Thursday, October 28, 2010
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Video!
This is Andrew, Jacob, and Anna's favorite video of Karis and Mommy. They all burst into giggles at the end, you'll see why :)
Friday, October 1, 2010
September Update!
I fervently hope and pray that this is the last monthly update we will receive...because if it is, that means we're there in person to see for ourselves! Karis is doing awesome at growing! I've copied her update info below...but I'm betting that the 0-3 month clothes in her dresser are going to have to be traded out for 3-6 months!
This is my favorite picture of this bunch...she still has that ridiculously small hat on her head, though it doesn't fit her nearly as well!
While this picture makes her look even chubbier...
...this one shows that she is still tiny! Oh, to hold and snuggle her!
Name: Lemlem Milligan
Measurements:
Taken on: September 23,2010
Weight: 12 pounds
Height: 60 cm (23.6 inches)
Head Circumference: 38.5 cm (15.2 inches)
Eating/Health:
She takes 5 ounces of formula seven times per day.
She has been healthy this month except rash she has on her neck. It is getting better with baby powder application.
Development/Physical:
She is put on tummy time to lift her head up. She is trying to lift her head up.
She kicks her legs and hands.
Personality/Other Comments:
She smiles when the nannies play with her making funny sounds and faces. She has started to like to be held and cuddled.
She sometimes gets fussy. She is comforted when she is rocked in her bed
Questions
1. Does Lemlem hold up her head unsupported? –
She can hold her head up while held in sitting position. She is trying to hold her head up while on tummy position.
2. Does she spit up frequently after feedings?
Yes
3. Does she ever lie on her tummy during her awake times?
Yes
4. Can she grasp a rattle in her hand?
Yes she can hold small toys if given.
5. Does she maneuver toys or her hands to her mouth?
She puts her hands to her mouth.
This is my favorite picture of this bunch...she still has that ridiculously small hat on her head, though it doesn't fit her nearly as well!
While this picture makes her look even chubbier...
...this one shows that she is still tiny! Oh, to hold and snuggle her!
Name: Lemlem Milligan
Measurements:
Taken on: September 23,2010
Weight: 12 pounds
Height: 60 cm (23.6 inches)
Head Circumference: 38.5 cm (15.2 inches)
Eating/Health:
She takes 5 ounces of formula seven times per day.
She has been healthy this month except rash she has on her neck. It is getting better with baby powder application.
Development/Physical:
She is put on tummy time to lift her head up. She is trying to lift her head up.
She kicks her legs and hands.
Personality/Other Comments:
She smiles when the nannies play with her making funny sounds and faces. She has started to like to be held and cuddled.
She sometimes gets fussy. She is comforted when she is rocked in her bed
Questions
1. Does Lemlem hold up her head unsupported? –
She can hold her head up while held in sitting position. She is trying to hold her head up while on tummy position.
2. Does she spit up frequently after feedings?
Yes
3. Does she ever lie on her tummy during her awake times?
Yes
4. Can she grasp a rattle in her hand?
Yes she can hold small toys if given.
5. Does she maneuver toys or her hands to her mouth?
She puts her hands to her mouth.
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Mid-September
Jo Franklin just sent me these precious pictures of Karis...and she totally understands the heart of a mama whose baby girl is so far away! You can tell that she's walked this road before...she took the extra time to email the pictures to me from Ethiopia! 
Jo's note via facebook:
Took pics or your sweet baby girl yesterday. I will try to send them to you soon. Computer stuff is slow here.She looks great and healthy. I loved her adorable chubby cheeks. She was wearing a 0-3 month outfit and it fit her well.
Can I just say that my arms are physically aching to hold this baby girl? No exaggeration...I miss her so much. But I know people have been praying for us...this past month I've had nothing but pure and painful joy in the blessing of this baby. Court opens in 10 days!!!!!
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
September Videos!
We were so thankful to receive these pictures and video clips from Dottie Raymer, who was just in Ethiopia to bring home her 15 year old son! I had mailed Dottie a care package to take, and included a picture of her so she would know for whom she was looking!
I ALMOST did not include the little pink hat she's wearing, because it's so tiny it's almost ridiculous. I nearly just gave it to Anna for her dolls. But, I know they like to put the babies in hats, and that if it was too small for Karis, another baby would benefit from it. So I was quite surprised to see it on her little head!
She's definitely chunking up...bittersweet, I guess, to have her growing and changing so quickly! I'm so thankful that she's healthy!
She's definitely chunking up...bittersweet, I guess, to have her growing and changing so quickly! I'm so thankful that she's healthy!
Thursday, September 2, 2010
August Update!!!
We finally received our long awaited monthly update! (Goodness...I say "finally" like it's six months past due or something. It is, after all, only Sep. 2nd)! It's been obvious from pictures we've received that she is growing, so I've been so curious to see actual numbers on how much she has grown. Well, since her referral to us on 7/16, she's put on 2 and a 1/2 lbs, 5 cm in length, and 2 and a 1/2 cm. in head circumference! Looking at her feeding schedule (copied in the update below), it's no wonder!
The fun part is that I just sent over this purple outfit this past week with a traveling family (it's common practice to send over care packages and consent to have your child photographed by families who are traveling for their own court dates or embassy dates). It's a NB size outfit, and it looks like it fits her really well! All the information we received is copied below!
August Update Information!!!
Name: Lemlem Milligan
Measurements:
Taken on: August 31,2010
Weight: 10 pounds
Height: 58 cm (22.8 inches)
Head Circumference: 38 cm
Eating/Health: She takes 5 ounces of formula seven times per day. She had rash on her neck on August 17th; she was treated with Zinc Oxide. She had URTI on August 23rd; she was treated with Cotrimoxazole syrup. She has occasional cough.
Development/Physical: She follows moving objects with her eyes. She making sounds like e,e,e…
Personality/Other Comments: She doesn’t like to be held. She likes to be rocked in rocky bed. She smiles when the nannies play with her.
Questions
1. What is Lemlem’s daily schedule (eating, sleeping, awake times)?
She takes nap almost after every feeding for 1-2 hours during the day. She eats at 6am, 9am, 12am, 3pm, 6pm, 10pm, and 2am. She sleeps well at night waking twice for feeding and diaper change.
2. Does Lemlem smile, and if so, what makes her smile?
She smiles when the nannies play with her making funny sounds.
3. Can she hold her head steady when being held upright, or does she still need her head supported?
Yes, She needs her head supported.
4. Does she go to sleep on her own, or is she rocked to sleep?
She likes to be rocked to sleep.
5. When she is fussy, what soothes her the best?
She gets comforted when she gets her bottle with formula and is rocked on her rocky bed.
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Sick again...
We got word again this week that Karis is battling another upper respiratory tract infection. She's only 3 months old and has already been on antibiotics at least twice, if not three times. Please pray for her healing!
Growing!
These pictures aren't the best quality, but they do show how very long Karis is! I will be very curious to see if the two newborn outfits I sent in a care package this past week actually will fit her!
(These are pics of Ashlie Fulmer holding Karis...Ashlie spent two months in Addis this summer, b/t her referral for her baby boy and embassy clearance to come home. It was such a blessing to be able to get regular updates from her on how Karis was doing...though we're excited for her to be home already)!
(These are pics of Ashlie Fulmer holding Karis...Ashlie spent two months in Addis this summer, b/t her referral for her baby boy and embassy clearance to come home. It was such a blessing to be able to get regular updates from her on how Karis was doing...though we're excited for her to be home already)!
Poor baby!
Amanda said that when they brought Karis out from waking up from her nap, she was crying...but as soon as they talked to her to try and take her picture, she settled down...glad to know these pictures weren't taken in the opposite sequence! Her little pouty lip is irresistibly adorable, I think! 
Hat-less!
Amanda just sent these beautiful pictures today! More often than not, it seems as though she has a hat on, which is adorable...but I love to see her sweet little head that just begs kissing! 
Sunday, August 15, 2010
Filling out!
We will get an update at the beginning of September. It will include a height/weight update, a new picture, and we were allowed to ask any five questions about her health and development. So I went to a child development website which listed common milestones for each age. I am so excited to get our update, and will share when I receive it!
Right now there is another family there to pick up their toddler boy, and they have been gracious to take a photo consent form for us. Their internet connection has been nonexistent, not to mention dealing with health issues for their little boy, so we haven't received any of the pics. But, they have their embassy appt. on Wednesday, so they should be home by next week...hopefully pictures will soon follow!
The blessings along the way...
There are few more precious gifts to a family than what Jen Ely has so graciously given to ours.
While she and Rebecca were at Karis' orphanage together in July, her own momma's heart knew what I would want to see, what I would want to know, of my daughter. And she took so much time to painstakingly capture our beautiful baby girl in all her wonerfulness...from head to toe!
My heart is so full, it once again is overflowing through my eyes...thank you can never be enough for how grateful we are for the pictures in the following posts.
Karis Lemlem, your family loves you more than you can even imagine. We think of you all day long. Every day I cry out to God to keep you safe and healthy, for you know that you are so incredibly loved. Your life is such a precious gift, and we are so honored to be a part of it. Your brothers come running whenever they hear the videos of you start to play, as they often do, on my computer! Your sister carries your picture around and was so upset the other day that it got bent when she took your picture to bed, and wanted me to print out a fresh one! We have your pictures posted all over the house...you are never far from our thoughts. We keep pictures of you in the van, because we are so proud to show you off to anyone and everyone who crosses our path! I long to hold you, to drink in your smallness, to hear your soft breathing as you drift off to sleep. I will always regret that I did not get to know you in your tiny ways, but we are so joyful looking forward to all of the days we will spend together as you learn and grow! We love you, baby girl, and we're counting the days until we meet.
Love, Mommy
While she and Rebecca were at Karis' orphanage together in July, her own momma's heart knew what I would want to see, what I would want to know, of my daughter. And she took so much time to painstakingly capture our beautiful baby girl in all her wonerfulness...from head to toe!
My heart is so full, it once again is overflowing through my eyes...thank you can never be enough for how grateful we are for the pictures in the following posts.
Karis Lemlem, your family loves you more than you can even imagine. We think of you all day long. Every day I cry out to God to keep you safe and healthy, for you know that you are so incredibly loved. Your life is such a precious gift, and we are so honored to be a part of it. Your brothers come running whenever they hear the videos of you start to play, as they often do, on my computer! Your sister carries your picture around and was so upset the other day that it got bent when she took your picture to bed, and wanted me to print out a fresh one! We have your pictures posted all over the house...you are never far from our thoughts. We keep pictures of you in the van, because we are so proud to show you off to anyone and everyone who crosses our path! I long to hold you, to drink in your smallness, to hear your soft breathing as you drift off to sleep. I will always regret that I did not get to know you in your tiny ways, but we are so joyful looking forward to all of the days we will spend together as you learn and grow! We love you, baby girl, and we're counting the days until we meet.
Love, Mommy
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