to the pediatrician on September 18th to start Nati's vaccinations and possibly do more labs. We will also talk about getting referrals to other specialists, including a pediatric cardiologist and pediatric neurologist. So as you can see the medical appointments are keeping us pretty busy for the time being.

A few other things coming up in the next few weeks will be:

-Brandon going back to work full time

-First family photo shoot

-Starting school with the girls again

-First post placement visit with our social worker (These will be done at 3, 6 and 12 months and then yearly until he is 18)

-Hopefully getting the needed documents to start the adoption here in the states (Just in case you thought the paperwork was over) ;)

We are so thankful for your continued prayers as we adjust to our new normal. While we are definitely starting the hard work of reversing years spent in an orphanage we are also seeing big steps in the right direction. Nati continues to bravely trust us a little more each day and to allow us to do things for him that he has been doing for himself for years. Just this week we have experienced two really huge examples of healing behavior. For the first time Nati said he was done eating before the food was gone. I could have literally just sat there and cried. For a child that has not always known food is coming again this was a big show of trust on his part. Also, last night for the first time I was able to soothe Nati. I know this sounds so small but for the past several years he has been left to deal with his emotions on his own and having us comfort and soothe him is extremely difficult and uncomfortable for him. We have tried just about everything but most of the time we just hold him and rock him, letting him know we are a safe place when he is upset, mad or frustrated. Last night I was able to swaddle him up and offer him his pacifier and bottle. There were tears and a little bit of resistance but FINALLY he curled into me and the tears subsided. His eyes kept blinking closed and popping back open. I may have sang "Jesus Loves Me" 30 times but he snuggled in and fell asleep and there were more tears but this time they were from me.

God is so good and the healing of Nati's heart will only be accomplished through His mighty power. I know we have a long way to go still but month one has been a good one. 

We cannot wait to see all that God has in store for Nati and our family in the coming days and weeks.

I am so thankful I get to be his mommy.  <3