Progress

Last evening (October 25), still concerned that Maylee wasn't drinking much at all, Christine decided to give Maylee pure pineapple juice in a cup to drink, thinking that the flavor might entice her.  It worked!

Christine was told by the orphanage staff on Monday that Maylee would drink a bottle of formula each morning prior to getting out of bed.  Christine tried giving a bottle of formula to her on Tuesday and Wednesday mornings with no success. Today (October 26), however, as Christine described it, "She took a whole bottle this morning!!  And she guzzled it!"  We are all smiling with relief.

Shyness is subsiding.  Maylee and Bo are not yet best buddies by any means, but neither are they foes.  This is a mutual observe and assess period that they have entered.  They sit a little closer to each other each day.  Yet, on Wednesday, Christine had been holding Maylee for quite a while, and Bo stood up, looked at Christine and pointed to the other bed in the room.  Mommy understood.  She laid Maylee down and moved over to the other bed.  Bo jumped up and laughed as he cuddled with her for a few minutes.

Content to sit somewhat close while watching cartoons.

At night, Christine and Rick have the room's two beds pushed together with one edge against one wall.  This makes a gigantic bed for all four of them.  Both Bo and Maylee are what you might call gymnastic sleepers, rolling, pushing, even climbing ...  Rick describes starting sleep with Bo on one side of him and Maylee on the other, but just the opposite when he awakes in the morning.

Nap time

In the year 2000, Marj and her husband visited Taiwan with Friendship Force International.  They were hosted by Robert and Wendy and their children here in Taipei.  This evening, Robert, Wendy, their daughter Linda, and her boyfriend Duke took Marj, Rick, Brenda and me to dinner at a nearby restaurant.  Lovely people and an enjoyable evening.  Christine initially planned to go, but Bo and Maylee needed to go to bed when the group was headed to the restaurant.

L to R: Wendy, Robert, Linda, Duke, Rick, Marj, Brenda, David