Snowy Days!

Here in Northern China, a snowy day calls for a photo shoot!

    

It was so fun to see the nannies bundling up all the children! Many of them ended up waddling down the hallway because of all their layers. 

The orphanage staff clears the sidewalks for us, so to play in the snow we had to head for the playground. A few of the kids were more interested in playing on the playground sets than playing with the snow covering it.

For the most part, the kids loved the snow. They made snowballs and threw them up in the air to create their own personal snow shower. A few focused on their footprints in the snow and the patterns their shoes made. Of course, there were a few who were very uninterested in the snow.

Snow is a great sensory tool. It’s cold, wet, powdery, and shiny. It’s very different from most of the things the children are exposed to. Some would touch it and shiver, some pulled back, surprised by how cold it was. Others put it directly in their mouths. 

 

We all had so much fun playing in the snow, but I think we are all ready for spring to come and the snow to go away! Until then, we will enjoy our occasional ventures out and find more fun ways to play inside!

Christmas Celebrations!

Here at the Dew Drops Little Flower homes, we had a fun time celebrating Christmas with gifts, special treats and new clothes. Here are some of the adorable little Santas –
 

 
Next up we have some more Santas from the Bao Bao room –
 
 

  
And the Guo Guo room –
  

Finally, we have the older children from the Duo Duo room –
 

 
 
From our family to yours, we wish you a Merry Christmas and a wonderful New Year!

Qi, Our Bundle of Joy

Baby Qi was abandoned as a newborn baby.  After months of being carried in the womb of her biological mother,  she was born prematurely and then abandoned.

Around the same time,  Chelsie got a phone call asking her if she would go to an orphanage to help pick up two preemie children and bring them to the Dew Drops Little Flower Beijing home.  Chelsie had been volunteering with Little Flower for a while and such requests were usual. She had helped transport other children on overnight trains to Beijing. She said yes.  She didn't know it at that time,  but that yes had such a big impact on her life.

Chelsie ended up being Qi's primary caregiver for a few months.  As a NICU nurse,  Chelsie knew how to monitor Qi's heart,  help her when she had difficulty breathing, and help her with feeding.  Hours of skin on skin kangaroo care built a strong bond between these two.

And as time went by, we saw lots of small changes in Qi as she grew! Around 8 months later,  Chelsie returned to the U.S. to start a travelling nurse position.

Meanwhile, under the continuous love and care of the Dew Drops nannies, Qi kept growing. She is now 22 months old,  walking (or rather running around),  and saying a few words. She is our bundle of joy!

Chelsie is now back in China again, not to volunteer with us for another year, but instead to adopt Qi! Qi's story like all of the children in our care started in a place of pain. Her pain will remain with her in some form through her life, but she is starting a new part of her story today-- with her own forever family! Sometimes when life unfolds, beauty, hope, and joy pours out to cover the brokenness and pain. We are so happy for Chelsie and Little Qi and can't wait to see the rest of their story unfold!

Summer Fun!

Written by our volunteer, LeighAnn 

As we enter September, I have taken some time to reflect back on my summer here with the kids. While it looked much different than the summers I am used to, there is one thing that connects this summer to all the other- spending time outside!

 
The children and ayis both enjoy getting outside. We go for walks, play on the playground, explore the garden, or have afternoon snack picnic style under the canopy. While the older children tend to go to the playground and the garden, the little ones usually stick with wagon rides and playing in the canopy area. Any spot brings its fair share of special moments. It is so cute to see a new walker step off the mat and onto the grass for the first time. Some love the feeling of the grass between their toes, while others move back to familiarity quick. I have loved watching the older kids become more confident in themselves on the playground, climbing faster and higher than the last.




No matter where we are outside, the children never fail to find a treasure. Most days, they will collect leaves, flowers, and sticks. The treasure gets more exciting on days they go to the garden. The ayis will help them collect small apples from the trees, a sunflower full of seeds, and different herbs to take in for cooking. The kids are proud of each of their treasures. They will show me their loot with a huge smile.




One of the great things about taking the children outside is that every age can enjoy it. The crawling babies feel the grass, the toddlers have space to go from walking to running, and the older children explore. Often multiple groups of children from different Dew Drops rooms will be outside at once and play together. The little watch the older children run around and play. This also makes for a great singing time as the older children often help the younger ones with the motions.



Spending time outside with the kids this summer has been so fun! I’ve loved seeing them learn and explore the world around them.

Benefits of Physical Therapy

During the month of July, we were fortunate to host two previous volunteers, April and Claire, once again. April is a physical therapist based in Chicago, USA and Claire is a physical therapist based in Toronto, Canada. We knew with both their vast experiences and knowledge, this short trip would be immensely beneficial for all the children and caregivers at the Dew Drops Little Flower homes. And, we were right! 

Since April and Claire both had previously volunteered with us, they knew some of the children and were greeted enthusiastically when they arrived. They were amazed by these children’s growth and progress since their last visits. 

March 2018

 

July 2019

After spending some time meeting the nannies and children, April and Claire started their one-on-one consults with specific children. After an assessment of the child’s current levels, they identified some goals for each child to assist with their development. They gave us some practical suggestions for each child based on the child’s needs. Some examples included better feeding positions and further promotion of mobility and function. 

Some of the children, April and Claire worked with included You, Yue, Hang, and Yan.

 

 

 

 

 

 

We are so thankful for these two amazing volunteers and all the time, energy and love they have shared with us. We already see the benefits of their time with us and can’t wait to see them again!