Pound for pound

The first three weeks after referral are some of the hardest you'll endure. Now you know your child. You've seen her face. You can feel her in your arms. You worry -- is she getting enough to eat? Is she healthy? What will she need when we finally meet? You're waiting for TA. You don't know when you'll travel. You're trying to plan, yet find yourself running around in circles, waiting for China to say, "OK, come get her."

When we received our referral for Who III, the first thing I seized on was how small she was. She had gained only 2 pounds from birth to 4 months, according to the informaton. She was almost four pounds lighter than the other two babies from the same SWI. So I've worried more about this one, hoping she's OK.

Today we got updates, and they are wonderful! Pictures and measurements taken this week show she's still tiny but has grown at a much faster rate. She's finally knocking on the door of the Chinese growth chart (though still not in the 3rd percentile). Better yet, she looks GREAT!

More good news: Some agencies already are receiving TAs! I think ours won't come just yet, as our acceptances didn't go over as quickly. But they're coming, and I can feel that insane mix of panic/excitement begin to take root. Euphoria, here I come!