[jennifervan]

Concerned...for the sixteen months that I have been getting pictures of Gabbie, she has only smiled in maybe a couple of them definately not in half of them...that is 16 groups of pictures. When we were with her in Guatemala last Feb. we were able to make her smile and got lots of smiley pictures.
I am just worried that based on those pictures no one cares to make her smile. She always seems so sad. Here is our newest set of pictures and yet again she is not happy.
I know I cannot base how well she is being taken care on these pictures.
But...it breaks my heart. This process has been SO long...I can only hope she is happy.
I try to tell myself maybe she does not like to set still...I have been telling myself that since she could crawl...maybe she is busy. I don't know.
Jennifer

[Maria'sMom]

Jennifer -- that is so sad. I am really hoping that it is just Gabbie does not like the "photo shoot" thing or just doesn't understand it. I am sure others will be able to chime in and have better insight than me...I just wanted to let you know that little Gabbie will be in my thoughts and prayers. And may you be able to go and get her very soon!!!

[b_fettes]

Hi Jennifer,
I don't blame you for worrying as these photos are all you have until Gabbie comes home. I totally understand your concerns. I used to be saddened at pics of our son holding his own bottle etc as an infant. It's easy to read too much into it but you have had such a very long and hard wait. Maybe the foster mum doesn't put much emphasis on getting happy pics as you did. Does she ever seem very happy in any recent pics? Kids do have their off days.
Is there any chance you could visit again? Maybe that would put your mind at rest. I'm sure that is a lot easier said than done.
Anyway, I real ly hope the wait is over very soon and Gabbie is smiling from ear to ear when her Mum is tucking her into her little bed at home.
Bst wishes,
mary

[Barbiescraps]

I know it is hard... but Gabbie is so precious.. she will be home soon..
Jennifer.. can you visit her for a couple days????
thinking of you, always....
barb

[KayV]

Every picture we ever received of our daughter in an update, she was either crying or frowning or looking very sad. But whenever we visited her, she was happy all the time. It also concerned me, as she was in an orphanage for over 2 years before her case was finally finished. But, I think she just didn't like getting her pictures taken, which could very well be the case with Gabbie. Can you go and visit with her again?

KayV

[cerca]

Jennifer,

This is something I say to myself over and over these days...I can only worry about the things that are within my power to change...I know really hard to do.

That being said have you asked your agency to check on her if they go to visit? Do you know how many other kids are with the foster mom or how many she has cared for? Maybe you can post her initials and ask if anyone else has had any experience with her.

I am so sorry this is going on...these children will all be so much better in their forever homes and it breaks my heart that there are people standing in the way of that. I hope you hear something soon on your case and I hope you hear something that eases your heart about how Gabbie is doing now.

She is truely beautiful...and maybe she is just a drama queen in pictures...like one of my girls (it makes for fun family pictures later!!)

You are in our thoughts!

Jess

[mommywannabee]

Hi Jennifer...I just wanted to let you know that my niece NEVER smiled for photos and she was a happy child...I think she just didn't like to get her picture taken. Maybe Gabbie is the same way...

I'm sure you'll be the one to make her smile again! Don't go by what you see in the photos...I know it's easy for me to say, but maybe she is like my niece and just doesn't like being photographed.

[CarmJoeMom]

I have two of the happiest bio children in the world, take out a camera and poof....no smiles! I have to work HARD to get smiles out of both of them! Maybe the FM just doesn't want to work hard to get the smiles???

I do think you bring up a good point and I"d be concerned too but maybe you can mention it to your agency?

[Katelyn's Mom]

Oh Jennifer,

I'm so sorry that you receive sad pictures. I understand how you feel. We have received updates for 8 months and only two of them had smiles. I don't even like the pictures we get as much as the ones we took on our visit trip. I wonder if the foster mother doesn't understand that we like to see smiles. Maybe it's a cultural thing???

Take care and I really hope your little one is home soon. Then she will smile for you everyday!

[crathke]

Do you know for sure it's the FM taking the pictures? Could it be someone your daughter doesn't know well?

My experience has been that when the agency reps (or facilitators) go to Guat to get updates, all the FMs/attorneys, etc take their kids to one location (generally the hotel where the facilitator/rep is staying) and it's a little crazy--many FMs, many kids, and a lot of the little ones are not entirely comfortable there.

I can understand your concern--in the one video we received, our son did not utter a sound. For six minutes. (and he was 31 months old at the time.) I asked our agency rep if I should consider a speech therapist and she just laughed--evidently, when not faced with a camera, he would not Hush Up!

[KKR213]

Oh Jennifer! I am so sorry you are feeling bad. Gabbie is so pretty and I visited the same time as you and remember seeing how happy all of you were in the halls (I was across the hall from you).

Here is my 2 cents on the pics...if you notice they have a blanket to cover up the chair yet Gabbie is standing and you can see the chair in the pic. So she probably didn't want her picture taken and stood up which would make her unhappy. My son hates his picture taken right now. I get lots of sides of of head or head down. He literally turns away from the camera. I bet Gabbie is the same way.

You are in my thoughts and prayers and I hope Gabbie is home very, very soon!!

[WVUMom418]

Do you know that it's the foster mom taking the pictures? When we received pictures we got the same result most of the time but that was because the pictures were taken during her doctor appt (so who would smile) or they were taken by someone from my agency who was visiting(basically a stranger). I have never seen a child smile as much as Mia does but you would have never known it by looking at those monthly pictures while we waited.

[riverview]

Perhaps she is very shy and does not like to have strangers take her photograph. Perhaps she likes being at home ... think positive.

[apetry26]

I can totally relate- Arely didn't smile in any of her pics from the agency either- We were in the process a long time too-not quite as long as you-but still very long. I always thought that they didn't really care whether she smiled or not. I KNOW she was well cared for and we were always able to make her smile when we visited. I just accepted the sad pics- atleast I was getting them once in a great while.

I think it's the age too- Gabbie is at the age when it is difficult to get a good pic. Best of luck to you. I hope you are done w/ this horrible process very soon!!

Angie

[TerriBB]

Jennifer -
Flora is 11 months tomorrow - we have lots of pictures and we don't have one of her smiling. I think that they like to make loud funny noises and it scares her. When I see the videos, it's obvious. (I changed photography studios with our son for the same reason - they thought LOUD noises would make kids smile...yikes, he looked like a deer in headlights in the photographs.)