[myelijah]

I would really like to hear from those of you who have brought babies home at the age of 11 months old (will turn 11 months the day of our Embassy appt). We are bringing our precious girl home the first week in January. We visited her at the age of 8 months. At that time she was sitting up but of course not even trying to stand alone or not trying to talk. Do you think she will be trying to walk? What about trying to talk some? I am wondering if she will be babbling quite a bit. At 8 months she was very quiet. We do not speak ANY Spanish. We do have a list of some phrases in Spanish so we can communicate some with her in her language. Do you think she will pick up English rather quickly? I would just love to get some feedback as to your experiences with this age baby. She has not been in foster care. She has been in a baby home and a very, very good one! But she is the oldest there now and has been for 3 months or so now. I would appreciate any insight you are willing to share with us. Advice please!!

[deguatmom]

Wendi - Congratulations on bringing your daughter home! We brought our son home this past January at 11.5 months old and we too visited him when he was 8 months old. Our son was cruising/walking when we picked him up and was babbling sounds only, no words according to his foster mother.

I would recommend finding out any special comfort phrases or words used by his caregivers. We learned a few basic words from his foster mother that he was used to hearing - specifically the word for bottle.

We taught our son sign language and found that he picked it up easily. He began using his "sign" words at 13 months and verbal words at 15 months. We think the switch from spanish only to english only easy for him. He is now 22 months old and on target (and even a little ahead) verbally for his age.

Additionally, we tried to be the primary care givers for him for the first few months. Meaning, we fed him, changed him, bathed and dressed him. We held him alot - which was easy on us as first time parents! I took a baby and me swim class, which I think helped us bond.

And of course, we showered him with love and kisses every day!! I'd be happy to share more on our experience with you, please pm me any more questions. Best wishes on your pick up trip!!

[Kesti]

Congrats to you! Glad she is coming home. All babies are diff. As my first daughter was home at 4.5 months she was crawling, talking her head off and walking by her first birthday. My second daughter did not walk till she was around 15 monts and is now just starting to form words that we can understand.

You will know what to do. Congrats. Have a great trip.

[DPline]

Congratulations! We brought Lauren home last November when she was 11 months old. As Kesti said, all children are different, but Lauren was babbling a lot (not words, just noises) and cruising furniture and liked to walk holding onto our fingers. She had a LOT of sleep problems at first, but that was much more me not understanding the sleep schedule she NEEDED, than the transition. (She needs a lot of sleep and needs to go to bed early. If she gets overtired she won't sleep at all.) She picked up English very quickly. I would say she understood most everything I said within a month or two (or at least what you would expect for a 1 year old,) and now, at 24 months, her language development is very "normal."

Have a wonderful trip!!

[jpfister]

We brought David home in April at 12 months. He was not walking or talking. He was the only baby with a wonderful foster family, but we feel that they tried to keep him a baby. He was still on 3 bottles a day when we picked him up and eating very little food. We visited him at 5 months and 9 months. He did not start walking on his own completely until 18 months old and is still hardly speaking any words at all. He was speaking about 5 words this summer but quit talking period because he doesn't want to (or have to)! I believe that his little sister will spur him into speaking more but he will probably need some speech therapy around 2 year old.

I would not worry as every child IS different and your little one will be fine no matter what. All they need is exactly what we have to offer, and that is LOTS OF LOVE.