It’s been a while since I’ve posted specifically on Malachi. We had a follow up appointment yesterday at CHOPS (Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia). Aside for waiting what seemed like forever to be seen- the appointment went great. I’ll give you some bullet point updates on the progress that CHOPS has seen since October 14.

• Malachi had the diagnosis of “small stature,” but they got rid of that as he has jumped up in height, weight, and head circumference. His height was not even on the growth chart for his age in October- and now he is in the 15th percentile! Good news!
• Malachi’s expressive and receptive communication are on par with a toddler his age. While this doesn’t sound that exciting, remember that he was beginning to learn Mandarin before becoming part of our family and learning English.
• Malachi’s fine motor skills were at a 23 month old level (he’s 19 months) and his gross motor skills were, I believe, at a 17 or 18 month level. We think this was because of the way he handles stairs.

We continue to be concerned about his legs, which are very bowed. There was some hope that better nutrition would straighten out his legs (especially in the case of rickets), but this has not been the case. We’ll be meeting with an orthopedic specialist in the near future about his legs. That being said, as bowed as his legs are they do not seem to keep him from doing anything–he is super adorable to see him run!

Much of this confirms what we have been seeing on a daily basis- that Malachi is a happy little boy who is attaching to his family and growing by leaps and bounds. Just the other night, he ate a whole chicken breast from KFC (minus the skin) himself. We couldn’t feed him dinner fast enough. His appetite has taken off in the last few weeks. He has also been sleeping much better (Praise the LORD!) and more settled at home.

Thank you to everyone who continues to pray for Malachi and for our family. It has been an incredible journey and we are grateful for your thoughts and prayers!