I don't know if it was the fresh air, the breeze off the lake but Sophia would just pass out on our morning walks for a 25 minute cat nap. Poor baby.....adjusting to the new time change was hard during the day!
As we worked through the crazy sleeping issue, it took me a few weeks to realize that if I could get her down to just one nap, we would all be better off. The schedule China gave really didn't work well. Sophia spent quite a bit of time snoozing in her high chair for the first few weeks. Thank goodness that didn't last for long. I also have a feeling she spent time in a walker or chair of some sort. She would move her legs up and down to put herself to sleep. The same thing would happen in her car seat, but I never saw her do it in her bed. It was very strange. A definite thing she did to soothe herself. It broke my heart to think that she had to do that for herself.
Then it took me until about June to realize that she was searching for something to rub her lips on. She would rub them on my shirt or a blanket, but not for long. I emailed my Yahoo Pingjiang group and found out that several of the girls needed satin blankets once they got home. They too were "searching". The gal that worked for my husband at the time made at least a dozen blankets for Sophia with satin on one side and fleece on the other. She instantly fell in love with them and when I gave her a piece of satin while they were being made, she brought it directly to her lips. Ahhhhhh.......I had figured out another piece of the puzzle to please my girl. She still rubs her lips on her blankets to this day.
28 comments:
The blanket to the lips is so sweet! My Sophia didn't care for satin or silk, but liked a particular cotton blanket. She would touch it to her lips, but not often. When she was tired (and still does it) she will suckle her own lip, just a little. If you watch close, her bottom lip will wiggle a little, because she's sucking on it a little from the inside. Melts my heart every time I see her do it.
Great pictures... The bottom two just make me say, 'Awe.....'
It is amazing to me what little ones find to sooth themselves. My niece, who is not 5, has always liked 'fuzzies' to rub on her nose. Since she was little she would find fuzz balls and rub her nose. Then one day her grandma gave her a rag doll made from a mop. Callie learned to pull the mop strings to get off a fuzzy. Even today she tries to sneak fuzzies in her pocket. Her teacher doesn't like her to bring them to school. :)
What a bittersweet story of how Sophia would put herself to sleep. I can't imagine what these little ones must go through.
Enjoy your weekend. *HUGS*
Good Morning Sunshine!
I just love all of these pictures. I'm so glad that she is a Beckering! It breaks my heart to think of her in a chair in China swinging her legs. It's great that you found out about the satin blankets. Thank you for doing these posts, it's teaching me about what I should do when our Sophia comes home.
Hey, come on over and talk with me. I'm starting Saturday Morning Live Chats.
Now that was interesting.Any idea why she liked the satin????Is it just a fine taste in fabric, or did their care givers wear fabric clothing?
Been enjoying the recap of the last years.How your life has gotten oh soooooo interesting.
What sweet sleeping pics : ) It is amazing how well our girls adjust once we get them surrounded by love and they have people who will anticipate their needs.
A friend's daughter used to suck on her shirt sleeve..they got home from China in October so no big deal... then it got warmer and they put her in short sleeves and she freaked out. They finally found a cotton blanket that she used as a substitute and it worked (she couldn't stay in long sleeves all summmer..of course in China I am sure she did..bundling and all!)
Keep posting...loving this journey!
WOW.. how amazing to find out the little things make them so safe..
You are really going to help those of us who have never been on this journey before..
I love all the information..
I can see how much of a joy Sophia is without even actually knowing her..
I can not wait..
Have a GREAT DAY..we are off to the lake..
My husband is saying.. HURRY UP..
Kim
I love seeing all the old pictures. She is so sweet. I have always loved sleeping baby pictures. I hate to think of them there in that orphanage. I'm so glad she's home.
I so love seeing these pics...
Happy 4 to you too woman, though I sense you're done with counting. I'm considering an every ohter month count.
Awh that breaks my heart to hear how the she would sooth herself to sleep. I guess I take for granted all the effort I took to confort my babies to get them to go to sleep. Thanks for sharing a little window into your sweet little girl's life when you first brought her home.
Both of my girls used blankets and very soft stuffed animals to rub their face and lips while settling for bed.They to had satin on their blanketsJillian's fave is a little stuffed elephant, it's very soft, she also sucks on it so it's a little yucky, hates for it too bewashed.
Loved the photos, that face and those cheeks, so beautiful!!!!
So many little pieces of puzzles to put together! What a sweetheart, Steffie!
Oh how precious are these pictures of Miss Sophia. She is just the prettiest little thing.
Mallory sucks her finger and has done this since the day we got her. She still does it. I say whatever works for them to feel secure, let them do it. I am enjoying all these pics of Sophia when she was a little baby. She and Mal were both about the same size and had the same chubby cheeks. I love those cheeks!
What a little cutie pie with her blankies...I love hearing about how it was in the beginning.
It is sad to read about different children from China (and other orphanages) and get a glimpse of how they can to find ways to sooth themselves at a VERY young age.
I love the blankets.
My oldest had a teddy bear that he had to rub one of his paws on his nose when he went to sleep. It so so beat up, to wash it, I would have to put it into a pillow case. Once I would remove it from the drier, the first thing he would do it place the paw on his nose. It is on a shelf in his room still today.
Question - I saw in a couple of the last posts that Emmie was wearing glasses. Did she not get contacts until after your trip, or did you chose not to take them for another reason?
awww... it is so hard adjusting to the new time...
Looove the satin blankets. How sweet and kind of the lady to make them!
Awwwwww, so precious, I didnt relize it before, but my sister turned 8 on August 10th~!!!! How funny ;)
Those first few months were such a learning curve weren't there girl? Abbey did something like that too! She would suck on her sheet at night when we put her to bed at night. It nearly broke my heart. I think this was her way of soothing herself to sleep.
I love all Sophia's blankets. Someone has great taste. I'm glad she's a Beckering too! She belongs with your family perfectly!
beautiful pics, thanks for letting us in on the blankets!
My little guy also does repetative motion to self soothe himself to sleep. always has and I've had him from birth.
I've heard of this silky fabric rubbing before too. Kids, they all have their little quirks.
Darling photos.
I like reading the continuing story of your Asian beauty.
She sure was a little sweetheart...
emily loves her silky blanket also... it is her little piece of security ... i have already bought maggie and emily ones to match for when i got to china .... can't imagine ever missing out on being these precious little one's mom !!!
Love all the photos.....She looks
so sweet and adorable!
Those pictures are so sweet...some of them I hadn't seen before.
Lily rubs Spot's paw against her lips...oh, the little things.
Sophia's birthday is one day before Larkyns Happy Birthday!!!
Gabrielle likes to breath through blankets and have the fabric touch her nose, but the same thing you've described with Sophia's lips. She is still sniffing a blanket at almost 3 1/2.
It is so fun to see these early pictures. Kate looks a lot like
Sophia used to look:)
Kim
TOO CUTE for words!!
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