So I got to thinking that I just wasn't ok with the basic well visit I had with our family doc for Addison. I wanted the full post-adoptive workup. Which is a little odd for me, we are very holistic and naturalistic in our medical views. I don't do well-child visits, for the most part, we don't vaccinate and I can count the number of times on one hand that all of my kids, collectively, have had antibiotics. But Addison wasn't born at home, from my body, into my arms and fed by my breasts. She has a whole unknown history and it felt naive and irresponsible to just assume everything is fine.

So I asked around and found a good adoption doc and took her in. Boy did they do the work-up!! She had ten - TEN - vials of blood that needed to be drawn (of which we successfully had 6 - tear-free, I might add - vials taken...the rest will have to be done on Thursday), one TB test, 3 various hugely unsuccessful hearing tests, weight (down 1 lbs - that is 2 lbs lower than the SOS clinic weight in Vietnam - yikes!) and length (just under 27").

I can't even tell you all the things they screened for but I know the list includes titers for various vaccines, a kidney test of some sort (this is related to her ear tags), Hep B, Hep C, HIV, lead, anemia/thalessemia, the Michigan newborn screening exam and then we were sent home with a urine bag and several vials for various stool samples which we will return on Thursday when we come back to have the TB test read and any more necessary blood drawn.

We have another follow-up in audiology in 3 weeks for another attempt at hearing tests which will likely be as unsuccessful as today's version. 7 month olds and hearing tests do NOT coexist happily. She was too active for the newborn hearing test and too unresponsive and disinterested for the older kid hearing exam and the third test, the probe was too big for her ear canal. Fail, fail fail. Since we will not really do anything differently, regardless of the tests, they are mainly just out of curiosity at this point. I'm not sweating them either way.

Addison had a great time although the office was SO HOT that we were both a little uncomfy. She loved being there and loved all the procedures except the TB (don't blame her, TB tests HURT). She wasn't real thrilled when they tried to take blood from her hand out of desperation for a cooperative vein but she didn't fuss too much. She passed her developmental tests with flying colors and we just need to work on her leg muscle tone. We were advised to feed her on demand, up to 40 oz of formula a day (unrelated to her drop in weight which they attribute to different scales, different clothing, diapers full vs empty, etc). So this is good because we were having a really hard time keeping her to just 32 oz a day and it will be MUCh better for all of us to up it to closer to 40.

So I think that's it! The boring details. Today she turned 7 months old - what a day to spend the day, huh? Thankfully it's all good to her! The worst part of the day was the drive to the doctor office, 45 minutes away. One hungry baby and one solo mama did not a great pair make!

One last note: I already feel like such the instinctive mama. I told the nurses, straight off, that she would have no problems with the blood draw and asked if I could give her her bottle to keep her occupied (so she would not grab at the line, needle, etc). They told me that she would NOT be able to drink, she would be too upset, and that I should ave the drink for later. They even asked if I wanted to leave the room for the draw!!!!! What!?!?!? Sheesh. She it was validating when she not only did not shed a tear but also drank happily from her bottle through the end (when she was bored and tired of sitting still through 6 slow vials of blood). So haha - I know my kid better than anyone :-)